Christie Wilcox
cwilcox
Posts by this author
February 27, 2009
Heart the size of a Mini Cooper.Mouth big enough to hold 100 people.Longer than a basketball court.Weighing as much as 25 large elephants.It is the largest creature ever to inhabit the earth.But we know precious little about it.That's right, folks! Yours truly (and a few other awesome bloggers)…
February 27, 2009
This giant freshwater stingray was caught as a part of a National Geographic expedition in Thailand this week. It weighed in at a whopping 550 to 990 lbs and was as wide as a full grown man is tall. For the record, that would be one huge, painful barb to be stung by. The expedition was searching…
February 25, 2009
Sure, seeing gators is cool. And the Jellyfish was a personal fetish. But this - this is so much cooler.
Before I get ahead of myself, let me explain. In Florida, we have these slow-moving, cow like sea creatures called Manatees. They're cute in an ugly sort of way. Anyhow, when it gets colder out…
February 25, 2009
I thought I'd try to build some suspense for a future post (that, and I want an excuse to post some nice pictures). So, I'll just leave you with these clues:
1. Tom Selleck.2. A heart the size of a mini-cooper.
And these images:
What am I going to write about? You'll have to see... or go ahead,…
February 24, 2009
Can't find that perfect piece to tie your living room together?
How about your DNA?
A company called DNA 11 offers you the opportunity to turn your genes into works of art. They're actually quite attractive, too. Kind of modern-styling with a nerd edge:
Of course, it'll cost you at least $169 a…
February 24, 2009
"Sleep, and dream of large women..."
Westley might have been talking to a giant, but he could have said the same thing to the humpback whale population that spends every December to April in the "four-island" region off of the coast of Maui, Hawaii. Researchers from the Dolphin Institute in…
February 24, 2009
My college friend, Mike, has applied to the best job in the world. He's a great guy and a total nerd, so vote him up and give him the chance of a lifetime: Vote NOW!!!
February 23, 2009
Ok. So, as a marine biologist, I happen to know a few things about marine organisms. Whenever I walk on a beach and find something interesting, I happen to enjoy talking about those few things I know to whoever is unlucky enough to be walking with me. I love finding marine life on the beaches - it…
February 22, 2009
Gotta love Zooborns for always finding great cute baby photos. I think these guys are simply the cutest in that weird, funny-looking sort of way!
They're Tawny Frogmouth chicks. Below is an image Allie took when we went behind the scenes at SeaWorld of an adult. They're similar to owls, but are…
February 21, 2009
So I live in Florida. It has its benefits. For example, last weekend I went walking around Myakka State Park with Barry and his family. Whenever you walk in a park in Florida with water, you're really looking for one thing: Gators. Luckily, just about every body of freshwater in Florida has them,…
February 21, 2009
This isn't the first time I've mentioned Parasitic Wasps. They're a rude sort of parasite, laying their eggs inside unwitting hosts to grow up and eat them from the inside out. While it sounds gross and, frankly, a little evil, it makes them also really good at one thing: biocontrol.
When Sarah…
February 19, 2009
Men see scantily clad women as objects according to new research.
...Anyone shocked?
To be entirely scientific, the research, presented at the AAAS annual meeting , showed that the parts of the brain responsible for tool use and action lit up when Princeton college undergrads were shown images of…
February 18, 2009
Sure, no one wants to think they're ugly. Statistically some of us have to be, but no one wants to think they're below average. But most of us, save a few that Carly Simon might have sung about, think we're pretty accurate about how we look. We know if we're a 2 or a 10 - whether we like to admit…
February 18, 2009
I take a big issue with breed-specific legislation. Politicians target innocent breeds that they claim are "dangerous" because they're too small-minded to look at the facts of how dogs become aggressive. If you were to outlaw "dangerous" breeds, you'd have to start with the most aggressive - like…
February 16, 2009
Been feeling under the weather? Nose all stuffed up, barely able to breathe? Well, at least one doctor recommends that you get yourself off to treat that nasal drip, any way you can. Seriously - the suggestion was even published in Medical Hypotheses, a real journal.
