http://www.metafilter.com/tags/platypus/rss tag posts with platypus Thu, 08 May 2008 21:09:55 -0800 Thu, 08 May 2008 21:09:55 -0800 en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://www.metafilter.com/71511/There-is-nothing-quite-as-enigmatic-as-a-platypus <a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jxJdI3uRDuJchg9GLvpjxCJAs6YQD90HO15O0">It turns out if it looks like a duck it's partly a duck.</a> A bunch of scientist got together and set about to decode the platypus genome, and guess what!?! "What we found was the genome, just like the animal, is <a href="http://www.platypus.org.uk/photos01.htm">an amazing amalgam of reptilian and mammal characteristics with quite a few unique platypus characteristics as well</a>". “You have got these reptilian repeat patterns and these more recently evolved milk genes and independent evolution of the venom. It all points to how idiosyncratic evolution is.” “We have microRNAs that are shared with chickens and not mammals as well as ones that are shared with mammals, but not chickens.” Also, apparently, male platypi have <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus_venom">venomous spikes</a> on their heels that can kill dogs! For those who can't access this really really awesome <a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080507/full/453138a.html">Nature write up</a> here's a really cool factoid: every sperm gets a set of all Xs or all Ys. Despite the similar designations, none of the platypus X chromosomes resembles the human, dog or mouse X. “The sex chromosomes are absolutely, completely different from all other mammals. We had not expected that” tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.71511 Thu, 08 May 2008 21:09:55 -0800 platypus genome proof_a_god_with_an_eye_for_a_good_joke Large Marge http://www.metafilter.com/53516/Visit-Australia Australia is well known for having more than it's share of dangerous wildlife. However only a few examples are well known outside of the continent. The <a href="http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/funnelweb.htm">funnelweb spider</a> might be Australia's most infamous <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_funnel-web_spider">horror</a>. But the <a href="http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/redback.htm">redback </a> (a relative of the <a href="http://www.desertusa.com/july97/du_bwindow.html">American black widow</a>) and <a href="http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/mouse_spider.htm">mouse spider</a> both deserve your respect as well. Long hyped as causing severe ulceration, the reputation of the <a href="http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/white_tailed_spider.htm">white-tailed spider</a> might <a href="http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biodiversity/invertebratesprog/spiders/white_tail.asp">not </a>be <em>as </em>deserved but is still a spider of concern. (more inside...) tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.53516 Wed, 02 Aug 2006 13:28:30 -0800 Australia ant spiders funnelweb redback white-tailed jellyfish stingray adder tigersnake snake copperhead red-bellied blue-ringed octopus crocodile platypus weretable and the undead chairs http://www.metafilter.com/24448/phantastic-platypus-puzzle <a href="http://www.canal96.tv/chasm/">While we're all waiting for the inevitable to start...</a> Here's a nice little game of flash that challenges your brains. What more can one ask for? Oh yeah, the hero is a platypus, and the quest is for beer. I think. *burps* tag:metafilter.com,2008:site.24448 Wed, 19 Mar 2003 17:00:23 -0800 flash game platypus zerofoks