Latest news with #animalkingdom
WIRED
02-08-2025
- Science
- WIRED
Peacock Feathers Are Stunning. They Can Also Emit Laser Beams
Macro photograph of water drops on a peacock feather. Photograph:Peacock feathers are greatly admired for their bright iridescent colors, but it turns out they can also emit laser light when dyed multiple times, according to a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports. Per the authors, it's the first example of a biolaser cavity within the animal kingdom. As previously reported, the bright iridescent colors in things like peacock feathers and butterfly wings don't come from any pigment molecules but from how they are structured. The scales of chitin (a polysaccharide common to insects) in butterfly wings, for example, are arranged like roof tiles. Essentially, they form a diffraction grating, except photonic crystals only produce certain colors, or wavelengths, of light, while a diffraction grating will produce the entire spectrum, much like a prism. In the case of peacock feathers, it's the regular, periodic nanostructures of the barbules—fiber-like components composed of ordered melanin rods coated in keratin—that produce the iridescent colors. Different colors correspond to different spacing of the barbules. Both are naturally occurring examples of what physicists call photonic crystals. Also known as photonic bandgap materials, photonic crystals are 'tunable,' which means they are precisely ordered in such a way as to block certain wavelengths of light while letting others through. Alter the structure by changing the size of the tiles, and the crystals become sensitive to a different wavelength. (In fact, the rainbow weevil can control both the size of its scales and how much chitin is used to fine-tune those colors as needed.) Even better (from an applications standpoint), the perception of color doesn't depend on the viewing angle. And the scales are not just for aesthetics; they help shield the insect from the elements. There are several types of manmade photonic crystals, but gaining a better and more detailed understanding of how these structures grow in nature could help scientists design new materials with similar qualities, such as iridescent windows, self-cleaning surfaces for cars and buildings, or even waterproof textiles. Paper currency could incorporate encrypted iridescent patterns to foil counterfeiters. There have been prior examples of random laser emissions in everything from stained bovine bones and blue coral skeletons to insect wings, parrot feathers, and human tissue, as well as salmon iridiphores. The authors of this most recent study were interested in whether they could produce similar laser emissions using peacock feathers and hopefully identify the specific mechanism. It wasn't difficult to get the peacock feathers, given how popular they are for decorative and arts and crafts purposes, but the authors did make sure none of the feathers used in their experiments contained impurities (like dyes). They cut away any excess lengths of barbs and mounted the feathers on an absorptive substrate. They then infused the feathers with common dyes by pipetting the dye solution directly onto them and letting them dry. The feathers were stained multiple times in some cases. Then they pumped the samples with pulses of light and measured any resulting emissions. The team observed laser emissions in two distinct wavelengths for all color regions of the feathers' eyespots, with the green color regions emitting the most intense laser light. However, they did not observe any laser emission from feathers that were only stained once, just in sample feathers that underwent multiple wetting and complete drying cycles. This is likely due to the better diffusion of both dye and solvent into the barbules, as well as a possible loosening of the fibrils in the keratin sheath. The authors were unable to identify the precise microstructures responsible for the lasing; it does not appear to be due to the keratin-coated melatonin rods. Coauthor Nathan Dawson of Florida Polytechnic University suggested to Science that protein granules or similar small structures inside the feathers might function as a laser cavity. He and his colleague think that one day, their work could lead to the development of biocompatible lasers that could safely be embedded in the human body for sensing, imaging, and therapeutic purposes. This story originally appeared on Ars Technica.
