An image of a real-looking cell used in the Biology course

I made myself an account and started the Biology course. It is quite extensive, and covers things that are much more detailed and therefore complicated than an ordinary highschool level. But do not let that scare you away! It is very interesting, and there are other things than Biology. This website is a good free (I cannot stress this enough) tool that is valuable to little home-schoolers such as myself. I did the first lesson in the Biology course, and it starts with the most basic of introductions: cells. So now I know that a nucleolus is inside a nucleus, and that those two are surrounded by the Endoplasmic Recticulum. The only problems I see with this website are that there aren't many free courses for the moment, but there are many different subjects planned, so this won't be problem for long. The last, but certainly not the least problem, is that the website doesn't work on Chrome, the browser I use. Many of the animations used in the lessons do not show up. In order to continue the course, I have to use Safari, which supports all the animations.

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Galerina Marginata

The Galerina Marginata is a deadly species of fungus. Its appearance can easily be mistaken for edible mushrooms. It is more commonly known as the Deadly Skullcap, the Deadly Galerina, Funeral Bells, or even Marginate Pholiota. It has a convex cap and the hymenium (underside) is adnexed. Colours van vary depending on age and moisture levels, but most range between ochre and tawny, with a yellow-ochre edge at the bottom of the cap when young. The gills are closely placed and narrow. They are light brown/yellow but become darker with age. The cap can reach diameters of 1.7 to 4 cm, whereas the stem can reach 3 to 6 cm. The stem starts as a solid but becomes increasingly hollow from the ground up as the Galerina Marginata matures. They are detritivores that mainly feed on conifer wood, and are found almost anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, that is North America, Asia and Europe. Some cases can even be found in Australia.

It is toxic when ingested, and causes major liver damage, inducing diarrhea, vomiting and hypothermia. It is lethal unless treated very soon after ingestion. Some of the very few poisonings recorded can be ascribed to people confusing the Galerina Marginata with the Psilocybe because of their very similar aspects. The Psilocybe is more commonly known as the Magic Mushroom, because of its hallucinogenic properties.

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European Magpie

European Magpies are birds found in Europe. They are black and white and are counted among the most intelligent animals. They are very territorial and often form groups in the winter to increase their food gathering. Mates stay together forever until one of them dies, at which point the widow/er will choose another mate, if still of age to raise younglings. Mating takes place in spring with a display of chases and feathers on the male's behalf to attract the females' attention. Nests are preferably built in tall trees. A magpie nest is large and sturdy, with a dome like roof and a concealed entrance. During the winter, the nests are very visible with the lack of leaves. Each bird has an average of five to eight eggs in a hatching. Magpies have only one hatching unless some unfortunate disaster wipes out their previous young'uns. Eggs are laid in April and hatch around three weeks later. Another three weeks later the fledgelings have learned to fly.

A European Magpie Nest

Magpies are very intelligent, perhaps the most intelligent bird. They have episodic memory, meaning they remember the general who/where/what of certain situations. They most certainly remember which human face to trust, which garden has the most worms, and also where they stole that shiny object. Yes, Magpies are very fond of shiny things, such as wedding rings left out in the open, and they are not afraid to take what they want. Their intelligence is further proved by the ability to make tools and use them, something seen done by apes. Also, it has been proven that European Magpies have mirror self-recognition, something very few animals possess. In fact, for a while there, humans believed they were the only ones who had it. Another amazing thing Magpies can do, is they have the potential to imitate other bird's songs, and, to an extent, other noises they hear around them and human voices, like a parrot.

Part of the family close by, eating with an open window.

Magpies are omnivores and eat various fruit, grain, eggs, insects and other small birds, sometimes snatching them in flight, something thought to be found only in birds of prey.
Recently a new family of Magpies has settled in the area. Magpies usually stay around their area, not really much of long distance flyers. They often come to feed from our birdfeeder and hang out around the garden. I have recently been placing oatmeal on my window sill, and they have gotten quite used to the area. I have been slowly progressing my interaction with them, now getting them to feed with the window open. More recently, I have just shown my face, unmoving and without any sound, with the window open. My hope is that they will all (or at least one) be used to me and allow me to hand feed them, allowing for a 'tame' Magpie coming to visit me for food once in a while.

