cephalopod – Techdirt (original) (raw)

Stories filed under: "cephalopod"

DailyDirt: Is It All In The Genes?

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

The Nature vs Nurture debate may never end, but it could become more interesting as researchers quantify the Nature aspects with genetics (and epigenetics and microbiome information and …). But we’ve really only just started to learn about the vast genetic world of biology. We still have a lot to learn from simple fruit flies, so we’re not about to crack the enormous number of genomes that exist (or that could even be synthesized). Here are just a few genomes that scientists have started playing with.

After you’ve finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.

Filed Under: arthropod, biotech, cancer, cephalopod, dna, genes, genetics, genome, hela cells, ixodes scapularis, octopus, platypus, tick

DailyDirt: Are You Smarter Than A Dolphin?

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

We may think we’re pretty smart, but animals like dolphins are pretty smart too. For over 30 years, scientists have been trying to determine how smart dolphins really are. Bottlenose dolphins have a brain-to-body-weight ratio that is only second to humans, and they also have a very complex neocortex, the part of the brain that is responsible for traits typically associated with human intelligence, such as problem-solving and self-awareness. Researchers have even found that dolphins have von Economo neurons, which are associated with emotions, social cognition, and the ability to sense what others are thinking. Besides dolphins, people may be underestimating the intelligence of animals in general. Here are just a few links related to animal smarts.

If you’d like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post.

Filed Under: animal intelligence, animals, brains, cat, cephalopod, chimpanzee, crow, dog, dognition, dolphin, elephant, intelligence, pig, smart animals, squirrel