Missing Links [Science Links]

Hello nerd-monkeys! I hope you've been having a lovely Wednesday so far! Today's post is the second in my new series Missing Links, which is all about links, articles, infographics and resources for normal people interested in the sciences. I also try to share only articles that use (mostly) common English...so as long as you understand what the Schwarzchild radius of active galactic nuclei are, you'll be good. (Also, I'm kidding. I have no idea what those are.) Anyways, I really hope you enjoy this series because I feel like it really fits in with what I want for this blog. :)

+ This is so cool! Slide right and left to see how different animals see the same picture differently and learn how it works!

+ This article on the bacteria and fungi in aged cheeses is interesting! Kinda gross if you like stinky cheese though. Spoiler, there might be mites in your cheese. Sorry.

+ If you are on tumblr, you probably have seen a post about "petrichor"--the smell of the ground after a rain. Turns out, the petrichor smell comes from bacteria in the soil and oil from plants.

+ This cool video of the Mimosa pudice (called "Touch-Me-Nots") curling up after human touch really reminds me how alive and responsive plants are.

+ The collection of images from the American Journal of Botany is amazing! Just pick a category and view pictures that correspond with the topic (don't worry about the other blanks). I picked Plant Defense Mechanisms (ooh, poison and thorns!) and looked through pictures of trichomes (hairs on plant stems) and read about a plant that literally shakes when a bug is on it to shake them off!Also, the carnivorous plant section is interesting (duh).

+ This article about the differences between male and female immune systems.

Okay, so obviously my science interests are in the realms of microbiology, mycology (fungi) and botany (plants). What areas of science most interest you?!

Cool Science: Bioluminescence

Guysssss let's be nerdy! 

Today, we're gonna chat about bioluminescence, aka stuff that glows. So these organisms--fungi, marine invertebrates like jellies and insects--glow by doing fancy little chemical reactions inside their cute glowy little bodies. The organism creates luciferin, a pigment. It will also create an enzyme (something that makes chemical reactions happen faster) called luciferase. The awesome glowiness you see in the pictures above come from a chemical reaction of luciferin and oxygen, that is sped up by luciferase.

On a similarly weird note, a Kickstarter campaign called The Glowing Plant Project (creative) has raised more than $500,00 to genetically engineer (you guessed it) plants that glow. But what's really cool is their actual goal in creating glowing plants: bioluminescent trees to replace street lights. Whoa. 

Also: in case you missed, my new series Missing Links = lotssss more science. If you're into that. (You should be).

Missing Links: a big dose of science

First off, thanks to Amanda for the title inspiration! (She's helped me with two posts in a row, which is quite impressive!) 

So I've been thinking (A dangerous pastime, I know). The truth is, I am just way too nerdy to limit myself to a science bit on the bottom of a post every once in awhile. I just love all things science, and I'm especially passionate about making science available and understandable for everyone. So I'm starting Missing Links, a series of science articles, videos and photos to inspire you and stretch your brain a bit. It may also be an excuse to use a science pun. 

Here we gooooo:

+ A little info on this video. The Pilobolus (pih-LOW-bow-luss) fungi is a super ordinary poop-loving barnyard fungus. Its sporangium (basically, a baby fungus) hangs out in grasses in farmlands. A cow comes along and munches on the grass, eating the sporangium as well. It digests it along with the grass and poops it out, because that's what cows do, and the fungus grows into stalks inside manure (ewww). But the fungus has to somehow get its sporangium to the grass so it will survive + get eaten again, so it moves towards the light + shoots out the sporangium (black cap) super fast towards the grass. Cool, huh? It should also be noted that there is a dance company called Pilobolus. Why? I don't know.

+ Take a 30-second online test to check your reaction time. Mine is .38359 seconds (and I have no idea if that's awesome or terrible). What's yours?!

+ I'm always a big believer in the fact that science can be beautiful. What better than the winners of a microscopy photography contest to prove that?! 

+ Alnwick Gardens in England (created by the Duchess of Northumberland--that's my kinda lady!) are dedicated to exhibiting all sorts of deadly plants, from hemlock to nightshade to strychnine.

+ 10 (Actually) Fascinating Facts about the Human Body. Explains why you only breathe through one nostril at a time and why your nose gets runny when it's cold out.

+ Since we were just on the topic of super deadly things in nature, this list of the 10 Most Deadly Proteins is fascinating! The most poisonous is Botulinum toxin, which can kill you with a dose of just 100 nanograms (which is really, really little!). Oh and surprise! It's also in Botox. Love your faces the way they are, ladies.

That's all my "missing links" for this week! Peace out, nerdballs.