From: http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/2010/03/100301182106-large.jpg
In this article that I read that reef ecosystems were able to continue through massive environmental changes forced by sharply falling sea levels during previous ice ages, an international scientific team has found. Also I learned that they have studied 8 fossils reefs in Papua New Guinea’s Huon Gulf region. Another thing I learned is that Fossil corals, up to half a million years old, are showing signs that coral reefs might be able to withstand today’s human activity.
Do you think that Coral reefs will be able to withstand today’s human activity?
Do you think that these studies will be important for the future?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100301182106.htm
In the article that I read, I learned that octopuses are considered one of the most intelligent invertebrate animals. Octopuses can learn very simple mazes between shapes and patterns. This article that I read was mainly about their intelligence and the way they live and move. Also there was a lot of talk about how they were an enrichment to the environment. Octopuses are also able to unscrew lids off of jars.
There were many facts that I learned that I have never heard about when I read this article. I learned that Octopuses have about 168 million neurons in their brains compared to us with having about 100 billion neutrons. I also learned that octopuses use their brains more efficient than we do. I thought that it was very cool have they tested a female giant pacific octopus unscrewing a lid off of a child proof container. The octopus was able to unscrew the lid in 55 minutes.
I think that its a good idea that scientists are testing these animals because it could show us that there are some creatures our there that are very smart and can think differently that we do. They should just keep on testing these octopuses so that we can learn more about them.
There were many cool facts about theses octopuses, but how long have they been testing theses octopuses? Also what other tests have they been giving theses octopuses?
Photo courtesy of Gustav Paulay
In this article the University of Florida researchers are collecting marine invertebrates on the French Polynesian island of Moorea as part of a massive effort to inventory the DNA sequence of every living species there. They are hoping to get all species of marine invertebrates. The scientists want to cover the macro fauna, but its almost impossible to do that. A scientist named Paulay has been studying these for a while. He estimates more than 5 percent of the macrofauna his team collects are new species.
Do you think that they will be able to reach their goal in getting all of the invertebrates?
What types of techniques do you think they should use to get the DNA?
