Starfish are predators and feed on an assortment of marine invertebrates. Their flexible feeding strategies make the most out of whatever food may be present in their environments. Animals use their arms to capture and pry open the hard shells of clams, oysters, mussels and other shellfish before using cardiac stomachs to wrap around their…
Spacecraft are vehicles designed to transport people or cargo into space using rocket propulsion. Their primary use is leaving Earth’s gravity for other planets within our Solar System; those aboard such spacecraft are known as astronauts or cosmonauts. Orbital spacecraft resemble capsules or spaceplanes in shape and function. Reusable or expendable versions exist. Each requires…
Be wary if you come upon a swarm of flying ants around your home; these likely represent an established colony about to breed. Don’t panic: Instead, be patient as the ants may just be getting ready to breed again! Winged ants, commonly known as swarmers or alates, appear at certain times of year to seek…
Scientists have long searched Mars for signs of liquid water, including signs like mysterious dark streaks on its surface and signs like hydrated minerals that indicate their existence. According to this new study, between 30-99% of Earth’s original water has become trapped within special rocks known as hydrous minerals; any remaining amounts either escaped into…
Spacecraft that are no longer needed for planetary exploration can either be reused for another mission, or returned back towards Earth in an effort to burn up on their descent and avoid spreading debris into space. It is an effective way of disposing of dead satellites without sending debris hurtling off into orbit. As it…
Searches for life on Mars have been hindered by one simple fact: no such creatures have ever been discovered despite our best efforts. This does not indicate lack of effort on our part. One approach involves studying Deinococcus radiodurans bacteria, which have proven resilient against large doses of radiation exposure. Scientists think some microbes on…
Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are among the most enthralling big cats of Africa. These elegant predators feature yellow or tan short coarse fur with solid black spots, small heads with high-set eyes, teardrop-shaped facial streaks and tear-like patches along their cheeks. Hunters in open savannah or grassland habitat hunt by day, using their incredible speed to…
Salmon and other seafood is great source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids and selenium–all essential components for good health. But some consumers may be wary about mercury levels in fish products. Mercury can be found naturally in our environment and biomagnifies into food chains as larger predatory species consume smaller prey species. Both the FDA…
Not many can resist admiring a picturesque blue sky, yet few understand why its hue comes about. No, it doesn’t come from oxygen levels in the atmosphere or because sunlight emits blue rays; there’s another explanation. Light that reaches Earth’s atmosphere is scattered by gases and particles in the air, with blue wavelength light being…