The author, Sina Zarrintan from…
February 15, 2009
I can has cheezburger has too many cute photos. Like this one:
I just want to give it a hug.
But you should give it your best LOL caption!
February 14, 2009
If I ask you what group of organisms is an exhibition of evolution at its finest, what would you say? Most people, I think, would say human beings, or at least apex predators. After all, we have staggering intellect compared to our prey items and clearly dominate the planet, eat what we will, etc.…
February 14, 2009
hat tip Linda Lin
Some good science/love quotes:"In science as in love, too much concentration on technique can often lead to impotence."â P. L. Berger
"Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence."â Henry Louis Mencken
"When we are in love we seem to ourselves quite different from what we…
February 13, 2009
Happy Valentine's Day! Though, I doubt this post fits well into your lovely romantic images of the day...
I promised another vertebrate, so here it is, a parasite so cruel it's sure to make you cringe: The Candiru.
It looks innocent enough. It's a little catfish. Heck, it's so little it's known as…
February 13, 2009
When I first saw the headline, I just shook my head. Then I looked at the picture of the kid - and I really do mean kid. Look at him! He looks like he's 8! Heck, I know adults that don't seem to know the consequences of unprotected sex, but for a 13 yr old and a 15 yr old to have to deal with them…
February 12, 2009
I'm going to do my best to keep up for the next week, but my boyfriend's family (parents, two brothers, and brother's fiancee!) are going to be in town for the next week or so, so I'm going to be a little distracted and busy.
So, if you're really bored and I'm just not cutting it for entertaining…
February 11, 2009
I keep reading articles for and against Darwin Day Celebrations spouting about "Darwinists" and "Darwinism". As I sat down to write my own post to "Blog for Darwin", I couldn't get these "-isms" and "-ists" out of my head. I really wanted to write more about the man behind the theory or the amazing…
February 11, 2009
Hey there! Like the nice, shiny new logo?
You can blame Irradiatus at Biochemical Soul for that. Clearly my attempts were far less elegant, so he bailed me out. He's a professional*!
Anyhow, just wanted to thank him publicly. He's awesome.
*maybe not a professional graphics artist, but a…
February 10, 2009
With Darwin Day right around the corner, it seems most science blogs have forgotten the other, insignificant holiday on the horizon - yes, I mean Valentine's Day. So, since my post for Darwin Day will go up tomorrow anyhow, I thought I'd give at least a little attention to the big V as well.
Here'…
February 10, 2009
Don't forget to watch the National Geographic Darwin Specials tonight! I really, strongly encourage you to watch Darwin's Secret Notebooks if you can!!!
February 9, 2009
I don't really have an intro to these guys, as they're just too cute for words!
They're baby fennec foxes, for those of you who aren't familiar with those large ears. The fennec fox lives in the Sahara desert, where they use those massive acoustic organs to both hear its prey from far away and…
February 8, 2009
Iâve been tagged by Allie over at Oh For The Love of Science! with a science book meme!
Imagine: YOU are asked to assign a half-dozen-or-so books as required reading for ALL science majors at a college as part of their 4-year degree; NOT technical or text books, but other works, old or new,…
February 7, 2009
Tonight, I presume, you all are going to tune in and check out National Geographic's Morphed series. It was truly a blast to watch!
But, what are your plans for this Tuesday? Because the fun's only just begun, and let me tell you, they saved the best for last.
On Feb 10th starting at 9 PM, the…
February 6, 2009
OK, OK, I know I already did one sci-fi worthy parasite this week. But they published a paper about a parasite! Ed and other people already beat me to the punch, but I have to write about it! It's a parasite! I love parasites!
So anyway. Here it is.
Maculinea rebeli, the Mountain Acon Blue…
February 6, 2009
Thanks to Panda's Thumb and Biochemical Soul I've been informed of some sneaky senatorial crap going down in DC. Here's the info:
Science Getting the Shaft
US Senators Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are proposing to cut the stimulus/spending package by roughly 10%. Their staff have…