tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post8033396325072950286..comments2024-02-24T03:34:18.060-05:00Comments on Stealing Commas: Awesome things in nature, care to share some?chris the cynichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06872875475212333027noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-59120350068534659402014-06-21T21:18:40.155-04:002014-06-21T21:18:40.155-04:00There's a lot of cool shapeshifting that happe...There's a lot of cool shapeshifting that happens as embryos form and develop. Cells begin in one spot and then skitter over to new parts of the body to create new structures. Temporary structures are built out of cells and then those cells die away when those structures are not needed anymore.DawnMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-86795430796285576632014-06-21T13:04:50.628-04:002014-06-21T13:04:50.628-04:00LIKE.LIKE.Lonesparkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16278753827545905559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-61512638533520280032014-06-21T10:21:12.954-04:002014-06-21T10:21:12.954-04:00I had been idly considering a human-abducted-into-...I had been idly considering a human-abducted-into-alien-society story in which the human gets a job with lots of typing because many-fingered hands plus keyboards are better for the purpose than most manipulators represented...Robin Zimmermannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06752049355328742397noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-49913454331723530152014-06-21T04:33:37.365-04:002014-06-21T04:33:37.365-04:00Photosynthesis... why not chemosynthesis? Are ther...Photosynthesis... why not chemosynthesis? Are there multicellular organisms that do that?<br /><br />Biomimicry tech: always awesome/terrifying...<br /><br />Also this stuff is making me wonder whether there could be cases where a human gene couldn't be repaired or whatever, but some other DNA could be added/changed such that the person with a genetic disorder could compensate using traits usually not found in humans.Lonesparkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16278753827545905559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-2319172491241172722014-06-21T04:28:49.860-04:002014-06-21T04:28:49.860-04:00Octopodes win, the end.
Also, tentacles.
I am al...Octopodes win, the end. <br />Also, tentacles.<br />I am always interested in how species without hands, or even just substantially different hands, would construct or operate machines. I suppose many adaptations for keyboards and cars and such exist for people without arms/hands/etc. in the most common configurations...Lonesparkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16278753827545905559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-59538122965319451612014-06-20T16:53:25.102-04:002014-06-20T16:53:25.102-04:00Brin, I believe people who'd had cataract surg...Brin, I believe people who'd had cataract surgery (before the advent of the intraocular lens) were in demand as coastal observers in WWII Britain because they could see the near-UV lights sometimes used by submarines; the retina can respond a little way into the UV, but the lens normally blocks it out.Firedrakenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-29051473400285552172014-06-20T15:41:08.255-04:002014-06-20T15:41:08.255-04:00Ultraviolet perception should be relatively easy t...Ultraviolet perception <a href="http://www.itsokaytobesmart.com/post/73961979549/claude-monets-ultraviolet-eye-new-video-how-the" rel="nofollow">should be relatively easy</a> to induce in a human character.<br /><br />Infrared would be nice, too, maybe from snakes.Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18034585577015417306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-80624882788911126642014-06-20T14:58:24.900-04:002014-06-20T14:58:24.900-04:00Photosynthesis is tricky; not enough incoming ener...Photosynthesis is tricky; not enough incoming energy even if you had a 100% efficient converter.<br /><br />On the other hand, pistol shrimp.Firedrakenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3889388775673754833.post-23092436356397301652014-06-20T14:29:22.763-04:002014-06-20T14:29:22.763-04:00...I have to admit, I haven't been collecting ......I have to admit, I haven't been collecting these stories.<br /><br />That said, when I looked up <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetoception" rel="nofollow">magnetoception</a> (internal compass, <em>literally!</em>), I found the Wikipedia article on <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroreception" rel="nofollow">electroreception</a></i>, which may or may not be completely awesome. :) (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_echolocation" rel="nofollow">Echolocation</a> is also pretty friggin' sweet, but less subtle.)Robin Zimmermannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06752049355328742397noreply@blogger.com