Tag: biology


  • Oxymorons of the Cone Snail

    This article, continuing from my previous one about snails, was inspired by a guest lecture for the Life Science Institute at the University of Michigan by Dr. Baldomero Olivera of University of Utah. Header image is of Conus furvus, a snail-hunting cone snail from Olango Island, Cebu, collected by fishermen in shallow water. In the warm…

  • Pollination Sensation

    The busiest bee can make up to 40 flights a day, averaging 100 flowers each. This means a typical colony can pollinate 20 million flowers each day! Through this symbiotic relationship, flowers depend on bees and other insects for reproduction and the bees collect and feast on flower’s pollen and nectar. One of the earliest…

  • Ecology and economy of carrying your home on your back

    Minimalistic living and the tiny house movement reject spacious dwellings in favor of efficient homes. Typically, these petite houses can be small enough to be towed around in nomadic fashion. While it can be aesthetically and economically appealing, what is it like actually carrying an entire house with you everywhere? Snails, and other members of…

  • Just a Wobble Away from Disease

      DNA, the genetic code of life, is read over a million times per day to make proteins, the biological molecules that do all the work in cells. If this process goes wrong then it leads to cell destruction or disease states such as cystic fibrosis or cancer. Luckily, the cell has a multitude repair…