Recent Research

Novum Manu

25 November, 2012 by

The Science of Artificial Hands

Our hands are possibly our most versatile tool; we use them for almost every aspect of our daily lives and few of us could imagine surviving without them. For those unlucky enough to suffer from congenital hand malformations, or amputees as a result of disease or injury, this is even more clear. In the US, over 40,000 people have undergone hand or arm amputation, most commonly due to injury, cancer or vascular complications of diseases such as diabetes. Although limb loss may once have been a truly debilitating and lifetime loss, remarkable advances in artificial limb technology are making the outlook for amputees much better.

Continue reading →

The Social World of Slime

7 October, 2012 by

Social behaviour in animals is not uncommon, and we are rarely surprised to observe cooperation in nature. However, most explanations for cooperative behaviour rely upon a certain level of cognitive ability. Cooperating willy-nilly leaves individuals open to cheaters, so successful and long-term cooperation between individuals often relies upon individual recognition. Many social groups are composed of relatives. This makes a lot of sense, as helping relatives yields benefits without the need for reciprocation in the future, because relatives share genes. But still, you might expect that even this requires basic intelligence – you need to be able to recognise who are your relatives.

Continue reading →

A Holiday Amongst the Stars

24 June, 2012 by

Travel around the world has become increasingly affordable with technological improvements over the past few decades. For the middle-class, few places are still out of reach. The obvious candidate for a new frontier of tourism is therefore space – a travel destination that is still vastly unaffordable for all but the richest people in the world. But the allure of space is powerful, and for those of us with an adventurous streak, the idea of one day being able to leave Earth and see the world from a different perspective is extremely enticing.

Continue reading →

Frogs Develop Biological Anti-Freeze

6 February, 2010 by

While most animals will try to avoid freezing at all costs, some species of frog are actively encouraging it.

The wood frog (Rana sylvatica) is one of a handful of freeze-tolerant animals with adaptations to cope with freezing for up for 4 weeks. And within hours of defrosting the frogs are back to their usual selves again.

Continue reading →

All-Female Fish Species takes Males for a Ride

16 January, 2010 by

Reproduction takes two… right? This is true for most animal species, with reproduction involving the fusion of a sperm and an egg. However, one fish species has taken a different approach. The Amazon Molly is entirely female. When they are ready to reproduce, members of this species must find a male of another, related species, and mate with him. However, instead of using the sperm from this male to provide half of the genetic information for the future offspring, the female Amazon Molly merely uses the sperm as a signal to trigger embryogenesis, in a process known as gynogenesis.

Continue reading →

« Newer Posts