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Can Ants Swim?

7/30/2013

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Video below:
The answer to this question depends on how we define swimming. Ants do not use a "breaststroke" to navigate water, but they do have the ability to effectively cross water to find possible food sources. I believe that the secret to their success is due to the fact that they have sufficient buoyancy to avoid immediate drowning. My observations so far suggest that some ants seem to do the equivalent of a dog paddle or a similar designed leg movement. But the majority seem to just flail their way across a length of water. They are able to float for a long time when they tire from moving, become disorientated easily, and once they find land, or a rock in this case, they are reluctant to return to the water. It is well known that ants use scent trails to mark direction for other ants to follow, but in the water, this is not possible.
A few words about the video. I do not have real macro video capability so although the video has some faults, I did my best to illustrate these amazing insects. For a really great video made in Europe with fantastic images and professional experiments, but no swimming, go to this 54 minute documentary here. By the way, the little guy at the end did make it to the rock after about ten minutes!

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Cats Dressed Like People!

7/12/2013

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We may think of dressing dogs and cats as a recent innovation in entertainment but it is really a very old idea. LOLcats, (laughing out load cats) for those who didn't know that there is a name for this activity, was very popular in the late 19th and early 20th century.
This form of anthropomorphism goes back even further. The early Egyptians revered cats and made jewelry and protective clothing for them as well as having some mummified with the owner.
One photographer, Harry Whittier Frees (1879–1953), made a living at this selling his images as postcards and photos for public consumption. I found the following images at the Library of Congress site and thought that there may be some smiles for readers. Most are dated 1914. The last photo is of Frees, who battled cancer for years and committed suicide in 1953. But, he left a lasting legacy of delightful images, although I don't know how he managed to get the cats to pose. I have had a cat and it would have left home if I put clothes on it! Enjoy...


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Car Accidents in the 1920's...

7/2/2013

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We are very familiar with car accidents and we have seen them since moving vehicles have been around us. But, some of the worst accidents occurred before there were any real "rules of the road". During the 1920's a drivers license was not needed in most states. There were no signs, signals, or traffic enforcement, and in many cases the roads were filled with ruts and at times, filled with holes. It was the wild west when it came to driving and life was risky, not just for drivers, but for pedestrians as well. The combination of inexpensive cars, (The model T Ford was less than $300), and poorly maintained roads, uneducated drivers, and speeds approaching 40 mile per hour, was the perfect combination for some really bad accidents. But, when I look at the photos I see the lack of any protection for the occupants. There are sharp corners of metal, non-shatterproof glass, and potential for being thrown out of the vehicle. The well-known term for these cars was "Tin Lizzy" and they were designed for fast production and not safety. While we have come a long way in safety, the driver is still the problem. Now it is texting and other distractions that seem ubiquitous. In either case, the only winners are the body shop and the lawyers! Photos from the National Photo Archive from Washington, DC.

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