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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt\">\u003cp class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Green tree ants are a dominant species in tropical forests stretching from India to northern Australia. Aggressive, industrious and highly territorial, most of their neighbors don’t want to mess with them. With a reputation like that, over millions of years multiple animals evolved to mimic them– some to stay safe, and others to kill. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In this tropical rainforest green tree ants are everywhere. And they bite.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A single colony can hold up to half a million ants, spreading across a dozen trees and 150 nests — all built by weaving leaves together with silk produced by larvae — their own offspring.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They form living chains, to pull leaf edges together while they weave.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The canopy bustles with ants that are industrious, aggressive, and highly territorial.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what’s this slacker doing? Working hard or hardly working?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This isn’t a green tree ant at all. It’s a wannabe, a young bean bug. Pretty convincing disguise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This proboscis gives it away. It’s how they eat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ants have mandibles. They carry knives, not straws.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bean bugs spend their lives drinking the sap of this bean plant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When bean bugs grow up, they shed their disguise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So why the getup in the first place?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s an example of Batesian mimicry, when a vulnerable species like the bean bug evolves to look like a more dangerous one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A predator is likely to skip a green tree ant meal. It’s not worth the fight risk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By looking like the green tree ant, this docile little bean bug seems like a real threat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As an adult, it’s much larger and now has wings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s another ant imposter lurking near the colony.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The abdomen of this comb-footed spider resembles the head of a green tree ant – just enough to make predators think twice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This spider isn’t just some harmless bean bug. It’s here to hunt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The comb-footed spider lays a silk trap just outside the ant nest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is an example of aggressive mimicry.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Where one animal mimics another in order to eat it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But this isn’t the only spider in ant’s clothing around here.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This crab spider mimics the look and behavior of green tree ants.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It even waves its front legs around, kinda like the ants’ antennae.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The crab spider is an ambush hunter who will wait outside the ant nest, until – gotcha!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Enter mimic number 4: these jumping spiders don’t look so much like green tree ants, but they use another type of aggressive mimicry.They smell just like them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also known as chemical mimicry – it’s a convincing enough disguise for the spider to sneak into the ant nest to steal its favorite food: green tree ant larvae.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Researchers think that these jumping spiders live their whole lives next to the same colony.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As they feed on the larvae, they absorb pheromones, which lend the spiders a convincing green tree ant aroma.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite all the backstabbers, the wannabes, and infiltrators, green tree ants remain a dominant species from India to Papua New Guinea.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Why have so many different species evolved to look, behave, and smell like this one type of ant?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For millions of years, green tree ants have played such an important role in tropical ecosystems that their neighbors are more likely to survive by mimicking them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are masses of them, so finding a way to eat them means access to an abundant food source. They’re also formidable predators, so looking like them means staying safe.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After all, mimicry is the highest form of flattery.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Or trickery.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you liked this video, please consider supporting KQED, the PBS station that produces Deep Look. Donations from viewers like you allow us to continue making our award-winning series. Click the link on-screen or in the description below.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, see more green tree ant action as they battle peppermint stick insects.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"subhead": "Green tree ants are a dominant species in tropical forests stretching from India to northern Australia. Aggressive, industrious and highly territorial, most of their neighbors don’t want to mess with them. But that fearsome reputation has a fascinating side effect: over millions of years, multiple animals have evolved to impersonate them – some to stay safe, and others to kill.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cdiv class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt\">\u003cp class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Green tree ants are a dominant species in tropical forests stretching from India to northern Australia. Aggressive, industrious and highly territorial, most of their neighbors don’t want to mess with them. With a reputation like that, over millions of years multiple animals evolved to mimic them– some to stay safe, and others to kill. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In this tropical rainforest green tree ants are everywhere. And they bite.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A single colony can hold up to half a million ants, spreading across a dozen trees and 150 nests — all built by weaving leaves together with silk produced by larvae — their own offspring.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>They form living chains, to pull leaf edges together while they weave.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The canopy bustles with ants that are industrious, aggressive, and highly territorial.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what’s this slacker doing? Working hard or hardly working?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This isn’t a green tree ant at all. It’s a wannabe, a young bean bug. Pretty convincing disguise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This proboscis gives it away. It’s how they eat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Ants have mandibles. They carry knives, not straws.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bean bugs spend their lives drinking the sap of this bean plant.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When bean bugs grow up, they shed their disguise.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>So why the getup in the first place?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s an example of Batesian mimicry, when a vulnerable species like the bean bug evolves to look like a more dangerous one.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A predator is likely to skip a green tree ant meal. It’s not worth the fight risk.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>By looking like the green tree ant, this docile little bean bug seems like a real threat.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As an adult, it’s much larger and now has wings.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There’s another ant imposter lurking near the colony.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The abdomen of this comb-footed spider resembles the head of a green tree ant – just enough to make predators think twice.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This spider isn’t just some harmless bean bug. It’s here to hunt.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The comb-footed spider lays a silk trap just outside the ant nest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This is an example of aggressive mimicry.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Where one animal mimics another in order to eat it.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But this isn’t the only spider in ant’s clothing around here.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This crab spider mimics the look and behavior of green tree ants.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It even waves its front legs around, kinda like the ants’ antennae.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The crab spider is an ambush hunter who will wait outside the ant nest, until – gotcha!\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Enter mimic number 4: these jumping spiders don’t look so much like green tree ants, but they use another type of aggressive mimicry.They smell just like them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Also known as chemical mimicry – it’s a convincing enough disguise for the spider to sneak into the ant nest to steal its favorite food: green tree ant larvae.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Researchers think that these jumping spiders live their whole lives next to the same colony.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As they feed on the larvae, they absorb pheromones, which lend the spiders a convincing green tree ant aroma.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite all the backstabbers, the wannabes, and infiltrators, green tree ants remain a dominant species from India to Papua New Guinea.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Why have so many different species evolved to look, behave, and smell like this one type of ant?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>For millions of years, green tree ants have played such an important role in tropical ecosystems that their neighbors are more likely to survive by mimicking them.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>There are masses of them, so finding a way to eat them means access to an abundant food source. They’re also formidable predators, so looking like them means staying safe.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>After all, mimicry is the highest form of flattery.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Or trickery.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>If you liked this video, please consider supporting KQED, the PBS station that produces Deep Look. Donations from viewers like you allow us to continue making our award-winning series. Click the link on-screen or in the description below.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, see more green tree ant action as they battle peppermint stick insects.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mudskippers are actually fish, but they sure don’t act like it. They breathe using special gill chambers and absorb oxygen through their skin like amphibians. Scanning the lumpy mudscape with their periscope-like eyes, they fiercely guard their burrows and leap to impress potential mates. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Find out how these land-loving fish carved out a life between sea and shore — and why their strange lifestyle might \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">not\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> be so strange after all.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cdiv id=\"meta-origin\" data-coolorigin=\"https%3A%2F%2Fcloud.kqed.org%2Fapps%2Frichdocumentscode%2Fproxy.php%3Freq%3D%2Fcool%2Fclipboard%3FWOPISrc%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcloud.kqed.org%252Findex.php%252Fapps%252Frichdocuments%252Fwopi%252Ffiles%252F5707402_ocdd7q04clzt%26ServerId%3D89caa68f%26ViewId%3D4%26Tag%3D429b630bfc6e3845\">\n\u003cp align=\"left\">From the depths of time, a creature emerges, something fishy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">It’s the majestic mudskipper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">They might look like an evolutionary glitch – as if a fish pressed pause in the middle of evolving into something else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">But this is no mistake – the mudskipper is very well-suited for this lumpy mudscape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And it absolutely lives up to its name.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">A type of amphibious fish, there are dozens of species of mudskippers hopping around the humid, intertidal mudflats in mangrove forests from West Africa to New Guinea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And in North Queensland, Australia, we found a few of these beauties living side-by-side.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Those puffy cheeks aren’t just for cuteness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Mudskippers don’t have lungs, they fill their gill chambers with water and a bubble of air – then seal them tightly. That air bubble keeps the water oxygenated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Like frogs and other amphibians, they also absorb oxygen through their skin – via cutaneous respiration – and through the lining in their mouths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">That’s how these fishy friends can spend about three-quarters of their lives out of water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">But they do need to stay wet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">With each blink, the mudskipper submerges its periscope-like eyeballs in fluid-filled chambers to hydrate and wash off debris.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Researchers think this may be a clue as to why and how blinking evolved in land animals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">With their sharp little chompers, they snatch and slurp down just about anything that fits in their mouths: other fish, insects, worms, and even small crabs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">This mudskipper works hard to defend his mudpatch. It’s in a prime location with the very best mud.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">He needs to stay vigilant to fend off jealous neighbors who’d love to take over the lease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Or eat them for lunch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">When a predator shows up, they use their trademark skips to bounce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">You thought you knew what fins are for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">You. Have. No. Idea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">There are lots of novel ways to use those fishy appendages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Those pelvic fins in the front act kind of like a kick-stand. Or a “fish stand.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Male mudskippers do the work of building and maintaining cozy, safe burrows for the females to lay their eggs in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">But first they need to get their attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Ooh la-la!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">This species – a bearded mudskipper – prefers to show off its acrobatic tail-stands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Plus these guys have an extra fancy back fin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">It says “back off” or “come hither,” depending on the context. Fighting or mating?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">But these species – the barred mudskipper and the Takita’s mudskipper – get airborne.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">The higher, the better. These are fitness displays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">This guy will face off against competitor mudskippers by showing females just how strong and capable he is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Get it, skipper boy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">If the male’s doing it right, she’ll pick his burrow, and deposit her eggs on the ceiling or walls inside the chamber.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">The male then fertilizes the eggs. Over the next week, as they develop and hatch, he fiercely defends the burrow from poachers and other mudskippers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">He’s securing his legacy. The next generation of artful exhibitionists will inherit this muddy paradise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">The Magnificent Mudskipper is literally a fish out of water, but this fish is totally comfortable in his own slimy skin.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "They walk, they fight, they leap for love. Meet the mudskipper — the fish that ditched the water.\r\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Mudskippers are actually fish, but they sure don’t act like it. They breathe using special gill chambers and absorb oxygen through their skin like amphibians. Scanning the lumpy mudscape with their periscope-like eyes, they fiercely guard their burrows and leap to impress potential mates. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Find out how these land-loving fish carved out a life between sea and shore — and why their strange lifestyle might \u003c/span>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">not\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\"> be so strange after all.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cdiv id=\"meta-origin\" data-coolorigin=\"https%3A%2F%2Fcloud.kqed.org%2Fapps%2Frichdocumentscode%2Fproxy.php%3Freq%3D%2Fcool%2Fclipboard%3FWOPISrc%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcloud.kqed.org%252Findex.php%252Fapps%252Frichdocuments%252Fwopi%252Ffiles%252F5707402_ocdd7q04clzt%26ServerId%3D89caa68f%26ViewId%3D4%26Tag%3D429b630bfc6e3845\">\n\u003cp align=\"left\">From the depths of time, a creature emerges, something fishy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">It’s the majestic mudskipper.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">They might look like an evolutionary glitch – as if a fish pressed pause in the middle of evolving into something else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">But this is no mistake – the mudskipper is very well-suited for this lumpy mudscape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And it absolutely lives up to its name.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">A type of amphibious fish, there are dozens of species of mudskippers hopping around the humid, intertidal mudflats in mangrove forests from West Africa to New Guinea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And in North Queensland, Australia, we found a few of these beauties living side-by-side.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Those puffy cheeks aren’t just for cuteness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Mudskippers don’t have lungs, they fill their gill chambers with water and a bubble of air – then seal them tightly. That air bubble keeps the water oxygenated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Like frogs and other amphibians, they also absorb oxygen through their skin – via cutaneous respiration – and through the lining in their mouths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">That’s how these fishy friends can spend about three-quarters of their lives out of water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">But they do need to stay wet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">With each blink, the mudskipper submerges its periscope-like eyeballs in fluid-filled chambers to hydrate and wash off debris.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Researchers think this may be a clue as to why and how blinking evolved in land animals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">With their sharp little chompers, they snatch and slurp down just about anything that fits in their mouths: other fish, insects, worms, and even small crabs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">This mudskipper works hard to defend his mudpatch. It’s in a prime location with the very best mud.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">He needs to stay vigilant to fend off jealous neighbors who’d love to take over the lease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Or eat them for lunch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">When a predator shows up, they use their trademark skips to bounce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">You thought you knew what fins are for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">You. Have. No. Idea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">There are lots of novel ways to use those fishy appendages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Those pelvic fins in the front act kind of like a kick-stand. Or a “fish stand.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Male mudskippers do the work of building and maintaining cozy, safe burrows for the females to lay their eggs in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">But first they need to get their attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Ooh la-la!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">This species – a bearded mudskipper – prefers to show off its acrobatic tail-stands.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Plus these guys have an extra fancy back fin.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">It says “back off” or “come hither,” depending on the context. Fighting or mating?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">But these species – the barred mudskipper and the Takita’s mudskipper – get airborne.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">The higher, the better. These are fitness displays.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">This guy will face off against competitor mudskippers by showing females just how strong and capable he is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Get it, skipper boy!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">If the male’s doing it right, she’ll pick his burrow, and deposit her eggs on the ceiling or walls inside the chamber.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">The male then fertilizes the eggs. Over the next week, as they develop and hatch, he fiercely defends the burrow from poachers and other mudskippers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">He’s securing his legacy. The next generation of artful exhibitionists will inherit this muddy paradise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">The Magnificent Mudskipper is literally a fish out of water, but this fish is totally comfortable in his own slimy skin.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to sex, banana slugs take things slow. But slow doesn’t mean boring. Banana slug mating involves swapping slime, swinging heads and some light (or heavy) biting. Learn about how banana slugs procreate in this video – we promise it won’t disappoint.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When it comes to sex, banana slugs take things slow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">But slow doesn’t mean boring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">For them, it’s a head-banging,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">slime-swapping,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">body-chomping bonanza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Banana slugs glide across the forest floor on a bed of their own slime,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">keeping an eye out for yummy things…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">like this mushroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Or this dung.