Word of the Week – Lucifugous

What is it Like When A Marine Comes Home?

Word of the Week – Cacophony

Science That Doesn’t Suck – Speed

Friday Fun Facts – Venus Flytrap

1. The Venus Flytrap is one of a very small group of plants capable of rapid movement.

2. The leaves of  a Venus Flytrap open wide and on them are short, stiff hairs called trigger hairs.

3. Prey has to either come in contact with two trigger hair of the plant’s trap or touch one of the hairs twice, in order for the lobes to close and catch it.

4. The lobes to close in less than a second.

5. The lobe manufactures digestive juices and an antiseptic juice. This keeps the insect from decaying over the few days it is in the trap and purifies prey that it captures.

6. Digestion takes about ten days, after which only the insect’s exoskeleton remains. The trap then reopens, and is ready to catch new prey.

7. If one of the plant’s traps catches a very small prey and it manages to escape, the trap will reopen within 12 hours.

8. Most Venus flytraps eat three or fewer insects in their lives.

9. Flytraps are native only to select boggy areas in North and South Carolina.

10. Scientists still do not understand fully how the trap closes. Since the Venus flytrap does not have a nervous system or any muscles or tendons, scientists theorize that it moves from some type of fluid pressure activated by an actual electrical current that runs through each lobe.

Word of the Week – Zephyr

Friday Fun Facts – Komodo Dragon

1. The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world. They can weigh up to 150 pounds and can grow to as long as 10 feet.

2. They are found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang.

3. It is the only lizard that hunts and kills prey larger than its body and bigger than what it can swallow whole.

4. They have a very slow metabolism, and can survive on just 12 meals a year.

5. Komodo poop is mostly white as the stomach is not capable of digesting the calcium found in the bones of the animals they eat.

6. The female dragon digs a hole in the ground and lays 20 to 40 eggs

7.  To avoid being eaten by larger Komodo dragons, youngsters often roll in their own POOP so that they give out a foul smell that the adult Komodos avoid.

8. Despite the visible earholes, Komodo dragons cannot hear very well.

9. Sense of smell is its primary food detector. The Komodo detects odors much like a snake does, using its long, yellow forked tongue to sample the air.

10. Their saliva contains large numbers of deadly bacterias. Once their prey has been bitten by the Komodo dragon, its fate is sealed. Even if it escapes the jaws of the Komodo dragon,  it would die of blood poisoning, caused by the bacteria. They have also been found to have venom glands, that contain venom that cause prey to go into shock, and keeps their blood from clotting. Here is a video of the Komodo Dragon in action.

If you are not really cool with that whole “circle of life” thing…you may want to skip it.