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Are naked mole rats the strangest mammals?

What mammal has the social life of an insect, the cold-bloodedness of a reptile, and the metabolism of a plant?

Bald and buck-toothed, naked mole rats may not be pretty, but they’re extraordinary. With a lifespan of 30 years, their peculiar traits have evolved over millions of years to make them uniquely suited to survive harsh conditions, especially long periods without oxygen.

In the deserts of East Africa, naked mole rats feed on root vegetables. They dig for the roots with teeth that can move independently, like chopsticks.

But even with these special teeth, a single naked mole rat doesn’t stand a chance of finding enough food; the roots are large and nutritious, but scattered far and wide. A large workforce has a much better chance so naked mole rats live in colonies.

Similar to ants, bees, and termites, they build giant nests. Housing up to 300 mole rats, these colonies feature complex underground tunnel systems, nest chambers, and community bathrooms. Also like insects, naked mole rats have a rigid social structure.

The dominant female, the queen, and two to three males that she chooses, are the only naked mole rats in the colony who have babies. All the other naked mole rats, male and female, are either soldiers, who defend the colony from possible invaders, or workers. Teams of workers are dispatched to hunt for roots, and their harvest feeds the whole colony.

Living in a colony helps naked mole rats find enough food, but when so many animals live in the same underground space, oxygen quickly runs out. Naked mole rats can thrive in low oxygen in part because they’ve abandoned one of the body functions that requires the most oxygen: thermoregulation. Naked mole rats are the only mammals whose body temperature fluctuates with their environment, making them cold-blooded, like reptiles.

In response to a real oxygen emergency, naked mole rats enter a state of suspended animation. They stop moving, slow their breathing, and dramatically lower their heart rate. This greatly reduces the amount of energy, and therefore oxygen, they need. At the same time, they begin to metabolize fructose, like a plant. Fructose is a sugar that can be used to make energy without burning oxygen. Usually, mammals metabolize a different sugar called glucose that makes more energy than fructose, but glucose only works when oxygen’s available. Naked mole rats are, in fact, the only mammals known to have this ability.

For more on these weird & cool creatures, check out the TED-Ed lesson Are naked mole rats the strangest mammals? - Thomas Park

Animation by Chintis Lundgren

#fun facts

Supplies• Toilet paper tube• Razor blade (If you can find a Blue one like the “PAL Super Single Edge” then great. Otherwise, you’ll have to blue it by heating it up)• Earphone or old speaker• Large safety pin• Wood pencil stub• Magnet wire• A scrap of wood• Paper clips• TacksThe Coil– I made this with magnet wire I had lying around. I’ve seen radios made with really thin wire, like I used, to thicker wire almost as thick as a staple. I used tape to hold it to the cardboard tube, but in retrospect, poking a hole and tying it...

#diy projects #radio #foxhole radio

When it comes to the farm there are many, many fencing options to consider. How do you know what option to choose? First you need to consider what your fencing needs are. Do you need to keep an animal in? Do you want to keep animals out? How much is your budget? How quickly do you need the fence in place? Is it important for the fence to be aesthetically pleasing? Once you have in mind what you are looking for you can begin to narrow down your options.Planning for Farm FencingBefore digging into your pockets to purchase farm fences,...

#farm fence #farm #fence

Fortunately for us off gridders, homesteaders or preppers, if the grid should ever go down we can generate our own electricity. In This 6 part Video series we answer every question you would have in creating your own DIY off grid / grid down solar back up system. In this first part we look at assessing your needs to size and design your own system.In this second part we look at choosing and sizing batteries.In part 3 we talk about things to consider when mounting your solar panels.In the fourth part of the DIY Off Grid Solar System we take...

#diy #solar power

As the corporatocracy tightens its grip on the masses – finding ever more ways to funnel wealth to the top – humanity responds in a number of ways, including the rising popularity of tiny houses. These dwellings, typically defined as less than 500 square feet, are a way for people to break free of mortgages, …

With winter recently dumping a load of snow in the Northeastern U.S, we may find ourselves needing a touch of heat. Had you planned ahead, it's possible that you could have warmed the place with no cost! How you ask? With compost! Compost has natural properties that when it breaks down, it becomes warm... very warm in fact! nd while blankets and warm clothes can help you...there is a limit to their 'warmth'. Sure, making sure your windows are sealed, showering with the door open, and putting plush rugs on your floors can help, but how can you heat your home without...

green-desert

Stone Hunter gives some of the basics of how this self sufficient farm compost with manure. Sustainable Settings is an entrepreneurial non-profit organization that inspires people and communities to embrace integrated solutions for sustainable development.

http://sustainablesettings.org/

http://greendesert.org/Vegetable.html http://Twitter.com/thegreendesert http://Facebook.com/TheGreendesert http://pinterest.com/GreenDesert http://green-desert.tumblr.com/

This information I feel is very relevant to potentially everyone but specifically those whom may be living in poverty or have limited resources around the world. Oranges and simple bread are two of the most universally common household kitchen items. But did you know that oranges and bread are capable of producing penicillin simply by letting letting them sit around and age? Believe it or not, that green disgusting mold which develops on the surface of bread is actually called Penicillin.It is time for a thought experiment. You are living in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. In a dash your partner has...