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They’re also detritivores.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They eat dead organic matter and recycle it into fertilizer for the forest floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Thanks slug!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Here’s some of that fertilizer now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">It comes out of a hole right next to the pneumastome, the slug’s respiratory organ.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The banana slug is what’s called a ‘simultaneous hermaphrodite,’\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">meaning each slug has male and female sexual organs at the same time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They can actually impregnate themselves,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">but fun’s more fun when you have it together – right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Oh, hello gorgeous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The slugs swing their heads at one another, and start taking little nibbles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Don’t worry! They’re not hurting each other.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Think of it as a sort of taste test, to see if they’re compatible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Excuse me, a little privacy here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">It’s a test that goes on…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">and on…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">for up to two hours!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Researchers think that they need all that time to prepare for the main event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The slugs flex the muscles in their heads, increasing blood flow to the gonopore,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">where each slug’s male and female sexual organs are located.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They need it to be swollen in order for things to progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">You might notice some heavy breathing – here, in the pneumostome.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">This is hard work!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They lock heads in a sort of side-hug-french-kiss combination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And they’ll stay like this for another couple hours,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">taking turns delivering sperm to one another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When they’re not mating, the penis is tucked away inside the slug –\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">but it can be as long as the slug itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Oh! Here’s a view of it …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">But wait! This encounter has gone a bit sideways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Banana slugs are known to occasionally…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">chew off their mate’s penis, an act called apophallation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Our duo uncouples peacefully.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Each taking the other’s sperm with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They leave a bit of a mess.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">During their slimy romp, slugs produce enough slime to make a kind of nutrient-filled mucus blanket.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And this one stays to eat it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They’re hungry now, and ever resourceful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">So resourceful that they can store their mate’s sperm for months,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">waiting to fertilize their eggs until the time is right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When the weather is damp and cool, they find a protected place to lay a clutch of eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And over the next few months the next generation will arrive…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">making the forest a more beautiful, fertile place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When it comes to sex, banana slugs take things slow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">But slow doesn’t mean boring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">For them, it’s a head-banging,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">slime-swapping,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">body-chomping bonanza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Banana slugs glide across the forest floor on a bed of their own slime,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">keeping an eye out for yummy things…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">like this mushroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Or this dung.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They’re also detritivores.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They eat dead organic matter and recycle it into fertilizer for the forest floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Thanks slug!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Here’s some of that fertilizer now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">It comes out of a hole right next to the pneumastome, the slug’s respiratory organ.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The banana slug is what’s called a ‘simultaneous hermaphrodite,’\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">meaning each slug has male and female sexual organs at the same time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They can actually impregnate themselves,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">but fun’s more fun when you have it together – right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Oh, hello gorgeous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The slugs swing their heads at one another, and start taking little nibbles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Don’t worry! They’re not hurting each other.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Think of it as a sort of taste test, to see if they’re compatible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Excuse me, a little privacy here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">It’s a test that goes on…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">and on…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">for up to two hours!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Researchers think that they need all that time to prepare for the main event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The slugs flex the muscles in their heads, increasing blood flow to the gonopore,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">where each slug’s male and female sexual organs are located.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They need it to be swollen in order for things to progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">You might notice some heavy breathing – here, in the pneumostome.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">This is hard work!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They lock heads in a sort of side-hug-french-kiss combination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And they’ll stay like this for another couple hours,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">taking turns delivering sperm to one another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When they’re not mating, the penis is tucked away inside the slug –\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">but it can be as long as the slug itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Oh! Here’s a view of it …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">But wait! This encounter has gone a bit sideways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Banana slugs are known to occasionally…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">chew off their mate’s penis, an act called apophallation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Our duo uncouples peacefully.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Each taking the other’s sperm with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They leave a bit of a mess.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">During their slimy romp, slugs produce enough slime to make a kind of nutrient-filled mucus blanket.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And this one stays to eat it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They’re hungry now, and ever resourceful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">So resourceful that they can store their mate’s sperm for months,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">waiting to fertilize their eggs until the time is right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When the weather is damp and cool, they find a protected place to lay a clutch of eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And over the next few months the next generation will arrive…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">making the forest a more beautiful, fertile place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roly polies aren’t insects — they’re crustaceans, and they have more in common with kangaroos than you might think.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These land-dwelling isopods carry their eggs in a fluid-filled pouch on their underside, giving their young a tiny ocean to develop in until they’re ready to face the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this episode of Deep Look, we take a close look at how roly poly moms protect their eggs, nurture their babies, and pull off one of nature’s most surprising examples of convergent evolution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>What does this roly-poly have in common with a kangaroo?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a hint …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s all about her parenting style.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike mammals, most insects take a hands-off approach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They find a good spot, lay their eggs and move on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Good luck, little one!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But roly-polies, also called pill bugs, or doodle bugs, aren’t like most insects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Actually, they aren’t insects at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re crustaceans, like shrimp and lobsters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roly-polies belong to a group of crustaceans called isopods, which originated in the sea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About half of isopod species still live there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But roly-polies’ ancestors ventured out onto dry land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And they brought with them a maternal adaptation from their aquatic past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After mating, a female roly-poly transfers her eggs into a fluid-filled pouch on her underside called a marsupium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first the marsupium just looks yellow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it doesn’t take long – just a few days – ‘til you can spot the eggs – about 40–60 of them!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keeping them close is a good strategy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If she were to lay her eggs on land, they’d dry out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They don’t have the protective outer barrier of an insect egg to keep moisture in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But inside their mom’s marsupium, the eggs have their own tiny ocean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roly-polies are clad in overlapping armored plates called pereonites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If she gets spooked she can curl up in a perfect little ball to shield herself and her babies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The marsupium is protected by more plates called oostegites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But they’re thinner … almost clear, like a window into her nursery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After 3 to 4 weeks, the babies, now called mancae, emerge from the eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They look like miniature yellow versions of their mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But they aren’t ready to face the world yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They keep developing inside their mama’s pouch for another week or so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As they mature, they start getting restless.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sixty squirming babies in one crowded pouch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A feeling only a mother could love.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mancae eventually wriggle out from between the plates covering their mom’s pouch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, after about a month of being little pouch potatoes, they’re finally out on their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’ll go on to do the good work of detritivores, eating rotting wood and leaves … recycling the nutrients back into the soil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And one day, the females will get to host their own pouch parties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marsupials and isopods tell a story of convergent evolution: two wildly different animals who come up with a similar solution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But unlike a kangaroo, a roly-poly mom doesn’t invite her babies back in for a ride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She gave them a nice, cozy upbringing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now it’s time for them to venture out and let the good times roll.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you liked this video, please consider supporting KQED, the PBS station that produces Deep Look.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Donations from viewers like you allow us to continue making our award-winning series.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Click the link on screen or in the description below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, check out the six-rayed sea star, another very overprotective mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>What does this roly-poly have in common with a kangaroo?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s a hint …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s all about her parenting style.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unlike mammals, most insects take a hands-off approach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They find a good spot, lay their eggs and move on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Good luck, little one!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But roly-polies, also called pill bugs, or doodle bugs, aren’t like most insects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Actually, they aren’t insects at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re crustaceans, like shrimp and lobsters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roly-polies belong to a group of crustaceans called isopods, which originated in the sea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About half of isopod species still live there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But roly-polies’ ancestors ventured out onto dry land.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And they brought with them a maternal adaptation from their aquatic past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After mating, a female roly-poly transfers her eggs into a fluid-filled pouch on her underside called a marsupium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At first the marsupium just looks yellow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it doesn’t take long – just a few days – ‘til you can spot the eggs – about 40–60 of them!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keeping them close is a good strategy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If she were to lay her eggs on land, they’d dry out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They don’t have the protective outer barrier of an insect egg to keep moisture in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But inside their mom’s marsupium, the eggs have their own tiny ocean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Roly-polies are clad in overlapping armored plates called pereonites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If she gets spooked she can curl up in a perfect little ball to shield herself and her babies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The marsupium is protected by more plates called oostegites.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But they’re thinner … almost clear, like a window into her nursery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After 3 to 4 weeks, the babies, now called mancae, emerge from the eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They look like miniature yellow versions of their mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But they aren’t ready to face the world yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They keep developing inside their mama’s pouch for another week or so.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As they mature, they start getting restless.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sixty squirming babies in one crowded pouch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A feeling only a mother could love.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mancae eventually wriggle out from between the plates covering their mom’s pouch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, after about a month of being little pouch potatoes, they’re finally out on their own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’ll go on to do the good work of detritivores, eating rotting wood and leaves … recycling the nutrients back into the soil.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And one day, the females will get to host their own pouch parties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marsupials and isopods tell a story of convergent evolution: two wildly different animals who come up with a similar solution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But unlike a kangaroo, a roly-poly mom doesn’t invite her babies back in for a ride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She gave them a nice, cozy upbringing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now it’s time for them to venture out and let the good times roll.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you liked this video, please consider supporting KQED, the PBS station that produces Deep Look.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Donations from viewers like you allow us to continue making our award-winning series.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Click the link on screen or in the description below!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, check out the six-rayed sea star, another very overprotective mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">They’re bright, bold — and can be bad news.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Spotted lanternflies are invasive insects that spread by hitchhiking on almost anything we move. Once they arrive, they swarm trees and crops, draining sap and leaving behind sticky residue that can damage entire ecosystems.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Find out how they got here, why they’re so hard to stop, and whether scientists can find a way to shut the party down.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h2>\n\u003cdiv id=\"meta-origin\" data-coolorigin=\"https%3A%2F%2Fcloud.kqed.org%2Fapps%2Frichdocumentscode%2Fproxy.php%3Freq%3D%2Fcool%2Fclipboard%3FWOPISrc%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcloud.kqed.org%252Findex.php%252Fapps%252Frichdocuments%252Fwopi%252Ffiles%252F5243890_ocdd7q04clzt%26ServerId%3D3f6890da%26ViewId%3D4%26Tag%3Dc617c0734697f24d\">\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Spotted lanternflies are the ultimate party crashers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And they show up in style.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">They made their first appearance in the US in 2014, and since then, they’ve been having a blast trashing the place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">It’s an ecological disaster that’s spreading.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And we’ve been making them feel at home, giving them free rides and putting out the hors d’oeuvres.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Spotted lanternflies weren’t even planning to come to this party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">So how did they get here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">They lay their eggs in clusters and cover them with goop that dries and cracks, disguising them as a smudge of dirt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Researchers think their eggs hitched a ride on some decorative landscaping stones that took a transpacific cruise from China.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And nobody noticed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Those stones with the eggs ended up in Pennsylvania and once spring hit, nymphs busted out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">They found themselves in a very hospitable new home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">A buffet of trees like walnut, maple, apple, peach and cherry, but spotted lanternflies are especially into grape vines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">They pierce plants with their sharp stylet and suck out the sap.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And they flick droplets of their sugary waste called honeydew.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Sooty mold grows on that honeydew, blocking the sunlight from the leaves, cutting off photosynthesis, and devastating the harvest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Spotted lanternflies aren’t flies at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">They’re a type of insect called plant hoppers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">As nymphs, they don’t even have wings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Just adorable polka dots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And the later stages add red to the mix.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Only adults have wings but they’re not strong fliers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Luckily for them, we take them to fun new dinner parties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">They lay their hidden eggs on lumber and crops and then we cart them around on trucks and trains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Plus we’ve got their favorite food from home to snack on along the way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">It’s called tree of heaven.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">We brought it here from Asia a couple hundred years ago and it spread, especially along our roads and railway lines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">When lanternflies feed on the sap of the tree of heaven, they accumulate toxic chemicals that make them taste bad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">With time, predators and parasites back in Asia adapted to eat lanternflies anyway, but most of the ones here just can’t stomach them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">So there’s no one around here to keep the population in check.