We all wonder what could have been done to prevent the train wreck that is Jurassic Park. The security could have been tighter, they could have gotten better software and powerful power sources. Yet the one thing that nagged me the entire time as I watched the movie was how come the scientists didn't know certain frogs can change genders. It nagged me so much that I had to investigate... again. It turns out, there is only one frog in particular, that I found, that could change sexes.
The African Reed Frog! They naturally blend into the leaves and reeds if provided and stick to almost any surface like any frog. They usually grow from 1 inch to 2.5 inches and prefer temperatures from 70-90 degrees. They spend most of their time sleeping in the sun and they love to eat insects multiple times a day and they eat a lot of it. Then there comes the inevitable fact... they can change sexes!
This phenomenon is present in all organisms; the ability to change our genders to fit our survival needs. Yet as far as the frogs are concerned, they can and will change their genders only if the population is filled with one and not the other. Yet this mechanism is only used in times of dire need, when their population is dwindling and they need a quick population booster. So once again thank you fellow scientists, and I just want to explain that the reason I didn't post this Tuesday was because I wanted to do an experiment but couldn't because it would take too long.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Evolution and Dinosaurs; a love that could never be.
I recently became curious about our prehistoric friends when I watched a Discovery channel show on the extinction of the dinosaurs. It wasn't until the end after countless theories were tested by many scientists, one scientist actually asked a very good question; what if the asteroid missed? It brought on even more theories. Many scientists thought that they wouldn't evolve in any way, some thought they would size down to look similar to humans with scales for skin. I started to think about this myself and wanted to learn more on this segment, when the program ended. The curiosity faded away over time, yet resurfaced just a few days ago when my brother introduced me to Dinosaur Train.
A TV series on PBS kids that basically describes a T-Rex getting mixed up with another dinosaur family and traveling through dinosaur time on the "dinosaur train". I sat with my brother who was transfixed as usual to this extraordinary show that included singing, trains and dinosaurs; his boyish fantasies come true. The show described the Troodans as the brains of the operation; the ones who created the train and the "time tunnels" in the first place. Still curious about these intelligent creatures I continued to do research on what would happen if the dinosaurs didn't go extinct. Then what would you know, I got information including Troodans.
Apparently Troodans were considered the smartest of the dinosaurs. Professor Larry Whitmore of Ohio University stated in this article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6444811.stm) that they stood upright instead of on all fours and travelled in large groups. He also found evidence by studying the brain cavity that they possessed good vision and a potential brain structure compatible for problem-solving. It was also thought that if they followed a good evolution pattern, they could potentially have increased intelligence.
I learned in that article that these evolved dinosaurs were classified as "dinosauroids". Yet they were insulting to many scientists. Kristi Curry-Rogers stated that they could have had bigger brains and eyes but, quote, " I doubt seriously that any dinosaur would ever end up looking like a person, and it is fairly arrogant to think that the end point of all evolutionary trajectories should sort of emulate human beings."Never the less, the search for modern day dinosaurs, other than our fellow reptilian and avian variety friends, continues. Soon we'll be cloning them from blood in fossilized mosquitos. It'll be like Jurassic Park, and no one would have thought to wonder about the consequences. So for my fellow scientists, I bid you fare well and goodnight and leave you with a prehistoric footprint of a fact in your mind.
A TV series on PBS kids that basically describes a T-Rex getting mixed up with another dinosaur family and traveling through dinosaur time on the "dinosaur train". I sat with my brother who was transfixed as usual to this extraordinary show that included singing, trains and dinosaurs; his boyish fantasies come true. The show described the Troodans as the brains of the operation; the ones who created the train and the "time tunnels" in the first place. Still curious about these intelligent creatures I continued to do research on what would happen if the dinosaurs didn't go extinct. Then what would you know, I got information including Troodans.
Apparently Troodans were considered the smartest of the dinosaurs. Professor Larry Whitmore of Ohio University stated in this article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6444811.stm) that they stood upright instead of on all fours and travelled in large groups. He also found evidence by studying the brain cavity that they possessed good vision and a potential brain structure compatible for problem-solving. It was also thought that if they followed a good evolution pattern, they could potentially have increased intelligence.
I learned in that article that these evolved dinosaurs were classified as "dinosauroids". Yet they were insulting to many scientists. Kristi Curry-Rogers stated that they could have had bigger brains and eyes but, quote, " I doubt seriously that any dinosaur would ever end up looking like a person, and it is fairly arrogant to think that the end point of all evolutionary trajectories should sort of emulate human beings."Never the less, the search for modern day dinosaurs, other than our fellow reptilian and avian variety friends, continues. Soon we'll be cloning them from blood in fossilized mosquitos. It'll be like Jurassic Park, and no one would have thought to wonder about the consequences. So for my fellow scientists, I bid you fare well and goodnight and leave you with a prehistoric footprint of a fact in your mind.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)