Microstructure-induced biomechanical responses of dragonfly wing veins
Wang's research team discovered the sandwich microstructure of dragonfly wing veins1 and recently revealed the organic junction between these longitudinal veins and membranes of the dragonfly wing2....
View ArticleInsects are scared to death of fish
The mere presence of a predator causes enough stress to kill a dragonfly, even when the predator cannot actually get at its prey to eat it, say biologists at the University of Toronto.
View ArticleReign of the giant insects ended with the evolution of birds, study finds
(Phys.org) -- Giant insects ruled the prehistoric skies during periods when Earth's atmosphere was rich in oxygen. Then came the birds. After the evolution of birds about 150 million years ago, insects...
View ArticleDragonflies have human-like 'selective attention'
In a discovery that may prove important for cognitive science, our understanding of nature and applications for robot vision, researchers at the University of Adelaide have found evidence that the...
View ArticleFesto builds BionicOpter—fully functional robot dragonfly (w/ Video)
(Phys.org) —German technology company Festo has unveiled the BionicOpter, a fully functional robotic dragonfly. It can fly forwards, backwards, hover and even fly sideways—just like a real dragonfly....
View ArticleMalware aims at US, Europe energy sector, researchers say
Cyberattackers, probably state sponsored, have been targeting energy operations in the United States and Europe since 2011 and were capable of causing significant damage, security researchers said Monday.
View ArticleDragonflies on the hunt display complex choreography
The dragonfly is a swift and efficient hunter. Once it spots its prey, it takes about half a second to swoop beneath an unsuspecting insect and snatch it from the air. Scientists at the Howard Hughes...
View ArticleMonarch butterflies with a heavy load
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have succeeded for the first time in fitting monarch butterflies with a radio transmitter and in tracking them from an aircraft over a long distance on their flight...
View ArticleOver 1,000 fish species 'threatened with extinction'
More than 1,000 freshwater fish species are threatened with extinction, reflecting the strain on global water resources, an updated global "Red List" of endangered species showed Tuesday.
View ArticleHalloween horror story -- tale of the headless dragonfly
In a short, violent battle that could have happened somewhere this afternoon, the lizard made a fast lunge at the dragonfly, bit its head off and turned to run away. Lunch was served.
View ArticleDragonflies: The flying aces of the insect world
Next time you see a dragonfly, try to watch it catch its next meal on the go. Good luck!
View ArticleJapan opens Fukushima reactors to outside eyes
Japan took a group of journalists inside its crippled nuclear plant for the first time on Saturday, stepping up efforts to prove to the world it is on top of the disaster.
View ArticleTracking dragonflies on the wing
(PhysOrg.com) -- Duke University electrical engineers have developed a wirelessly powered telemetry system that is light and powerful enough to allow scientists to study the intricate neurological...
View ArticleFoundational concept of ecology tested by experiment
An elementary school science activity asks children who have each been assigned a wetland plant or animal to connect themselves with string and tape to other "organisms" their assigned plant or animal...
View ArticleHumble bug plugs gap in fossil record
One day 370 million years ago, a tiny larva came to a sticky end when it plunged into a shrimp-infested swamp and drowned.
View ArticleResearchers discover molecular basis for body-color change in red dragonflies
Japanese researchers have discovered that the body color of the red dragonflies changes from yellow to red through redox reaction of pigments called ommochromes.
View ArticleUS company aims to 'harvest' asteroids
A US company said Tuesday it plans to send a fleet of spacecraft into the solar system to mine asteroids for metals and other materials in the hopes of furthering exploration of the final frontier.
View ArticleDragonflies, as climate change indicators
Monitoring communities of climate sensitive species, such as insects, could enable scientists to develop indicators for climate change effects on biodiversity and help devise policies to protect it.
View ArticleStudy of dragonfly prey detection wins PNAS Cozzarelli Prize
Paloma T. Gonzalez-Bellido, a postdoctoral scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and her colleagues have been awarded a 2012 Cozzarelli Prize by the editorial board of the Proceedings of...
View ArticlePesticides significantly reduce biodiversity in aquatic environments
The pesticides, many of which are currently used in Europe and Australia, are responsible for reducing the regional diversity of invertebrates in streams and rivers by up to 42 percent, researchers...
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