Fun – Little Bits of Science

Bees are Addicted to Caffeine

I’m a big fan of caffeine. So much so that I have a caffeine molecule tattooed on my left forearm. caffeine photo But it turns out that humans aren’t the only caffeine aficionados. Bees like caffeine, and spend more time gathering nectar from flowers which naturally produce caffeine.

Scientists at the University of Sussex said they thought the plants produce the caffeine in their nectar to fool bees into thinking it contains more sugar than it actually does. The insects will repeatedly visit those flowers, helping the plants maximize pollination.

Francis Ratnieks, a professor of apiculture at the university, said bees communicate by moving their abdomens a certain way — or, as he calls it, “dancing.” He said the caffeine increases that dancing.

Photo by Hey Paul Studios

Photo by paulscott56

Lobsters Don’t Live Forever

So there’s a meme going around (at least, I’m seeing it on Facebook and Instagram) that suggests jellyfish and lobsters are basically immortal. lobster photo Well, Smithsonian Magazine is here to teach us that no, lobsters are not immortal.

The viral scientific tidbit can be traced back to a brief 2007 news story that reports that lobsters don’t show typical signs of a phenomenon known as senescence. In plain terms, the report says that lobsters don’t age the way other living creatures do—they don’t lower their reproductive ability, slow their metabolism or decrease in strength. This led to extrapolations that lobsters, if left undisturbed, can’t die.

So it’s a fun story to read, but it’s sadly false. And it makes me hungry.

Photo by stu_spivack

A Tattoo or More to Fight the Common Cold?

Odd science news:

There’s no known cure for the common cold, but receiving multiple tattoos can strengthen your immunological responses, potentially making you heartier in fighting off common infections, according to research. However, receiving a single tattoo can, at least temporarily, lower your resistance.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s 10 Year Anniversary

Mars Reconnaissance photo Celebrating 10 years of investigating the Red Planet from above, Wired Magazine presents a slideshow of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter‘s best photos.

Photo by Gunnar Ries zwo

Help Identify Bat Calls

Become a bat detective! It won’t lead you to Bruce Wayne, but you’ll be helping science in classifying bat calls from around the world.

Jump right in and begin classifying calls. Take your ears on a drive through our database – and tell us what you see and hear. Listen out for bats, insects and other sounds.

UCSB ScienceLine

Just sharing this student resource that I feel offers a great benefit to those looking for answers to scientific questions.

Students ask the questions, UCSB Scientists answer them.

Marshmallows in a Vacuum

Just a fun video explaining and showing the expansion and later collapse of marshmallows when they are placed in a vacuum:

New Zealander Nigel Latta Blows Stuff Up

For a little more fun in science, we head to New Zealand, where Nigel Latta blows stuff up. The Science Learning Hub provides links to TV New Zealand, where, with a little proxy magic, you can watch this science aficionado do exactly what the title says he will.

Latta confesses, in pre-show publicity, a love for science and a fascination for many of the big questions it poses. He has two science degrees – a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a Master of Science in Marine Science – and in this new series, he provides a fun and engaging gateway into the sciences.

EDIT: In case you can’t find a proxy to support viewing the NZTV videos, here’s a YouTube video showing a sample of Nigel’s work: