Dr. Newt

rhamphotheca:

Axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum)

… a neotenic salamander, closely related to the Tiger Salamander. Larvae of this species fail to undergo metamorphosis, so the adults remain aquatic and gilled. The species originates from numerous lakes, such as Lake Xochimilco underlying Mexico City. Axolotls are used extensively in scientific research due to their ability to regenerate limbs.

As of 2010, wild axolotls are near extinction due to urbanization in Mexico City and polluted waters. Nonnative fish such as African tilapia and Asian carp have also recently been introduced to the waters. These new fish have been eating the axolotls’ young, as well as its primary source of food. The axolotl is currently on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s annual Red List of threatened species...

(read more: Wikipedia)    (photo: LoKiLeCh)

mothernaturenetwork:

Icelandic designer Hafsteinn Juliusson has created a set of jewelry that will really grow on you. His Growing Jewelry features inset Icelandic moss that owners must regularly water and trim — a practice he hopes will help urbanites connect with nature. The mossy rings and necklaces, which Juliusson describes as “a clash of jewelry and gardening; couture and organism,” are available at the Reykjavik Art Museum where they live under growing lamps.
While we admit that this jewelry is pretty cool, some of the items on our list are rather cringe-worthy. 14 examples of eco-fashion gone too far

neiture:

Take care, kid | image by Teguh Santosa

14-billion-years-later:

Speed of light may have been broken

Okay guys, this one is hot off the press. I’ve only found two sources for this (here and here) that have been posted in the last hour. I have to say that I immediately doubt the validity of this, but I feel I should bring it to your attention anyway.

Reports from our good friends at CERN say that they’ve observed particles traveling at faster than light speeds. For those of you who know a bit about relativity, this ain’t all that cool. The speed of light is basically meant to be the fastest speed there is, and if this wasn’t the case then we may have a major breakdown of Einstein’s theory of relativity.

The scientists at CERN have concluded this based off results in which a beam of neutrinos fired from a particle accelerator in Geneva traveled 434 miles 60 nanoseconds faster than it should have. This may not sound like much, but the error was calculated at 10 nanoseconds and the scientists themselves seem fairly adamant in their results.

(via itsfullofstars)

mothernaturenetwork:

12 new frog species discovered
Scientists find a dozen unknown ‘night frogs’ in remote western India, but half may already be threatened with extinction.

rhamphotheca:

animalworld: NORTHERN BASKET STAR - Gorgonocephalus arcticus

© Alexander Semenov

Characteristics:
• yellowish color
• 5 arms branching out into numerous coiled filaments
• opens to feed on plankton when the current is not running too strongly.

Family:  Gorgonocephalidae  Maximum size:  4”/102 mm

Source:
http://www.osl.gc.ca/guide_sp/en/invert/sp/g-arcticus.html

Other posts:
Sunflower Sea Star

Necklace Sea Star

Panamic Cushion Star

northedelweiss:

Synchiropus splendidus

northedelweiss:

The kingdom of sheep - Mountain Pass San Boldo , Italy

neiture:

Laurel Forest, Northern Tenerife (Canary islands) | image by Arturo Lasso

China!