Tripedal to the Metal
That’s some loco motion, huh? Found this neat little GIF showing how an ant’s legs move at a full gallop. While calmly strolling though the picnic grounds, ants have five of their six legs at a time in contact with the ground. But when it’s time to put the (tiny) pedal to the metal, they change their gait to this alternating tripod motion.
This pattern isn’t controlled by the insect’s brain, but rather by bundles of neurons in the leg called central pattern generators. While moving at such a clip, it just so happens that three legs is the minimum number it needs on the ground at a time to balance its rigid exoskeleton without toppling over.
Is that part of the reason that insects have six legs and not another number like four or eight? Or did the gait evolve to match the hardware? My guess is the latter, but I am not sure. What say you, insect folks?
(GIF via NC State University)
/* by mr tug */
Top 5 misconceptions about evolution: A guide to demystify the foundation of modern biology.
Here is an infographic to help inform citizens. From my experience most people who misunderstand evolution are actually misinformed about what science is and how it operates. That said, here are five of the biggest barriers faced when one explains evolution - I have faced these and they are documented in the literature.
I hope you can build on my work and improve the communication between the scientists and the public.
Want to do more? If you want to donate to the cause of science education I suggest the National Center for Science Education http://ncse.com, your local university, or an equivalent organization. Volunteering at schools and inviting scientists into classrooms are two ways to encourage an informed society. Attend hearings if school boards start questioning evolution’s role in public curriculum. Raise a storm if anyone tries to ban science. Plus, it never hurts to reblog a well made evolution post.
Thank you followers for all your support!
Highly evolved infographic there.