Compiled by Pam Karas Symbiosis,
Editor
Links updated and verified by Liz
Turner Webmaster
When a wolverine was spotted in Michigan in
February 2004, it was the first confirmed wolverine sighting in 200 years. The animal
was spotted about 90 miles north of Detroit. Wolverines belong to the weasel
family, weigh about 25 pounds and can ferociously fight off bears and wolves.
Wolverines are limited to northern Canada, Idaho and Alaska, with a rare
sighting elsewhere. - Environmental News Network, 2/27/04 http://www.enn.com/news/2004-02-27/s_13529.asp
Once common in Tanzanian
waters, the last confirmed dugong sighting was approximately 70 years
ago. However, in January of this year, Tanzanian fisherman caught a dugong in a
drift net. Conservation groups are operating a dugong awareness program in
Tanzania and have been working with fishing communities for 3 years to raise
awareness about the dugong and encourage fishermen to report any dugong
sightings. Dugongs are herbivorous and depend almost entirely on beds of
seagrass for food. - BBC
News|World|Africa, 02/01/04.
Biologists believe bobcats disappeared from
Ohio by 1930, but lately the nocturnal cats have been spotted again —mostly in
the forested eastern portions of the state. There were 10 documented sightings
in 2003 and a total of 25 sightings in the last 3 years, but there isn’t enough
evidence yet to provide a population estimate for the state. The bobcat’s key
features are its stubby tail and dark ear tufts. It is slightly smaller than
its cousin the lynx.- The Columbus
Dispatch, 03/02/04.
A jellyfish thought to live just
below the reach of sunlight has been discovered in waters off California. The
jelly is approximately 4 inches across and 8 inches long and has a bell-shaped
body with 4 fleshy arms instead of the usual tentacles. Initially called “bumpy” by its discoverers
because it is covered with tiny bumps (clusters of stinging cells), this
jellyfish has been classified in a new subfamily. The rare species, Stellamedusa ventana, has been sighted
only 7 times.- Nature Science Update
02/09/04 http://www.nature.com/nsu/040202/040202-17.html
You may know that ants
follow scent trails between their nest and food sources. But what happens when too
many ants are traveling the same path? According to researchers, ants faced
with heavy traffic quickly try to re-route by shoving each other off the main
“highway” and onto alternate routes rather than turning around themselves.
According to researchers, this behavior maintains a more uniform flow of food
to the nest even when trails are very crowded. “Similarly simple rules could be
used to manage the flow of data through networks such as telephone systems,”
according to a University College London computer scientist. “Scientists rely
on studies of the behavior of ants and other natural systems to give them clues
as to how to design computer systems that avoid overcrowded networks.”- Nature Science Update, 3/4/04 http://www.nature.com/nsu/040301/040301-6.html
The Australian male mountain
blue don butterfly (Papilio ulysses)
has areas of black coloration so black the color is being referred to as “ultra
black” or “super black”. The black coloration surrounds blue patches and makes
the blue stand out. This is important to the butterfly because the bluer the
patches appear, the stronger a signal it is to rival males. Scientists have
discovered “super black” is not solely
due to pigment. The black wing parts are actually scaled with tiny pits in a
honeycomb pattern. Light hitting the pits does not escape so the black appears
darker. The butterfly did it first, but human engineers have created a black
coating that absorbs 99.7% of incident light, surpassing the butterfly wing at
around 90%. “Super black” may be most useful in optical instruments, but maybe
someday we’ll have “super black” paint or even “super black” fabric. - Nature Science Update, 03/24/04 http://www.nature.com/nsu/040126/040126-4.html
The oldest known complete
fossil evidence of winged insects (fossilized bodies including attached wings)
dates to around 330 million years ago.
However, using fossils found in a vault at London’s Natural History
Museum, researchers believe they have discovered the oldest of all winged
insects. The investigators found true insect mandibles (jaw parts) and specific
features indicating a winged insect, Rhyniognatha
hirsti, in a specimen believed to be between 408 and 438 million years old.
This is 80 million years older than the previous “oldest known winged insect.”
–Scientific American.com http://www.sciam.com/print_version.cfm?articleID=0007973F-A85D-102A-A85D83414B7F0103
How do dung beetles (Scarabaeus zambesianus) maximize their
chance to get the most out of the available dung? Get it away from competitors.
