Weird Naked Mole Rat Facts (Heterocephalus glaber)

Every species of animal has its unique traits. However, some of the characteristics of the naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) are quirky bordering on downright weird. Some people think the rats unique physiology could be studied to unlock immortality or find a way to prevent cancer. Whether or not this is true remains to be seen, but one thing is certain. The mole rat is an unusual creature. Fast Facts: Naked Mole Rat Scientific Name: Heterocephalus glaberCommon Names: Naked mole rat, sand puppy, desert mole ratBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 3-4 inchesWeight: 1.1-1.2 ouncesLifespan: 32 yearsDiet: HerbivoreHabitat: East Africa grasslandsPopulation: StableConservation Status: Least Concern Description The naked mole rat queen is larger than the other rats within a colony. Geoff Brightling / Getty Images Its easy to recognize the naked mole rat by its buck-teeth and wrinkled skin. The rats body is adapted for life underground. Its protruding teeth are used for digging and its lips seal behind its teeth, to prevent the animal from eating dirt while burrowing. While the rat isnt blind, its eyes are small, with poor visual acuity. The naked mole rats legs are short and thin, but the rat can move forward and backward with equal ease. The rats arent completely bald, but they have little hair and lack an insulating fat layer beneath the skin. The average rat is 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in) in length and weighs 30 to 35 g (1.1 to 1.2 oz). Females are larger and heavier than males. Diet The rodents are herbivores, feeding primarily on large tubers. One large tuber can sustain a colony for months or years. The rats eat the interior of the tuber, but leave enough for the plant to regenerate. Naked mole rats sometimes eat their own feces, although this may be a social behavior rather than  a source of nutrition. Naked mole rats are preyed upon by snakes and raptors. The Only Cold-Blooded Mammal A naked mole rat would feel cool to the touch. Karen Tweedy-Holmes / Getty Images Human, cats, dogs, and even egg-laying platypuses are warm-blooded. As a rule, mammals are thermoregulators, able to maintain body temperature despite external conditions. The naked mole rat is the one exception to the rule. Naked mole rats are cold-blooded or thermoconformers. When a naked mole rat is too hot, it moves to a deeper, cooler part of its burrow. When its too cold, the rat either moves to a sun-warmed location or huddles with its pals. Adaptation to Oxygen Deprivation Humans cant live very long without air. Dimitri Otis / Getty Images Human brain cells start to die within 60 seconds without oxygen. Permanent brain damage typically sets in after three minutes. In contrast, naked mole rats can survive 18 minutes in an oxygen-free environment without suffering any harm. When deprived of oxygen, the rats metabolism slows and it uses anaerobic glycolysis of fructose to make lactic acid to supply its cells with energy. Naked mole rats can live in an atmosphere of 80 percent carbon dioxide and 20 percent oxygen. Humans would die from carbon dioxide poisoning under these conditions. Habitat and Distribution The rats are native to the dry grasslands of East Africa, where they live in colonies of 20 to 300 individuals. Reproduction and Social Behavior Naked mole rats and other mole rats form colonies, much like bees and ants. Kerstin Klaassen / Getty Images What do bees, ants, and mole rats have in common? All are eusocial animals. This means they live in colonies that have overlapping generations, division of labor, and cooperative brood care. As in insect colonies, naked mole rats have a caste system. A colony has one female (queen) and one to three males, while the rest of the rats are sterile workers. The queen and males begin breeding at one year of age. The hormones and ovaries of worker females are suppressed, so if the queen dies, one of them can take over for her. The queen and the males maintain a relationship for several years. Naked mole rat gestation is 70 days, producing a litter ranging from 3 to 29 pups. In the wild, naked mole rats breed once a year, providing the litter survives. In captivity, the rats produce a litter every 80 days. The queen nurses the pups for a month. After this, smaller workers feed the pups fecal pap until they are able to eat solid food. Larger workers help to maintain the nest, but also protect the colony from attacks. Unusual Aging Process Biologically, an old naked mole rat and a young one are virtually indistinguishable. R. Andrew Odum / Getty Images While mice may live up to 3 years, naked mole rats can live up to 32 years. The queen doesnt experience menopause, but remains fertile throughout her lifespan. While naked mole rat longevity is exceptional for a rodent, its unlikely the species holds the Fountain of Youth in its genetic code. Both naked mole rats and humans have DNA repair pathways not present in mice. Another reason mole rats may outlive mice is because of their lower metabolic rate. Naked mole rats are not immortal. They die from predation and illness. However, mole rat aging does not adhere to the Gompertz law describing aging  in mammals. Research into naked mole rat longevity may help scientists unravel the mystery of the aging process. Cancer and Pain Resistance Unlike the naked mole rat, naked mice and other rodents are susceptible to tumors. littlepeggy / Getty Images While naked mole rats can catch diseases and die, they are highly resistant (not entirely immune) to tumors. Scientists have proposed multiple mechanisms for the rats remarkable cancer resistance. The naked mole rat expresses the p16 gene that prevents cells from dividing once they come in contact with other cells, the rats contain extremely high-molecular-mass hyaluronan (HMW-HA) which may protect them, and their cells have ribosomes capable of making nearly error-free proteins. The only malignancies discovered in naked mole rats were in captive-born individuals, which lived in a much more oxygenated environment than rats in the wild. Naked mole rats neither itch nor feel pain. Their skin lacks a neurotransmitter called substance P that is needed to send pain signals to the brain. Scientists believe this might be an adaptation to living in poorly ventilated species, where high levels of carbon dioxide cause acid to build up in tissues. Further, the rats dont feel temperature-related discomfort. The lack of sensitivity may be in response to the naked mole rats extreme habitat. Conservation Status The IUCN classifies the naked mole rat conservation status as least concern. Naked mole  rats are numerous within their range and are not considered to be endangered. Sources Daly, T. Joseph M.; Williams, Laura A.; Buffenstein, Rochelle. Catecholaminergic innervation of interscapular brown adipose tissue in the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber). Journal of Anatomy. 190 (3): 321–326, April 1997.Maree, S. and C. Faulkes. . IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesHeterocephalus glaber. Version 2008. International Union for Conservation of Nature, 2008.ORiain, M. Justin; Faulkes, Chris G. African mole rats: eusociality, relatedness and ecological constraints. In Korb, Judith; Heinze, Jà ¶rgen. Ecology of Social Evolution. Springer. pp. 207–223, 2008.Park, Thomas J.; Lu, Ying; Jà ¼ttner, Renà ©; St. J. Smith, Ewan; Hu, Jing; Brand, Antje; Wetzel, Christiane; Milenkovic, Nevena; Erdmann, Bettina; Heppenstall, Paul A.; Laurito, Charles E.; Wilson, Steven P.; Lewin, Gary R. Selective Inflammatory Pain Insensitivity in the African Naked Mole-Rat (. PLoS Biology. 6 (1): e13, 2008.Heterocephalus glaber)Thomas J. Park; et al. Fructose-driven glycolys is supports anoxia resistance in the naked mole-rat. Science. 356 (6335): 307–311. April 21, 2017.