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Contents for Chilli, Pumpkin, Radish Seed Planting Experiment

1. Phase 1
2. Phase 2
3. Phase 3
4. Phase 4
5. Phase 5
6. Phase 6

07/04/11:
A great deal of advancement to note. Firstly, noticed that soil dried out quickly and tray an box require almost daily watering. Secondly, the radishes all have stems with an average of three leaves bloomed. Tallest radish stem measures in at 5 cm. On the other hand, chillies and pumpkins have not evolved at all, and not even a tip of a stem can be seen. Radish seed are much slower in the box, but chillies and pumpkins are the same, that is, no progress.
Current temperature at 2:25 is 19.8 º Celsius.

On several of the radish leaves, empty seed shells are still slightly attached, as can be seen here on the tallest stem.

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A monkey washing a sweet potato in the sea before eating it.

Humans have always thought that the only difference between us and the animals of the world was our intelligence and culture. It has already been proven we are not the only mentally developed race out there, but what about culture. Well, animals have that too. Mind you, none of them go to the opera or write poems, but they have culture in the sense of traditions such as languages, fashion, cuisine and games. Chimps were one of the animals watched for this culture. After all environmental changes were taken out of account, such as a chimp building his nest higher up in the trees because of predators, many things such as the method of making tools, and grooming fashions were almost exclusive to different clans. The scientists heading this project also had an experiment with birds. Birds were believed to have no culture, apart from maybe learning songs from each other, but when the eggs of two different species were swapped, the younglings picked up traits from their foster parents and not their species (blue tits and great tits were used). It was remarked that social learning, and learning from potential role-models was wide-spread in the animal kingdom. However, this can be dangerous at times, when the traditions are non changing because of a locked pattern of copying each other. With us humans constantly changing and degrading their environments, some animals may find themselves using unsuitable methods to hunt, or eat, or even find homes. This was mostly seen in fish, who have very high social learning abilities. Their problem is that they always learn from the older generation, and so they have not changed their ways for a long time. This could become potentially lethal for them, when the sea is becoming more polluted, and we humans are also pillaging the sea for fish.

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Fossa, click to see full1: Fossa:

Indri

1: Fossa
This is one of the weirdest carnivores recorded, and not a lot is actually known about them. It was originally thought to be a type of primitive cat, but the fosa actually belongs to the mongoose family. Mongoose are weasel-like (although not related) small carnivores. Meerkats also belong to the Mongoose family.

2: Indri
This is the largest and loudest lemur found in Madagascar. Its ear-piercing screeches can be heard at daybreak from the treetops.

Giraffe-necked Weevil

Aye-Aye Lemur

3: Giraffe-Necked Weevil:
A wicked insect with a delicate neck. The females make use of this giraffe neck to roll up leaves in which to lay a single yellow egg, snugly fitted in its leaf nest.

4: Aye-Aye:
With a strange name, it is the most common lemur in Madagascar, but also, ironically, the hardest one to spot in the wild. Maurice, from the movie Madagascar is an overweight Aye-Aye.

Helmet Vanga

Parson's Chameleon

5: Helmet Vanga:
This bird has one of the most impressive beaks in the world, with its beautiful blue colour.

6: Parson's Chameleon:
This lizard can make one mean impression of a Triceratops, and like most chameleons, it camouflages itself, or it displays its emotions and current relationship statuses.

Flatid Leaf Bug, white larvae and red/pink adults.

Coral Reef

 
 
7: Flatid Leaf Bug:
This bug fascinating bug, when in its nymph from, resembles shredded cotton, but once grown, it turns into a bright pink petal-shaped adult.

