Ramblings of a Wanderer

[Ramblings of a Wanderer]

[geologyin-blog]

Highly iridescent spephanites from Husky Mine, Elsa, Galena Hill, Mayo Mining District, Yukon, Canada

Photo: Saphira Minerals

[Ramblings of a Wanderer]

theguardian.com

'Carnivore cleansing' is damaging ecosystems, scientists warn

Extermination of large predators such as wolves and bears has a cascading effect on delicate ecological balance

[typhlonectes]

A plea to restore populations of some of the world’s most dangerous animals has been made by scientists who claim the loss of large carnivores is damaging ecosystems.

More than three-quarters of the 31 species of large land predators, such as lions and wolves, are in decline, according to a new study. Of these, 17 species are now restricted to less than half the territory they once occupied.

Large carnivores have already been exterminated in many developed regions, including western Europe and eastern United States - and the same pattern of “carnivore cleansing” is being repeated throughout the world, said scientists.

Yet evidence suggests carnivores play a vital role in maintaining the delicate balance of ecosystems which cannot be replaced by humans hunting the animals they normally prey on…

[Ramblings of a Wanderer]

[wapiti3]

SHORE BIRD SP.

[Ramblings of a Wanderer]

[typhlonectes]

Tomopteris deep-sea worms

Tomopterids are pelagic polycheate (segmented worm) with paddle-like parapodia that propel them through the water column.

They are relatively common in the deep mesopelagic, or twighlight zone, and can live down to about 2,500 meters (8,200 feet).

Many Tomopterids are only a centimeter or two long, but some can also get to be quite large—up to 30 cm (12 inches!). They are voracious predators, using their speed and agility to capture and consume a variety of midwater organisms.

Tomopterids are one of a few organisms observed spewing yellow bioluminescent mucous, presumably to deter predators. Yellow bioluminescence is rare in the deep and scientist don’t yet know why this worm has adapted this ability.

Learn more about midwater worms: https://youtu.be/cdr1kWmSiiE

via: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)

[Ramblings of a Wanderer]

[wapiti3]

ROSES!

[Ramblings of a Wanderer]

[catchymemes]

Snowing at sea

[Ramblings of a Wanderer]

[sciencesourceimages]

Video Clip SS254597 (Potassium Reacting In Water)

Potassium metal reacting explosively as it is dropped in water. 

Potassium reacts with water to form soluble potassium hydroxide and hydrogen gas, which ignites with a lilac flame due to the heat of the reaction. 

The water turns pink due to the presence of the indicator phenolphthalein, which turns pink in alkaline solutions, such as that of potassium hydroxide.

View More Alkali Metal Science Videos! 

Potassium is an alkali earth metal, all of which are highly reactive due to their having an unpaired electron in their outer shell. The other metals in this group are lithium (Li), sodium (Na), rubidium (Rb), caesium (Cs), and francium (Fr).

These alkali metals are more similar to each other than the elements in any other group in the Periodic Table are to each other. 

These metals are all shiny, soft, highly reactive metals at standard temperature and pressure and readily lose their outermost electron.

They can all be cut easily with a knife due to their softness, exposing a shiny surface that tarnishes rapidly in air due to oxidation by atmospheric moisture and oxygen.

Because of their high reactivity, alkali metals must be stored under oil to prevent reaction with air, and are found naturally only in salts and never as the free elements.

 © Rhys Lewis & Minh Tan Pham, AHS/DECD/ Science Source

[Ramblings of a Wanderer]

[celestialmacros]

For the Gray Card Memorial Top 5, my favorite posts of 2018. A big thank you and a Happy New Year to all of my followers.

My original photography blogs:
@celestialphotography : My main blog. Scenes from nature. I like and follow from here too.
@celestialmacros : Mostly pretty pics of bugs.
@occasionallybirds: Birds
@mischiefandmay : My cats

Thank you to @ms-excuse-me for picking up the ball and running with this extravaganza for the Tumblr photography community! Everybody should check it out on New Year’s Day.

[Ramblings of a Wanderer]

[bowelflies]

DEPLOY THE BOYS

[bogleech]

You really won’t ever appreciate how cool insect wings are until you’ve seen all this footage.

The ones with wing covers that completely open up are beetles, by the way, but the ones LIKE beetles whose protective cover remains in place are bugs. Bug is supposed to be a special term for just one insect group!

Mid-way through is an earwig’s wings, which is neither a beetle nor a bug, but does have very beetle-like wing cases.

[Ramblings of a Wanderer]

sciencealert.com

For The First Time Ever, Scientists Capture Footage of a Lizard Breathing Underwater

Well, 2018 is almost at an end, and just when you think things can't get any stranger, we now have the first footage of a lizard breathing underwater.

Fiona MacDonald

[eartharchives]

Footage suggests they are able to store oxygen and then breathe it while they’re underwater, behaviour that has never been documented or even seen in lizards before.