Imagine the possibilities you could encounter with the ability to be invisible! Cystisoma is one of the few species among the marine life that exerts the ability of transparency. Due to their habitat being the open ocean, this species is unable to camouflage itself among other marine or plant life. Although the trait of invisibility seems like it could protect these species from any predators, the sunlight that reflects along the backs of these species reveals the presence of these fish. Bagge researches the Cytosima's features in more depth to find out if this species carries another "survival of the fittest" feature. It turns out that these fish have nanoproturbances along their legs that reduce the reflection of light on the species toward its predators. Due to the small ridge like mountains on their legs, the light that is refected passes through a buffer. The ability of the Cystisoma to change their physical appearance is a part of natural selection among the open ocean, allowing this species to survive and reproduce, outcompeting inferior species.
The features that Cystisoma are remarkable, but they also serve as a sign that evolution of species has occured in a way that is not known to most of society. The trait of transparency among organisms is not widely heard of and this species signals to inhabitants worldwide that change has occured within the environment and the competition among life is greater. news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/12/oceans-animals-invisible-physics/#/01-sea-creature-cloak-invisibility.ngsversion.1481311943701.jpg
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Along the West Coast, three states including Oregon, California, and Washington plan to remove dams that have become useless due to their deterioration. Money is being funded to states that have already built up a community that is willing to break down the dams, but need some financial assistance to do so. It is predicted that once these dams are removed, several salmon and steelhead species are expected to increase in population due to free flowing waterways opening up. Michael Scott, acting director of the environment program of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, expects the climate to decrease to normal temperatures because the dams cause the water to settle in pools without enough flow, which allows the sun's heat to penetrate on the surface, evaporating the water. By 2020, 70% of the 14,00 dams will reach their 50th year of utilization and a majority of these dams will be destroyed. Although removing dams is costly, restoring these run-down barriers is not economically efficient. Dam removal may cause uprising from the agricultural population, but several dams are degrading, becoming useless and inefficient. Thus, the dams should be removed to allow the population of aquatic species to increase and decrease climate change. The public must be informed about the benefits of removing the dams as well as the consequences and make a decision that is best suited for the environment in the long term . news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/11/dam-removal-nelson-dam-matiliha-rogue-river-hewlett-foundation-open-rivers/ |
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April 2017
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