Essay on Conrad’s usage of imagery in the - Heart of...

Conrad’s usage of imagery in the - Heart of Darkness - Aristotle, a famous Greek philosopher, said that the aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. If that is the case, then Joseph Conrad is a true artist regarding the pictures he paints with his words. Conrads most effective literary tool for plot development and expressing the theme is his use of imagery. Karl, a noted critic, explains this technique that Conrad uses. â€Å"The scenes and images (that Conrad depicts) are a variety which permits extension and almost a limitless number of references are possible†(168). His use of imagery is so detailed and accurate, one feels as if they are in the scene he is describing.†¦show more content†¦...In some inland post feel the savagery, the utter savagery, had closed round him--all that mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest, in the jungles, in the hearts of wild men. Theres no initiation either into such mysteries. He has to live in the midst of the incomprehensible, which is detestable. And it has a fascination, too, which goes to work upon him. The fascination of the abomination--you know. Imagine the growing regrets, the longing to escape, the powerless disgust, the surrender, the hate(Conrad 4). In the story, Marlow saw what he thought to be civilized British settlers, but in reality, they were savages willing to do whatever it takes to make a profit. That is why Conrad describes their mother country as â€Å"one of the dark places of the Earth†(3). To sum up the harshness and cruelties of imperialism, Conrad explains that, â€Å"The conquest of the Earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing†(4). Also, Conrad uses imagery to depict the journey up the Congo and through the darkness of the African Safari. There are two reasons why he described, in extensive detail, Marlow’s trip. 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The Mill By John Stuart Mill - 1537 Words

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Mass Media In Society Essay Example For Students