New research suggests this beetle can use polarized moonlight at night to
navigate the way as it rolls a dung ball to a safe spot away from the pile.
Observers watched beetles foraging on moonlit nights and cloudy or moonless
nights. With a moon, the beetles rolled their dung balls away in a straight
line. This is the most efficient path. Without a moon, the beetles could not
roll the ball in a straight line. Further, to differentiate between influence of
the moon itself and moonlight’s polarization pattern, a large polarizing filter
was placed over the beetles. When adjusted by 90 degrees, this caused the
beetles’ course to be changed by 90 degrees. Researchers concluded it was not
the moon itself, but the polarization pattern that guided the dung beetle. It
is known that many creatures use the polarization pattern of sunlight for
navigation, but this believed to be the first time the use of moonlight
polarization patterns has been documented.
–Nature Brief Communications, July 3, 2003.
Dung Beetle Facts
·
Dung beetles belong to
the scarab family. Some 7,000 species of the scarabs are dung beetles.
·
Dung beetles are
naturally present on every continent except Antarctica.
·
Not all dung beetles
fashion balls and roll the dung away. Some tunnel under the source, dragging
dung with them. Some just jump into the dung and chow down.
·
Dung beetles could save
US farmers up to $2 billion a year by restoring grazing land, recycling
nitrogen and reducing the populations of bloodsucking flies that stunt the
growth of livestock.
Source:
Smithsonian, June 1997.
At one time, experts
believed that red sea urchins lived only 7-15 years. New studies suggest the
urchins may be among the longest living animals on Earth, possibly reaching 100
years of age. Some may even live 200 years. Research further suggests that
urchins show few signs of age and reproductive ability doesn’t lessen in later
years. The urchins are found in shallow Pacific Ocean waters from Alaska to
Baja, CA. -http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2003/Nov03/urchin.htm
(Thank you to Upwelling, Dec ‘03, Oregon
Coast Aquarium, and Newport, OR)
Some 155 million years ago, one of the first giant, plankton
eating fishes swam the oceans. A fossil specimen of Leedsichthys problematicus measuring 72 feet has been discovered in
the U.K. The largest fish alive today is the whale shark and it is
typically only half the length of this specimen. L. problematicus refers to difficulties in classifying the species
when it was first discovered in the 1800s. It belongs to a group of bony fishes
called pachycormids that had sickle-shaped pectoral fins and forked tails. -http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/10/1001_031001_biggestfish.html#main
(Thank you to Upwelling, Jan ’04,
Oregon Coast Aquarium, and Newport, OR)
The almiqui, Solenodon cubanus, is a nocturnal
insectivore once thought to be extinct. Its habit of burrowing underground by
day naturally decreased the chance of being observed by humans. Following a
lack of sightings for over 25 years, the discovery of a living example of this
brownish, wooly, badger-like mammal native to Cuba raises hope for the species.
– http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americas/09/24/cuba.almiqui.ap Webmaster note link no longer works.
The long-legged warbler has
not been reported alive since 1894—until now. Twelve pairs of the small,
reddish-brown bird, Trichocichla rufa,
have been rediscovered on the main island of Fiji. Not only were the birds
observed, recordings of their songs were made. The bird is quite secretive, but
now with an audio record, it should be easier to assess its conservation needs.
- http://dsc.discovery.com/news/afp/20031124/bird.html.
Researchers have identified
iron as the key component in the glue that attaches saltwater mussel fibers to
rocks, boats and piers. Normally, the
mussel glue has the consistency of gelatin. But when iron is added, the mussel
proteins “cure” and the material hardens.
Not only that, but the glue sticks to Teflon™! Iron is readily available in seawater. The recent studies might
be useful in creating surgical adhesives and might help in further understanding
how these types of organisms attach to surfaces and possibly aid in the
development of novel ways to prevent them from attaching. - http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=000F3DED-2C2E-1003-AC2E83414B7F0000&sc=I100322
Experts have believed since
the 1830s that Diprotodon optatum, a
giant, wombat-like marsupial, was only a little bigger than a large modern cow.
