yes, I am procrastinating, but this is nerd-tastic

Researchers have found a vertebrate with a symbiont (smaller organism in a symbiotic relationship where host species may or may not benefit, think coral or the casiopia jellyfish )! This is literally unheard of! They are dubbing it the Solar Salamander. This "solar salamander" is really the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) and is a widely studied species.

Now I know some of you are giving me the tilted head, what on Earth are you talking about now Bri look, BUT hear me out!  This is a fascinating find because vertebrate cells, as the article points out, have what's known as an adaptive immune system.  In theory this defensive line should destroy the algal cell and make it impossible for it to thrive.  This study shows it doesn't!  This finding challenges the doctrine of how cells work...this is why I love science.  You can't prove things in biology, only disprove, which always leaves room for new discoveries!  Evolution has so many tricks up its sleeve we haven't even begun to understand yet!  We are playing catch up with an ever-dynamic process. Biologists know this and account for it!  We get to live in the middle of this big mystery and try and figure out what's going on around us! We get to be that curious little kid always asking why.  Biology rocks my socks!

Back to this salamander find....the hypothesis that the ability of salamander cells to house algae is due to pluripotency is really interesting.  Does the fact that regeneration can occur in salamanders somehow lessen the effects of the adaptive immune system? Is this specific to A. maculatum or are other salamanders exhibiting this too? What if it has nothing to do with pluripotency, does that mean vertebrates can actually house symbionts contrary to the common consensus?   I am excited for these studies!

Hope you enjoyed the article, subsequent science speak and my boundless nerdiness!

I should be studying...

But, I think this is more important and not discussed enough outside the biological sciences community. I have been reading a lot of articles recently about the decline of regional bat populations due to a fungal infection known as white-nose syndrome (caused by Geomyces destructans). This is still not well understood, but it affects the populations when they are hibernating, or should be rather. It seems to cause the bats to exert energy when they should be conserving it for their hibernation period.  Bats form colonies as part of their life strategy, leading to large scale infections due to close quarters and in turn increased vulnerability.  Some studies are suggesting an infected colony will lose 90-100% of bats during the winter.  The devastating effects of this fungus will definitely be seen during this season, massive losses are expected for the Eastern US bat populations.  The infection is spreading westward, but the new range cannot be determined until this hibernation period is over.  

This has unfortunate and obvious parallels to the chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) causing worldwide amphibian declines. Chytrid is far more wide spread at this point, but began in similar localized regions.

Scary.

Here's some literature if you feel like reading more about white-nose syndrome:

Bat Conservation International article

Discovery article

Discovery article 2

Nature article

Bats are unique, fascinating creatures.  If you haven't checked out the Bat Conservation International website before spend some time on their after you finish the article.

Depressing post I know, but it is cases like this that demonstrate why wildlife biology and conservation are of the utmost importance.

Mojave National Preserve

The first stop on my trip was the Mojave National Preserve. Kim and I arrived in the evening and decided to stay at Mojave's hole in the ground campsite. I started to set up the tent as Kim started to make dinner because we thought it looked like it would rain. After a while I looked down on my sweater and what did I see?? SNOW. We ran into the car to eat and then played scrabble for a while. After a bit the snow turned into rain and we headed into the tent. At a certain point in the night it began to pour and Kim and I began discussing flash floods. We decided to err on the side of caution and hop in the car to sleep.

When we woke up my car was very obviously covered in snow. I hit the windshield wipers and saw that everything was covered in snow!

My car and 3 season tent. Good thing Sierra Designs makes a good product!

Snow covered succulents!

I thought the barrel cactus was especially pretty.

So after the initial shock we started building snowmen and really appreciating this rare site. How many people can say that they have woken up to something like this? It was so beautiful! As the day went on all the snow melted, but we had the picture to prove it happened. The rest of the day sort of had this impending doom sort of look so we decided to go to the Mitchell Caverns! Who doesn't love caves?! So we went through with our awesome tour guide Myke, yes with a Y. We got to hear all about stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, draperies, and shields. For more information on cave formations click here.

The Mitchell Caverns were once owned by Jack Mitchell who set up his own adventure tours. His were a bit more of a scramble than the tour we took, but its neat to see the original path and ideas he had. The caverns have been well preserved and are looking great to me considering how many people must walk through them on a daily basis. It is the same as most ecotourism attractions though, the people coming in take a toll on the surroundings, but what do you do? I am still torn about the subject!

Anywho! On a side note, throughout these entries you're going to see Kim and I in weird glasses, these glasses are 3D. We had this silly idea to do "Kim and Bri's adventures in 3D!" Just to give fair warning!

How ya doin' limestone?

Stalactites!

Comin' to you in 3D

After the caverns, impending cloud doom was still there so we decided to take a drive around Mojave. Mojave is a beautiful place with a diverse landscape; however one thing they don't tell you is to bring a 4WD high clearance car. If you hadn't noticed that is not something I have! We did see a lot and we had lots of bumpy scenic views! We got back just in time to see a pretty rocking sunset!

The next day was beautiful! Kim and I decided to tour the other side of the park and headed to the Kelso Depot Center. I would recommend everyone do this despite it not being near the campgrounds! We found they had a map of hiking trails that were near our campground that the Hole-in-the-Wall visitor's center didn't have!! After our stop there we headed to the Kelso dunes, a 600 foot sand dune in the middle of desert and mountains?! By golly yes!

Me very close to the top! And yes, it was WINDY

And then we jumped off the top and made the sand BOOM!!

And that was our Mojave adventure!! It was onto Grand Canyon!

Again nothing to do with travel or science...

BUT this is one of my favorite passtimes, SCRABBLE. Mattel is now allowing proper names into the mix!!!! NOT okay!!!!!



I am pretty disappointed in Mattel, but I feel Colbert said it best, so I'm sharing it with you all

Scrabble Allows Proper Names

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

Enjoy and then get angry! None of this proper noun business will ever happen on my scrabble board! And I am letting it slide that there are not two z's in a game of scrabble...the rest is too good!

Nothing to do with science or travel...

BUT these guys are AMAZING. I saw them last night for the second time and they just rock my socks. Music makes my world go round and these guys are a great addition to my collection. Their studio albums don't do 'em justice, but they are still rockin!

The Devil Makes Three!

Enjoy the sounds folks!

This is AWESOME!!

Scientists have found a sea slug that produces chlorophyll!!!! part plant, part animal=AMAZING!!!

Read it folks! Words cannot describe how exciting this discovery is! A defining feature of plants is the ability for them to create this pigment...the chloroplast is one of the major differences between the plant and animal cells. I want to see the cells in this bad boy!

CRAZINESS!!!

Read all about it!