Category: Uncategorized
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PARASITIC PLANT HAS EDGE IN EVOLUTIONARY ARMS RACE
Originally in ScienceConnected The relationship between a parasite and its host can be a contentious one. Their interests are in direct conflict with one another, so each is always trying to circumvent the other’s plan. This is often thought of as an evolutionary “arms race.” In this ongoing competition, a parasite evolves a more efficient…
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Curiosity Finds Weird Oxygen Fluctuations on Mars
For the last six years, NASA’s Curiosity rover has been sampling the air on Mars. At regular intervals, curiosity takes a “breath” of Martian atmosphere. These air samples do not travel through a nose into a pair of lungs, but instead into an onboard lab called the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM). Instruments within SAM…
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How Many Times can a Clone Be Cloned?
“How many times can you clone a clone?” she asked, “Is that even possible?” The rest of the class was filing out of the classroom, but one student stood in front of me trying to get my attention. This was a BIO 101 class and we had finished a discussion on biotechnology two minutes prior.…
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FoodHappens Radio
Just wrapped up recording some segments for an upcoming radio show/podcast called FoodHappens. I am excited to contribute to this project, and I would like to thank the show’s host Oso Wallman for inviting me to be a part of it. We expect the first episodes to arrive sometime late November, and I’ll provide more…
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Magnetoreception: How to Travel the World
In the early days of sailing, merchants would pilot ships around the Mediterranean carrying goods for trade. Early sailors would follow coastlines from port to port for their livelihoods. Navigation into open water was tricky. When land was not visible, one had to rely on celestial cues for positioning. In open water, the only landmarks…
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Brood Parasites
Nature is full of cheaters. Competition for key survival resources is fierce and costly, so it is no surprise to see scroungers and freeloaders attempting to subvert competition. Parental care provides significant survival advantage and is a valuable and costly resource. It is a trait that evolves in a population that can pay that cost.…
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Using Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
Your task is to try to prevent the spread of the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis. How do you go about the process of prevention?
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Hello.
Hello. Let me introduce myself. My name is Cameron, and you have found my blog site. I want you to feel welcome here. My goal with Beakers Birds & Brains is to inform and educate. I have spent the last several years teaching Biology at the University level, mainly teaching classes aimed at students with…
Cameron Duke 