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THE STRANGE SEAHORSE TAIL
At first glance, the animal kingdom has no shortage of tails. From crocodiles to platypuses, squirrels to pigs and fish to boa constrictors, the shapes, sizes and textures are diverse. But whether flat, flexible, paddle-like, scaly, bare, mighty, curly or fluffy, all tails have one thing in common: they are roughly circular in cross-section. Of all the tails in all the world, there’s just one that differs. And it belongs to the seahorse.
GLOWING IN THE DEEP
Deep beneath the ocean, far beyond the reach of the sun’s rays, the waters pulsate and twinkle with electric blue light. Not distant stars, but marine organisms create this otherworldly glow, an enchanting adaptation called bioluminescence.
EXPLORING INVISIBLE WORLDS
It’s often said that we know more about space than we do about Earth’s own oceans. In the case of the midocean ridges, the maxim is pretty much true.
THE URCHIN’S TALE, PART 2
Sea urchins are weird, spiky, and at first glance, don’t seem all that interesting. But beneath that uncharismatic appearance is a creature that has been central to scientific discoveries? that changed the way we understand the natural world. In part 1 of the urchin’s tale, I highlighted what these unassuming critters have taught us about the processes that shape ecosystems. In part 2, I will explore their role in developing our understanding of the fundamental processes that shape us, as well as the other animals that share our world.