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">With no enemies and so much good stuff to eat, the party’s growing. Fast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">They haven’t made it out to the West Coast yet, and growers in California want to keep it that way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">USDA researchers in a lab at UC Davis are testing fumigation on lanternfly eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">It’s hard for chemicals to kill pest eggs because they’ve got a protective outer shield.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">But using a scanning electron microscope, researchers may have found a weak spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Each egg has a little trap door that the nymph inside uses to break free.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And the seal around the edge of the door is thinner than the rest of the shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Researchers hope that they can get poison through that seal to destroy the eggs before they hatch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Maybe the door is a way in too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">It’ll take a long time for local predators or parasites to acquire a taste and keep the lanternfly population in check.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Fumigation could buy us time, but to truly stop them, we might need to carefully introduce one of their old enemies from Asia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Until then, be on the lookout … for these destructive but inconspicuous hitchhikers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">If you like this video, please consider supporting KQED, the PBS station that produces Deep Look\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Donations from viewers like you allow us to continue making our award-winning series.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Click the link on screen or in the description below.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Now, see who else is coming for your grapes … mealybugs.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">They’re bright, bold — and can be bad news.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Spotted lanternflies are invasive insects that spread by hitchhiking on almost anything we move. 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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv id=\"meta-origin\" data-coolorigin=\"https%3A%2F%2Fcloud.kqed.org%2Fapps%2Frichdocumentscode%2Fproxy.php%3Freq%3D%2Fcool%2Fclipboard%3FWOPISrc%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcloud.kqed.org%252Findex.php%252Fapps%252Frichdocuments%252Fwopi%252Ffiles%252F5044178_ocdd7q04clzt%26ServerId%3Dbd3021cf%26ViewId%3D4%26Tag%3D4c073c3abf7aaf3f\">\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">From the depths of the ocean to the forest floor at night, some animals can do something that seems almost magical: they make their own light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">This phenomenon is known as bioluminescence. But glowing isn’t just for show. For many species, producing light is a powerful survival strategy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">In this episode of Big Ideas, we dive into the chemistry that makes living light possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003ch2>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h2>\n\u003cdiv id=\"meta-origin\" data-coolorigin=\"https%3A%2F%2Fcloud.kqed.org%2Fapps%2Frichdocumentscode%2Fproxy.php%3Freq%3D%2Fcool%2Fclipboard%3FWOPISrc%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcloud.kqed.org%252Findex.php%252Fapps%252Frichdocuments%252Fwopi%252Ffiles%252F5165658_ocdd7q04clzt%26ServerId%3Dbd3021cf%26ViewId%3D4%26Tag%3D67f70a5022165904\">\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">It’s a hot summer night and you’re standing at the beach, and you notice that with each crashing wave, the ocean begins to glow with ethereal blue light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Fish are leaving trails of light behind them, like underwater shooting stars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">It might look magical, but in actuality, it’s just your friendly neighborhood dinoflagellates—single-celled organisms that glow when disturbed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">That light you’re seeing is called bioluminescence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Some cultures once believed that these lights were doorways to a mythical realm or the spirits of those who passed away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Today we know it’s actually organisms creating their own light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">But how does this actually happen, and why would these creatures even do it in the first place?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Hi, I’m Niba.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Today we’re shining a light on bioluminescence, diving deep into how it works—and even making a light show of our own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Welcome to Big Ideas, a new show from the team behind Deep Look.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">While Deep Look zooms in on one small animal, Big Ideas zooms out, answering the big questions about how animals survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Bioluminescence can be found all over our planet, from marine plankton to fungi and even deep-sea creatures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">According to researchers, three-quarters of deep-sea animals make their own light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Like this female anglerfish. In the pitch-black depths of the ocean, she dangles a glowing lure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Inside are bioluminescent bacteria that entice unsuspecting prey before she swallows them whole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Now, bioluminescence isn’t as widespread on land as it is underwater, but it does exist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">You’ll find it in some species of mushrooms and in the mycelia, or root structure, of certain fungi.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">And of course, one of the most famous glowing creatures is the beloved firefly, also known as lightning bugs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">But they’re actually neither flies nor bugs—they’re beetles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Out of about 400,000 beetle species, only half of 1% can actually glow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">So yes, you are special, little firefly—and so are all 2,000 beetle species in the Lampyridae family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Anyways, while most glowing beetles thrive in tropical humidity, fireflies are very adaptable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">These remarkable insects have spread to every continent except Antarctica. I guess even fireflies draw the line somewhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">So what exactly makes these beetles—not flies or bugs—flash when the sun goes down? What’s actually going on when they emit light?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Basically, bioluminescence is light produced inside an organism through a chemical reaction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">These insects produce light in a special organ in their abdomen called a photophore. We sometimes refer to it as a lantern, for obvious reasons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Scientists discovered that for these beetles to create their special glow, four chemicals need to work together: oxygen, an enzyme called luciferase, the light-producing compound luciferin, and the energy molecule ATP—adenosine triphosphate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">So when the beetles want to light up, they redirect oxygen into their lantern through structures called peroxisomes. That’s where you find the enzyme luciferase.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Luciferase has these pockets, or cubby holes, that hold the light-producing compound luciferin right next to the energy currency of ATP. And now the stage is set for the beetle’s light show.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">When oxygen is introduced, it excites the luciferin and the ATP, causing the duo to release a burst of energy—which is how these tiny insects create that big yellow-green glow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">We don’t have any fireflies in our studio, but we can create a similar chemical reaction using different substances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">We have luminol, sodium hydroxide, bleach, and the MVP ingredient: oxygen. This will create a chemiluminescent reaction similar to what’s happening in the firefly. Safety first, though.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Okay, let’s see what happens when I introduce the luminol solution to the bleach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">What? Yo, that was so cool!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">The chemical reactions taking place in bioluminescence and in fire are quite similar. Both involve oxygen to create light—but there’s a key difference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Fire produces both light and heat—this is called “hot light.” But bioluminescence produces only light, which is why it’s called “cold light.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">The chemical reaction behind bioluminescence is amazing because it converts nearly all its energy into light rather than releasing it as heat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Imagine if this beloved glowing beetle emitted hot light inside its lantern—I don’t think it would survive that experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">This is a really cool evolutionary marvel: producing light without heat. It must serve some kind of purpose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Some species of glowing beetles start using light as a warning before they’re even born—while still in their eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">As larvae, they light up to tell predators like frogs or toads, “Hey, don’t eat me. I taste awful and might even be toxic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">But as adults, these glowing beetles use their flashing lanterns for the ultimate goal: attracting a mate. Like nature’s version of a dating app.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">The males are the flashy ones, flying around and showing off their light patterns like, “Hey ladies, check me out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Meanwhile, the females hang out in the grass or on plants. When a female sees a male whose flashing pattern catches her eye, she flashes back—that’s her way of saying she’s interested.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">But it’s not all romantic fairytales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">In the beetle world, some sneaky female fireflies—called “femme fatales” in the Photuris genus—are masters of deception.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">They copy the flash patterns of females from other species to trick males into thinking they’ve found a mate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">But when the poor guy flies down to meet her… surprise. He becomes dinner instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">These glowing beetles have been around since the age of dinosaurs. The oldest known fossilized firefly is about 99 million years old.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">And while it took generations of scientists to figure out how fireflies create their glow, today researchers are putting that knowledge to work in some pretty mind-blowing ways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">It’s even being used in cancer research.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Scientists can genetically modify cancer cells to glow, then inject them into mice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Using specialized cameras, they can track tumor growth and spread in real time, helping them better understand how cancer progresses—and how it responds to treatment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">So bioluminescence is way more than just a fun light show.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">It’s a survival tactic, a mating signal, and maybe one day a key part of new scientific discoveries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">It’s pretty amazing that these tiny glowing beetles are helping us better understand the world we live in.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv id=\"meta-origin\" data-coolorigin=\"https%3A%2F%2Fcloud.kqed.org%2Fapps%2Frichdocumentscode%2Fproxy.php%3Freq%3D%2Fcool%2Fclipboard%3FWOPISrc%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcloud.kqed.org%252Findex.php%252Fapps%252Frichdocuments%252Fwopi%252Ffiles%252F5044178_ocdd7q04clzt%26ServerId%3Dbd3021cf%26ViewId%3D4%26Tag%3D4c073c3abf7aaf3f\">\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">From the depths of the ocean to the forest floor at night, some animals can do something that seems almost magical: they make their own light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">This phenomenon is known as bioluminescence. But glowing isn’t just for show. For many species, producing light is a powerful survival strategy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">In this episode of Big Ideas, we dive into the chemistry that makes living light possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003ch2>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h2>\n\u003cdiv id=\"meta-origin\" data-coolorigin=\"https%3A%2F%2Fcloud.kqed.org%2Fapps%2Frichdocumentscode%2Fproxy.php%3Freq%3D%2Fcool%2Fclipboard%3FWOPISrc%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcloud.kqed.org%252Findex.php%252Fapps%252Frichdocuments%252Fwopi%252Ffiles%252F5165658_ocdd7q04clzt%26ServerId%3Dbd3021cf%26ViewId%3D4%26Tag%3D67f70a5022165904\">\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">It’s a hot summer night and you’re standing at the beach, and you notice that with each crashing wave, the ocean begins to glow with ethereal blue light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Fish are leaving trails of light behind them, like underwater shooting stars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">It might look magical, but in actuality, it’s just your friendly neighborhood dinoflagellates—single-celled organisms that glow when disturbed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">That light you’re seeing is called bioluminescence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Some cultures once believed that these lights were doorways to a mythical realm or the spirits of those who passed away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Today we know it’s actually organisms creating their own light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">But how does this actually happen, and why would these creatures even do it in the first place?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Hi, I’m Niba.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Today we’re shining a light on bioluminescence, diving deep into how it works—and even making a light show of our own.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Welcome to Big Ideas, a new show from the team behind Deep Look.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">While Deep Look zooms in on one small animal, Big Ideas zooms out, answering the big questions about how animals survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Bioluminescence can be found all over our planet, from marine plankton to fungi and even deep-sea creatures.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">According to researchers, three-quarters of deep-sea animals make their own light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Like this female anglerfish. In the pitch-black depths of the ocean, she dangles a glowing lure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Inside are bioluminescent bacteria that entice unsuspecting prey before she swallows them whole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Now, bioluminescence isn’t as widespread on land as it is underwater, but it does exist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">You’ll find it in some species of mushrooms and in the mycelia, or root structure, of certain fungi.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">And of course, one of the most famous glowing creatures is the beloved firefly, also known as lightning bugs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">But they’re actually neither flies nor bugs—they’re beetles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Out of about 400,000 beetle species, only half of 1% can actually glow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">So yes, you are special, little firefly—and so are all 2,000 beetle species in the Lampyridae family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Anyways, while most glowing beetles thrive in tropical humidity, fireflies are very adaptable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">These remarkable insects have spread to every continent except Antarctica. I guess even fireflies draw the line somewhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">So what exactly makes these beetles—not flies or bugs—flash when the sun goes down? What’s actually going on when they emit light?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Basically, bioluminescence is light produced inside an organism through a chemical reaction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">These insects produce light in a special organ in their abdomen called a photophore. We sometimes refer to it as a lantern, for obvious reasons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Scientists discovered that for these beetles to create their special glow, four chemicals need to work together: oxygen, an enzyme called luciferase, the light-producing compound luciferin, and the energy molecule ATP—adenosine triphosphate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">So when the beetles want to light up, they redirect oxygen into their lantern through structures called peroxisomes. That’s where you find the enzyme luciferase.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Luciferase has these pockets, or cubby holes, that hold the light-producing compound luciferin right next to the energy currency of ATP. And now the stage is set for the beetle’s light show.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">When oxygen is introduced, it excites the luciferin and the ATP, causing the duo to release a burst of energy—which is how these tiny insects create that big yellow-green glow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">We don’t have any fireflies in our studio, but we can create a similar chemical reaction using different substances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">We have luminol, sodium hydroxide, bleach, and the MVP ingredient: oxygen. This will create a chemiluminescent reaction similar to what’s happening in the firefly. Safety first, though.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Okay, let’s see what happens when I introduce the luminol solution to the bleach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">What? Yo, that was so cool!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">The chemical reactions taking place in bioluminescence and in fire are quite similar. Both involve oxygen to create light—but there’s a key difference.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Fire produces both light and heat—this is called “hot light.” But bioluminescence produces only light, which is why it’s called “cold light.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">The chemical reaction behind bioluminescence is amazing because it converts nearly all its energy into light rather than releasing it as heat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Imagine if this beloved glowing beetle emitted hot light inside its lantern—I don’t think it would survive that experience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">This is a really cool evolutionary marvel: producing light without heat. It must serve some kind of purpose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Some species of glowing beetles start using light as a warning before they’re even born—while still in their eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">As larvae, they light up to tell predators like frogs or toads, “Hey, don’t eat me. I taste awful and might even be toxic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">But as adults, these glowing beetles use their flashing lanterns for the ultimate goal: attracting a mate. Like nature’s version of a dating app.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">The males are the flashy ones, flying around and showing off their light patterns like, “Hey ladies, check me out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Meanwhile, the females hang out in the grass or on plants. When a female sees a male whose flashing pattern catches her eye, she flashes back—that’s her way of saying she’s interested.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">But it’s not all romantic fairytales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">In the beetle world, some sneaky female fireflies—called “femme fatales” in the Photuris genus—are masters of deception.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">They copy the flash patterns of females from other species to trick males into thinking they’ve found a mate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">But when the poor guy flies down to meet her… surprise. He becomes dinner instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"western\" align=\"left\">These glowing beetles have been around since the age of dinosaurs. 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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why did our ancestors ditch the shell and start growing babies inside their bodies instead?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this episode of Big Ideas, from the team behind Deep Look, Niba zooms out to explore one of evolution’s biggest plot twists: how eggs evolved, how they conquered land, and why most mammals — including us — moved on to live birth.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>So why don’t we lay eggs?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like, seriously.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vast majority of animal species on this planet lay eggs, most insects, most fish, most amphibians, most reptiles, all birds, and even a few mammals lay eggs to reproduce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you go back far enough, you can see that our ancestors laid eggs for millions of years too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what happened to us?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why do humans keep their young inside instead of laying eggs?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And what would it be like if we did lay eggs?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Can you imagine?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hi, I’m Niba.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’re cracking open the case on why eggs are so cool by putting them through feats of strength and taking a close look under the shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Welcome to Big Ideas, a new show from the team behind Deep Look.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Deep Look zooms in on one small animal, Big Ideas zooms out, answering the big questions about how animals survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When most people think of an egg, they picture this: A chicken egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This modern day bird marvel of evolution is surprisingly complex with an impressive set of features.