7 of the World's Strangest Flowers

For most of the U.S., winter is finally loosening its icy grip. Besides freshening your wardrobe, cleaning house, or planning your next national parks trip, why not celebrate by admiring some flowers and plants, perhaps the most telltale signs of spring's arrival? Sure, you can stop and smell the roses, but why not also marvel at the rafflesia arnoldii, touch-me-not, Eastern Skunk Cabbage, corpse flower, voodoo lily, and Hydnora africana? While you could trek across the globe to view these bizarre blooms, in some cases, you need only venture as far as your local botanical garden.

Rafflesia arnoldii: Weighing up to 15 pounds and measuring more than three feet across, rafflesia arnoldii is the largest individual flower on Earth. While it boasts fleshy, burnt-orange petals dotted with whitish pustules, it lacks leaves and roots, parasitizing the woody Tetrastigma vine in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra.  Impressive still, Rafflesia arnoldii emits a fetid odor that some compare to decaying flesh, earning it the nickname "corpse flower."

For such a bold blossom, the Rafflesia arnoldii remains elusive, spending most of its time hidden within its host's stems and roots. The flower appears when its buds break through the Tetrastigma vine's bark. A cabbage-like head develops, eventually blooming and staying open for only about five days. Rafflesia arnoldii's rank smell lures carrion flies. The flies crawl down the male flower's central chamber toward the anther, which transfers pollen onto their backs as they brush against it.  They then carry the pollen to a female flower. The projections emerging from the flower's center may help radiate heat and waft the carrion smell.

5 Fascinating Animal Mating Behaviors

We'll assume you've gotten the birds and the bees talk, so without ado: Animals reproduce, usually (though not always) through sex. And while that might evoke scenes of cuddly coitus, à la March of the Penguins, procreation isn't always so pretty. It can be strange, scary -- even downright deadly. But behaviors that might seem bizarre in the boudoir are actually completely normal in nature. Today we bring you five fascinating animal mating habits and explain why natural selection might sometimes favor the kinky. 

Banana slugs:  They might look cute, but these bright yellow critters, which inhabit damp, coniferous forests along the north Pacific coast of the U.S., take tough love to a new level. They’re also enormously endowed. As an adult, the banana slug measures roughly 6 to 8 inches in length -- and so can its penis when erect. The organ emerges from a genital pore on its head.  Since slugs, like their snail cousins, are hermaphrodites, the banana slug also has female organs.

Banana slugs begin their tryst with some rough foreplay, lunging, biting, and hitting one another with their tails. Then they curl around each other, like two chubby, slimy commas, and insert their penises. Sometimes one partner gives sperm while the other receives, but usually they exchange sperm. The partners can remain enjoined for several hours. Normally, they then retract their organs and crawl on their merry way. But things can take a grisly turn.

Tree and Human Health May Be Linked

Our deep connection with nature has roots seemingly as old as humanity itself. Ancient Celts viewed trees as sacred symbols of fertility and rebirth. Conservationist John Muir believed that everyone should have a sanctuary where “nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” A recent study from the U.S. Forest Service now suggests that this primordial bond goes beyond metaphor, providing scientific evidence that tree and human health may be intertwined.

“I basically tagged onto one of the oldest ideas in the word,” said lead author Geoffrey Donovan, a researcher at the Forest Service's Pacific Northwest Research Station. But “the quantification is a new thing.”

Donovan and colleagues combed through demographic, human mortality, and forest health data from about 1,300 counties in 15 states from 1990 through 2007. Their findings? In counties where trees were plagued by the invasive emerald ash borer, about 15,000 more deaths from cardiovascular disease and approximately 6,000 from lower respiratory disease were reported compared to uninfested areas. The researchers focused on these ailments in particular since trees can filter particulates and other pollutants, improving air quality. Even after controlling for demographic variables, such as race, income, and education, they observed the same trend.

5 Nature-Inspired Innovations

The shifting hues of squid skin, the stickiness of gecko toes, the self-cleansing of lotus leaves. Understanding these and other natural phenomena can yield not only fascinating biological insights, but also fresh solutions to today’s most pressing environmental challenges. Biomimicry — applying the design of natural systems to human problems — has gained momentum in recent years. Last August, the San Diego Zoo opened its Center for Bioinspiration, which works with companies and research institutions to translate zoo scientists’ findings into practical applications. Taking cues from nature makes sense. Plants and animals have a 3.8 billion year head start on scientists in adapting to natural pressures, whether that involves using sunlight efficiently or keeping cool in hot, arid climates. Here’s a look at five biomimicry advances that emerged within the past year.

7 Amazing Animal Musicians

From frogs chirping through the night to whales humming across the oceans, nature is full of fantastic music. Not all of it sounds pleasant to the human ear, of course (the droning of cicadas can cause ear damage at close range, and even crickets can wear out their welcome), but it's hard not to admire the way animals make such complex and astounding noises.

There's more to animal calls than just taking a deep breath and hollering. Some animals play their bodies like instruments, and others make sounds that humans need machines to pick up. To highlight some of this diversity, we've compiled a list of 7 unusual animal sounds, some of which make music that seems almost... philharmonic.

Mother Nature's 7 Animal Orchestra

The Olympics on Mars

The Olympics and the Mars rover Curiosity are the two hot topics of the day. Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson tweeted up a storm last week about his own Mars curiosity.

He asked to his followers, "How about a Mars Olympics? Yes, all the athletes would suffocate. Ignoring that complication, way cooler than Earth #Olympics." Tyson speculated about how the Games would go down on the red planet. Many sports would have a new element of danger added. We're not talking minor injuries. Here are our favorite Tyson tweets.

