Week 14, 281st May .
Water pythons and dusky rats
In our lectures on thermoregulation, we consider the pluses and minuses of being ectothermic versus endothermic. Here is more on the story of the water pythons and their prey, the dusky rats, based on research by Rick Shine and Thomas Madsen :
Week 13, 28th May .
The apparent absence of salt glands in marine and estuarine crocodiles has long been a puzzle. How do they excrete excess salt? Find out about an Honours student's research into crocodile salt glands .
and read a scientific paper
Week 12, 21st May .
Dinosaurs' respiratory systems were apparently more similar to those of birds than those of modern reptiles . These websites explore the evidence:
Dinosaurs and birds just a breath away
...and then it was really exciting to actually start finding examples. And that, to me, is about as good as it gets — to be able to go out and satisfy your own curiosity about something by designing a test...and at the end of it, you've learned something about the living world — but you've also learned something about how science works and about how much fun it is."
Matt Wedel: Hunting the inflatable dinosaur
Week 11, 14th May .
All first and second year students are welcome to join the KZA350 students at this event.
Zoos and Conservation : "Safe hands in a wild world "
Tuesday May 15th, 4.10 - 5 pm, Life Sci Lecture Theatre 2
Assoc Prof Sue Jones will be showing a DVD produced by the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust about Jersey Zoo's involvement in conservation.
You may also be interested to look at their website Safe hands in a wild world
Week 9, 30th April .
The shift from water to land - Tiktaalik - a missing link found.- 2006
ABC Science Show talks about Tiktaalik - read transcript of broadcast
Week 8, 22nd April
From 'Letters to Nature' :
Week 7, 16th April
Earthworms - aussie style
Many of the earthworms you meet in your garden are actually imports from Europe . However if you look a bit further, you will find true-blue aussie worms, and some of them are quite amazing...... recognising earthworms
Giant Gippsland Earthworm
Week 6, 12th April
Have you seen the millipedes on the wall near the Zoology main door, by the Elephant seal statues? In southern Australia it's Portuguese Millipede time. These feral pests cause everything from smelly messes to train delays when they turn up in plague proportions year after year.
...read more
Week 3, 12th March 
Cnidarians can kill humans! Check out Australian research into box jellyfish.
Recent research has discovered that the seemingly simple box jellyfish Chironex fleckeri is an active hunter with eyes to help find its prey.