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And yet it’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to eggs, because eggs are also this and this and this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like the animals that make them eggs are constantly evolving over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eggs were around for millions of years before chickens even existed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So in the age old question of chicken versus egg, the egg wins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By hundreds of millions of years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The strategy of animals reproducing using an egg was first hatched not in a nest on land, but actually in the sea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers think the first animals to make eggs were ancient marine organisms, like sea sponges or possibly comb jellies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They were broadcast spawners, meaning they release their sperm and eggs right into the water where they meet, and the eggs get fertilized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lots of creatures still reproduce this way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check out these sea urchins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They release millions of eggs at a time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These eggs don’t have a hard shell for protection, but being soft allows water to flow into the eggs, bringing oxygen with it, helping the embryo breathe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The embryos grow into larvae and they’re on their own from day one, but they’re self-sufficient feeding on microscopic algae as they go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To us it might seem cold for these parents to just send their offspring off to fend for themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tiny fish and other predators do gobble up a lot of the unprotected babies, but they make so many of them that chances are at least some will survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What if parents want to give their offspring a bigger headstart in life?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take a mama salmon, for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It lays thousands of eggs at a time which the males fertilize thoroughly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The salmon packs each egg with more yolk compared to an urchin, that means more proteins, fats, carbs, minerals, and vitamins to feed that growing embryo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That yolk gives the young salmon a jumpstart on growing when they’re at their most tiny and vulnerable stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thanks, mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not all animals that lay eggs in water are broadcast spawners, or lay eggs for that matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But overall, laying eggs in water?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Massive success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We don’t live in water, so we would need a different strategy if we were to lay eggs, or would we?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These California newts spend most of their adult lives here along the forest floor, but during their mating season, they make a pilgrimage back to the exact pond where they were born.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amphibian eggs can breathe through their jelly-like covering, but only in moist environments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vast majority of amphibians are tied to the water like this ’cause their eggs would shrivel up and die if they were left in the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But reptiles evolved a way to make eggs that survive out of water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their eggs have a shell, which includes a layer of calcium carbonate to keep the egg from getting dried out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And they have an added feature, an albumin, you might know it as the egg white, a gel-like substance that provides extra protein and also hydration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like a drink for the baby lizard or turtle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, it provides padding in case the egg gets jostled around and helps regulate temperature by holding onto heat during warm periods and then releasing it during colder times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most snakes, most lizards, and most turtles have flexible leathery shells.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These eggs can survive out of water, but they still need to be kept in damp environments like buried in wet sand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The shells of bird eggs are even more rigid and resistant to drying out due to high concentrations of calcium carbonate drawn from the mother’s bones and arranged in tightly packed, layered crystals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if we did lay eggs, this is probably the kind that you’d want.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While you ponder that, take a look at this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These shells are still thin, but they’re surprisingly strong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How strong?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, birds have a huge diversity of egg shapes and sizes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check out these chicken eggs for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ll balance these four eggs pointing up on these bottle caps on the top and on the bottom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How many of these books do you think I can put on here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, let’s find out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each egg can support 50 to a hundred pounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s between 22 to 45 kilograms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As long as the pressure is applied evenly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why don’t we try something a little heavier?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s try 20 pounds of cement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oh wow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This burly shell means it’s no sweat to have their parents sit on the eggs all day to keep ’em warm and protect them from predators, all without the egg cracking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The extra warmth means the eggs can develop and hatch quicker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if the eggs parents have to take off for a bit, the shell keeps them from drying out in the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that albumin helps keep them from getting too hot or too cold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How about two?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s a huge advantage, especially for female birds that would otherwise have to carry that extra weight as they fly around getting food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maybe that’s why every known species of bird lays eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay, so the shell is really cool, but what’s underneath?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you soak an egg in vinegar for about a week, the acidic vinegar dissolves the calcium carbonate shell right off the egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And this here is the membrane.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most animal eggs have this membrane to separate their insides from the outside world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Crack open an egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And you can see the yolk, that mega food source, along with two chalazae, the two thin ropes that hold the yolk in the center of the egg, like little anchors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s surrounded by the clear albumin water supply.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the yolk has a white spot called the blastodisc, which contains the ovum, the female reproductive cell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if the hen who laid this egg had mated with a rooster, that sperm would fertilize this ovum and grow into a tiny embryo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it’s kept warm, that embryo feeds on the yolk and albumin and grows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also dissolves calcium from the inside of the shell to build the bones of the growing chick, making the shell easier to break out of until the chick is ready to make its grand entrance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, it’s a beautifully efficient method for procreation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that said, if eggs are such a successful system, why did our ancestors give it up?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paleontologists think that about 320 million years ago, a group of reptiles split off and some of them became our earliest mammal ancestors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They laid eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And today a few mammals still keep it old school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m looking at you platypuses and echidnas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re members of a group of mammals called monotremes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’ve got soft leathery eggs, kinda like reptiles, but they also feed their young milk like mammals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, some mammals evolved to be able to feed their developing offspring as they were nestled safely inside them: Marsupials, relatives of the kangaroos and koalas we see today were the first mammals to give live birth called viviparity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They give birth to their young, early and the not really ready to go offspring need to make the perilous journey into their mom’s pouch so that she can nurse them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead of getting all their nutrients from the egg, these mammals get around the clock warmth and nutrition provided directly by their mom instead of relying on a finite amount of yolk inside an egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And pregnant moms might move a bit slower and be less agile, but they aren’t tied to eggs that don’t move.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, placental mammals evolve to carry their offspring longer and complete their development inside their mom, meaning they could nourish the growing embryo continuously while protecting it from danger.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nowadays, the vast majority of mammals are placental mammals, from cats to whales to people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are some drawbacks, though.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Viviparous animals tend to have fewer offspring than egg layers, but their offspring typically have a better chance of survival because of the extra care and protection they receive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of the more than 5,000 known species of mammals, only five lay eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And to add to that, there are different reptiles, fish and invertebrates and other non-mammals that also do live birth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One size doesn’t fit all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An evolution is still happening today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Who knows what new strategies might come about in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And maybe my life would be better with big old people eggs instead of periods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But I guess then I might have to eat like a bajillion calories to grow the eggs every month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And fetus development would probably be way slower since a fetus couldn’t get that constant supply of nutrition and warmth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unless I stayed at home, keeping the eggs warm for like months or years before it hatched.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or maybe it would be fun then ’cause then I could just paint it, give it cute little outfits and egg-ccessories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Would you want that?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eggs or no eggs, to reproduce most animals first need to mate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes it’s cuddly, like earthworms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes it’s not, the poor praying mantis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Barnacles reach out to visit with their neighbors, whereas newts have to travel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch these four tiny romances blossom in this Deep look episode.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check it out.\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why did our ancestors ditch the shell and start growing babies inside their bodies instead?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this episode of Big Ideas, from the team behind Deep Look, Niba zooms out to explore one of evolution’s biggest plot twists: how eggs evolved, how they conquered land, and why most mammals — including us — moved on to live birth.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>So why don’t we lay eggs?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like, seriously.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vast majority of animal species on this planet lay eggs, most insects, most fish, most amphibians, most reptiles, all birds, and even a few mammals lay eggs to reproduce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you go back far enough, you can see that our ancestors laid eggs for millions of years too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what happened to us?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why do humans keep their young inside instead of laying eggs?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And what would it be like if we did lay eggs?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Can you imagine?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hi, I’m Niba.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’re cracking open the case on why eggs are so cool by putting them through feats of strength and taking a close look under the shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Welcome to Big Ideas, a new show from the team behind Deep Look.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Deep Look zooms in on one small animal, Big Ideas zooms out, answering the big questions about how animals survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When most people think of an egg, they picture this: A chicken egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This modern day bird marvel of evolution is surprisingly complex with an impressive set of features.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And yet it’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to eggs, because eggs are also this and this and this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like the animals that make them eggs are constantly evolving over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eggs were around for millions of years before chickens even existed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So in the age old question of chicken versus egg, the egg wins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By hundreds of millions of years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The strategy of animals reproducing using an egg was first hatched not in a nest on land, but actually in the sea.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers think the first animals to make eggs were ancient marine organisms, like sea sponges or possibly comb jellies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They were broadcast spawners, meaning they release their sperm and eggs right into the water where they meet, and the eggs get fertilized.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lots of creatures still reproduce this way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check out these sea urchins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They release millions of eggs at a time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These eggs don’t have a hard shell for protection, but being soft allows water to flow into the eggs, bringing oxygen with it, helping the embryo breathe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The embryos grow into larvae and they’re on their own from day one, but they’re self-sufficient feeding on microscopic algae as they go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To us it might seem cold for these parents to just send their offspring off to fend for themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tiny fish and other predators do gobble up a lot of the unprotected babies, but they make so many of them that chances are at least some will survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What if parents want to give their offspring a bigger headstart in life?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take a mama salmon, for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It lays thousands of eggs at a time which the males fertilize thoroughly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The salmon packs each egg with more yolk compared to an urchin, that means more proteins, fats, carbs, minerals, and vitamins to feed that growing embryo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That yolk gives the young salmon a jumpstart on growing when they’re at their most tiny and vulnerable stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thanks, mom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not all animals that lay eggs in water are broadcast spawners, or lay eggs for that matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But overall, laying eggs in water?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Massive success.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We don’t live in water, so we would need a different strategy if we were to lay eggs, or would we?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These California newts spend most of their adult lives here along the forest floor, but during their mating season, they make a pilgrimage back to the exact pond where they were born.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amphibian eggs can breathe through their jelly-like covering, but only in moist environments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The vast majority of amphibians are tied to the water like this ’cause their eggs would shrivel up and die if they were left in the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But reptiles evolved a way to make eggs that survive out of water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their eggs have a shell, which includes a layer of calcium carbonate to keep the egg from getting dried out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And they have an added feature, an albumin, you might know it as the egg white, a gel-like substance that provides extra protein and also hydration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like a drink for the baby lizard or turtle.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, it provides padding in case the egg gets jostled around and helps regulate temperature by holding onto heat during warm periods and then releasing it during colder times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most snakes, most lizards, and most turtles have flexible leathery shells.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These eggs can survive out of water, but they still need to be kept in damp environments like buried in wet sand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The shells of bird eggs are even more rigid and resistant to drying out due to high concentrations of calcium carbonate drawn from the mother’s bones and arranged in tightly packed, layered crystals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if we did lay eggs, this is probably the kind that you’d want.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While you ponder that, take a look at this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These shells are still thin, but they’re surprisingly strong.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How strong?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, birds have a huge diversity of egg shapes and sizes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check out these chicken eggs for example.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ll balance these four eggs pointing up on these bottle caps on the top and on the bottom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How many of these books do you think I can put on here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, let’s find out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each egg can support 50 to a hundred pounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s between 22 to 45 kilograms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As long as the pressure is applied evenly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why don’t we try something a little heavier?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s try 20 pounds of cement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oh wow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This burly shell means it’s no sweat to have their parents sit on the eggs all day to keep ’em warm and protect them from predators, all without the egg cracking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The extra warmth means the eggs can develop and hatch quicker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if the eggs parents have to take off for a bit, the shell keeps them from drying out in the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that albumin helps keep them from getting too hot or too cold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How about two?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s a huge advantage, especially for female birds that would otherwise have to carry that extra weight as they fly around getting food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maybe that’s why every known species of bird lays eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay, so the shell is really cool, but what’s underneath?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you soak an egg in vinegar for about a week, the acidic vinegar dissolves the calcium carbonate shell right off the egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And this here is the membrane.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most animal eggs have this membrane to separate their insides from the outside world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Crack open an egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And you can see the yolk, that mega food source, along with two chalazae, the two thin ropes that hold the yolk in the center of the egg, like little anchors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s surrounded by the clear albumin water supply.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And the yolk has a white spot called the blastodisc, which contains the ovum, the female reproductive cell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But if the hen who laid this egg had mated with a rooster, that sperm would fertilize this ovum and grow into a tiny embryo.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it’s kept warm, that embryo feeds on the yolk and albumin and grows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also dissolves calcium from the inside of the shell to build the bones of the growing chick, making the shell easier to break out of until the chick is ready to make its grand entrance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, it’s a beautifully efficient method for procreation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that said, if eggs are such a successful system, why did our ancestors give it up?