[ad_1] Image copyright Plant Biomechanics Group Freiburg Scientists have characterised the movement of the Venus flytrap's aquatic cousin in detail for the first time.The carnivorous Aldrovanda vesiculosa, also known as the waterwheel plant, snaps its "trap" shut ten times faster than the flytrap.As it is quite rare in the wild, the plant's mechanism has not previously been studied in great detail.It is thought that the waterwheel and the flytrap may
[ad_1] Indonesia has a problem with plastic. Like many developing countries, its rivers and canals are clogged with dense masses of bottles, bags and other plastic packaging.The army was even called in to help clean-up.The boss of an Indonesian food factory is fighting back in his own way, with "Ecobricks". This creative solution encourages people to stuff 'soft' plastic into bottles, which can then be used as stools, chairs, and
[ad_1] Image copyright Uni of Manchester Image caption Kim the spider Scientists have trained a spider to jump on demand.The diminutive arachnid, which they nicknamed Kim, can leap six times her body length from a standing start.Humans only manage about 1.5 body lengths.Unlocking the secrets of her extraordinary leaps could help build a new generation of robots inspired by nature, say University of Manchester researchers.The regal jumping spider (Phidippus regius)
[ad_1] Image copyright NASA Image caption The rocket launches, adding further to the "peasouper" Prof Tom Pike from Imperial College London is part of the science team on the US-led InSight mission to Mars. His group has supplied seismometers that will enable the Nasa lander to detect "Marsquakes", which should reveal the internal structure of the Red Planet. Over the course of the coming months, Prof Pike will be updating
[ad_1] A recyclable coffee cup could help replace the 2.5 billion disposable cups binned each year. [ad_2] Source link
[ad_1] Image caption Toy figures are among some of the most eye-catching finds Scouring the beach for hidden treasure is by no means a new hobby - rather, beachcombing has been around for centuries and was once the preserve of low-society drifters. But a new breed of eco-friendly hobbyists are trying to stem the rising tide of plastic in the seas by sifting through the man-made debris landing on our
[ad_1] The American space agency Nasa has launched its latest mission to Mars.InSight will be the first probe to focus its investigations predominantly on the interior of the Red Planet.The lander - due to touch down in November - will put seismometers on the surface to feel for "Marsquakes". [ad_2] Source link
[ad_1] Image copyright James Tuttle Keane (Caltech) The InSight mission, launched today from California's Vandenburg Air Force Base, is now on a six month cruise to Mars. It is expected to arrive in November, but what will it find?Mars may appear to be getting crowded, thanks to its growing robotic population, so why send another lander?Illustrator and planetary scientist James Tuttle Keane takes us inside the Red Planet to explain
[ad_1] A dazzling display of tulips, the largest of its kind in the UK, has created a blaze of colour on the Norfolk landscape.But the millions of flowers, grown by Belmont Nurseries near King's Lynn, are set for the chop - as the crop is grown for its bulbs rather than cut flowers. [ad_2] Source link
[ad_1] Image copyright NASA The American space agency launches its latest mission to Mars this weekend. InSight will be the first probe to focus its investigations predominantly on the interior of the Red Planet. The static lander will put seismometers on the surface - including sensors from the UK - to feel for "Marsquakes". These tremors should reveal how the underground rock is layered - data that can be compared
