"More than 1,000 Catfish species are venomous"

Watch out, sucka!!

We can now add catfish to the lust of animals can kill us.

Like most animals, the catfish uses its venom as a defense mechanism. The effects can range from a slight sting to...well, dying.

"Catfish venom glands are found alongside sharp, bony spines on the edges of the dorsal and pectoral fins, and these spines can be locked into place when the catfish is threatened. When a spine jabs a potential predator, the membrane surrounding the venom gland cells is torn, releasing venom into the wound.

Catfish venom poisons a victim's nerves and breaks down red blood cells, producing such effects as severe pain, reduced blood flow, muscle spasms and respiratory distress.

The main dangers to humans from North American catfish, however, come not from the initial sting and inflammation, but from secondary bacterial and fungal infections that can be introduced through the puncture wound or when pieces of the spine and other tissue break off in the wound, said University of Michigan graduate student Jeremy Wright, who led the research."

The Science Behind Lotions

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As a girl, I can't live without lotion. I have my day moisturizer, my night cream, my general body lotion then I have things like body cream and body butter. I'm sure boys think I'm speaking greek right now (I've never known a boy to use lotion), but I hate the feeling of tight, dry skin.

We know lotion is needed to add and keep moisture in our skin, but how does it work?

If you've ever had different types and brands of lotions (women, I'm looking at you), you know that some feel oily, greasy, creamy, etc. Well it seems the way it feels is dependent on temperature, the cream's friction and how fast we rub it into our skin. Currently, manufacturers decide how the lotions feel by focus groups that try them out.

Mechanical engineers at Ohio State University have been able to use science to collect qualitative data on how a cream feels on our skin. They use something called a atomic force microscope. Basically this instrument has a sharp point that rubs against the lotion sample and measures its friction. In the overall sense, this sharp point is suppose to represent one point on your skin. The resulting data gives researchers an idea of how the creams work with your skin. Unsurprisingly, they found thicker creams produce more friction, which in turn feels less smooth on your skin.

Companies are now using this information to create better products. Eventually Ohio U. scientists hope to find the exact mechanism in which creams work on our skin.

Don't Injure Yourself This Holiday Season.

http://akalol.wordpress.com/2008/11/04/wrap-rage-comes-of-age/

In a July 2009 poll of adult Pennsylvanians, about 17% have been injured attempting to open factory packaging (not giftwrap) in which they needed medical attention.

In 2001, the Census Bureau said that twice has many people are hurt during wrap rage than skateboards or swimming pools.

As a result, ScienceDaily gives the following tips:

1. If you use a knife or something sharp cut away from your body.
2. Use blunt end scissors.
3. Wear protective gloves.
4. Avoid opening tough packaging in crowded areas.
5. Don't use your legs to keep a product stable.

This entire article tells me two things. Either packages are becoming way too hard to open OR we are impatient raging idiots we can't think "Hmm maybe stabbing this plastic case in my lap is a bad idea."

Pennsylvania Medical Society (2009, December 6). Wrap rage: A holiday injury waiting to happen. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091205175658.htm

Carnivorous Plants Could Be In Your Backyard

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Although man-eating plants have been long debunked, carnivorous plants do exist. The most famous are the venus fly traps, but others include the pitcher plant and bromeliads. These plants eat insects in order to make up for nutrient deficiencies.

We would think that plants either eat insects or not. However, researchers believe this should be a sliding scale of carnivorous-ness. For example, petunias and potatoes have sticky hairs that catch insects, but do not digest them. They suggest that murderous plants are much more common and might digest the breakdown of their victims.

Wiley-Blackwell (2009, December 5). 'Killer petunias' should join the ranks of carnivorous plants, scientists propose. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 6, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091204103747.htm

Feeding the Birds Feeds Their Evolution

http://www.loughallenbasin.com/birds.html

Humans undeniably make a huge impact on the world. We are shaping the Earth's climate, its habitats and ultimately their inhabitants.

But did you ever think something as simple as throwing some crumbs to our feathered friends are driving their evolution? Probably not. Some birds have become so dependent on humans for food that is has changed their migratory pattern and their wing shapes.

Over 3.5 years, scientists in Germany studied the migratory patterns of birds called blackcaps. The birds has split into two groups with significant different routes. One set of birds migrated from Central Europe to southwestern Spain, the other to northwestern UK.

The newer pattern to the UK is shorter than to Spain. As a result, these lazier birds have rounder wings that give better maneuverability, but makes them ill-equiped for flying long distances. Their bills are also more narrow than their Spanish-destined counterparts who eat large fruit.

Surprisingly, these birds are raised in the same forest side by side but do not interbreed. The split into two distinct populations occurred in less than 30 generations.