Cycling: "If there was Cycling on Mars, try Olympus Mons — a volcanic mountain 5x taller than Mont Blanc in the Alps."

Some estimates say that the last Olympus Mons eruption was 25 million years ago. Unsure when to expect the next one, we have to wonder what the chances are of that volcanic mountain erupting mid-ride. If the height of the mountain doesn't get you, the lava might. 

Badminton: "With 1% of Earth's air density, Badminton on Mars would be different — a shuttlecock to the face lands you in the hospital."

We're not saying that badminton is a boring sport, but we certainly think more people would tune in to the fast-paced event if it took place on Mars. The players wouldn't know whether to go for the shuttlecock or to run from it. Now that's an interesting game.

5 Real-Life Deep-Sea Monsters

Forget being afraid of the dark — there aren't any monsters under the bed. They're all lurking under the sea, miles below the surface, waiting for whatever unfortunate food falls victim to their razor teeth and sticky tentacles. These rarely-seen, prehistoric looking creatures are both terrifying and fascinating, and little is known about their alien ways. 

Meet five deep-sea species that make spooky nighttime ghouls and zombies look as scary as Sesame Street's Cookie Monster. 

 

 

1. Deepstaria Jellyfish

In May, this video (below) of a mysterious deep sea creature circulated the internet. As the billowy being drifts across the underwater camera at a startling depth of 5,044 feet, we catch a glimpse of the unknown. Is it an alien? A jellyfish? A trash bag? Scientists later confirmed that this ghost-like creature is, in fact, a rarely seen jellyfish called deepstaria enigmatica, first discovered in 1967. 

 

2. Pelican Eel

 

Do Dogs React to Tears?

The jury's out on whether your dog can understand your rants and confessions, but researchers at the University of London Department of Psychology have found that dogs do react to tears according to a LiveScience report. 

In the experiment published in Animal Journal, researcher Jennifer Mayer visited the subjects in their homes. She and each dog owner took turns talking, pretending to cry, and humming. She and her colleague, Deborah Custance, repeated this method with 18 owners. They found that dogs were much more likely to approach the person crying, whether it was Mayer or the owner.

The study certainly complicates our understanding of human-animal relationships. We have to wonder what other domestic animals and even wildlife can connect on some level to human emotions. While the researchers hesitate to conclude that dogs feel empathy or understand emotions, anyone whose spent a significant amount of time with a dog (or on YouTube) probably has something else to say. Wait to form your opinion until after watching this video (below) of a hilarious hound comforting a crying baby.  

Follow that Turtle: 3 Tools to Track Marine Life

There is no longer a need to sit in a crowded whale-watching boat for hours on end wondering where all the ocean's giants are — the Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP) website's near real-time animal tracker lets you follow tagged salmon sharks, elephant seals, blue sharks, sea turtles, and great whites as they travel the Pacific Ocean. 

The tracker also shows how fast the animal is moving and where the animal has been in the past. 

MPAtlas, an online interactive map that highlights the world's protected marine areas, takes the online animal watch a step further. While animals swim the seas on TOPP, consult MPAtlas to see if they are staying within the confines of protected ocean space or traveling into unexpected waters. Watch out, it's a nail-biting experience (not really). 

The map is a joint project of the Marine Conservation Institute and the Waitt Foundation and shows the different types and levels of protection around the world. It also marks candidate areas for future protection. What is baffling, though, is that only small portions of the interactive map are highlighted as "designated marine protection areas." MPAtlas statistics show that only 1.2 percent of the Earth's oceans are actually protected. As for the other 98.8 percent? Not so lucky — for now. 

Follow Water Quality Robots on Twitter

On May 9, 2012, UC Berkeley researchers launched a fleet of 100 water quality sensors into Northern California's Sacramento River.  Designed to track water contamination, salinity, and levels within the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the sensors were actually floating, tweeting robots, which researchers hoped would gather high-resolution data on contamination and direction in which salt water flowed. 

"Responsible stewardship of inland water requires detailed information about the mixing and transport of various constituents in the water itself," says project manager Andrew Tinka.  He says that the finalized Floating Sensor Network robots will help accomplish this because they can be rapidly deployed to new locations to track unexpected pollution, a necessity for public safety and planning.  This is especially true in areas with a variety of stakeholders, such as the Delta, which is an endangered habitat and a major drinking water and irrigation source.

What is also effective about using social and mobile media technologies like tweeting robots (beyond the cute factor) is that end-users can sometimes participate in and benefit from this information, which can help increase awareness and support.  

For example, there is the Sewage Alert Service, whose text messages offer information on 200 beaches in England, and which, according to Drift Surfing, has helped change the behavior of an astounding 94 percent of beachgoers, surfers, and swimmers that subscribe.  

Another example is Creek Watch, a crowd-sourcing application for iPods and iPads, which Microsoft developed to gather first-hand observations to share with water control boards. (Data on water levels, speed, and trash are collected into an observable table to help agencies track pollution, manage water resources, and plan conservation programs.)

Tinka agrees with this modernized way of leveraging social networks and moving beyond static water trackers. "Those of us who love exploring and spending time in the outdoors have a special motivation to see these ecosystems safeguarded and maintained," he says. "Good decisions require good information, and technologies like the FSN can help us make the right choices in the future."

Benita Hussain is a Sierra editorial intern and writer whose work has also appeared in GOOD,Women's Adventure and Matador Sports, among others. With degrees from Cornell University and Fordham Law School, she's also a part-time lawyer and yoga teacher who surfs, climbs and travels to do both. Twitter:@hussainity