What bird did I just see harrassing a squirrel in my Toronto backyard? (Sorry, I couldn't get a camera in time so I have just a verbal description, no picture).
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posted by maudlin
on Jun 25, 2012 -
5 answers
Half-remembered board game ID question: In the mid-'90s, my family was visiting some friends who owned a strange board game involving evolution, species, a hexagonal grid, and lots and lots of dice. What was it?
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posted by Johnny Assay
on May 23, 2011 -
7 answers
Is there a website out there where I can enter the names of two species and be given the approximate date when their last common ancestor lived? Bonus points if it tells me what sort of species this ancestor probably was, and for showing me the part of the tree of life relating to these species.
Thanks!
posted by chorltonmeateater
on Sep 10, 2010 -
6 answers
If a species is nearing extinction, what is the minimum population needed to give it a reasonable chance of survival, in terms of genetic diversity?
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posted by adamrice
on Feb 16, 2010 -
14 answers
Help me settle a bet about the total number of identified bacteria and viruses.
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posted by greytape
on Sep 22, 2008 -
8 answers
Anyone follow environmental issues or general politics in the US Southwest (AZ, NM, UT, CO)?
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posted by salvia
on Mar 1, 2008 -
9 answers
I once read a claim that the Chinese government had funded "research" whose aim was to prove that Han Chinese are a different species to other humans. It was a physical book, not online. What might it have been? And incidentally, is the claim true?
posted by hoverboards don't work on water
on May 18, 2007 -
14 answers
Is there a species (mammal, reptile, amphibian, etc.) that has two functioning sexual organs?
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posted by goalyeehah
on Dec 24, 2006 -
19 answers
Books about people and animals -- the less cheesy the better -- any suggestions?
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posted by salvia
on Sep 22, 2006 -
43 answers
extinction tracker? ... is anyone tracking the daily list of vanishing species from this planet? like some sort of online resource of known exctinctions as they happen?
posted by specialk420
on Jun 18, 2006 -
9 answers
Assume you had a list of different animal species, and you wanted to order it from most intelligent species to least. (1) What measure of intelligence would you use to compare different species--average number of neurons, for example, or ability to solve certain kinds of tests? Or something else entirely? (2) Can you give some examples of how some common farm, food, or pet animals might rank on the list?
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posted by yankeefog
on Jan 25, 2006 -
17 answers
Is there a limit to scientific advancement? If there is only a certain number of elements to the universe, will there reach a technology plateau?
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posted by the fire you left me
on Jul 17, 2004 -
24 answers
It's easy to tell when a species has gone extinct. How do you tell when a new species has evolved? Are there any criteria besides not being able to mate with the former species?
posted by ph00dz
on Mar 2, 2004 -
24 answers
Can fish interbreed like dogs? My SO and I have been talking about dogs lately so the mixed-breed thing has been a regular topic of conversation. Last night we were at a Thai restaurant with a large fish tank and some gigantic fish. Too big for the tank, in my opinion. And that got me to wondering....can different kinds of fish, genetically speaking, be bred with each other? Even if they
wouldn't do it on their own (mating rituals, etc.),
could they do it with a scientists help?
posted by jaded
on Feb 24, 2004 -
8 answers