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paleontologists think that about 320 million years ago, a group of reptiles split off and some of them became our earliest mammal ancestors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They laid eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And today a few mammals still keep it old school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’m looking at you platypuses and echidnas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re members of a group of mammals called monotremes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’ve got soft leathery eggs, kinda like reptiles, but they also feed their young milk like mammals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, some mammals evolved to be able to feed their developing offspring as they were nestled safely inside them: Marsupials, relatives of the kangaroos and koalas we see today were the first mammals to give live birth called viviparity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They give birth to their young, early and the not really ready to go offspring need to make the perilous journey into their mom’s pouch so that she can nurse them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Instead of getting all their nutrients from the egg, these mammals get around the clock warmth and nutrition provided directly by their mom instead of relying on a finite amount of yolk inside an egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And pregnant moms might move a bit slower and be less agile, but they aren’t tied to eggs that don’t move.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, placental mammals evolve to carry their offspring longer and complete their development inside their mom, meaning they could nourish the growing embryo continuously while protecting it from danger.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nowadays, the vast majority of mammals are placental mammals, from cats to whales to people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are some drawbacks, though.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Viviparous animals tend to have fewer offspring than egg layers, but their offspring typically have a better chance of survival because of the extra care and protection they receive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of the more than 5,000 known species of mammals, only five lay eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And to add to that, there are different reptiles, fish and invertebrates and other non-mammals that also do live birth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One size doesn’t fit all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An evolution is still happening today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Who knows what new strategies might come about in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And maybe my life would be better with big old people eggs instead of periods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But I guess then I might have to eat like a bajillion calories to grow the eggs every month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And fetus development would probably be way slower since a fetus couldn’t get that constant supply of nutrition and warmth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unless I stayed at home, keeping the eggs warm for like months or years before it hatched.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or maybe it would be fun then ’cause then I could just paint it, give it cute little outfits and egg-ccessories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Would you want that?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eggs or no eggs, to reproduce most animals first need to mate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes it’s cuddly, like earthworms.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes it’s not, the poor praying mantis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Barnacles reach out to visit with their neighbors, whereas newts have to travel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch these four tiny romances blossom in this Deep look episode.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check it out.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv id=\"meta-origin\" data-coolorigin=\"https%3A%2F%2Fcloud.kqed.org%2Fapps%2Frichdocumentscode%2Fproxy.php%3Freq%3D%2Fcool%2Fclipboard%3FWOPISrc%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcloud.kqed.org%252Findex.php%252Fapps%252Frichdocuments%252Fwopi%252Ffiles%252F4909114_ocdd7q04clzt%26ServerId%3D5d5c3c3c%26ViewId%3D4%26Tag%3D6eda4a46c4679ef7\">\n\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what compound eyes really do — and why flies see you in slow motion. A few centuries ago, scientists believed insects saw thousands of tiny, repeated images — like a kaleidoscope of candle flames. But that’s not how compound eyes work.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you close your eyes and try to think about how an insect sees the world, you might picture something like this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hollywood has used it as a shorthand for “bug vision” for decades, but it’s an idea that goes back centuries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a spring day in 1694, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek – the father of microbiology – used a magnifying lens to look at a candle through the dissected eye of a dragonfly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But instead of seeing 1 candle flame, he saw hundreds of tiny flames, repeated over and over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But spoiler alert — this is not how insects see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hi, I’m Niba, and today we’re going to explore how insects really see the world. We’ll make our own camera to demonstrate how our eyes work, figure out what’s going on inside the insect brain, and try to understand how insects detect motion and experience color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Welcome to Big Ideas, a new show from the team behind Deep Look. While Deep Look zooms in on one small animal, Big Ideas zooms out, answering the big questions about how animals survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay, let’s get up close and personal with the compound eye. All adult insects with vision have them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And since insects make up oh, somewhere around 75 to 80 percent of all known animal species on Earth, the compound eye has the distinction of being the most common type of eye in the entire animal kingdom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s not just insects. Other species have compound eyes, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some crustaceans, like the mantis shrimp, have them. And so do some segmented worms, like the fan worm, that have their compound eyes positioned on a pair of specialized tentacles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tentacles that can see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now take an even closer look at the insect compound eye.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a collection of hundreds — sometimes thousands — of individual eye units.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One unit is called an ommatidium, which means “tiny eye” in Greek. Two or more are ommatidia. And each one has its own separate lens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is different from our eyes. We have two camera eyes, and each eye has only a single lens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s break this down even further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here, light gets focused through this lens onto the back of our eye — the retina — where a bunch of cells called photoreceptors take this light information, turn it into an electrical signal, and send it to our brain to build a picture of the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can see how this works with an old-fashioned device called a camera obscura. Early models were big — an actual room or a tent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Light comes in through a tiny hole, which then projects an upside-down image of the outside world onto the wall. It was kind of like having a photograph before cameras existed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over time, more portable models were invented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve made our own portable camera obscura, but DIY-style, using cardboard, tracing paper, and a glass lens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can totally make this at home. The lens here is like the lens in our eye, focusing the light onto tracing paper in the back — just like how light hits our retina.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And when I look into it — oh wow — it kind of looks like eight-millimeter film. I can push the lens closer or farther away until I get the focus just right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What’s projected here is an upside-down image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when light hits our retina, the photoreceptors send that visual info to our brain, which then interprets the image correctly as right-side up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now it’s tempting to think that what’s happening in our camera eye might be what’s happening in a compound eye.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take the image that each ommatidium creates, stack them side by side, top to bottom, and you might expect to see what old van Leeuwenhoek saw over 300 years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So why then does a fly, with something like 6,000 ommatidia, not see 6,000 repeated images?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because each ommatidium is only receiving light from a tiny segment of the overall picture — but not the entire picture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check out this diagram of a cross-section of an ommatidium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See this long column here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s deep and narrow, so only a sliver of light — containing the visual information from a really small section of the overall image — can pass through the lens at the top and make its way down to the photoreceptors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What that means is that each ommatidium can only send a tiny piece of visual information to the insect’s brain, where they’re all stitched together to create a full and complete image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So an insect with hundreds of ommatidia might be seeing something like this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists like to think of it like pixels on a TV screen, where each ommatidium is a single pixel representing a small portion of the overall picture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Add more pixels and you can get a wider field of view. Like the praying mantis, for example. With around 9,000 ommatidia packed onto globular eyes, it has extreme widescreen vision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also add more pixels, but make them smaller, which gives you better resolution — a crisper image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is basically what the dragonfly has done. It has around 30,000 ommatidia packed together as close as possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a big reason why it has some of the sharpest vision of all the insects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it’s no accident that ommatidia can pack together so tightly. It’s in their shape — they’re hexagonal, meaning they have six sides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s the most efficient shape to cover a surface and not waste space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there’s a wrinkle to all of this. Cause despite thousands of teeny-tiny hexagons, the dragonfly’s compound eye still ends up producing a low-quality image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From our perspective, it would look kind of pixelated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turns out that even one of the best compound eyes on the planet can’t compete with our camera eye when it comes to creating crystal-clear images.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because we have more room on our retina to densely pack photoreceptors, meaning that we’re sending much more visual information to our brains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The human eye has millions of photoreceptors. A single ommatidium has around eight, but really they function together like one photoreceptor unit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So even the mighty dragonfly — with 30,000 ommatidia — really only has 30,000 bits of visual information getting to its brain, compared to millions for us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But hold on a sec. If insect vision is so low-quality, then how do they clock a predator sneaking up to make them their next meal?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How do they successfully identify prey, so they don’t starve? What advantage does the compound eye give them?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Basically, insects’ eyes are really good at detecting motion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A lot of them see faster than us, so their eyes and brains process visual information much quicker than we do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What that means is that for them, the world is moving in slow motion compared to how we perceive it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if we’re looking at a stopwatch, we experience the second hand move like this… but for a fly, it would look something like this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second hand is moving almost four times slower. That means they have almost four times as much process time to detect and respond to movement, and their brain is stitching this info together almost four times faster than we can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is why it’s so hard to get that pesky fly with a fly swatter. Try coming at them head-on as quickly as you can, and they’ll still see you — because to them, you’re moving too slowly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seeing in slow motion doesn’t just let insects avoid being prey. It also makes them fantastic predators. It’s a big reason why the dragonfly is considered to be the most efficient predator in the entire animal kingdom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It can calculate exactly where its prey will be to land the perfect strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it’s not just motion that the compound eye does differently. It’s also color, which adds a whole new layer to how a species can avoid predators, find food, and make a real go of it in this crazy world of ours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But first, let’s understand how we see colors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The photoreceptors in our camera eyes are trichromatic, so we can see the three colors of red, green, and blue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We combine these three colors together in different ways to see the full spectrum of colors that we call visible light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Quick science-class moment here: light is electromagnetic radiation composed of different wavelengths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can’t see a lot of these wavelengths, but what we can see falls in this range — violet, the shortest wavelength at around 380 nanometers, all the way up to red, the longest wavelength at around 700 nanometers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other light wavelengths that are shorter or longer simply don’t get picked up by our eyes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But many insects can detect shorter wavelengths, which include light that we can’t see — like ultraviolet light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many flowers have UV reflective patterns that are invisible to our human eye but attract bees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For these aerial insects, these patterns are like airport runways, with little landing zones that point them toward the parts of the plant with nectar and pollen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The dragonfly takes color perception and turns it up to eleven — literally. One new study showed that dragonflies can combine eleven, or maybe even more, different color wavelengths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This brings us to the biggest question of them all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Can we ever truly know what the subjective experience of seeing is like for an insect?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can’t even be certain of what other people see. Color, for example, only exists in our brain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a perception created by our brain’s interpretation of light wavelengths reflected from objects — meaning color itself isn’t a property of the object, but rather a construct of our mind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So maybe — just maybe — the blue that you see might not look exactly like the blue that I see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And so the same reasoning might apply to how an insect’s brain is experiencing vision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can rule things out. We can make really good, educated guesses. But we can’t be 100 percent certain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Want to see animals using their amazing eyesight to survive?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch Deep Look’s episode about mantis shrimp — they see wavelengths of light that are invisible to other animals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And peregrine falcons keep track of their next meal as they fly towards it at high speeds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See you there.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s what compound eyes really do — and why flies see you in slow motion. A few centuries ago, scientists believed insects saw thousands of tiny, repeated images — like a kaleidoscope of candle flames. But that’s not how compound eyes work.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you close your eyes and try to think about how an insect sees the world, you might picture something like this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hollywood has used it as a shorthand for “bug vision” for decades, but it’s an idea that goes back centuries.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a spring day in 1694, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek – the father of microbiology – used a magnifying lens to look at a candle through the dissected eye of a dragonfly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But instead of seeing 1 candle flame, he saw hundreds of tiny flames, repeated over and over.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But spoiler alert — this is not how insects see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hi, I’m Niba, and today we’re going to explore how insects really see the world. We’ll make our own camera to demonstrate how our eyes work, figure out what’s going on inside the insect brain, and try to understand how insects detect motion and experience color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Welcome to Big Ideas, a new show from the team behind Deep Look. While Deep Look zooms in on one small animal, Big Ideas zooms out, answering the big questions about how animals survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay, let’s get up close and personal with the compound eye. All adult insects with vision have them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And since insects make up oh, somewhere around 75 to 80 percent of all known animal species on Earth, the compound eye has the distinction of being the most common type of eye in the entire animal kingdom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s not just insects. Other species have compound eyes, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some crustaceans, like the mantis shrimp, have them. And so do some segmented worms, like the fan worm, that have their compound eyes positioned on a pair of specialized tentacles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tentacles that can see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now take an even closer look at the insect compound eye.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a collection of hundreds — sometimes thousands — of individual eye units.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One unit is called an ommatidium, which means “tiny eye” in Greek. Two or more are ommatidia. And each one has its own separate lens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is different from our eyes. We have two camera eyes, and each eye has only a single lens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Let’s break this down even further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here, light gets focused through this lens onto the back of our eye — the retina — where a bunch of cells called photoreceptors take this light information, turn it into an electrical signal, and send it to our brain to build a picture of the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can see how this works with an old-fashioned device called a camera obscura. Early models were big — an actual room or a tent.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Light comes in through a tiny hole, which then projects an upside-down image of the outside world onto the wall. It was kind of like having a photograph before cameras existed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over time, more portable models were invented.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We’ve made our own portable camera obscura, but DIY-style, using cardboard, tracing paper, and a glass lens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can totally make this at home. The lens here is like the lens in our eye, focusing the light onto tracing paper in the back — just like how light hits our retina.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And when I look into it — oh wow — it kind of looks like eight-millimeter film. I can push the lens closer or farther away until I get the focus just right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What’s projected here is an upside-down image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when light hits our retina, the photoreceptors send that visual info to our brain, which then interprets the image correctly as right-side up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now it’s tempting to think that what’s happening in our camera eye might be what’s happening in a compound eye.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take the image that each ommatidium creates, stack them side by side, top to bottom, and you might expect to see what old van Leeuwenhoek saw over 300 years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So why then does a fly, with something like 6,000 ommatidia, not see 6,000 repeated images?