Blog 12: World Not Ending Tomorrow - Shocker.

Throughout history, various groups or individuals have predicted the end of the world multiple times. As we can see, they were wrong. Their predictions were grossly inaccurate, but that didn't deter some groups from pushing the date back further and further. The prediction that the world is ending on December 12th, 2012 is another one of these misconceptions, this time based on how some interpreted the Mayan Calendar. However, there is an extremely slim chance the world will end on that date, seeing as it hasn't the other dozens of times an impending doom has been predicted.

http://www.businessinsider.com/december-21-2012-failed-doomsday-predictions-2011-12?op=1

Blog 11: Lizards Develop Resistance to Cane Toad Toxin Thanks to Invasive Plant

In an attempt to combat the massive number of cane grub beetles that broke out in Australia in the 1930s, cane toads were brought into the country with the hope that they would keep the beetle population in check. However, the toads did not prey upon the beetles and had their own devastating effects. The toads produce bufadienolides, which are a type of toxin that are deadly to many of the country's native species that feed on them. One of these species, Bluetongue Lizards, faced a dramatic decline in population due to the arrival of the toads, but there is hope for them. A recent study that was conducted showed that lizards living in areas infested with the toads were vulnerable to the toxins, yet those living in areas where they had never encountered the toad had resistance. It was concluded that, oddly enough, the resistance was derived from exposure to an invasive species of a plant, called Mother-of-Millions, which was introduced to the area approximately 70 years ago. It was brought over from Madagascar and used as a decorative plant. The Mother-of-Millions produces a toxin that is almost identical to that of the cane toad, and so after decades of being consumed by the lizards in parts of Queensland and New South Whales, they have been able to develop a resistance, protecting them from cane toads.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120222132936.htm

Current Events 10: Nonnative Red Alga Found Along Coasts of Maine

A nonnative species of seaweed, Heterosiphonia japonica, native to Japan has recently been found in the waters near Appledore Island, Maine, which is located just a few miles from the New Hampshire coast. The alga, brownish-red in color, has been commonly found in the intertidal transects on the island. It has been growing in the shallow waters near the coastline, and then it builds up in large, decaying mounds in the intertidal zone. The piles of alga give off a foul smell that threaten tourism of the beaches. It's also possible that they seaweed may out-compete native plant species, overwhelm local ecosystems, and damage commercial fisheries nearby because it may disrupt ecosystems. The alga was first spotted in the U.S. in Southern New England, particularly Rhode Island, in 2009. It's thought that the seaweed was brought here across the world unintentionally on boat hulls or shellfish aquaculture. The area is yet to have experienced any devastating effects from the alga, but the amount of it is quickly increasing and poses threats.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120913122842.htm