Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with species

What are the odds that elephants will become extinct in the next 30 years?

Joe Beese — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:59:08 -0800

What are the odds that elephants will become extinct in the next 30 years? That's my actuarial life expectancy, give or take. I wondered if it was likely that some day of my old age would know the profound embitterment of reading that the last cow had died in captivity, and that these would never walk the earth again.

A bugs life?

greytape — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 06:42:20 -0800

Help me settle a bet about the total number of identified bacteria and viruses. Last week a friend, recalling a university lecture, said that the number of named and identified species of bacteria and viruses account for 98% of the total number of named species. I doubted this and thought it more likely that though there are fifty times as many species of bacteria and virus as there are any other kind of species, not all them have yet been named and catalogued. I suggested that this 98% figure is more of an estimate.
I base this supposition on the fact that it's so much easier to identify species that are visible to the naked eye and that people have had a lot longer to do it (the microscope being a relatively recent invention). Am I wrong?
Google has failed me, can Metafilter help?

P.S. As part of my searching I’ve been unable to find an estimate of the total number of identified species, and this has rather piqued my interest. Any help with this would be great too.

Thanks!

My mother pronounces it "meee-yolk."

Ugh — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:00:35 -0800

Curiosity-filter: Why can't we drink primate milk? I was reading this ridiculous article when I came across this:

"They are not on the list of approved species such as cows and sheep, but they are also not on the list of the banned species such as apes and primates," Rolf Etter of the Zurich food control laboratory said."

Why are apes on the banned list? Seems like if they were our closest relatives, there would be no real harm in drinking their milk. Where is this banned/ approved list?

Politics and environmental issues in the US Southwest: good sources for news and gossip?

salvia — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 22:55:14 -0800

Anyone follow environmental issues or general politics in the US Southwest (AZ, NM, UT, CO)? I'm trying to get a crash course about what's happening in the region and then stay up to speed. What are the best sources for political gossip? For environmental news about the region? All I've got so far are the major newspapers, High Country News, and a couple (rarely updated) blogs.

I'm most curious about the key environmental and regional planning issues in the southwest now. Who are the big players (nonprofits, state agencies, cities, others), and what are they working on?

I realize this is a broad question, but anything will be much appreciated. I work on these sorts of issues in the Bay Area, and since I love the US Southwest, I wish I had a better understanding of what is going on down there.

Do fish wear lipstick?

Solomon — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 08:57:45 -0800

What are some things that humans do, that no other animal species does? Things like "humans use computers" isn't what I'm looking for, because other animals (chimps, some birds) use tools. A certain species of monkey copulates to affirm social status, even the infants - they don't do it just to reproduce. Beavers modify their environment to suit themselves.

I'm thinking of things like blushing through embarrassment, laughing, etc. As far as I'm aware, human beings are the only species that domesticated animals to suit their own purposes, or that plant seeds to raise crops. Or that wear clothes. Or that commit suicide. Those are the sort of things I'm looking for.

Did the Chinese government fund research into whether Han are human?

hoverboards don't work on water — Fri, 18 May 2007 07:10:29 -0800

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?

Wildlife Porn

goalyeehah — Sun, 24 Dec 2006 19:52:15 -0800

Is there a species (mammal, reptile, amphibian, etc.) that has two functioning sexual organs? Some one here at the party insists that there is a species in which both male and female has two of each (specifically two penis' for the male and two vaginas for the male. I personally would like to settle this topic before the presents are opened and before too much champagne is imbibed. It could get ugly here. Googling this isn't working.

the pure, pulsing night / of snouts sticking out of slime

salvia — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 12:04:44 -0800

Books about people and animals -- the less cheesy the better -- any suggestions? I'm looking for books about how people relate to animals, about people trying to make friends with animals or cross over into the world of some other species. Or for books that try to give you a view into the particular world of some other animal. The better the writing, the better. The less cheesy the better. Nonfiction and fiction are okay. Any recommendations?

is anyone aware of an online (or offline) extinction tracker?

specialk420 — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 09:25:08 -0800

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?

Who are the species in your neighborhood?

salvia — Mon, 01 May 2006 13:19:32 -0800

What are the most important animals for your region of the country? Impressed by the environmental movement to create the Salmon Nation and the Buffalo Commons, I've (barely) begun making a website about key animal species for different regions of the country.

What are the most important animals where you live? They might be the most popular, the most endangered, the most economically important, or a cornerstone for the ecosystem. Do you know of grassroots groups organizing around those animals? Chambers of Commerce trying to bring back a certain animal? Ecology labs that collect data on these animals or count them?

Any other resources or thoughts on this idea are welcome. Did I miss any major projects to restore regional ecosystems while creating a bioregional identity?

Gotta eat them all!

scodger — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 23:20:36 -0800

Who was the person who famously intended to eat one of every animal? I vaugely recall reading a popular science book a few years ago that as an aside told of a man with such a desire. Google has only turned up newer, presumably independant attempts. Memory suggests that this person was also responsible for eating the preserved heart of someone else famous (I thought Napoleon, but no dice).
Bonus points for identifying the book.

How do you measure intelligence across species?

yankeefog — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 08:55:59 -0800

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? And a special bonus question:

(3) Would your ranking end up with clusters of similarly-intelligent species, with each cluster separated by large gaps from the next one? Or would it be more a steady progression from least intelligent to most?

I recognize that there is not yet a scientific consensus on the meaning of "intelligence" within a single species, let alone among different ones, but I'm interested in well-informed best guesses, and even plausible speculation. Also, of course, I'm interested in hearing your answer to any of the above questions, even if you can't answer all of them.

Speciation and Chromosome Counts

luftmensch — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 12:43:38 -0800

How do species come to have different numbers of chromosomes? From highschool biology I have a decent understanding of speciation. I know something splits up a population (geographically, or by prohibiting mating, etc), and the two populations then no longer have gene flow with each other and can adapt seperately. What I've never had explained to me properly is how the number of chromosomes shifts. Unlike most changes I can't see how it could be a gradual thing, as I assume a mutant born with the wrong number for the population wouldn't be fertile (or bear viable offspring). I assume there's an explination, or at least several heated possibilities that I'm just not aware of, or else this would be huge ammunition for the ID crowd.

Identify bird by its call

jimfl — Sun, 03 Jul 2005 21:29:30 -0800

I am trying to identify a bird by its call. The bird, which has a range that includes the Pacific Northwest (where I keep encountering it) has a call that goes pi-PEE-byoo (Rhymes with "McPreview"). I have never seen the bird, but it is found in suburban, rural, and wilderness settings; never in the city.

support vanishing wildlife ... where to start?

specialk420 — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 18:22:25 -0800

I'm would like to help support vanishing wildlife and ecosystems - I am already a sierra club and NRDC member, but I would like to do some more localized giving perhaps to the gorilla fund, or jane goodall ... wondering if members have suggestions for other organizations working to protect vanishing wildlife and eco-systems that may be even more in need of help? suggestions? thanks in advance.

Scientific Advancement

the fire you left me — Sat, 17 Jul 2004 20:41:44 -0800

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? will technology plateau? would be better.

How do you tell when a new species has evolved?

ph00dz — Tue, 02 Mar 2004 22:19:13 -0800

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?

Fish Breeding

jaded — Tue, 24 Feb 2004 08:32:20 -0800

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?