Toad eggs adhere in and out of wate
101. Shooting snout snags prey: sling-jaw wrasse
"Nonetheless, the jaw mechanism of even a fancy snake looks simple next to what some fish do with multibar linkages in their heads (Westneat 1991). The most extreme must be the sling-jaw wrasse, Epibulus insidiator, which shoots out an otherwise u...
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Email102. Ruffled-edged fronds reduce stress and increase photosynthetic rates.
"The fronds of N. leutkeana have ruffled edges in protected habitats but not at exposed sites. The drag per frond area is much higher for ruffled frond because they flap with great amplitude than do unruffled fronds, and because they remain spread...
103. Bacteria degrade petroleum hydrocarbons: Marinobacter
“Despite these qualifications about experimental approaches, it is clear that oil hydrocarbon degradation in marine systems is carried out by microorganisms belonging to a relatively small group of genera.” (Yakimov et al. 2007:263)
104. Vibration creates heat: honeybee
"Researchers at the University of Würzburg in Germany found that bee hive temperatures were not only maintained by general hive activity, but also by workers congregating at the brood and vibrating their thoracic muscles to warm the incubatin...
105. Strait Power
The Strait Power turbine has a double converging nozzle, an opening within an opening. Water enters through both openings, and water entering through the second opening creates a pressure differential that draws water through to produce more energ...
106. Hairs prevent entry of water: rat-tailed maggot
"Some diptera (Syrphidae or red-tailed maggots [rat-tailed maggots]) and Ephydridae (shore flies) have a pair of posterior, telescopic breathing tubes that open in spiracles with hydrophobic hairs that prevent water from entering." (van der Valk 2...
108. Shells resist external loading: birds
"The eggshells of birds are mechanically impressive devices, surprisingly resistant to external loading; Vincent (1990), though, complained about how little we understand them, muttering at 'half-boiled notions' in the literature. They're mostly m...
109. Evergreen needles self-protect against harsh winter conditions.
Keeping leaves (needles) year-round presents a challenge in the winter as liquid water is limited and necessary. To reduce water loss, evergreen leaves are coated with a waxy layer which limits evaporation, and stomata are inlaid into the leaf sur...
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