Blue Lobster

It's estimated that one in every two million American lobsters are blue. The genetic mutation causes the lobster to produce an excessive amount of a particular protein, which combines with a red carotenoid molecule already present to form a blue complex. This gives the lobster its coloration.
Only six blue lobsters have ever been recorded as caught alive. They're all in aquariums today.

Woody Woodpecker

Some species of woodpecker have amazing tongues. It is covered in small hooks that allow it to ensnare insect larvae from a piece of wood. The tongue is approximately three times the length of the beak, allowing it to capture evasive prey. It is so long, it has to fork at the back of the throat and wrap around the woodpecker’s skull when retracted.

Helix Nebula

The Helix nebula is a dead star which used to be approximately the size of our own sun, located 650 light-years away. Before it died, it may very well have had planets and comets orbiting it. After it exhausted its hydrogen supply, it blasted off its outer layer, incinerating anything in the inner solar system while kicking out objects in the outer solar system. 

Frozen Niagara.

Niagara Falls was entirely frozen in 1911.

Blinds Can See

Australian researchers have launched the first bionic eye prototype. The device will allow blind people to see the outlines of their surroundings through a microchip implanted into their skull and a digital camera attached to the sleek-looking glasses. This image shows the rear view of the device.

Helpfull Crayon

If you ever get stuck in a blackout without candles or a flashlight ...

30 minutes might be stretching it, but a regular sized crayon will easily burn for more than 15 minutes. The paraffin used in crayons is very flammable, but slow burning. Handy to know!

Speedy Sailfish

Sailfish grow up to 2 meters (6 feet) long and are found in temperate and warm waters all around the world. They have a dark blue color and a white underbelly, providing camouflage from predators. They also use their large sails to corral small fish which makes easy work of getting a meal, though they also eat octopus and squid.

Hairbrushy Tongue.

Have you ever wondered why a cat's tongue feels so rough? 

A cat's tongue is covered in backwards facing spines, about 500 microns long. These are called papillae and they contain keratin (the same stuff your fingernails and hair is made of) making them quite rigid. These are used in grooming and act almost like a hairbrush.

Big...Bigger...Biggest

The blue whale is not only the largest animal alive currently, but is likely the largest animal ever to have lived.

Depending on the location, blue whales can grow to be 33 meters (108 feet) and weigh as much as 181 metric tons (200 imperial tons).They can live to be 90 years old and ingest about 3.6 metric tons (4 imperial tons) of krill each day. Blue whale are considered endangered by the IUCN.

HIV Cured?

This science behind this is actually seriously interesting. A small % of European populations are immune to HIV - it's thought that the same mutation provided some protection against the plague. If a person with HIV receives a bone marrow transplant from someone who is immune, their new blood cells are immune. This was first discovered in a man known as the "Berlin patient", who suffered from both leukaemia and HIV. The bone marrow transplant was administered to treat his cancer, and it wound up curing his HIV.

The problem is that finding a bone marrow donor is tough enough as it is, let alone someone who happens to have the correct mutation. As well as that, people with HIV tend to have a normal life expectancy with correct medication, where as bone marrow transplants have a 15-20% mortality rate. With those sorts of numbers, it's very difficult to get ethical approval for a trial. 

Itchyyy!!!!!

Why do we itch? Like pain and heat, itching sensations are transmitted by a class of nerve cells known as TRPV1-expressing neurons. If you engineer a mouse without these neurons, the mouse feels no pain, no heat and no itching. Research published last month suggests that there are a specific subset of TRPV1-expressing neurons that are exclusively responsible for itching. They produce a molecule called neuropeptide natriuretic polypeptide b (Nppb). All sensations require a neurotransmitter to "leap the gap" to adjacent nerve cells, and Nppb seems to perform that function for all itching sensations

Mitsukurinidae

Another look at the goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni), a deep sea creature that's been sighted less that fifty times since its discovery. They're the only living representative of the family Mitsukurinidae.

Blue Pigment

Octopus survive in temperatures between -1 and 30 degrees Celsius. The blue pigment, called hemocyanin, allows the animal to receive oxygen even when the water is ice cold. 

Biodegradable cigarette

Biodegradable cigarette filters with flower seeds.

These cigarette filters are called "Greenbutts" and they degrade in just one month rather than the typical 15 years. They are made from a natural blend of materials, including flax, hemp and cotton.

The seeds were added in by the photographer.

Science Is Crazy

There are many beautiful marine creatures who seem to glide effortlessly through the water, inspiring a sense of awe and wonder. Unfortunately, the red-lipped batfish is not one of them.

Red-lipped batfish do not swim very well, so they use their pectoral fins to walk around the sea floor. Their dorsal fin is not needed for balance, so before reaching adulthood it changes to a single projection over their head. This structure, known as an illicium, attracts prey.
The red-lipped batfish live in the waters around the Galapagos Islands and are found about 30.5 m (100 ft) below the surface.

Red-lipped batfish