Mimicking geckos

By dr. dolittle on August 18, 2014.

Researchers at DARPA are using geckos to create biologically inspired methods of scaling vertical walls.
Check out this video demonstration of "Geckskin":

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How did geckos' amazing footwork evolve?

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We're moving!!!!

October 30, 2017

You may be wondering why I have been so sentimental even though the year is not over yet. I am happy to inform you that it is not because I am retiring. On the contrary, I am packing up my virtual bags and moving this blog to a new site! Pardon the dust while we get settled into our new digs.

#1: Is there an evolutionary advantage to "being stupid"?

October 30, 2017

And the #1 blog entry published thus far in 2017 discussed whether there was an evolutionary advantage to being stupid: ---- As I was looking through the scientific literature the other day, I came across an article published in 1973, "The Evolutionary Advantages of Being Stupid." With a title like…

#2: A Truly Extraordinary Octopus

October 25, 2017

Who could forget the second most popular blog post so far this year. Seeing an octopus walk never gets old! ------- I came across this amazing video on YouTube showing a species of octopus found in Northern Australia that is adapted to walk on land:

#3: Zebra Finches Reward Themselves for singing well

October 23, 2017

The #3 post so far this year explored how zebra finches reward themselves for singing well: Dopamine is an important hormone released from neurons involved in reward pathways. Researchers at Cornell University wanted to know if dopamine signaling was involved in how birds learn songs. Their…

#4: Komodo Dragons have antibacterial blood

October 19, 2017

Here is the 4th most popular post so far this year: Picture of a komodo dragon by CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Researchers studying komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) at George Mason University discovered 48 previously unknown peptides in their blood that might have antimicrobial…

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We're moving!!!!

#1: Is there an evolutionary advantage to "being stupid"?

#2: A Truly Extraordinary Octopus

#3: Zebra Finches Reward Themselves for singing well

#4: Komodo Dragons have antibacterial blood

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