#penicillin #off the grid

Solar power plants are cheaper than coal, nuclear or natural gas power plants; so why haven't we transitioned to solar?

#solar

hlgardens

Straw Bale Gardening

One of the thriftiest, most versatile ways to garden is what’s called Straw Bale gardening. Often cheaper than garden soil or fertilizer, straw bales are found virtually everywhere. Craigslist, home depot or other home improvement stores will sell them for pennies on the dime when push comes to shove.

But what can you grow?

The answer: just about anything.

Moisture and heat collect in the straw bale like a trap. Tomatoes, corn and other tall plants can break the bale apart the taller they get, but potatoes and herbs will thrive in your bale.

Hay bales start to decompose just hours after they get wet and can provide an atmosphere better than your greenhouse. By digging a hole into your bale, dropping in some soil around your plants and packing it firmly, you’ll add some stability to your plant and as your bale decomposes, it will provide a steady source of nutrition all throughout the growing season.

teded

Fun Fact Friday!

If not for giant sloths, we might not have avocados to enjoy today.

Prehistoric ground sloths first appeared around 35 million years ago. Dozens of species lived across North, Central and South America, alongside other ancient creatures like mastodons and giant armadillos. Some ground sloths, like the megalonychid, were cat-sized, but many were massive. The Megalonyx weighed about a ton, and that was small compared to megatherium, which could reach six metric tons, as much as an elephant. They ambled through the forests and savannas using their strong arms and sharp claws to uproot plants and climb trees, grazing on grasses, leaves, and prehistoric avocados. Smaller animals couldn’t swallow the avocado’s huge seed, but the sloths could,and they spread avocado trees far and wide.

Can we get a ‘thank you giant sloths!’?

From the TED-Ed Lesson Why are sloths so slow? - Kenny Coogan

Animation by Anton Bogaty

ireth-alcarin

https://www.jessica-roux.com/ <3

riddick09

Eco Homes from the Earth: Cordwood

Wouldn’t it be nice to own your own green dream home, made with recycled and natural materials and packed with custom features? Whether you’re an experienced builder or have never picked up a power tool in your life, you can build a natural eco-friendly home with user-friendly, low-cost materials like cob, cordwood, straw and the dirt and wood from your own land. These natural building techniques produce beautiful homes with a small ecological footprint.

From far away, it looks like stone masonry – but get up close and you’ll see that cordwood buildings are actually made from wood stacked firewood-style, and mortar. Debarked logs ranging from 12 to 36 inches can be arranged into walls either in load-bearing round structures or in combination with post-and-beam framing.

Soft woods like cedar and pine are used because they are more stable, with less expansion and contraction. These walls offer both insulation and thermal mass. As with any natural building technique, it’s labor-intensive, but easy enough that practically anyone can do it.

transsolar

Looking like a "great ship," this solar-powered music venue is a new gateway into the city.

packuppackout

The unique paint could provide clean power to homes at a low cost.

#solar power #permaculture #clean energy

transsolar

Architects Advocate – Action on Climate Change

In the United States, buildings account for 45% of total U.S. CO2 emissions. This is not new to architects and engineers working in the building industry, but now a network called ‘Architects Advocate’ is publicly calling for joint action. The founders believe that mitigating climate change is the challenge and opportunity of our time and state on their website: “As architects dedicated to healthy and livable communities, and guided by scientific consensus and reason, we Advocate for action on Climate Change.”

As 'KlimaEngineers’ we strive for the best possible buildings, meaning for the highest comfort with the lowest possible impact on the environment. In 2012 at our 20th anniversary, we discussed with our friends and collaborators how to “connect ideas – maximize impact”. We had realized even though we work worldwide, we reach out only to certain countries, and even though we have accumulated experience and knowledge, creative new solutions are invented daily all over the world. And lastly – although we have created better built environments, global problems, including climate change, urban migration, are worsening.

It is known that the climate goal cannot be solely achieved through intelligent architecture. All sectors of society such as for example housing, mobility, production and consumption of food and goods need to be considered. If we are not succeeding in the building sector, how can we expect to succeed in all sectors? The carbon targets must be met with all stakeholders and players, across all sectors, moving in synchrony.

To start working cooperatively, we need to working on the same thing. We need a unifying theme to give importance to reaching the carbon reduction targets.

Consequently, Transsolar Inc is a signing member of the 'Architects Advocate’ movement.

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