In the News: The Art of Science

Fig.1. This painting from the Lascaux caves may shed light on the coat patterns of ancient horse species. Image is public domain.

Ancient animals and unique scientific applications are the topics of this week’s #FollowFriday. Read to learn about surviving on an ice floe, the importance of horseshoe crabs, and how ancient mammal species lived and died.

• Another ice core study teaches a valuable lesson for keeping our environment healthy: “Himalayan Ice Shows Chemicals Ban Is Working,” ScienceDaily (25 February 2015)

• Where would you go to collect your data? These scientists push their limits to study the environment: “‘This Is Really Extreme Science’: Adrift In The Arctic Ice With A Shipload Of Norwegians.” National Geographic (23 February 2015)

• New evidence pushed the timeline of Alaskan mastodons back thousands of years and shed light on their extinction: “Humans Off The Hook For Alaskan Mastodon Extinction,” Scientific American (16 February 2015)

• Spider silk and Kevlar have nothing on these hardy teeth, which could inspire new engineering feats: “Modest Mollusk May Sport World’s Strongest Material,” National Geographic (20 February 2015)

• Have you gotten your flu shot? FDA-certified drugs injected into the bloodstream must pass many tests, one of which relies on this unique animal: “Ever Received A Vaccine? Thank A Horseshoe Crab Today,” No Bones (23 February 2015)

• These ancient paintings and fossils inform our understanding of horses of the Ice Age: “Spots, Stripes, And Spreading Hooves In The Horses Of The Ice Age,” Scientific American (23 February 2015)