veganism of the day!

'Veggie' spider shuns meat diet. also rides a fixed gear.



It is the first-known predominantly vegetarian spider; all of the other known 40,000 spider species are thought to be mainly carnivorous.

Bagheera kiplingi, which is found in Central America and Mexico, bucks the meat-eating trend by feasting on acacia plants.

Professor Curry said he was extremely surprised when he found out about its unusual behaviour.

He said: "This is the only spider we know that deliberately only goes after plants."

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8302535.stm

blob!

Your meteor brought something all right but if it's a germ, it's the biggest son of a bitch you've ever seen!

Giant, Mucus-Like Sea Blobs on the Rise, Pose Danger.



As sea temperatures have risen in recent decades, enormous sheets of a mucus-like material have begun forming more often, oozing into new regions, and lasting longer, a new Mediterranean Sea study says. And the blobs may be more than just unpleasant.



Up to 124 miles (200 kilometers) long, the mucilages appear naturally, usually near Mediterranean coasts in summer. The season's warm weather makes seawater more stable, which facilitates the bonding of the organic matter that makes up the blobs.

Until now, the light-brown "mucus" was seen as mostly a nuisance, clogging fishing nets and covering swimmers with a sticky gel. But the new study found that Mediterranean mucilages harbor bacteria and viruses, including potentially deadly E. coli, Danovaro said.

source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/10/091008-giant-sea-mucus-blobs.html