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Because each ommatidium is only receiving light from a tiny segment of the overall picture — but not the entire picture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Check out this diagram of a cross-section of an ommatidium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See this long column here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s deep and narrow, so only a sliver of light — containing the visual information from a really small section of the overall image — can pass through the lens at the top and make its way down to the photoreceptors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What that means is that each ommatidium can only send a tiny piece of visual information to the insect’s brain, where they’re all stitched together to create a full and complete image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So an insect with hundreds of ommatidia might be seeing something like this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Scientists like to think of it like pixels on a TV screen, where each ommatidium is a single pixel representing a small portion of the overall picture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Add more pixels and you can get a wider field of view. Like the praying mantis, for example. With around 9,000 ommatidia packed onto globular eyes, it has extreme widescreen vision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can also add more pixels, but make them smaller, which gives you better resolution — a crisper image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is basically what the dragonfly has done. It has around 30,000 ommatidia packed together as close as possible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a big reason why it has some of the sharpest vision of all the insects.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it’s no accident that ommatidia can pack together so tightly. It’s in their shape — they’re hexagonal, meaning they have six sides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s the most efficient shape to cover a surface and not waste space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there’s a wrinkle to all of this. Cause despite thousands of teeny-tiny hexagons, the dragonfly’s compound eye still ends up producing a low-quality image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From our perspective, it would look kind of pixelated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Turns out that even one of the best compound eyes on the planet can’t compete with our camera eye when it comes to creating crystal-clear images.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because we have more room on our retina to densely pack photoreceptors, meaning that we’re sending much more visual information to our brains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The human eye has millions of photoreceptors. A single ommatidium has around eight, but really they function together like one photoreceptor unit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So even the mighty dragonfly — with 30,000 ommatidia — really only has 30,000 bits of visual information getting to its brain, compared to millions for us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But hold on a sec. If insect vision is so low-quality, then how do they clock a predator sneaking up to make them their next meal?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How do they successfully identify prey, so they don’t starve? What advantage does the compound eye give them?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Basically, insects’ eyes are really good at detecting motion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A lot of them see faster than us, so their eyes and brains process visual information much quicker than we do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What that means is that for them, the world is moving in slow motion compared to how we perceive it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if we’re looking at a stopwatch, we experience the second hand move like this… but for a fly, it would look something like this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second hand is moving almost four times slower. That means they have almost four times as much process time to detect and respond to movement, and their brain is stitching this info together almost four times faster than we can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This is why it’s so hard to get that pesky fly with a fly swatter. Try coming at them head-on as quickly as you can, and they’ll still see you — because to them, you’re moving too slowly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seeing in slow motion doesn’t just let insects avoid being prey. It also makes them fantastic predators. It’s a big reason why the dragonfly is considered to be the most efficient predator in the entire animal kingdom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It can calculate exactly where its prey will be to land the perfect strike.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it’s not just motion that the compound eye does differently. It’s also color, which adds a whole new layer to how a species can avoid predators, find food, and make a real go of it in this crazy world of ours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But first, let’s understand how we see colors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The photoreceptors in our camera eyes are trichromatic, so we can see the three colors of red, green, and blue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We combine these three colors together in different ways to see the full spectrum of colors that we call visible light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Quick science-class moment here: light is electromagnetic radiation composed of different wavelengths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can’t see a lot of these wavelengths, but what we can see falls in this range — violet, the shortest wavelength at around 380 nanometers, all the way up to red, the longest wavelength at around 700 nanometers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other light wavelengths that are shorter or longer simply don’t get picked up by our eyes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But many insects can detect shorter wavelengths, which include light that we can’t see — like ultraviolet light.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many flowers have UV reflective patterns that are invisible to our human eye but attract bees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For these aerial insects, these patterns are like airport runways, with little landing zones that point them toward the parts of the plant with nectar and pollen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The dragonfly takes color perception and turns it up to eleven — literally. One new study showed that dragonflies can combine eleven, or maybe even more, different color wavelengths.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This brings us to the biggest question of them all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Can we ever truly know what the subjective experience of seeing is like for an insect?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can’t even be certain of what other people see. Color, for example, only exists in our brain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a perception created by our brain’s interpretation of light wavelengths reflected from objects — meaning color itself isn’t a property of the object, but rather a construct of our mind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So maybe — just maybe — the blue that you see might not look exactly like the blue that I see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And so the same reasoning might apply to how an insect’s brain is experiencing vision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We can rule things out. We can make really good, educated guesses. But we can’t be 100 percent certain.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Want to see animals using their amazing eyesight to survive?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watch Deep Look’s episode about mantis shrimp — they see wavelengths of light that are invisible to other animals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And peregrine falcons keep track of their next meal as they fly towards it at high speeds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See you there.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meet four of nature’s masters of disguise: decorator crabs stay out of sight with the latest in seaweed fashion; pygmy seahorses blend seamlessly with their surroundings; glasswing butterflies sport the see-through look; and the Australian walking stick keeps you guessing with its multiple secret identities.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Now you see me… now you don’t!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These 4 tiny animals go undercover – in style.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pygmy seahorses use bright colors to avoid being seen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Australian stick insects disguise themselves to break into an ants’ nest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Glasswing butterflies go with the see-through look.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>First up, decorator crabs keep up with all the tidepool trends to stay out of sight.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Time for a crab fashion show.Models! This one is wearing the latest in purple seaweed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over here, a striking piece of kelp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And for this guy … that’s a lotta look! But these crabs aren’t dressing up to get noticed. They’re trying to blend in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These decorator crabs live in the tide pools and rocky shores off the California coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a dangerous place for a tasty crab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the crabs camouflage with what’s at hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This kelp crab has found something to work with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It does a little trimming, cutting a piece to size … nudges it into place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it sticks, thanks to rows of natural Velcro on its head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The crabs have these special hooked hairs on their shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See how this bit of seaweed is wedged right in there, held tight?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With a tug, the crab makes sure of that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The seaweed is hiding its antennae.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If they weren’t covered, their fluttering would give the crab away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And sometimes one piece of flair just isn’t enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meet the extreme decorator crab, the ultimate fashionista.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s covered in hooks all over its body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A quick check and the crab can tell its face is unprotected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Get to work!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This crab is a picky dresser.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It nibbles on a piece of algae, trying to figure out, is this good to eat?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or is it covered in noxious chemicals that make it better suited as an outfit?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This crab has made it work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it has the ultimate off-putting accessory, an anemone: outerwear that actually stings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over time, the anemones and seaweed can grow and spread on the crab’s shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a lot to lug around. But it’s worth it. Being fabulous just might save your life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Australian walking stick is a master of deception, but a twig is just one of its many disguises.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our story begins with a seed, an ant, and a leaf. Or does it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each one of these is a phase in the life of the same creature.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Australian walking stick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Deep in the forests of eastern Australia, a seed drops from the canopy above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Foraging ants carry it down to their underground burrow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They snack on the nutritious cap, leaving the rest intact.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this “seed” is a knock-off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s actually an Australian walking stick insect’s egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here it is next to a real seed the ants also brought into the nest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The delicious part of this real seed is called the “elaiosome,” and the same part on the egg is called the “capitulum.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an evolutionary strategy to get that egg underground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why? Ant nests are just the right humidity for the developing egg, and are well-protected from parasites and predators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several months later, the egg hatches underground, and a stick insect nymph emerges from the nest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It runs, looking for safety in the foliage above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It has taken on a new disguise: as a red-headed spider ant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not only does it look a lot like the ant – it also moves like one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even strikes a pose like the ant, curling its abdomen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Looking and acting like an ant may save this nymph’s life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Predators tend to steer clear of ants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ants swarm – sometimes they bite and sting – and most worker ants aren’t all that nutritious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On top of that, red-headed spider ants taste like rotten coconut or bad cheese.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These birds take a hard pass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upon closer inspection, the disguise doesn’t really hold up. But hey – it gets the job done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it doesn’t need to last long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The red on the Australian walking stick’s head fades in just a few days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the nymph races upwards, into the trees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After about a month, the insect begins to change yet again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will molt six times as it perfects its final costume, as it grows into an adult.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That frenetic ant energy gives way to a gentle swaying – like a leaf in the breeze.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nothing to see here, predators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The insects graze all day, mostly on eucalyptus leaves, plumping up and growing as long as your palm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Adults vary in color. Some even take on the green ruffled shape of a lichen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You might think it’d be hard to find each other with all this camouflage, but they communicate with pheromones, so no problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometime after mating, the female lays her eggs, and the cycle begins again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fake seed and pretend ant phases are more than just protection from parasites and predators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since adult Australian walking stick insects don’t actually walk much, they rely on seed-collecting ants to disperse their eggs throughout the forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then it’s up to their zippy, ant-impersonating offspring to help them spread out even further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Australian walking stick insect has evolved so many looks, it almost seems like it’s having an identity crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But just because you can shapeshift from one form to another – and another – doesn’t mean you don’t know exactly what you are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These tiny ocean creatures sport vibrant colors to pull off a masterful vanishing act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>This is a Pygmy seahorse. These are some of the smallest seahorses in the world– smaller than a paperclip.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Camouflage is critical to their survival. It’s how they hide from predators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These seahorses are too small and fragile to make it on their own.\u003cbr>\nSo unless they find a place they fit in perfectly, they’ll die.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the pygmy seahorses spend their entire adult lives on a type of coral called a sea fan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Orange pygmy seahorses live on orange sea fans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Purple sea horses live on purple sea fans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But here’s the mystery: Do they search for a coral that matches their color?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or do they change their color to match the coral?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To explore that question you have to watch the process unfold. And no one had ever done that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Biologists went to the Philippines and collected a mating pair of orange pygmy seahorses from a sea fan 80 feet below the surface.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They rushed them back to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there, for the first time in an aquarium… The pygmy seahorses survived.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The scientists watched the male and female seahorses performing their daily courtship dance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They saw baby seahorses pop out of their father’s brood pouch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The babies all started out a dull brown color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So scientists wanted to know what would happen if they provided a purple sea fan to the offspring of orange sea horses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They got their answer: The babies turned purple.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They grew calcified bumps – called tubercles – to match the coral’s texture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there they stayed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We humans tend to think of who we are as mostly fixed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in the ocean, identity can be a fluid and mysterious thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Next, Glasswing butterflies trick the light to hide in plain sight.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever wished you could be invisible?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fade into the background.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unnoticed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unseen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For glasswing butterflies, the rainforests of South and Central America are full of hungry predators they’d like to hide from.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some butterflies use cryptic camouflage to hide themselves by blending in with their surroundings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others use aposematism — vivid colors and patterns that warn predators they’re toxic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Glasswings do have some warning markings. See that bright slash of white on black?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But that’s not their main defense.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their transparent wings enable them to disappear into the background wherever they go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even while flying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This little caterpillar is a baby glasswing and it’s already good at staying out of sight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can see through parts of its exoskeleton … offering a window into its most recent leafy meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That exoskeleton is made of a material called chitin that’s both strong and flexible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In most insects, chitin is mixed up with pigments that give it color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But some parts of the glasswing lack pigment entirely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once it’s had its fill, the caterpillar suspends itself under a leaf or stem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It becomes a chrysalis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Inside, it’s undergoing a metamorphosis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About a week later, the transformation is complete.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An adult butterfly emerges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It unfurls its delicate, new wings, revealing its window panes for the first time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the Nipam Patel Lab at UC Berkeley, researcher Aaron Pomerantz is studying how exactly the glasswing butterfly forms those transparent wings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re made of that same clear chitin from when it was a caterpillar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in these wings, the chitin’s all stretched out — incredibly thin and stiff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that layer of chitin is exposed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other butterfly wings are covered in colorful overlapping scales that protect their wings from the elements.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The glasswing does have colored scales … on its body and the fragile edges of its wings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the scales on these window panes don’t look like scales at all, more like tiny hairs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re skinny and spread out — they let the light pass by.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But having clear wings doesn’t help you hide if they’re shiny.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Zoom way in, past the hairs, and you’ll see the surface looks rough.\u003cbr>\nIt’s covered in miniature towers made of wax.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re called nanopillars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the surface of the wing was smooth, light would bounce off of it.\u003cbr>\nThe nanopillars are nature’s original anti-glare coating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Researchers found that when they used chemicals to remove the nanopillars, the wings glimmered more.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While some other butterflies gleam in the sunlight, the glasswing reflects almost no light at all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Glasswings excel at being dull.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that helps them hide in plain sight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What makes glasswings special isn’t their luster, but their ability to fade away.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Australian stick insects disguise themselves to break into an ants’ nest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Glasswing butterflies go with the see-through look.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>First up, decorator crabs keep up with all the tidepool trends to stay out of sight.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Time for a crab fashion show.Models! This one is wearing the latest in purple seaweed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over here, a striking piece of kelp.