Whiskey's Sweet Ponderings

theinevitablezombieapocalypse:

Zombie Waldo

thunderbuff:

Zombie Where’s Waldo portrait by Andre de Freitas

rhamphotheca:

Fish Mimics Octopus That Mimics Fish

Provided by California Academy of Sciences

Nature’s game of intimidation and imitation comes full circle in the waters of Indonesia, where scientists have recorded for the first time an association between the black-marble jawfish (Stalix cf. histrio) and the mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus).

Undescribed by scientists until 1998, the talented mimic octopus is known to impersonate toxic flatfish, lionfish, and even sea snakes by creatively configuring its limbs, adopting characteristic undulating movements, and displaying bold brown-and-white color patterns. Thanks to these brazen habits, it can swim in the open with relatively little fear of predators…

(read more: PhysOrg)    (photo: Godehard Kopp)

rhamphotheca:

Octopuses Rewrite Their RNA to Beat the Cold

by Mitch Leslie

An octopus dwelling in the frigid waters of the Antarctic doesn’t wear gloves on its tentacles, but it has found another way to endure the cold. A new study shows that this animal uses a trick called RNA editing to customize crucial nervous system proteins to work at low temperatures. The paper is the first to reveal that RNA editing, not just changes to a specific gene, can lead to adaptations.

Low temperatures hamper certain proteins that allow the nervous system to send signals. When a nerve cell fires, protein channels in its membrane open or close to allow various ions in or out. And when the electrical charge across the cell membrane returns to normal, the ion channels that let potassium ions out shut. But frigid temperatures can delay the potassium channels’ closing, hindering the neuron’s ability to fire again. So researchers hypothesized that species inhabiting frigid climates have modified their potassium channels so they work better in the cold.

Molecular neurophysiologist Joshua Rosenthal of the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus in San Juan and his graduate student Sandra Garrett figured they knew how that adjustment would occur. “We thought we were going to see changes at the level of the gene,” Rosenthal says. That is, they expected the potassium channel genes from cold-living species would have evolved so that they produce a slightly different protein that performs better at low temperatures…

(read more: Science NOW)     (photo: Sandra Garrett)

woodendreams:

(by twiga_swala)

rhamphotheca:

mentalfornication: Asiatic Golden Cat by Ami 211 on Flickr.

I find this cat fascinating because it’s not the typical lion, tiger, or leopard. Its coat and the facial markings are absolutely stunning.

laboratorysciencereview:

thegreenwolf:

Niches, man.

This makes me laugh so hard. Lawd.

(via jtotheizzoe)

rebeccalawrence:

Me by Craig White

NY, NY

(via gentlemanpervert)

kinkyminx:

I’ll take snuggling today if thats ok. 

selenablake:

Nothing like a Saturday morning snuggle fest…

nerdology:

Home Sweet Home - T-Shirt

Love this.  If you can navigate through the German you can buy this shirt.