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Showing posts with the label Biology

The Cockroach That Breaks The Rules Of Light

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Most Cockroaches Avoid The Light: For most people, cockroaches are known for one clear behavior. They hide from light. Nearly all cockroach species are nocturnal and photophobic, meaning they avoid bright areas. This is why they scatter quickly when a light is turned on in a dark room. Avoiding light helps cockroaches stay hidden from predators and humans. Darkness also provides cooler temperatures and safer places to find food and shelter.

How Rabbits Watch The World Without Turning Around

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How Rabbit Vision Works: Rabbits have one of the widest fields of vision among land animals. Their eyes are placed on the sides of their heads instead of the front. This eye placement allows them to see nearly all the way around their bodies. In most cases, a rabbit can see behind itself without turning its head at all. Their total field of vision reaches close to 360 degrees. There are only two small blind spots, one directly in front of the nose and one directly behind the head. Everything else stays within view.

Living Light: The Surprising Organs You Don't Actually Need

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Your Spleen: The spleen sits in your upper left abdomen and helps filter blood and fight infections. While it plays a role in your immune system, people can live normal lives without it. Doctors sometimes remove the spleen after an injury or to treat certain diseases.  Without a spleen, your liver and lymph nodes take over many of its duties. People who have their spleen removed need to be more careful about infections and may need extra vaccinations, but they can still enjoy full, active lives.

The Science Behind Blue Blood: Creatures That Use Copper Instead Of Iron

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Introduction To Blood And Oxygen Transport: Blood is essential for carrying oxygen throughout the body, but not all creatures use the same system. Humans and most animals rely on hemoglobin, an iron-based protein that turns blood red when it binds with oxygen.  However, some creatures have taken a different evolutionary path, using hemocyanin, a copper-based molecule, that gives their blood a distinct blue color.

Ants Are Nature's Ultimate Clean Freaks

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The Daily Cleaning Routine That Keeps Colonies Alive: Ants spend up to 25% of their waking hours cleaning themselves and their surroundings. This constant maintenance is not just about looking good - it's a matter of survival.  Every ant in a colony follows strict hygiene rules that would put most humans to shame. They use their front legs to scrub their antennae, which are crucial for communication and navigation.  Without clean antennae, ants cannot detect chemical signals from their colony mates or find food sources.

How Horses Help Save Lives From Snake Bites

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Understanding Snake Venom: What Makes It Dangerous Snake bites can be very dangerous, especially if the snake is venomous. Venom is a special type of poison that some snakes use to catch their food or protect themselves.  When a person is bitten by a venomous snake, the venom can cause serious health problems, like trouble breathing, pain, swelling, or even death if not treated quickly.  The only way to stop the venom from hurting someone is to give them a special medicine called antivenom.