Life Science
How can I get rid of foot fungus?
Posted by Greg Laden on May 22, 2013 You can’t! There’s a fungus among us—a hundred different species in fact—and nearly all take up residence on our feet, according to a study that appears in the journal Nature this week. Only a few fungi species were found on other body parts known to house fungi—such as behind the ears and on palms—according to…
Do mites really live on my face?
Posted by Greg Laden on May 22, 2013 This is the question everyone eventually asks themselves. The answer is no. They live all over your body in the follicles of your hair. But, the situation is much more complicated than that, and in fact there is a lot we don’t know about these mites. But, there is a scientist who may be willing…
Understanding Storms and Global Warming: A Quaint Parable
Posted by Greg Laden on May 21, 2013 
A quaint New England rocky creek Imagine standing next to Parable Creek, an imaginary rocky brook in New England. The water is rushing past you from left to right, around the rocks that emerge tall above the surface of the stream, mounding over the top of those that are lower down. The deepest parts of…
Does parasite load really matter?
Posted by Greg Laden on May 21, 2013 
In behavioral biology there is a fair amount of attention to individual quality, which may be determined by genes or parasite load or energy balance, or some interaction among these (and other) factors. Individual quality is honestly indicated by some trait or behavior; a large bright thing hanging of your head, a long bout of…
Mary’s Monday Metazoan: How ladylike!
Posted by PZ Myers on May 21, 2013 It’s the lovely Pink Dragon millipede — it’s bright enough to belong in the girl’s aisle at the toy store. It also squirts cyanide at you if you annoy it.
NASA Astrobiology Roadmap 5: Planetary Conditions for Life
Posted by Steinn Sigurðsson on May 20, 2013 The final session in the online discussion of the NASA Astrobiology Roadmap is today from 4-5 pm eastern. Go to Astrobiology Future to sign in to the live web chat. Questions and comments will be taken both from call-ins and from written questions. The online discussion will be moderated by Dr Francis McCubbin from UNM,…
NASA Astrobiology Roadmap 4: Early Evolution of Life and the Biosphere
Posted by Steinn Sigurðsson on May 20, 2013 Astrobiology Future The NASA online discussion session on the Astrobiology Roadmap continues this week. This morning there was a web chat on “Early Evolution of Life and the Biosphere”, which is being followed up by an ongoing online discussion on the questions posed and soliciting ideas for priorities in research direction. The questions being discussed…
New book on sexuality in the animal kingdom
Posted by Dr. Dolittle on May 17, 2013 I was just digitally flipping through a new book called “Crime Against Nature“, which describes various reproductive behaviors in the animal kingdom. It is written by an artist, Gwenn Seemel, not a scientist, so I cannot vouch for the scientific accuracy of the book as a whole. However, the illustrations are quite nice and the content is seemingly scandalous,…
Spring in California: Saturday is Fascination of Plants Day
Posted by Pamela Ronald on May 16, 2013 On Saturday, May 18, the second international “Fascination of Plants Day” will take place. Join in to see for yourself how fascinating plant are
Botanical Wednesday: Twisty
Posted by PZ Myers on May 16, 2013 (via Australian Geographic)
