The Evolution of Wasp Brains

A new study suggests that brain and behavior relationships may have changed in a profound way as larger, more complex insect societies evolved from smaller, simpler ones.

Researchers found that a key region in the brains of a primitively social paper wasp is better developed in dominant females than in subordinate ones.

In the new study, O'Donnell and colleagues from the University of Texas studied the brain development of the primitively social wasp Mischocyttarus mastigophorus in the tropical cloud forest near Monteverde, Costa Rica.

The work is important because O'Donnell said social insects are a great model for understanding the design of brains and the relationship between brain design and social complexity. "And it has implications for human society because the evolution of our own society may affect brain development. Social behavior places pretty heavy demands on the human brain." link

The Wasp Woman:

The Milky Way Shaped Life On Earth

Frenzied star-making in the Milky Way Galaxy starting about 2400 million years ago had extraordinary effects on life on Earth. According to new results published by Dr. Henrik Svensmark the variability in the productivity of life is closely linked to the cosmic rays that rain down on the Earth from exploded stars. They were most intense during a baby boom of stars, many of which blew up.

Art © Darwyn Cooke

'The odds are 10,000 to 1 against this unexpected link between cosmic rays and the variable state of the biosphere being just a coincidence, and it offers a new perspective on the connection between the evolution of the Milky Way and the entire history of life over the last 4 billion years,' Dr Svensmark comments.

Svensmark looked at the long record of life's bounty given by counts of heavy carbon atoms, carbon¹³, in sedimentary rocks. When bacteria and algae in the ocean grow by taking in carbon dioxide they lock up C¹² causing the sea to become enriched in C¹³. Variations in C¹³ therefore record how much photosynthetic growth [biological productivity] was in progress when the marine shell-makers were alive.

image

The biggest fluctuations in productivity coincided with high star formation rates and cool periods in Earth's climate. Conversely, during a billion years when star formation was slow, cosmic rays were less intense and Earth's climate was warmer, the biosphere was almost unchanging in its productivity.

Most likely, the variations in cosmic radiation affected biological productivity through their influence on cloud formation. Hence, the stellar baby boom 2.4 billion years ago, which resulted in an extraordinarily large number of supernova explosions, had a chilling effect on Earth probably by increasing the cloud cover. link

Vaughn Bodé’s 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Part 1

Back in the 60’s, while he was finishing off his degree at Syracuse University, Vaughn Bodé illustrated a number of classics that had been rewritten for “reading challenged” kids. The books were published by Frank E. Richards and sold exclusively to schools.

Today these books are going for increasingly ridiculous prices on the secondary market. So, until some bright bulb decides to republish the illustrations from these books in one big compendium, I’ll be posting all the illos from the best book of the bunch, Jules Verne’s ’20,000 Leagues Under The Sea’ in eight installments.

I’ve taken the liberty to start each posting with one of the colour plates but otherwise everything is in order of appearance in the book. Enjoy!

All art © the estate of Vaughn Bodé

Read: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

Born This Day: Barbie’s Father

St. Barbie © Mark Ryden

Jack Ryan (Nov 12, 1926 - Aug 12, 1991) held 1000 patents including the Barbie doll for Mattell, Hot Wheels and military missles. Jack Ryan invented the joints that allowed Barbie to bend at the waist and the knee.

Poison Ivy © DC Comcs from HERE.

Before he designed the very first Barbie, Ryan worked at the Pentagon as an engineer designing Sparrow and Hawk missiles. Mattel hired him for his "space-aged savvy" and knowledge of materials. Ryan also brought the pull-string, talking voice boxes for Mattel's dolls to the company. link

Invisible Woman © Marvel Comics from HERE.

Barbie Lives!

Born This Day: Carl Sagan

Nov. 9, 1934 - Dec. 20, 1996


Carl Sagan (1934 - 1996)
"I maintain there is much more wonder in science than in pseudoscience. And in addition, to whatever measure this term has any meaning, science has the additional virtue, and it is not an inconsiderable one, of being true".





Joseph Turner: Shade and Darkness - the Evening of the Deluge
1843; Oil on canvas, 78.5 x 78 cm; Tate Gallery, London

The Edge of Forever:

Robots Taste Human Flesh: Crave More!

Researchers at NEC System Technologies and Mie University have designed a robot that can taste. Last month, they unveiled the fruits of their two-year effort — a green-and-white prototype with eyes, a head that swivels and a mouth that lights up whenever the robot talks. The "tasting" is done elsewhere, however.

At the end of the robot's left arm is an infrared spectrometer. When objects are placed up against the sensor, the robot fires off a beam of infrared light. The reflected light is then analyzed in real time to determine the object's chemical composition.

When a reporter's hand was placed against the robot's taste sensor, it was identified as prosciutto. A cameraman was mistaken for bacon. Link

Robot Monster Destroys All Humans...!

Transit of Mercury

The Transit of Mercury Webcast is being hosted by the NASA Digital Learning Network. From their home page just choose the Transit of Mercury feature. On the information page you will find many activities and lesson plans.

Webcast Air Time:

Start: 1:30 ET - End: 2:30 ET TODAY!

During the webcast NASA will feature:

A panel of scientists live from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

A telescope 'safety viewing' demonstration with instructions on how to view the transit using a classroom solarscope.

Live images of the transit from 2 NASA satellites, SOHO and TRACE.

Live ground based images from Kitt Peak and Hawaii!

VISIT THE PERIODIC TABLE OF COMIC BOOKS.