Australia was thought too dry and barren to support larger animals. New fossil
evidence contradicts this thinking and suggests that a new specimen might have
weighed 6,142 pounds—that’s larger than all but the largest hippopotamus or
rhinoceros. D. optatum became extinct
approximately 40 million years ago. - http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/10/1016_031017_giantmarsupial.html
A recent discovery in
northeast China pushes the “oldest known ancestor of modern marsupials” back 50
million years—the latest fossils found are 125 million years old. Sinodelphys szalayi was a “furry, mouse-sized creature [that]
would have climbed trees.”- http://www.enn.com/news/2003-12-12/s_11254.asp
According to evolutionary
biologist Blair Hedges, “There are only 29 families of frogs (encompassing
approximately 4,800 known species) and almost all were discovered in the 18th
and 19th centuries.” Now, a new frog species has been discovered in
the mountains of southern India and named Nasikabatrachus
sahyadrensis. The blackish-purple frog appears to have a distant relative,
a sooglossid, found 1900 miles away in the Seychelles. - http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/10/1015_031015_purplefrog.html
Love peanut butter? You may
want to try to get your hands on Bunchiosa
argentata. Native to South America, this fruit is also grown in southern
Florida. Usually eaten fresh, it is said to have the flavor and consistency of
peanut butter. - Signage in Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory,
Milwaukee, WI.
The Samburu Reserve is the
site of some research to determine if African honeybees can act as a deterrent
to elephants (that might otherwise destroy vegetation) and “reduce conflict
between elephants and people.” Stories report, “African honeybees will drive
off elephants that threaten their hives.” The hope is that this low cost
strategy of placing beehives in trees might guard against elephant damage to
small farms or even landmark trees. It may also provide a harvest of honey to
be used locally and also packed and sold for income. - http://www.wildnet.org/downloads/WildNetNews_Summer2003.pdf (Thank you to The Scoop, 11/03, Oakland Zoo, Oakland, CA)
Did you know there are
carnivorous caterpillars? Of the approximately 160,000 species of butterflies
and moths, about 1% eat “meat”. One example is the Maculinea alcon caterpillar, found in Denmark. The caterpillar
favors ant larva and has even developed some interesting adaptations to aid in
this unusual diet. The caterpillar looks very similar to ant larva. A waxy
coating on its body even smells nearly identical. Apparently, passing ants will
carry the caterpillar right into the ant nest thinking it is one of their own.
There, the ants even supplement the larva meals by feeding the
caterpillar-regurgitated liquids. – National
Geographic, 06/03.
A previously unknown coral
reef has been discovered off the coast of Australia. Located in Queensland’s
Gulf of Carpentaria, a shallow sea between York Peninsula and Cape Arnhem in
the Northern Territory, the reef seems to be thriving in murky waters 30 meters
below the surface. Reefs are usually found growing to the surface and
definitely not in waters with sediment. The reef covers an area larger than all
the reefs in Barbados. Deep reefs may be an important source of biodiversity. –
http://www.nature.com/nsu/030616//030616-2.html
A veterinarian is
experimenting with underwater microphones and speakers in Homasassa Springs,
FL, to measure the reaction of manatees to various sounds (including their own
high-pitched squeaks and chirps). It’s possible that recordings of some kind
could be used to spark an audible reaction from the manatees that an on-boat
device could respond to, and immediately warn a boater of manatees nearby. So
far, sounds of the manatees themselves have elicited the largest response. The hope is that a system could be developed
to reduce the number of boat and manatee mishaps. – http://www.enn.com/news//2003-09-26/s_8828.asp.
The last few remaining
Micronesian kingfishers (Halcyon
cinnamomina cinnamomina) were taken from their native Guam and cared for in
several US zoos. The blue and red bird population was decimated, along with
other bird species, by a bird-eating snake that was accidentally introduced.
The captive program has struggled to increase the population. Caretakers of Philadelphia Zoo’s (Philadelphia, PA)
kingfisher population are returning several birds to a Guam aviary hoping that
in their native habitat, with their native diet, the birds will breed more
successfully. Will the kingfishers be
released into the wild on Guam? Not until, and unless, the snake situation can
be remedied. – http://www.philly.com (Philadelphia Inquirer, 09/22/03). (Webmaster’s note you must sign up
to get access to this article.)
