Science cartoon based on "A Deadly Fungus is Eating the Scales off Snakes"

A Deadly Fungus is Eating the Scales off Snakes

Generally people are scared of snakes, whether it is poisonous or not. At the same time, snakes are having threat from lot many predators ranging from bird, reptiles and mammals including human being too. Snakes have a definite and important role in the ecosystem and they are important organisms in term of food web or food chain. Snake fungal disease is caused by fungi Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola is well known but known. Scientists know how fungi are infecting the snakes, but not why fungi is infecting the snakes. Most important part of the research, declining of snakes. 

Here I am presenting a cartoon based on the above research.
 

References:

Original research paper: Allender, M. C., Raudabaugh, D. B., Gleason, F. H., & Miller, A. N. (2015). The natural history, ecology, and epidemiology of Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola and its potential impact on free-ranging snake populations. Fungal Ecology. DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2015.05.003.

Article in Conservation Magazine: A mysterious infection is killing the snakes of the eastern US

Science cartoon based on Gravitational constant is universal constant.

Science cartoon based on Gravitational constant is universal constant.

Four fundamental forces are electromagnetic, strong nuclear, weak nuclear and gravitational. There was a century old question in cosmology: Is the force of gravity the same everywhere and at all times? According to Scott Ransom, an astronomer with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Charlottesville, Va. "Though it appears on Earth to be constant and universal, there are some theories in cosmology that suggest gravity may change over time or may be different in different corners of the Universe.".

Till now, astronomer were conforming the gravitational constant within our solar system. Astronomers used the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in West Virginia and its Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico and studied the pulsar PSR J1713+0747 for 21-years and measured various parameters very precisely. Study of the said pulsar and associated white dwarf star revealed that the gravitational constant is not changing. This is the first time that the conformity test of gravitational constant is tested out of our solar system. Thus it can be said Gravitational constant is universal constant.

Reference: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150806144557.htm

Tribute to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

Tribute to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

 

$100 Million for search of extraterrestrial life

$100 Million for search of extraterrestrial life.

Consider it as the effect of reading or whatever it may be. A boy read the book "Intelligent Life in the Universe", authored by a well-known astro-physist Carl Sagan at the age of 10 years, became a fan of extraterrestrial life. Yuri Milner, Russian billionaire announced on 20th Jul 2015 that he is ready to spend $100 million to explore extraterrestrial life.  I am presenting a cartoon on the above fact.
Feel free to share it. 

Science Cartoon on " If endangered animals start using social website"

Science Cartoon on " If endangered animals start using social website"

 

Scientoon on "Spider can swim also"

 Scientoon on "Spider can swim also"

Common spiders can fly using a technique called 'ballooning'. This involves catching the wind by using their silk. Ballooning spiders are estimated to move up to 30 km per day when wind conditions are suitable, helping in their quest for new habitats and resources. The interesting fact discovered is they can swim or float in water (both marine as well as fresh water). For the first time, experts at the University of Nottingham have described how spiders use their legs as rudders and propel themselves across the water with the help of the wind.
Here I am presenting Science Cartoon based on the above research.
Feel free to share it because it is available under Creative Commons Lic 4.0 for non commercial uses.

 

Science Cartoon "Climate Change Can Cause Animals to Switch Sex"

 Science Cartoon "Climate Change Can Cause Animals to Switch Sex"

A team of ecologists lead by Professor Arthur Georges has proven that temperature, not just genetics, plays a role in determining the sex of Australian bearded dragons. Their findings were published today in the journal Nature.
     In humans, XX chromosome is found in women and XY in men. It is an established fact. Similarly for Australian lizards a ZZ/ZW system of chromosomal sex determination. A ZZ is male and a ZW is female. Prof. George and his team collected 131 samples of Australian lizards and found that 11 out of 131 samples collected were genetically male but anatomically female. Further, they found that  they could reproduce and often became supermoms within their population. It means genetically male is behaving like anatomical mother. Such kind of mess up is credited to account of global warming. Whether it will be useful in terms of sustainability, adaptability and evolution are unknown.
Here I am presenting cartoon based on the above fact.