Inner Nature: Metamorphosis – Buggy Development
By Vidya Rajan, Columnist, The Times
The growth of a single cell from a fertilized egg, or zygote, to an adult composed of trillions of cells is amazing and magical. This process which scientists, with their knack for understatement, call “development” happens with most eukaryotic organisms – those that have cells with a nucleus and other membranous compartments. Nucleated eukaryotic cells are...
Inner Nature: Aposematism – Worn Warning
By Vidya Rajan, Columnist, The Times
Aposematic coloration refers to the conspicuous colors some animals exhibit to advertise their unpalatability or warn of peril to potential predators. A familiar example is the black and yellow/orange stripes of bees. Black and orange aposematic coloration extends to flatworms (ex. sea slugs), reptiles (ex. coral snakes), fish (ex. lionfish) amphibians (ex. newts...
