Eco Speak

Scientists find 17,650 species between below ocean’s edge of darkness

Kim McGuire — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:55:56 +0000

Photo of a

Scientists have found petroleum-feasting worms, primitive animals that flap their ears to swim and other strange, new creatures dwelling in the deepest part of the ocean.

As part of a marine life census, an international consortium of scientists…

Free Spirit!

Kim McGuire — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:36:20 +0000

Operators of Spirit - one of the seemingly indestructible Mars Rovers - on Tuesday tried to unwedge it from the sand trap it’s been stuck in for months.

The New York Times has a good update on the mission, which is now…

Missouri Botanical Garden helps document orchids of China

Kim McGuire — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:04:37 +0000

Photo by Nick Turland

Led by scientists from the Missouri Botanical Garden, an international collaboration of scientific institutions has published the 32nd volume of the Flora of China, the definitive work on all Chinese wild orchids.

Since 1988, scientists have been working to…

International team with St. Louis ties completes first draft of cassava genome sequence

Kim McGuire — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:20:11 +0000

An international team of scientists co-led by the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center’s Dr. Claude Fauquet have completed a draft genome sequence for the cassava, a food staple in Africa and Asia.

While cassava serves as a primary food source for…

Midwestern mussel proposed to be added to endangered species list

Kim McGuire — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:10:57 +0000

The rabbitfoot mussel, found in both Missouri and Illinois, is now a candidate for the endangered species list, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Friday.

The mussel has only been identified in about 50 streams in 15 Midwestern states. One of…

Groups hold local drives in recognition of America Recycles Day

Kim McGuire — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:39:59 +0000

America Recycles Day is Nov. 15 but there are quite a few events coming up this weekend aimed at promoting recycling, particularly electronics.

First up is an event this Saturday hosted by the cities of Balwin, Ellisville and WITS. Residents of St.…

Longer toes, unique ankle structure aids sprinters

Kim McGuire — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:26 +0000

People with longer toes and a unique ankle structure that allows for quicker acceleration make better sprinters, according to biomechanists.

Penn State scientists analyzed the feet of 12 collegiate sprinters and 12 non-athletes of similar heights. They measured the distance between the…

Man-eating lions of lore prove to be not so bloodthirsty after all

Kim McGuire — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:27:51 +0000

Patterson and his kill

PaThe legendary man-eating lions of Tsavo rumored to have killed more than 130 railroad workers in Africa more than a century ago likely only ate about 35 people, according to new research.

That’s nothing to sneeze at, but the…

Illinois researchers to develop gender-bending papayas

Kim McGuire — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:01:57 +0000

File this under the “Who Knew?” category.

Turns out papayas come in three sexual varieties: male, female and hermaphrodite. And its the hermaphrodites that produce the flavorful fruit that’s often sold commercially and winds up in your fruit parfait.

From the grower’s…

Ax falls at Missouri DNR. Again

Kim McGuire — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:19:53 +0000

Mark Templeton

Yesterday, EcoSpeak was forwarded an email from Department of Natural Resources Director Mark Templeton announcing the promotion of two long-time employees. What the memo didn’t say was that three other DNR employees were terminated that created the vacancies the…