Mass Media In Society Essay Pop Culture WarsPop Culture WarsReligion The Role of Entertainment In American LifeAs the title proudly blares, William Romanowskis book is aninformative look at pop culture and how it relates to American society. The book begins with a passionate story about a towns love for theirstatue of the popular character Rocky, a down out boxer who makes itbig. The town became enraged and crying freedom of speech rights whenofficials attempt to move the statue to a local sports arena from themuseum where it rests.. However, because the statue was in the image of alow-class movie hero, the museum insisted that the statue was not art, butrather an icon of sports and entertainment and should be moved. This upsetthe people of the city, who then petitioned until the statue was replacedon the museum steps. This is a great example to start off this book,because it reflects the cultural struggles between the hi-class and thelow-class entertainment worlds in America throughout recent history. Entertainment. The book approaches the subject from a mostly worldlypoint of view at first. It talks about ratings and labels forentertainment, but I must question if that is the way a Christian shouldlook at it.If a rating is placed on it, that will not make the problemgo away. As a Christian community, we should take up the fight to abolishthe problem. This is also tricky because what do we determine is good orbad? If we use previous examples from American history, as learned inthe first few chapters of the book, more problems will be created thansolved. In the first few chapters of the book, Romanowski gives awonderfully repetitive history of theater, vaudeville, and other forms ofthen questionable entertainment such as opera houses and beer gardens. The conflict begins with the rise of low culture entertainment thatappeals to the working class, the immigrants, and the un-sophisticatedpopulace. This made the distinction between high and low cultures,high (symphonies, fine art, sculpture, etc..) being for the elite andwell-educated, while low was associated with the lower, working classthat included immigrants. Through the chapters, Romanowski illustrates theinflation of this division, as well as the conflict between the people andthe Church regarding entertainment. Chapter three discusses how the peopleof America were searching for a unifying principle or common faith thatwould hold the nations people together. What they found instead was anuprise in immorality and a decrease in the high culture. This couldmean only one thing: low culture was bad. Theater, Opera Houses,Vaudeville, and Nickelodeons all got their bad connotations from this erabecause of their appeal to the lower, less moral people of society. Therefore, the Church had to place a moral stance against this apostasy ofthe holiness of American culture, and place a ban on all low forms ofentertainment. The churchs prohibition of amusements could not suppresspeoples desire for it. (p 84) As hard as the Church tried, theirsuppression of the amusements didnt stunt their growth in any way, in factit only made it worse. Eventually, the high forms of entertainment(theater, etc) were losing money and patronization began. More money wasgiven to the amusements than to the Church. The entertainment of thesetheaters then had to stoop to the lowest moral level to appeal to thebroadest array of audience. Eventually, the Church gave up its fightagain the theater and began to use it as a tool for the Church, as theylater do with all forms of media that they have protested, such astelevision, radio, music, and even comics. Eventually, with all the goodentertainment in the industry, other producers began to clean-up too, andeventually the indu stry was decent (even though it was still full ofinnuendos, double entendres, and suggestions of immorality), however it didnot last long and was over looked when the television and the radio emergedon the scene. .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 , .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 .postImageUrl , .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 , .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057:hover , .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057:visited , .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057:active { border:0!important; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057:active , .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057 .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8cdf9a6ae7cae4b27dbc45e7c00e5057:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: American Short Fiction EssayRomanowski gives a great illustration of the Churchs struggle to stayinside the cultural movements of the day while still committed to Christianvalues that, more often than not, opposed society. The Church, afterforfeiting the uphill-battle against American culture, attempts to usepopular entertainment as a tool for ministry by scrubbing it morally andspiritually clean by their standards. This refers to comics being used insalvation tracts, Christian or Biblical-themed motion pictures,contemporary Christian gospel music, and even radio broadcasts of sermons. Televangelists and Church On TV programs are included in this as well,even though television was a horrible trouble-causing empire out to getAmerican childrens morals. Romanowskis overall view is that throughouthistory, we only focus on what is bad at the time until we get used tothe shock value or attention is diverted to another evil form ofentertainment. However, if we ignore it, will it go away?Romanowski gives me the impression that he feels we should just reallyignore what is going on around us because history has shown that we, theChurch/people upset about the lack of moral content in entertainment,cannot change the path of society. I beg to differ that we should ignorethe ills of society, however I do agree that the path of society is mostlikely not going to be altered by what the Church says, especially intodays American culture where the Church does not govern like it used to. The second half of the book talks about the uprise of MTV, the changefrom records, movies, and radio to television, virtual reality, and videogames, and cable TV.Also, Romanowski discusses some major movie titlesthat have made an impact on American culture in recent years. His positionis that we should take all of the media in, analyze it with a Christianperspective, and filter out all the bad stuff. This is easier said thandone. Labels have been placed on music and movies, even books andconcerts, to help the American consumer decide the content value of theentertainment, but these labels only go so far. One could argue that it isa label on freedom of speech for the lower class of entertainment. Citizens that protested the moving of the Rocky statue referred to it asa ban on free speech and discrimination of the cinematic arts because itwas not elite. Even today, popular culture entertainment such as movies,music, radio, and television are looked down upon by the elite asmindless forms of degenerative babble, devoid of creative intelligence orart application. With this, I disagree. I feel that all culture is art, but I believethat some of it, because of its popularity (i.e.-pop music ; movies) shouldbe viewed in a different light as it is reaching a broader audience withits message. Thats not to say that the symphony shouldnt be looked atwith discrimination, but should teen pop stars be able to anything theywant on stage in the name of art and freedom of speech? At this point,society as a whole must decide whether or not popular entertainment is avalid form of art and expression that should be exempt from all moral codesin the name of art. The entire film industry was created for the solepurpose of making money, not as an artistic venture, so should Americansplace a different set of discernment standards on movies since they have nofreedom of artistic liberties? Perhaps not. This is a difficultquestion to answer because everyone has different morals and values fordiscernment. Romanowskis method is an interesting approach to thissituation. He believes that we should embrace all art and pop culture withthe same preconceptions and learn to filter out that which is harmful tous and grow artistically and spiritually from the good stuff we havefiltered out. He also gives me the impression that we should just ignoresome of the things that we disagree with because its art, its freedom ofspeech, its just a piece of entertainment. However if we ignore it, willit go away? Probably not. However, the problem of pop culture and societyversus the modern Christian will not solve itself, and will not go away inany short time.