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And for this guy … that’s a lotta look! But these crabs aren’t dressing up to get noticed. They’re trying to blend in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These decorator crabs live in the tide pools and rocky shores off the California coast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a dangerous place for a tasty crab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the crabs camouflage with what’s at hand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This kelp crab has found something to work with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It does a little trimming, cutting a piece to size … nudges it into place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it sticks, thanks to rows of natural Velcro on its head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The crabs have these special hooked hairs on their shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See how this bit of seaweed is wedged right in there, held tight?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With a tug, the crab makes sure of that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The seaweed is hiding its antennae.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If they weren’t covered, their fluttering would give the crab away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And sometimes one piece of flair just isn’t enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meet the extreme decorator crab, the ultimate fashionista.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s covered in hooks all over its body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A quick check and the crab can tell its face is unprotected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Get to work!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This crab is a picky dresser.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It nibbles on a piece of algae, trying to figure out, is this good to eat?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or is it covered in noxious chemicals that make it better suited as an outfit?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This crab has made it work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it has the ultimate off-putting accessory, an anemone: outerwear that actually stings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over time, the anemones and seaweed can grow and spread on the crab’s shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a lot to lug around. But it’s worth it. Being fabulous just might save your life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>The Australian walking stick is a master of deception, but a twig is just one of its many disguises.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Our story begins with a seed, an ant, and a leaf. Or does it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each one of these is a phase in the life of the same creature.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Australian walking stick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Deep in the forests of eastern Australia, a seed drops from the canopy above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Foraging ants carry it down to their underground burrow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They snack on the nutritious cap, leaving the rest intact.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But this “seed” is a knock-off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s actually an Australian walking stick insect’s egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here it is next to a real seed the ants also brought into the nest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The delicious part of this real seed is called the “elaiosome,” and the same part on the egg is called the “capitulum.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an evolutionary strategy to get that egg underground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Why? Ant nests are just the right humidity for the developing egg, and are well-protected from parasites and predators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several months later, the egg hatches underground, and a stick insect nymph emerges from the nest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It runs, looking for safety in the foliage above.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It has taken on a new disguise: as a red-headed spider ant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not only does it look a lot like the ant – it also moves like one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even strikes a pose like the ant, curling its abdomen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Looking and acting like an ant may save this nymph’s life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Predators tend to steer clear of ants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ants swarm – sometimes they bite and sting – and most worker ants aren’t all that nutritious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On top of that, red-headed spider ants taste like rotten coconut or bad cheese.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These birds take a hard pass.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Upon closer inspection, the disguise doesn’t really hold up. But hey – it gets the job done.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it doesn’t need to last long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The red on the Australian walking stick’s head fades in just a few days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the nymph races upwards, into the trees.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After about a month, the insect begins to change yet again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It will molt six times as it perfects its final costume, as it grows into an adult.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That frenetic ant energy gives way to a gentle swaying – like a leaf in the breeze.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nothing to see here, predators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The insects graze all day, mostly on eucalyptus leaves, plumping up and growing as long as your palm.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Adults vary in color. Some even take on the green ruffled shape of a lichen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You might think it’d be hard to find each other with all this camouflage, but they communicate with pheromones, so no problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometime after mating, the female lays her eggs, and the cycle begins again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fake seed and pretend ant phases are more than just protection from parasites and predators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since adult Australian walking stick insects don’t actually walk much, they rely on seed-collecting ants to disperse their eggs throughout the forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then it’s up to their zippy, ant-impersonating offspring to help them spread out even further.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Australian walking stick insect has evolved so many looks, it almost seems like it’s having an identity crisis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But just because you can shapeshift from one form to another – and another – doesn’t mean you don’t know exactly what you are.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These tiny ocean creatures sport vibrant colors to pull off a masterful vanishing act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>This is a Pygmy seahorse. These are some of the smallest seahorses in the world– smaller than a paperclip.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Camouflage is critical to their survival. It’s how they hide from predators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These seahorses are too small and fragile to make it on their own.\u003cbr>\nSo unless they find a place they fit in perfectly, they’ll die.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the pygmy seahorses spend their entire adult lives on a type of coral called a sea fan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Orange pygmy seahorses live on orange sea fans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Purple sea horses live on purple sea fans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But here’s the mystery: Do they search for a coral that matches their color?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or do they change their color to match the coral?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To explore that question you have to watch the process unfold. And no one had ever done that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Until this year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Biologists went to the Philippines and collected a mating pair of orange pygmy seahorses from a sea fan 80 feet below the surface.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They rushed them back to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there, for the first time in an aquarium… The pygmy seahorses survived.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The scientists watched the male and female seahorses performing their daily courtship dance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They saw baby seahorses pop out of their father’s brood pouch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The babies all started out a dull brown color.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So scientists wanted to know what would happen if they provided a purple sea fan to the offspring of orange sea horses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They got their answer: The babies turned purple.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They grew calcified bumps – called tubercles – to match the coral’s texture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And there they stayed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>We humans tend to think of who we are as mostly fixed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in the ocean, identity can be a fluid and mysterious thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Next, Glasswing butterflies trick the light to hide in plain sight.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ever wished you could be invisible?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fade into the background.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unnoticed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Unseen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For glasswing butterflies, the rainforests of South and Central America are full of hungry predators they’d like to hide from.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some butterflies use cryptic camouflage to hide themselves by blending in with their surroundings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Others use aposematism — vivid colors and patterns that warn predators they’re toxic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Glasswings do have some warning markings. 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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From stone fortresses to silk hideouts, these creatures know how to make themselves at home. Meet a few remarkable builders — and one expert thief — who’ve mastered the art of making shelter.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h3>\n\u003cdiv id=\"meta-origin\" data-coolorigin=\"https%3A%2F%2Fcloud.kqed.org%2Fapps%2Frichdocumentscode%2Fproxy.php%3Freq%3D%2Fcool%2Fclipboard%3FWOPISrc%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcloud.kqed.org%252Findex.php%252Fapps%252Frichdocuments%252Fwopi%252Ffiles%252F4564844_ocdd7q04clzt%26ServerId%3D7ab1ce24%26ViewId%3D4%26Tag%3Dc8546c3b1bf78426\">\n\u003cp>These four creatures build – or steal – homes so wild, you might want to move in yourself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A cozy silken tent, a rugged mobile home by the shore,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And a custom-built loft that serves up an all you can eat buffet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>First, caddisflies build underwater stone hideouts using organic tape.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To us, it’s a tranquil mountain stream,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>but if you’re a bug living on those algae-covered rocks in the water? It’s a constant underwater hurricane.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Powerful currents. Debris swirling all around you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How do you survive?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, you build a shelter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All you need are some raw materials…and a little tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s right. Tape. This is the larva of the caddisfly. This insect has evolved a tool that’s eluded us humans so far: Tape that stays sticky underwater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As winged adults, caddisflies are a favorite food for trout. Artificial lures mimic them in painstaking detail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But they spend most of their lives as larvae in shallow, turbulent water, which is rich in the oxygen they need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And though its head and legs are covered in a thick layer of insect armor – or chitin – its soft, white lower body is more exposed. To the elements, and especially to any passing predators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the caddisfly has figured out how to build what’s called a case – for ballast, protection, and camouflage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It does this by binding together pebbles with a special silk that looks, and acts, a lot like double-sided, waterproof tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every case starts with one pebble. It’s like the cornerstone of a building.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The caddisfly adds more pebbles, one by one, like a bricklayer putting up a wall, using its tape as the mortar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he brushes the surface with his mouth, that’s his tape dispenser working. It’s in a gland under his chin. He’s sealing the pebble down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These flies are VERY particular about their building stones. Only the right shape and size will do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it doesn’t fit, it’s out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he finds a match, he fits it into place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once he tapes down the basic shape of the case, he seals it up from the inside, in a series of barrel-roll maneuvers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The problem with our tape is that when it’s wet, it loses its stick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But caddisfly tape is selective. It sticks to pebbles, but not to water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What’s more, the ribbon itself is like a rubber band. It can stretch to twice its size and return to the same shape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it snaps back slowwwwwwly. It’s a rubber band that moves like molasses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the case is resilient. No quick movements. That’s a lot safer for the vulnerable larva living inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bio-engineers have started to figure out how we could make our own caddisfly silk. Maybe as as a kind of internal surgeon’s tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To replace the metal and string that we use to patch people up now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The magical underwater tape of the caddisfly. Another example of how evolution finds radical solutions to everyday problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>These webspinners put your knitting projects to shame. They craft their sprawling homes with their feet!\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ok, under a log, you uncover a wispy white web. You’re thinking: spider.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not so fast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This maze of woven silk has nothing to do with arachnids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s actually created by a kind of insect called a webspinner. They’re related to stick insects and praying mantises. Never heard of ’em? Not surprised.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They give spiders a run for their money. Their handiwork is a tent, umbrella, and invisibility cloak all-in-one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But while spiders produce silk from their backends, a webspinner’s silk comes from her feet. Yep, her front feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She intertwines the strands, waving back and forth, back and forth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She has tiny hair-like ejectors on the bottom of each foot, which shoot out the silk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s the thinnest silk of any animal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work is painstaking. But the result is pretty cozy – kinda like a quilted roof.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their home – also known as a gallery – is their only defense, hiding their soft bodies from predators. There’s also plenty of moss and lichen to eat inside. So why leave?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if they need to do some housekeeping, it’s easy to take out the trash. They just stick it to the roof, and forget about it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The silk also keeps out something they really like to avoid: rain. Webspinners can easily drown if a downpour floods their gallery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Luckily, they’ve got exceptional weather-proofing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Water just beads up on the silk’s surface, like on a rose petal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that water actually changes the silk, making the surface more slippery by transforming the proteins. So it becomes extra waterproof.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But having silk-slinging front feet has a downside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Say an unwanted visitor comes along.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If they want to get away, webspinners have to tiptoe to avoid triggering their silk ejectors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not exactly the fastest runner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So to get away, webspinners dart backwards, to avoid getting tangled up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re much faster in reverse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small price to pay for the ability to weave an entire hidden world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One that will keep the webspinners – and their young – safe for generations to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Hermit crabs are always looking to upgrade their homes. \u003c/b>\u003cb>And if they find one they really like they won’t hesitate to give their neighbor the boot.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hermit crabs are obsessed with snail shells.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And these crafty little crabs are more than happy to let the snails do all the work to make their future homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In these Northern California tide pools, turban snails invest years, sometimes decades, growing their shells.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They pull calcium carbonate right out of the water to do it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They spend their days eating the algae that coats pretty much everything in these rocky, shallow pools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rugged shells protect the snails’ squishy bodies from the relentless surf.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re way stronger than your average garden snail shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those sturdy curves catch the attention of these grainyhand hermit crabs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But hermit crabs won’t kill the snails to get them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They wait for a snail to die and then rush in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This new home comes with a free meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Escargot, anyone?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a competitive market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And they’re constantly looking to upgrade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maybe they’ve outgrown their current place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A shell that’s too small hampers growth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And a damaged shell like this one just isn’t safe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the front of their body is covered in stiff armor, their elongated back half is soft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It curves to match the shell’s spiral shape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the very end of its body, deep inside the shell, modified legs called uropods grab on, like the arms of an anchor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before they make any big moves, they usually inspect their new potential digs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If they like what they see, they make sure the coast is clear, hold on to both shells, and…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Much better, now to get this place cleaned up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the crabs never get too attached.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They might occupy this shell for just a few hours, if they find something better.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes hermit crabs will squabble over a particularly desirable abode.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or bully the current occupant into abandoning its shell by banging against it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the tenant hiding inside won’t give up its most prized possession easily.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If there’s one thing they can count on, though, there will always be another shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And another, and another, and another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>An orb weaver spider builds a web that’s more than a home. \u003c/b>\u003cb>It’s an extension of the spider’s senses.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of nature’s most mesmerizing works of art might just be hanging in your backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The artist is an orb weaver spider. Though it has eight eyes, it’s practically blind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And its sublime compositions aren’t just deadly traps, they’re an extension of the spider’s senses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spider creations come in many forms: tangles, funnels, sheets, even mixed media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Intricate spirals are an orb weaver’s signature design.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are thousands of orb weaver species, each with its own style – like this trash-line orb weaver. It hides out in its string of past victims.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spiders are born web spinners. See these spiderlings, testing out their skills?