Geek Dad
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Dad
‘Underdogs', Narrated by Ryan Reynolds, Celebrates Natures Unsung Heroes
Hold on to your binoculars, folks, as Nat Geo gets up close and personal with the outcasts of the animal kingdom in Underdogs , narrated by Ryan Reynolds. From their hidden talents to their unconventional hygiene choices to their unsavory courtship rituals, Underdogs celebrates the unique behaviors of the animals who don't usually get to be the stars of the show. What Is Underdogs? Underdogs is a five-part television series that showcases a different aspect of the underdogs' bizarre mating strategies, surprising superpowers, deception, dubious parenting skills and gross-out behaviors. It features a range of never-before-filmed scenes, including the first time a film crew has ever entered a special cave in New Zealand—a huge cavern that glows brighter than a bachelor pad under a black light thanks to the glowing butts of millions of mucus-coated grubs. All over the world, overlooked superstars like this are out there 24/7, giving it maximum effort and keeping the natural world in working order for all those showboating polar bears, sharks and gorillas. From Reynolds' Emmy Award-winning Maximum Effort and Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning Wildstar Films (a Fremantle company), National Geographic's Underdogs premieres with the first two episodes on June 15 and will be simulcast on the ABC network. Underdogs will also be available to stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. The remaining episodes are broadcast the following two Sundays. Let's take a look at the each of the five episodes. 'Superzeroes' Ryan Reynolds assembles a team of 'Superzeroes,' apparently pathetic animals with unexpectedly awesome superpowers. Forget about the cheetah's speed, the eagle's eyesight or the elephant's brute strength, and say hello to the invisible glass frog, the indestructible honey badger and the pistol shrimp who can fire bubbles that are as hot as the surface of the sun. A honey badger walks through the grass in southern Africa. (National Geographic/Karl Davies) 'Terrible Parents' Reynolds reveals some highly questionable parenting strategies from the animal kingdom's worst parents, the underdogs. From a goose who lays their eggs on the top of a cliff to a koala that feeds its baby poop, it's uncertain if they are bad parents or just misunderstood. But no matter how bad you think you may be at parenting, you can't be as bad as these guys. Koalas rest in a tree in Cape Otway, Australia. (National Geographic/David Marks) 'Sexy Beasts' Forget the birds and the bees, Ryan reveals the steps to finding 'the one,' underdog-style. From the 'first attraction' in giant-nosed proboscis monkeys to the importance of wingmen in turkey courtship to foreplay in flying foxes, these guys have re-written the rule book on messy and complicated relationships. A fruit bat hangs in the canopy. (Credit: National Geographic) 'The Unusual Suspects' Ryan Reynolds puts the spotlight on the underdogs who get ahead by sneaky tactics. From the master-of-disguise frogfish to a butt-biting jackal and a multi-headed caterpillar playing the decoy, these are the masters of deception and deceit. And bringing all these hustlers together is the greatest con artist of them all—a cunning macaque who feeds on the spoils from unsuspecting tourists. Cinematographer Roger Munns sets up filming equipment on the sea floor to film a hairy frogfish lying in wait. (National Geographic/Jason Isley) 'Total Grossout' Ryan gives his unique take on the animals who use gross-out tactics to achieve their goals, from defending their home to finding a mate and wining at the game of life. His cast includes manatees that use flatulence to control their buoyancy and cave-dwelling fungus gnats that create beautiful, illuminated fly traps from the mucus lit by their bioluminescent butts. A hippopotamus stretches its large jaws open and displays its massive canines and crushing power. (National Geographic/Doug Parker) Why You Should See Underdogs I used to think nature documentaries were boring. However, over the past several years, National Geographic has created some wonderful series that are not only informational and educational, but also very entertaining. When I learned that a new series narrated by Ryan Reynolds was coming out, I wanted to check it out. Just as Reynolds puts his own brand of humor in the many different things he does, he is now part of a nature show along those same lines. As a result, this is a nature documentary series unlike any other you may have seen in the past. Expect to see some disgusting things that animals do in real life and to be shocked at some of their behaviors. After reviewing these episodes, I recommend Underdogs . The series is rated TV14 and may not be appropriate for some children since it covers some more mature topics and contains some scenes of violence in nature as well as images that are just gross. In my opinion, I would recommend for high school age children and older. Be sure to watch Underdogs when it premieres Sunday June 15th on NatGeo TV as well as ABC and begins streaming the following day on Disney+ and Hulu. Here is a trailer for the series. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
RNZ News
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Erna Walraven : one of the first female zookeepers in Australia
Photo: supplied Erna Walraven became one of Australia's first female zookeepers in the early 1980s. She wasn't exactly welcomed by some of her male colleagues , and that made her curious about power dynamics in the animal world. She became senior curator at Taronga Zoo, and has now written a book on her observations after three decades. From the aggressive female argonaut, to the promiscuous lady emu, to the 'drag queen cuttlefish', Erna Walraven examines gender roles throughout the animal kingdom, unpacking some myths along the way. Her book is called Hear Me Roar: a memoir about zookeeping and what animals taught me about feminism.
