The Northern Bald Ibis A Grounded Migrator

A FAMILY of five is ready to embark on a long journey, and well-wishers have turned out to say good-bye.  Te family take one last look at the place that has been their home for a long time and then set out.  While the onlookers watch, the five go off into the distance and disappear from view over the horizon.
     We are at the Bald Ibis Breeding Station in Bireck, Turkey, a town next to the Euphrates River.  The family that has just departed is a group of northern bald ibis, an endangered species.  Each bird has a satellite tracker attached to its ankle.  The well-wishers-the staff at the station and the visitors-anxiously watch as the birds fly off into the unknown, worried that the family might not return home.
     What kind of bird is the northern bald ibis? Where does it go when it migrates? And why is there so much interest in its migration?

Meet Our Feathered Friend

     When the northern bald ibis first hatches, there are feathers on its head.  As it matures, however, those feathers are lost, accounting for its name. 

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The Amazing Process of Childbirth

THE nine-month wait is finally over, and the baby so longed for is about to be born. The expectant mother’s cervix has remained firmly shut, keeping the fetus safely in the womb. But now her cervix thins, softens, and relaxes. The miracle of birth begins.
What is behind the marvelous process of childbirth? Of the several factors involved, two are especially amazing. First, oxytocin, a hormone produced in the brain, is released. Both men and women produce this substance, but a great quantity of it is released in the pregnant mother when labor begins, causing the cervix to dilate and the uterus to contract.
Just how the pituitary gland of the expectant mother knows when to begin releasing this hormone is a mystery. The book Incredible Voyage-Exploring the Human Body states: “Somehow her brain senses that gestation is complete and that it is time for the powerful uterine muscles…to take on their brief but heroic job.”
A second factor involved in this process is the role of the placenta, which stops producing progesterone. During pregnancy, progesterone has prevented strong contractions. But now, without the restriction of progesterone, the uterus begins to contract. Generally after between 8 and 13 hours of labor, the baby is pushed out through the relaxed, dilated cervix. Afterward, the placenta is also expelled.

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WAS IT DESIGNED?

  

The Squid’s Beak
 .The beak of the squid baffles scientists.  They wonder:  ‘How can something that is so hard be attached to a body that has no bones? Should not the combination of materials cause abrasion and hurt the squid?’

            Consider:  The tip of the squid’s beak is hard, whereas the base of the beak is soft.  The composition of the beak-which is made up of chitin, water, and protein-changes in density so gradually from soft to hard that the squid can use its beak without causing any harmful abrasion.

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The Salmon's Efficient Swimming Style

In order to breed, many salmon species swim upstream, facing turbulent waters along the way. How are they able to endure a grueling journey without succumbing to exhaustion? Instead of being overwhelmed by the rough water, these fish actually take advantage of it. How?

Consider: Salmon do not plow through chaotic water. Instead, when swimming upstream, they conserve energy by using vortices, or miniature whirlpools, that form where the water flow is disturbed by rocks, branches, or other objects. As the vortices form on alternating sides of an object, the fish curve their bodies from side to side and glide between the pockets of turbulence. (See diagram.)

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The Sensors of the Black Fire Beetle

Forest fires repel most animals, but they attract black fire beetles. Why? Because
newly burned trees are an ideal place for these insects to lay their eggs. Furthermore,
fire drives away predators, leaving the beetle free to eat, mate, and lay eggs
safely. But how do black fire beetles find forest fires in the first place?
Consider: Next to its middle legs, the fire beetle has sensors called pit organs
that can detect infrared radiation froma forest fire. The radiation generates heat
in the pit organs and then directs the beetle to head for the flames.
But these beetles have other sensors in their fire-detection tool kit. When their favorite
trees burn, the beetles’ antennas detect minute quantities of certain chemicals
that fires release into the air. According to some researchers, black fire beetles
can use their “smoke detector” antennas to find a single smoldering tree over half a
mile (0.8 km) away. As a result...

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TERMITE TOWERS - Truth is always or more terrifying than imagination

Source: http://www.tdrinc.com/natarch.html

The termite is the acknowledged master architect of the creature world. No other insect or animal approaches the termite in the size and solidity of its building structure. The world's tallest non-human structures are built by Australian or African termites. If a human being were the size of an average termite, the relative size of a single termite nest is the equivalent of a 180 story building--almost 2000 feet high. It would easily be the tallest building in the world. How is it possible that this tiny creature has the engineering know-how to erect an edifice of this magnitude? Obviously this knowledge is innate to the termite. The process of construction, the materials and correct combination of materials to yield an elegant, structurally efficient and durable structure is simply awe-inspiring.

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Yurts—Mobile Homes of Central Asia

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WHAT is soft and round and keeps you warm in winter but cool in summer? For nomadic peoples in parts of Central Asia, the answer is, A yurt! From the steppes of Mongolia and Kazakhstan to the mountains and valleys of Kyrgyzstan, these traditional dwellings were once a common sight.
A yurt is a round, tentlike structure that has decorative reed mats lining its walls. Its outer layers are sheets of felt made from sheep’s wool. Yurts are lightweight and easy to assemble, yet sturdy and comfortable during hot summers and cold winters. The Kirghiz call the yurt a gray house; the Kazakhs, a felt house; and the Mongolians, a ger, meaning “home.”
Yurts may be grayish-brown or bright white, depending on the color of the wool used. Kirghiz and Kazakh yurts are often decorated with local designs of wool dyed in bright colors that depict a ram’s horn. In the past, beautiful blankets and felt floor coverings were a reflection of a family’s wealth and prestige.

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