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Why insects don’t take fall damage? Or do they?

December 31, 2022 by Maris Munkevics Filed Under: Did You Know?

an insect jumping off from a leaf would not take a fall damage

Let's dive into the science of insect acceleration toward the ground. Insects are small and lightweight and appear to get away from injuries when they fall from great heights and even when we step on one. Thus, it's natural to wonder if they are actually invincible. So the question is, do insects take fall damage? Let's find out. Many insects fly. Let's just get the … [Read more...] about Why insects don’t take fall damage? Or do they?

Why only female mosquitoes need blood

July 19, 2022 by Maris Munkevics Filed Under: Did You Know?

mosquito female drinking blood

You may have heard that male mosquitoes don't bite humans; only females do so. But have you ever thought about why it is so? Why do females need blood, but males don't. And even more so, what do males eat then? Let's find out! Female mosquitoes bite humans because they have to produce eggs and thus need better nutrition. And better nutrition, of course, is blood. How … [Read more...] about Why only female mosquitoes need blood

Do wild animals get cancer?

June 17, 2022 by Maris Munkevics Filed Under: Did You Know?

elephants are among wild animals that do have cancer

We usually view cancer as a consequence of our poor lifestyle choices and unnatural living. However, wild animals don't smoke, eat burgers or stress about their work assignments. So it begs the question: do wild animals get cancer? The short answer is yes, wild animals do get cancer, and it isn't shocking news if you understand how cancers arise. After all, healthy … [Read more...] about Do wild animals get cancer?

What are proteins?

December 22, 2020 by Maris Munkevics Filed Under: Did You Know?, Physiology

RNA polymerase 2, a protein that reads RNA

I often mention in my articles how the body makes proteins, how proteins transport cholesterol, or how DNA codes for proteins. You also might know from food packaging and sports drink advertisements that proteins are an essential part of your diet and you need them badly. This is all true, but do you know what proteins actually are? Let's zoom in on them. In a … [Read more...] about What are proteins?

How many genes do you share with your relatives?

September 15, 2020 by Maris Munkevics Filed Under: Did You Know?, Genetics

A diagram of how many genes I share with my relatives.

It's easy to calculate how many genes you share with your parents, children, siblings, and other relatives. Given the fact that parents pass half of their genes to their children, and siblings share half of their genes, the rest is just math. To determine this, you just have to divide genetic relatedness each time you go up or down a step in a family tree, or sideways. For … [Read more...] about How many genes do you share with your relatives?

From where do trees get their mass?

August 19, 2020 by Maris Munkevics Filed Under: Did You Know?

trees in autumn

As a kid, I remember, I was fascinated with how a tree can grow from a tiny seed. I wondered where their bodies came from and how trees get their mass if it obviously is not stored in the seed? My assumption at the time was that all that stuff must come from the soil, but damn, I was wrong. Years later, when I studied biology, I learned that Jan Baptist van Helmont, a … [Read more...] about From where do trees get their mass?

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  • Why insects don’t take fall damage? Or do they?
  • Why only female mosquitoes need blood
  • Are we really more bacteria than human?
  • Do wild animals get cancer?
  • Evolution of passion: Why humans and other animals kiss

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