Information gathered from a
recent study of songbird migration suggests birds use less than 30% of their energy
during flight. The remaining energy is used at rest—keeping warm and searching
for more food. While they are expending more energy per hour of flight than per
hour of rest, they spend a lot more time on the ground when you look at the
entire migration. Perhaps this is why so many birds migrate at night. Resting
by day reduces energy use because it’s warmer. – http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/06/0611_030611_birdmigration.html, 06/11/03.
Ornithologists have been
studying the nesting behaviors of oystercatchers. The researchers don’t know
why 92% of oystercatcher couples remain faithful and 8% split, but within the
failed pairings, it is usually the female who leaves and she usually ends up
with a better nest closer to food sources. The study backs up the idea that
birds “divorce” to increase their reproductive success. – http://www.nature.com/nsu/030818/030818-2.html.
New York City plans to
restore wetlands to 33 acres of the old Flushing Airport (among the nation’s
busiest until La Guardia Airport opened in 1933). Since closing in 1984,
Flushing Airport has been mainly a breeding ground for mosquitoes. In the
future, man-made inlets and native vegetation should attract herons,
oystercatchers and raptors. Other NYC airports being naturalized include Floyd
Bennett field near Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn, and Miller Field in New Dorp Beach
on Staten Island. –Docent Newz,
Spring ’03, Bronx Zoo, Bronx, NY.
In August, Houston Zoo, Houston, TX, released more
than a dozen captive-bred Atwater prairie chicks at a wildlife refuge near
Eagle Lake. There are less than 100 prairie chickens left in the wild. The
survival rate between breeding seasons is only 25-35%, but even if only that
number survive, it makes a difference. – http://www.news24houston.com/content/headlines/?SecID=2&ArID=13113 (8/19/03).
Whales—Caught on Film
It’s been witnessed and photographed—flatulence occurs in whales! The real reason
researchers were in place to make this discovery had to do with study of whale
food sources, but this was a memorable experience just the same according to
the members of the marine mammal team. – http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20030825/whalegas_print.html
Originally found on an
island off the coast of Australia, the Lord Howe Stick Insect (Dryococelus australis) was thought to be
extinct in 1918. However, in 2001, scientists discovered a small colony of
insects on a neighboring island. The island is best described as a pyramidal
rock climbing to 2000 feet. A breeding pair in captivity at the Melbourne Zoo
are the only individuals of the species located outside the surviving colony.
In September, at least one of the 100 eggs incubating at the zoo hatched! Not a
lot is known about this insect nicknamed “land lobster”, but it belongs to such
an ancient group of invertebrates they have earned the nickname “Jurassic
Insects”. Adults grow to lengths of up to six inches. –
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3093012.stm (link from zoonewsdigest 09/12/03) and http://www.zoo.org.au. (Zoos
Victoria, AU)
Go back in time about 5
million years and head to the area now known as Venezuela. Imagine a rodent
weighing in at around 1500 pounds. A nearly complete skeleton of this guinea
pig look-alike, Phoberomys patersoni, was
recently discovered. Previously known only through bone fragments and a few
teeth, it is believed to be the largest rodent that ever existed. The largest
rodent alive today is the capybara, which weighs about 100 pounds. –Science, Vol. 301 (5640), 09/19/03.
There is some encouraging
news about the Matchie’s tree kangaroo. Native to Papua New Guinea (PNG), tree
kangaroos are reported to be absent in some areas of their range. Causes are
the same as for other tropical forests: increasing human population with the
associated agricultural expansion, over hunting, logging and mining. Local
villagers prize the tree kangaroo for meat and fur. The Tree Conservation
Program (TKCP), part of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association’s Tree
Kangaroo SSP, educated the local peoples about the benefit of the
sustainability of the tree kangaroo population. The conservation message was
heard and 23 villages have set aside, and manage, 75,000 acres of “no hunting”
habitat. Beyond the conservation education programs, TKCP trains villagers and
PNG university students in field research techniques. – Mary Rose, Docent Newsletter, 08/03, Columbus Zoo
and Aquarium, Columbus, OH. For more information about TKCP, visit http://www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org.
Let’s start with the basics.
Copepods are crustaceans and are found in both fresh and marine water. There
are approximately 12,000 species. They are food for the tiniest fishes and the
largest whales. For its size, the copepod is the fastest animal on the planet.
If the copepod were the size of a cheetah it would be able to run at 2,000
miles per hour! –All Wet Gazette,
07/03, Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA.