8: Coral Reefs:
Madagascar welcomes many species of fish and colourful coral, as well as three different species of turtle.

Baobab

Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec

 
9: Baobabs:
These big trees have eight different sub-species, six of which are only found in Madagascar. An alternate name is Bottle Tree, because of its huge moisture-storing trunk. This is also the lemurs' home in the movie Madagascar.

10: Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec:
This Tenrec is no where near related to a hedgehog, but is so named because of its personality and behaviour, which resembles that of a hedgehog. It's closest relatives include the elephant, the hyrax and the aardvark.

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BBC Wildlife Jan 2011 cover

Today I read the BBC Wildlife magazine, and in it the featured article was Why Dogs Rule the World. The article, written by Steve Harris, explained why dogs are so widespread and popular. It dealt with the prehistory, the habitat, and origin of domesticated canines. Sticking to the belief that everything in the article is indisputably true, today's most widely distributed land mammal is the red fox, found in 83 countries and on five continents. It used to be the grey wolf, however, persecution forced him to step down from his crown. Canids (dog family) first arrived approximately forty million years ago on what is now known as North America. It is believed canids have thrived for so long because a few distinct traits. They have what the article called a 'pair bond', meaning they live and work together, and even if some canids do not, they are adaptable enough to know when to share and contribute. Most canids can rear large litters of eight or more pups because the male provides for the female and the little 'uns. This allows the population to stay stable regardless of massive persecution. In contrast, cats can only rear small litters of threes, as the female must take care of them unaided. This makes felines more susceptible to a decrease in population with hunting.

Image found page 48

Another thing which aids canids to thrive in any environment is their non-fussy take on food. For this reason, fennec foxes can live in deserts, and coyotes can live in towns. Their varied diets also mean they survive the change in the seasons; Summer food is very different from what is found in winter.
The article also covered several myths and legends surrounding early wolves and foxes. It was a very good read, and I definitely recommend it, if not for the information, then for the breathtaking images decorating the pages. I bought this magazine and read it on my Galaxy Tab. Although I will always prefer paper to screen, this was relatively easy and pleasant to read on a screen.

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The skeletal system serves many purposes. It has many main functions:
1. Structure: the skeleton maintains our body in place, like a wire on which a sculptor places strips of clay. Without the skeleton, our muscles, veins, arteries, and organs would have nothing to hold themselves to, and we would be heaps of meat unable to move.
2. Movement: the joints (where bones are connected with ligaments) and skeletal muscles allow certain bones to move in a certain way. We can do all our movement because of the skeleton and the nervous system which has control over the movement.
3. Protection: the skeleton protects a variety of organs and tissues such as:
-The skull protects the brain, and the eyes.
-The ribcage, spine and sternum protect the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels.
-The spine protects the spinal cord.
The skeleton also protects the digestive system, the ankles, the wrists, etc.
4. Blood Cell Production and Storage: the bones create red and white blood cells as well as storing minerals.

Left: Male, Right: Female

Skeletons of each individual differ slightly. When a baby is born, s/he contains approx. 270 bones, but as the child develops, many bones fuse together, creating less bones. An average adult contains 206 bones. There are also differences between male and female skeletons, as they do not require to do the same actions. The female body has a flatter, larger, and slightly rounder pelvis in order to allow the head of the fetus to pass during childbirth. Even so, the pelvis widens even more during childbirth, which tells osteologists (scientists studying bones), whether the skeleton found on an excavation was a woman, and if she was a mother. Woman also have narrower ribcages and less pronounced cranial features. Men seem to have thicker, and longer limbs and digit bones.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_skeleton, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendon, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeletal_muscle, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligament, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone, http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_name_of_a_scientist_that_studies_bones, http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/bones.html#, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Human_skeleton_front_en.svg, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Human_skeleton_back_en.svg, http://hippie.nu/~unicorn/tut/xhtml/

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