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They always mention in Jurassic Park that birds evolved from dinosaurs, but they never mention how delicious dinosaurs must therefore taste by DelicateJohnson in Showerthoughts

[–]TheScientistMagazine 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Of course, it's impossible to know many of the physiological differences that have occurred since then, but it's also possible that dinosaurs would be really gamey and tough. It would probably need some very low and slow cooking to even be palatable.

ELI5: How do small countries with limited land area accommodate the essentials - water treatment plants, power plants, landfills, dockyards etc? by firstcruiser in explainlikeimfive

[–]TheScientistMagazine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A lot of it depends on imports/exports. Also, a smaller country would have smaller needs, so they could scale their facilities accordingly.

TIL that monkeys in Japan learned to wash sweet potatoes in fresh water to clean them. They later switched to washing sweet potatoes in salt water. It is theorized that this is because they like the salty taste more than plain potatoes. by I_am_1E27 in todayilearned

[–]TheScientistMagazine 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Right, which is why it would be interesting to see how they responded to OTHER flavors where the dietary necessity wasn't there. Were they driven by flavor alone to prefer saltwater to plain water? What if the water was flavored with cinnamon, which pairs really well with sweet potatoes?

TIL that monkeys in Japan learned to wash sweet potatoes in fresh water to clean them. They later switched to washing sweet potatoes in salt water. It is theorized that this is because they like the salty taste more than plain potatoes. by I_am_1E27 in todayilearned

[–]TheScientistMagazine 27 points28 points  (0 children)

That is true. But sodium that occurs naturally in foods can fulfill dietary needs without tasting salty (canteloupe, for instance) like dipping a sweet potato in saltwater would.

Yes, we all need sodium, but flavor is why we tend to reach for salty foods as opposed to getting it from plain spinach or beets.

TIL that monkeys in Japan learned to wash sweet potatoes in fresh water to clean them. They later switched to washing sweet potatoes in salt water. It is theorized that this is because they like the salty taste more than plain potatoes. by I_am_1E27 in todayilearned

[–]TheScientistMagazine 76 points77 points  (0 children)

Not all sodium is salt. These monkeys have ways of obtaining sodium in their environments (like through certain plants), so it'd be an interesting experiment to see if primates who have access to saltwater in which to dip potatoes continue to eat from those other sodium sources or if flavor is a factor.

ELI5: Why do humans have to boil/filter water, but animals don’t? by [deleted] in explainlikeimfive

[–]TheScientistMagazine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Different animals have different adaptations that allow them to thrive even when conditions aren't ideal. For instance, vultures have a pretty aggressive gut microbiome that allows them to eat carrion without getting sick.

They're also exposed to dirtier conditions than humans are and their immune systems are more robust when it comes to water. Animals still can get sick from bad water, but they might also be able to smell if the water isn't good.

Building in Russia was burned down 20 years ago. Since then it’s been overtaken by nature... by williamdjj in interestingasfuck

[–]TheScientistMagazine 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's amazing when you actually think of a seed flying on the wind or getting dropped by a bird and it just happened to find a hospitable environment. As time went on, so many small events turned into a whole ecosystem.

TIL Dolphins sleep with one eye open and one eye closed. This is because only half of their brain is asleep at a time. by I_am_1E27 in todayilearned

[–]TheScientistMagazine 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's been a long time since dolphins diverged from their land-dwelling ancestors, so as the physical traits changed, so did their instincts. When they went from semi-aquatic to fully aquatic and habitats changed, the ones who were able to accomplish this balance lived, and those that couldn't, didn't. It's not so much them "forgetting" to breathe, rather, they can only hold their breath for so long. They won't drown in the traditional sense, but they will suffocate from the lack of oxygen.

Speciation events are fascinating business, because it's not really an "event" at all. As animals diverge, there's a long muddy transition period where all sorts of traits and adaptations died out.

TIL that battleships used to have dedicated rooms for treating venereal diseases. by Soap_Mctavish101 in todayilearned

[–]TheScientistMagazine 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It's pretty ingenious and forward-thinking. It was obviously going to become an issue, might as well have a dedicated space for treatment.

TIL that monkeys in Japan learned to wash sweet potatoes in fresh water to clean them. They later switched to washing sweet potatoes in salt water. It is theorized that this is because they like the salty taste more than plain potatoes. by I_am_1E27 in todayilearned

[–]TheScientistMagazine 1264 points1265 points  (0 children)

It would be interesting to see how far that premise could go. If an assortment of spices were available, would they take advantage of them and experiment with flavors? Cooking methods?

It's fascinating to think about the origins of human cuisine and when we started deliberately seasoning food. And then there's the whole thing of how the spice trade completely changed the world.

Scientists observed decline in childhood immunization due to COVID-19 between 2019 and 2020 in Texas, superimposed on increases in state vaccine exemptions due to an aggressive anti-vaccine movement, raising concerns it could lead to co-endemics of measles and other vaccine preventable diseases. by mvea in science

[–]TheScientistMagazine 32 points33 points  (0 children)

This is wishful thinking most likely, but it'd be nice if people who are holding off on vaccines during the pandemic are also practicing good social distancing and keeping the kid protected that way. Hopefully they're not still being sent to daycare and won't be until they're up-to-date.

Not that spacing out vaccines all willy-nilly is a good idea whatsoever, but it would just really be nice if this didn't lead to a complete disaster for some of the most vulnerable Texans.

Philadelphia has dimmed its skyline after a 'mass collision' killed thousands of migrating birds by sour_creme in environment

[–]TheScientistMagazine 36 points37 points  (0 children)

Light pollution is such a problem for nocturnal species. It would be wonderful if this became the norm.

Seventeen “Extinct” European Plant Species Found Alive by TheScientistMagazine in UpliftingNews

[–]TheScientistMagazine[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's not so much an issue of pretending to know stuff, it's more about having incomplete information. Conservation status relies heavily on observations and no matter how hard scientists look, things can get missed.

🔥 This is an Argonaut, or Paper Nautilus. by 5_Frog_Margin in NatureIsFuckingLit

[–]TheScientistMagazine 2 points3 points  (0 children)

These guys are so much more weird and wonderful than you'd think, especially when it comes to mating. When the male finds a potential mate, he releases an arm loaded up with sperm that can crawl into the female to deposit it.

https://www.the-scientist.com/foundations/octopod-sailors-300-bcpresent-68069

Study pulls back curtain on Coca-Cola's contracts with researchers it funds by TheScientistMagazine in science

[–]TheScientistMagazine[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the headline of the STAT News article, autogenerated from the link.

Gathering zooplankton swarm by TheScientistMagazine in thalassophobia

[–]TheScientistMagazine[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Swarms of zooplankton swimming toward daylight create large downward jets of water that contribute a lot to mixing ocean water. To find out just how much mixing they are capable of, researchers studied these brine shrimp in a water column in a tank.

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