he Insane Biology of the Octopus

Pterosaurs Were Monsters of the Mesozoic Skies

A fascinating look at Pterosaurs. Hard to imagine the strange anatomy of these reptiles (note: they are not dinosaurs) or the fact that they really could fly.

Pterosaurs were the first vertebrate creatures to evolve powered flight and conquer the air—long before birds took wing. They prevailed for more than 160 million years before vanishing along with the nonbird dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period, around 66 million years ago. In that time, they evolved some of the most extreme anatomical adaptations of any animal, living or extinct. The smallest of these aerial predators was the size of a sparrow. The largest had a wingspan that rivaled that of an F-16 fighter jet. Many possessed heads larger than their bodies, making them, in essence, flying jaws of death. Pterosaurs patrolled every ocean and continent on Earth. No animal in the Mesozoic would have been safe from their gaze.
Unlike dinosaurs, which are survived today by birds, pterosaurs left behind no living descendants. As a result, all that paleontologists know about pterosaurs comes from the fossil record. And that record has been frustratingly fragmentary, leaving us with just a glimmer of their former glory and a host of questions about their bizarre anatomy and ill fate. Paleontologists have scratched their heads over these mysteries for decades. Now new fossil discoveries, combined with mathematical modeling methods in which anatomical structures are simplified just enough that equations of physical properties can be applied to get best estimates of strength, weight, speed, and so forth, are finally generating insights. And what scientists are finding is that pterosaurs were even more extraordinary than we ever imagined

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pterosaurs-were-monsters-of-the-mesozoic-skies/

Charles Darwin Birthday!

Darwin Day is an international celebration of science and humanity held on or around February 12, the anniversary of Charles Darwin‘s birth in 1809. Honoring the discoveries and life of Darwin—the man who first described biological evolution via natural selection—Darwin Day celebrates the enormous benefits that scientific knowledge has contributed to the advancement of humanity.

Watch Your Inner Fish

If you missed the first episode of “Your Inner Fish” by Dr. Neil Shubin in PBS, it is now online for you to watch. Don’t miss it!

Darwin day!

We honor one of the most important scientists that ever lived

Evolution explained

Not my video but it explains very simply and clearly

Go Amish!

Meanwhile, on Doonesbury

The complete idiots guide to atheism

The Most Astounding Fact (Neil DeGrasse Tyson)

 

The Daily Show: Science: What is it up to?

 

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

 

Video Link

Bruce Schneier talks at TED: The security mirage

 

Worth watching Bruce Schneier, one of the security experts I have followed for years.

TED link

Another great Tim Minchin’s performance

 

Tim Minchin

YouTube link

Biology, the Bible, and the First Amendment

A 1997 debate with Eugenie Scott about first amendment issues:

YouTube link

(Via Unreasonable Faith)

One more theory

 

© Dan Piraro – Bizarro.com

Richard Dawkins: Why are there still chimpanzees?

There are people in this world that still cling to outdated and debunked fallacies. If you wonder about something, as the second guy in the video does, why not spend a few minutes with a book, or an encyclopedia? In any case, Richard Dawkins explains it clearly.

YouTube link

Attenborough joins the symphony

YouTube link (if you can’t see the embedded video)

 

(via Pharyngula)

Top Ten Creationist Arguments

 

YouTube link (if you can’t see the embedded video)

Neil deGrasse Tyson: It's Not About 'Church and State'

From The Amazing Meeting 6 (via JREF)

YouTube link (if you can’t see the embedded video)