The names “Amur (pronounced
a-moor’) tiger” and “Siberian tiger” refer to the same subspecies (Panthera tigris altaica, but “Amur
tiger” is now preferred by AZA, since the term “Siberia” is not longer used to
designate a geographical region. However, the Amur leopard (Panther pardus orientalis) and the
Afgahnistan leopard (Panthera pardus
saxicolor) are distinct subspecies that inhabit different ranges in Eastern
Asia. – The Ark, 08/03, Lincoln Park
Zoo, Chicago, IL.
Scientists hope that current
DNA research will provide the answers to questions about a mysterious group of
apes documented in the northern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo last
year. The apes are large (5 to 6 feet tall) with long feet (nearly 14 inches),
appear to nest on the ground, eat a fruit-rich diet and have bodies generally
similar to gorillas with faces more like chimpanzees. A new species? A new
subspecies? Some form of hybrid? The story goes back to 1908 when an army
officer returned home to Belgium with several “gorilla” skulls obtained near
the town of Bili on the Uele River. In 1927, the curator of the Belgium Royal
Museum for Central Africa classified the skulls as a new subspecies of gorilla.
In 1970, an anthropologist determined that these same skulls were in fact the
western gorilla, one of two known gorilla species. No other specimen of the
Bili gorilla has been found. The quest to rediscover these gorillas began in
1996. While none have been found, evidence has been collected and includes hair
and fecal samples. Genetic research is being conducted at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo – http://stacks.msnbc.com/news/968574.asp (Associated Press
09/23/03). http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/04/0414_030314_strangeape.html (4/14/03),
The African Wildlife
Federation considers rhinos to be a conservation success story. Late last year,
the group reported a two-year (1999-2001) increase in populations of both
African species. *White rhinos had increased from 10,405 to 11,670, and
black rhinos increased to 3,100 for a total of 14,770. The world rhino
population has declined by 90 percent since 1970. (African Wildlife News, Fall
’02). –Docent Data, Spring ’03, Philadelphia Zoo, Philadelphia, PA.
* Information corrected in
the Fall ’03 Docent Data.
Two forensic tests could
help curb illegal trade in poached rhinoceros horn. The tests could be run on
products such as traditional medicines. One test looks for genetic markers
(each of the five rhino species has a unique version of a specific gene) and
the other looks for chemical signatures of rhino horn. The “chemical” test can
profile the location because the horn is composed of compacted hair, not bone,
and reflects the elements in the animal’s diet. These two tests can specify the rhino species and individual game
reserve in which the animal lived. The IUCN’s African Rhino Specialist Group is
collecting more samples from specific wildlife parks for further investigation
of these tests. – http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994124 (09/06/03).
Although some individuals
may consider the most endangered to always be the species consisting of the
fewest animals, most conservationists take into consideration the rate of
decline we are currently experiencing. In the case of the Javan rhinoceros,
there are fewer animals but the population has not been declining over the last
15-20 years. It has remained rather
stable. Still, at just 60-70 animals, it is highly endangered. In contrast, the
Sumatran rhino population is 4 to 5 times as large but has decreased by 70%.
Therefore, the risk of Sumatrans going extinct in the next 20 years is greater
than that for Javans. –Volunteer
Connections, 07/03, Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH.
Compiled by Pam Karas Symbiosis,
Editor
Links updated and verified by Liz Turner Webmaster 10/18/03
“We can draw it on paper
and think about engineering it but we’re in the stone age compared to nature.”—Geri
Richmond, Chemist and Materials Scientist at University of Oregon.
Knock Me Out
Ever watch a woodpecker
carving into a tree to create a nest, search for insects or discuss something
with another woodpecker? That head can
be moving faster than a bullet. Impact? Imagine being hit by a bowling ball
traveling 20 miles per hour? Ouch! Now imagine a force more than 20 times
greater! How does a woodpecker do this and not need painkillers? The
woodpecker’s brain is packed very tightly to its skull (leaving little room for
movement of the tissue) and is surrounded by special spongy bones for extra
protection. Very strong muscles in the head and neck make sure that the head is
always perfectly lined up with the neck on impact to remove the chance of neck
injury. – Knock on Wood-Ranger Rick’s Go
Wild. http://www.nwf.org/kidzone/kzPage.cfm?siteId=3&departmentId=76&articleId=188
Does a Goat Ever Fall Down
a Mountain?
