I am a terrifying snake, but I am about to become a meal! | Expo Daily

Snake, I'm about to become a meal

Environmental and population pressures are affecting traditional agricultural systems. A recent study published in Scientific Reports found that farmed python meat may become a more sustainable meat source, as it does not need to be fed as frequently as other livestock over a 12-month period, but grows quickly.

The research team investigated the growth rates of 4,601 reticulated pythons and Burmese pythons from two python farms in Uttaradit, Thailand and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The authors found that both types of pythons grew very quickly, up to 46 grams per day, and that females grew faster than males.

The researchers also tested a combination of different protein sources (including chicken, pork slaughter waste, rodents, and fish meal) and found that 1 gram of python meat could be harvested for every 4.1 grams of food consumed. This food conversion rate had little individual variability and a higher protein conversion rate than any other livestock studied so far. In addition, 61% of the Burmese pythons fasted between days 20 and 127, but lost almost no weight during the same period.

The results of the study suggest that commercial python farming could be a viable and sustainable food production option that could complement current livestock systems, and further research is needed on the most efficient and humane ways to produce this new livestock group.

The jumping rats in the sand dunes really exist in reality, and they are even stronger!

The cute "jumping mouse" Muad'Dib, which appeared in the recent hit movie "Dune", has a pair of big ears that can not only detect the slightest movement, but also condense water inside the ears, which can be drunk by grabbing with two small paws. Its design inspiration actually comes from the long-eared jerboa in the real world.

This is a small rodent known for its ability to adapt to arid environments, mainly found in deserts and dry areas. Their name comes from the way they hop and their long legs, which make them move more like kangaroos than traditional mice.

However, can long-eared jerboas really collect water with their ears? Of course not. Because in the real world, long-eared jerboas rarely need to drink water directly, they can get almost all the necessary water from their food.

This ability comes from their extremely efficient kidneys, which can greatly reduce the loss of water through urine. At the same time, their metabolism is specially adapted to drought, and the urine they produce is very concentrated, and their feces are also very dry, which further reduces water loss. It sounds like they are more powerful than the rats in the movie~

Muad'Dib, the "desert rat" in Dune (Source: The movie Dune)

U.S. methane leaks far exceed estimates

A recent study published in Nature shows that methane leaks from oil and gas producing areas in the United States are far higher than current estimates, about three times higher.

Researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the United States analyzed a large amount of aerial and ground-based measurements of methane leaking from oil and gas wells, pipelines and other infrastructure in oil and gas producing areas. This is the largest data set to date.

The researchers found that methane leakage rates (the amount of methane leaked as a percentage of oil and gas production) ranged from 0.75% to 9.63% in the six regions surveyed, with a weighted average of about 2.95%. This figure is almost three times higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's estimate, suggesting that this greenhouse gas may have a greater impact on the environment.

However, methane leakage varies from region to region. For example, in the Permian Basin (spanning Texas and New Mexico) in the United States, the methane leakage rate in New Mexico is very high, accounting for about 9% of the total natural gas production, while the leakage rate in a basin in Colorado is only about 1%.

This discrepancy means that total methane leaks from U.S. oil and gas producing regions cannot be extrapolated from these data and further research is needed.

Image source: wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0

Wearing makeup while exercising can harm your skin

Many fitness enthusiasts treat exercise as part of their daily routine, scheduling it after a friend’s party or after work, which has led to the phenomenon of wearing makeup while exercising. Maintaining a refined image while exercising may sound attractive, but it is not actually a good choice for health.

A study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology on March 6 pointed out that wearing foundation while exercising may affect skin health by changing the size of skin pores and the subsequent release of sebum, which plays an important role in maintaining skin health.

The researchers recruited 43 college students and had them do a skin test before and after exercise. The participants cleansed their faces and then applied foundation to specific areas of their faces. They then ran for 20 minutes. After the exercise, the researchers found that sebum secretion decreased in the areas where foundation was applied, while the pores of the unapplied areas became larger.

Experiments have shown that cosmetics clog pores and restrict their natural expansion during movement, which in turn blocks the release of sebum and sweat, which moisturize and cool the skin and play an important role in keeping it healthy. The optimal amount of sebum in the skin is still unclear, but too much can cause acne and too little can cause skin irritation.

Researchers warn that for people who exercise for a short time, makeup may not have much effect, but for athletes who are doing long-term endurance training, makeup is not a good idea. So, next time you plan to exercise, you may want to consider going without makeup and let your skin breathe freely. After all, healthy skin is more important than perfect makeup.

Image source: pixabay

Macro lens to see the moment when the antler mushroom spreads spores

Recently, a photography enthusiast in Yanjin, Yunnan, used a macro lens to capture the moment when the velvet antler mushroom spread its spores. The extremely tiny spores sprayed out from the gaps in the gills, and this scene can only be appreciated with the help of light and at a special angle.

The content is compiled from China Science Expo Weibo, Science Popularization China, Global Science, China Science Daily, CCTV Documentary Weibo

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