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To weave these webs, the spider secretes silk through organs called spinnerets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spider silk is made mostly of proteins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The spider uses different types of silk for different purposes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To start, the orb weaver lays down a scaffolding using a smooth, structural silk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then the spider switches to a sticky silk for its main motif: circle after circle of this tenacious thread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its eyes only see light, dark, and a little movement, so the orb weaver builds by feel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The spider constructs its ephemeral home in a few hours or less.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The delicate-looking web is actually five times stronger than steel. If it were scaled up to human size, you couldn’t just sweep that away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the spider’s hungry, it can tighten the strands of its web – making it easier to sense prey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When a fly crashes into the sticky web, its impact reverberates. Since the spider can’t see well, it feels nearby spokes to zero in on its meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It uses sharp fangs to inject a paralyzing venom. Then the orb weaver basically shrink-wraps its prey, using a wide sheet of silk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When it feeds, it repeatedly bites the wrapped-up prey, liquefying it so it can suck up all the juices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once a meal is all wrapped up, the spider may store it in its pantry for later – it has no problem finding it again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Only a handful of invertebrates can remember where things are like this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So how does an orb weaver do all these things with a brain the size of a poppy seed?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some scientists think a spider’s mind radiates out through the strands of its web, beyond the limits of its body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It seems this exquisite creation is not just a home, a sophisticated net, or a place to keep food. It’s a map of the spider’s memories.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From stone fortresses to silk hideouts, these creatures know how to make themselves at home. Meet a few remarkable builders — and one expert thief — who’ve mastered the art of making shelter.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h3>\n\u003cdiv id=\"meta-origin\" data-coolorigin=\"https%3A%2F%2Fcloud.kqed.org%2Fapps%2Frichdocumentscode%2Fproxy.php%3Freq%3D%2Fcool%2Fclipboard%3FWOPISrc%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fcloud.kqed.org%252Findex.php%252Fapps%252Frichdocuments%252Fwopi%252Ffiles%252F4564844_ocdd7q04clzt%26ServerId%3D7ab1ce24%26ViewId%3D4%26Tag%3Dc8546c3b1bf78426\">\n\u003cp>These four creatures build – or steal – homes so wild, you might want to move in yourself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A cozy silken tent, a rugged mobile home by the shore,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And a custom-built loft that serves up an all you can eat buffet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>First, caddisflies build underwater stone hideouts using organic tape.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To us, it’s a tranquil mountain stream,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>but if you’re a bug living on those algae-covered rocks in the water? It’s a constant underwater hurricane.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Powerful currents. Debris swirling all around you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>How do you survive?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Well, you build a shelter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All you need are some raw materials…and a little tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s right. Tape. This is the larva of the caddisfly. This insect has evolved a tool that’s eluded us humans so far: Tape that stays sticky underwater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As winged adults, caddisflies are a favorite food for trout. Artificial lures mimic them in painstaking detail.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But they spend most of their lives as larvae in shallow, turbulent water, which is rich in the oxygen they need.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And though its head and legs are covered in a thick layer of insect armor – or chitin – its soft, white lower body is more exposed. To the elements, and especially to any passing predators.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the caddisfly has figured out how to build what’s called a case – for ballast, protection, and camouflage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It does this by binding together pebbles with a special silk that looks, and acts, a lot like double-sided, waterproof tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every case starts with one pebble. It’s like the cornerstone of a building.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The caddisfly adds more pebbles, one by one, like a bricklayer putting up a wall, using its tape as the mortar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he brushes the surface with his mouth, that’s his tape dispenser working. It’s in a gland under his chin. He’s sealing the pebble down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These flies are VERY particular about their building stones. Only the right shape and size will do.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it doesn’t fit, it’s out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he finds a match, he fits it into place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once he tapes down the basic shape of the case, he seals it up from the inside, in a series of barrel-roll maneuvers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The problem with our tape is that when it’s wet, it loses its stick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But caddisfly tape is selective. It sticks to pebbles, but not to water.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What’s more, the ribbon itself is like a rubber band. It can stretch to twice its size and return to the same shape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it snaps back slowwwwwwly. It’s a rubber band that moves like molasses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So the case is resilient. No quick movements. That’s a lot safer for the vulnerable larva living inside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bio-engineers have started to figure out how we could make our own caddisfly silk. Maybe as as a kind of internal surgeon’s tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To replace the metal and string that we use to patch people up now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The magical underwater tape of the caddisfly. Another example of how evolution finds radical solutions to everyday problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>These webspinners put your knitting projects to shame. They craft their sprawling homes with their feet!\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ok, under a log, you uncover a wispy white web. You’re thinking: spider.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not so fast.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This maze of woven silk has nothing to do with arachnids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s actually created by a kind of insect called a webspinner. They’re related to stick insects and praying mantises. Never heard of ’em? Not surprised.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They give spiders a run for their money. Their handiwork is a tent, umbrella, and invisibility cloak all-in-one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But while spiders produce silk from their backends, a webspinner’s silk comes from her feet. Yep, her front feet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She intertwines the strands, waving back and forth, back and forth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She has tiny hair-like ejectors on the bottom of each foot, which shoot out the silk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s the thinnest silk of any animal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The work is painstaking. But the result is pretty cozy – kinda like a quilted roof.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their home – also known as a gallery – is their only defense, hiding their soft bodies from predators. There’s also plenty of moss and lichen to eat inside. So why leave?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if they need to do some housekeeping, it’s easy to take out the trash. They just stick it to the roof, and forget about it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The silk also keeps out something they really like to avoid: rain. Webspinners can easily drown if a downpour floods their gallery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Luckily, they’ve got exceptional weather-proofing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Water just beads up on the silk’s surface, like on a rose petal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that water actually changes the silk, making the surface more slippery by transforming the proteins. So it becomes extra waterproof.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But having silk-slinging front feet has a downside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Say an unwanted visitor comes along.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If they want to get away, webspinners have to tiptoe to avoid triggering their silk ejectors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not exactly the fastest runner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So to get away, webspinners dart backwards, to avoid getting tangled up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re much faster in reverse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Small price to pay for the ability to weave an entire hidden world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One that will keep the webspinners – and their young – safe for generations to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Hermit crabs are always looking to upgrade their homes. \u003c/b>\u003cb>And if they find one they really like they won’t hesitate to give their neighbor the boot.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hermit crabs are obsessed with snail shells.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And these crafty little crabs are more than happy to let the snails do all the work to make their future homes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In these Northern California tide pools, turban snails invest years, sometimes decades, growing their shells.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They pull calcium carbonate right out of the water to do it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They spend their days eating the algae that coats pretty much everything in these rocky, shallow pools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The rugged shells protect the snails’ squishy bodies from the relentless surf.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re way stronger than your average garden snail shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those sturdy curves catch the attention of these grainyhand hermit crabs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But hermit crabs won’t kill the snails to get them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They wait for a snail to die and then rush in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This new home comes with a free meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Escargot, anyone?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a competitive market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And they’re constantly looking to upgrade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Maybe they’ve outgrown their current place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A shell that’s too small hampers growth.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And a damaged shell like this one just isn’t safe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the front of their body is covered in stiff armor, their elongated back half is soft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It curves to match the shell’s spiral shape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the very end of its body, deep inside the shell, modified legs called uropods grab on, like the arms of an anchor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before they make any big moves, they usually inspect their new potential digs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If they like what they see, they make sure the coast is clear, hold on to both shells, and…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Much better, now to get this place cleaned up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the crabs never get too attached.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They might occupy this shell for just a few hours, if they find something better.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes hermit crabs will squabble over a particularly desirable abode.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Or bully the current occupant into abandoning its shell by banging against it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the tenant hiding inside won’t give up its most prized possession easily.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If there’s one thing they can count on, though, there will always be another shell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And another, and another, and another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>An orb weaver spider builds a web that’s more than a home. \u003c/b>\u003cb>It’s an extension of the spider’s senses.\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of nature’s most mesmerizing works of art might just be hanging in your backyard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The artist is an orb weaver spider. Though it has eight eyes, it’s practically blind.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And its sublime compositions aren’t just deadly traps, they’re an extension of the spider’s senses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spider creations come in many forms: tangles, funnels, sheets, even mixed media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Intricate spirals are an orb weaver’s signature design.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are thousands of orb weaver species, each with its own style – like this trash-line orb weaver. It hides out in its string of past victims.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spiders are born web spinners. See these spiderlings, testing out their skills?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To weave these webs, the spider secretes silk through organs called spinnerets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spider silk is made mostly of proteins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The spider uses different types of silk for different purposes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To start, the orb weaver lays down a scaffolding using a smooth, structural silk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then the spider switches to a sticky silk for its main motif: circle after circle of this tenacious thread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Its eyes only see light, dark, and a little movement, so the orb weaver builds by feel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The spider constructs its ephemeral home in a few hours or less.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The delicate-looking web is actually five times stronger than steel. If it were scaled up to human size, you couldn’t just sweep that away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the spider’s hungry, it can tighten the strands of its web – making it easier to sense prey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When a fly crashes into the sticky web, its impact reverberates. Since the spider can’t see well, it feels nearby spokes to zero in on its meal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It uses sharp fangs to inject a paralyzing venom. Then the orb weaver basically shrink-wraps its prey, using a wide sheet of silk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When it feeds, it repeatedly bites the wrapped-up prey, liquefying it so it can suck up all the juices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once a meal is all wrapped up, the spider may store it in its pantry for later – it has no problem finding it again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Only a handful of invertebrates can remember where things are like this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So how does an orb weaver do all these things with a brain the size of a poppy seed?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some scientists think a spider’s mind radiates out through the strands of its web, beyond the limits of its body.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It seems this exquisite creation is not just a home, a sophisticated net, or a place to keep food. It’s a map of the spider’s memories.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The peppermint stick insect packs a peppermint-scented blast powerful enough to fend off hungry predators in Australia’s ancient Daintree rainforest. Check out how this clumsy vegetarian survives using a unique blend of chemistry and camouflage.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Ah, to be a stick in this world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A stick that can dance in the gentle breeze.\u003cbr>\nA stick that, unfortunately for it, tastes better than your average stick.\u003cbr>\nA stick that can – surprise! – fight back with a self-defense solution.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a peppermint stick insect.\u003cbr>\nNamed for the peppermint-scented spray that it aims and fires – forward or backward–\u003cbr>\n– from glands just behind its head.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Though mint may remind us of a relaxing cup of herbal tea, to predators, it’s a noxious smell and irritating chemical.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If an animal gets hit in the eyes, mouth, or antennae, it’ll burn or disorient them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This defense is so critical to their survival that newly hatched Peppermint sticks – called nymphs – are able to spray immediately, before they even take their first bite of food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That means their mothers transfer the defensive chemicals into each egg.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like most stick insects, its first line of defense is its very specific disguise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wild peppermint stick insects live, feed and breed on Pandanus plants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plant and insect have evolved together over millions of years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than just food, the plants give them what they need to make actinidine, the active ingredient in their defensive spray.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’ll find them in the Daintree Rainforest in Northeastern Australia – the oldest tropical rainforest in the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A living Jurassic Park. It’s more than twice as old as the Amazon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Surrounding this clumsy vegetarian are ruthless predators – and hiding will only get you so far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These tiny green tree ants can actually be a huge threat.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They’re voracious – constantly foraging for plants and animals, living or dead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if they come upon a peppermint stick – it could be fatal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If our friend does run into hungry ants,\u003cbr>\nFirst it tries a few evasive maneuvers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of course, when things get drastic, it’s time to fight.\u003cbr>\nThe ants are tenacious.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These attackers can spray too, shooting a tiny jet of toxic formic acid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Enough of that can injure or immobilize the stick insect.\u003cbr>\nIt’s all-out chemical warfare.\u003cbr>\nThe stick’s counterattack is not a magic bullet, but a direct hit of the pepperminty brew irritates the ants, overloading their sophisticated sense of smell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This peppermint stick is lucky to get away with just a battle scar.\u003cbr>\nBecause it’s a juvenile, that leg can actually regrow when it molts.\u003cbr>\nThe battles between peppermint stick and ant will rage on. They’re both an important part of the delicate balance of the food web in this rain forest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lesson learned: being a stick is not so easy-breezy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gotta have your pepper spray. Pepper mint spray, that is.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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It blocks a plant’s ability to convert sunlight into nutrients.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">One tiny mealybug can acquire and transmit the virus that causes it within an hour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And in their smallest stages they are tiny – so tiny – that farmers might move them around the vineyard without even knowing it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">There’s no cure for the disease, so farmers have no choice but to pull out sick vines and get new ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">But those plants might be harboring tiny mealybugs or grape leafroll disease.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">Enter: the dog!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">This hero is trained to sniff out the vine mealybug, and leafroll disease – helping farmers know which new plants are safe for their vineyards.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">In initial trials, dogs were able to find leafroll disease more than 93% of the time and mealybugs a whopping 97% of the time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">And like a fine wine, the dogs get better at detection with time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">One hero fights with the mouth, the other: the nose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">When it comes to saving grapes, these two are a superb pairing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp align=\"left\">CTA: Hi Deep Peeps, we want your feedback! PBS is conducting an audience survey, where you get to vote on show ideas, tell us about your interests, and help shape the future of PBS. There is a link in the description – we’d love to hear from you! And while you’re here, watch our video about two other skilled hunters: the dragonfly and the damselfly.\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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},
"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
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"onourwatch": {
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"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"on-the-media": {
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"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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"perspectives": {
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"order": 14
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"planet-money": {
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"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
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"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"order": 5
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
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"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
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