Ever wonder why mountain
goats, Markhors for example, don’t die from falling down mountains? Gayle
Joslin, a biologist with Montana’s Dept. of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, says they
do. “You’ll find carcasses at the bottom of avalanche chutes, or live ones
whose horns face the wrong way—an indication of a fall. The amazing thing is
how infrequently they fall.” Mountain
goats (a bit of a misnomer as they are more closely related to African
antelopes than to the domestic goat) have low centers of gravity, strong calf
muscles, and extremely deft feet. The hooves have two parts —a soft bottom pad
and a hard shell surrounding it. These features enable mountain goats to nimbly
grip both rough and smooth surfaces. Remember that when one of these ‘rock
jocks’ is seriously hurt, it is often the result of waging a turf battle or
dodging an attack from a golden eagle on their young—all of which they do on
nearly vertical slopes. –Penny Starke,
Buffalo Gnus, 07/03, Buffalo Zoo, Buffalo, NY.
Water striders (insects we
often see “skating” on the surface of ponds) were thought to ride on small
surface waves their legs created as they moved. Scientists now feel the key is
a combination of surface tension and backward momentum. As the insect’s feet touch the water, the
downward pressure creates little dimples, but they don’t sink in. These dimples
act like the blades of an oar when paddling a boat. The dimples generate
swirling underwater currents that propel the insects forward, while moving the
water backward. While not the fastest thing on earth, water striders can cover
100 body lengths in one second. This is equivalent to a six-foot tall human
swimming at 400 mph—faster than many jets. - http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/08/0806_030806_skeeters.html, 08/06/03.
A thickening agent called
algin has been extracted from kelp (seaweed) and used in a variety of
commercial products such as ice cream, Jell-O and toothpaste for quite a while.
Now, scientists are testing algin for use in organ transplant surgery. Algin
can apparently be purified in such a way that the human body’s immune system
doesn’t recognize it as foreign.
Donated organs coated with the refined algin may be less prone to
rejection. – Upwelling, 08/03, Oregon
Coast Aquarium, Newport, OR. (Original source http://www.scubadiving.com/US/kelpdives/) Webmaster
note link no longer works.
Catnip oil (from the herb)
is 10 times better at warding off mosquitoes than DEET according to Iowa State
University researchers. Federal
scientists are looking at a compound found in black pepper, which may also be
effective. We’ll have to wait for further testing before either of these
products is available as an insect repellent. For the meantime, DEET is the way
to go! –National Wildlife, Jun/Jul
’02.
Sneak up on your prey right
before their eyes? Amazing, but true. Scientists have recently confirmed that
dragonflies are capable of adjusting their flight path so that to a rival
dragonfly, they appear to be stationary, rather than moving closer. Researchers
are using a pair of synchronized video cameras to see if they can figure out
how the dragonflies do this. – Nature,
Vol. 423, 06/05/03.
New roof designs are taking
their cue from the bumpy-backed beetle (Stenocara).
On the Namibian beetle, raised bumps attract water from fog, which is carried
by surrounding valleys into the beetle’s mouth. New roof and tent technology
based on this beetle should aid in “fog harvesting efficiency” in arid areas. –National Geographic, 12/02.
Dolphins are known for their
hydrodynamic properties. Dolphins are also pretty resistant to attaching
organisms. But why? Scientists are trying to mimic dolphin skin in a study to
combat underwater “biofouling” of ships. Originally thought to just be
ultra-smooth, dolphin skin is instead full of tiny ripple or ridge features,
covered with a gel-like coating. Combinations of normally incompatible polymers
have yielded some promising results. Initial tests have proven resistant to
tube worms, barnacles and green algae. –The
Cleveland Plain Dealer, 11/27/02.
A deep-sea sponge, nicknamed
the “Venus flower basket” produces thin glass fibers that transmit light better
than man-made cables and they are so flexible they will not break. Current
fiber-optic manufacturing processes require high temperatures and produce
relatively brittle cables. Studies are looking at ways to duplicate nature’s
“low temperature” process. – 08/21/03. http://www.enn.com/news/2003-08-21/s_7708.asp