Every year, honeybees kill more people than sharks. At least ten times more people. In today’s Mindboggled audio blog, we explain why getting stung hurts so damn much. We also discuss Justin O. Schmidt, an American entomologist who has built a career from being attacked by insects. And for our final segment: honeybees vs. hornet. Who … Continue reading
Australians recently voted for their favourite bird, and, for once in 2013, we voted for the right candidate: the superb fairy wren. This colourful songbird frequents gardens throughout south-eastern Australia, and, for reasons I’ve already explained, is probably the coolest bird in the world. For this week’s Mindboggled audio blog, we found two people who … Continue reading
Imagine being the very last of your kind. Year after year, you could traipse the globe and never once encounter another living soul: no sexual encounters, no companionship, and you can certainly farewell those games of table tennis. This is a hypothetical scenario, but unfortunately many species have experienced its reality, thanks to Mankind and … Continue reading
“Catastrophic Failure” said my supervisor, and then he took us to the pub to drown our sorrows. These are not the words you want to hear describing a scientific experiment. You dream to hear ‘ingenious’ ‘astounding’ and that forever sought-after ‘published’. But unfortunately this is not the outcome of all scientific endeavors. Like many others … Continue reading
When I was thirteen years old, something happened. Something terrible and embarrassing, and I’ll never forget it. Back in those days, I was a model pupil, a keen and conscientious learner with the good looks to match. But this grade-A student was about to meet his match. Our Arts teacher gave us what seemed at … Continue reading
This week The Science Hour team discuss diving mammals, growing fingertips and sniffing cancer. We were also joined by Upulie from @realscientists to talk DNA patenting and science communication! Check out the podcast below! Podcast: 16 June 2013. Continue reading
On the science hour this week, Sila and Tom and joined again by Charles, to talk fungi, brains, and a surprising amount of sphincters. Science! Check out the link below 🙂 via Podcast: 9 June 2013. Continue reading
When it comes to sex, evolution will select whichever strategy works best. It cares nothing for propriety, and doesn’t mind offending your delicate sensibilities ‒ as long as sperm meets egg in most efficient way possible. Our very own Mindboggler Ella has already described some of the weird and wonderful sexual behaviours you’ll find in … Continue reading
mindboggled 