Bird Brains Have as many Neurons as Primates

Birds are far more intelligent and impressive creatures than some may realize. Even with small brains birds are capable of making complex cognitive decisions and actions. How is this possible? These avian creatures have a high neuron density. Though the brain is small the amount of neurons is near that of a mid sized primate. The study comes from universities out of Austria, Czech Republic, and Brazil. It was one of the first studies of its kind in the methods used to calculate the amount of neurons. Over twenty different species were sampled and brains dissected. The findings of the study were overall expected in the science community. As such, behaviors like tool building found in crows, and majestical vocal abilities found within songbirds, require higher cognitive function.

New Bio-Ink Allows for 3D Printing of Living Tissue

A new stem cell-laden bio-ink created by scientists at the University of Bristol allows for the 3D printing of living tissue, or bioprinting. This development could lead to the printing of complex surgical bones and cartilage implants using a patient’s own stem cells in the future.

An artist’s impression of a 3D living tissue bioprinting. (Image courtesy of University of Bristol)

The bioink is composed of two different polymers: a natural extract from seaweed, and a synthetic polymer already in use in medical surgeries. The synthetic polymer converts from a liquid to a gel at exactly 37°C, while the seaweed polymer provides structural support once cell nutrients are absorbed. Amazingly, once cell nutrients are introduced, the synthetic polymer dissolves away, while the stem cells and seaweed polymer remain. The stem cells in the ink are osteoblasts (a cell that secretes the bone material) and chondrocytes (a cell that secretes the matrix of cartilage).

Dr. Adam Perriman, lead researcher from the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at Bristol, stated:

Designing the new bio-ink was extremely challenging as it required a material that is printable and durable enough to maintain its shape if immersed in nutrients and does no harm to the cells. There was a lot of trial and error tests before they were able to formulate a working method.

External Link: http://www.explainingthefuture.com/bioprinting.html 

The Call of the Sea: Mammalian Evolutionary transitions back to the sea

According to a new study by Maria Chikina and Nathan Clark evidence has shown that during main evolutionary events land animals made their way back into the sea. One of these marine animals is the modern day mannatee. The call for these creatures to go back to the sea stemmed from certain genes that had evolved charactistics that preferred a marine environment. The evolved genes had led to new functions for skin and connective tissue formation as well as a diminished sense of taste and smell. The study also found the specific genes responsible for such function. A gene coding for a lung surface protein evolved to increase lung capacity and diving depths.  These land creatures that went back to the sea evolved and adapted to their environment efficiently and quickly.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/06/160622164320.htm
http://www.manatee-world.com/manatee-evolution/

How Did Farming Expand?

Farming has brought numerous benefits to various societies across the globe.  Scientists have been trying to figure out how exactly how farming spread to different societies.  They are specifically paying attention to the comparison between the ideas of farming having been developed initially in the Fertile Crescent and spread through society or if it was developed individually in various areas around similar time frames.

A single group did carry farming to Europe: DNA from ancient farmers in western Anatolia shows that they were the direct ancestors of Europe’s first farmers, known as the Linear Pottery culture; present-day Sardinians share the most DNA with these ancient Anatolians. But the trail of the first farmers went cold in the hot climate of the Middle East, which destroys DNA.

 Though there is evidence of farming being taught, there is still debate as to how the techniques initially began to grow and spread.  Various local societies used different tools in their farming suggesting that it was independently developed.  Though there is also evidence that these various local societies traded obsidan (a volcanic glass), so there is a high possibility that seeds and farming knowledge was also traded.  Of course there is a third option of both occurring! 

A Swordfish's Best Kept Secret

Reaching unofficial speeds around 60mph, a swordfish can impress almost anyone with its great speed.  Scientists recently have identified one aspect of the fish that may contribute to this ability.  A specific type of oil is secreted and covers the head of the fish allowing it to be even more hydrodynamic than originally designed.

Dutch researchers examining two frozen swordfish discovered that there is an oil-producing gland at the base of the sword, connected by capillaries to pores in the skin of the head.

Scientists believe that this advantage assists the speed of the swordfish by 20%.  The oil is secreted from the glands as the water goes past the skin of the fish giving it the advantage it needs to escape a predator and catch its prey!

Fight or Flight: The Red Eyed Tree Frog

A new study conducted by Scientist at the University of Scranton, found that the developing red-eyed tree frog in cases of stress is able hatch itself prematurely in order to escape harms way.
"The frogs normally lay a mass of 40 or so eggs on a twig or leaf over a freshwater pond. If all is well, the eggs hatch at 6 or 7 days old and the tadpoles fall into the pond. But if the eggs are attacked by a snake or a wasp during the last couple of days of development, the embryos can launch early. They wriggle out and drop to the water in less than a minute, sometimes in less than 10 seconds."

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/red-eyed-tree-frog/

The Scientists conducted a fake "attack" by poking the embryo enough to simulate a possible predator. They then discovered that the tadpole in response to the stress released enzymes which consequently broke down the embryonic wall and hatched the egg allowing the tadpole to escape harms way.

The fight or flight response has always fascinated me in the sense that not one creature responds in the same way. This tree frog definitely has a unique and efficient way of responding to predators.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/27/science/hatching-frogs.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Fsciencetake&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=collection

The Okeanos Explorer

From January through September 2016, a team of NOAA and external partners will embark on a journey with NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to investigate and document deep-water environments in and around the Hawaiian Archipelago, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) and the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument (MTMNM), and Wake Atoll section of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM). A multidisciplinary team of scientists, technicians, and engineers – both on board the ship and on shore – will conduct undersea mapping and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) explorations of the geological, biological, archaeological, and chemical features of these vast areas.

 Stockton University Biology professor, Dr. Tara Luke is participating in the evaluation of data collected during these dives!  You can follow her twitter feed here, and see the richness of diversity of life -- even at a few thousand meters below the ocean surface!!