Tag

Scales

All articles tagged with #scales

science1 year ago•2 min saved

Crocodile Scale Patterns Explained by Skin Growth Mechanics, Not Genetics

Researchers have discovered that the irregular scales on crocodile heads form through a mechanical process rather than genetic control. Unlike typical scale formation, which is gene-driven, the scales on crocodile heads arise because the skin grows faster than the underlying tissues, causing it to fold and create irregular patterns. This finding, published in Nature, was supported by experiments with Nile crocodile embryos and computer simulations, highlighting the role of skin growth rate and material properties in scale patterning.

via The Guardian|

#biology #crocodiles #genetics

science2 years ago•6 min saved

"The Fundamental Scales: Unveiling the Building Blocks of our Universe"

The physical Universe can be defined by 13 different scales, ranging from subatomic to cosmic. These scales include fundamental particles, nuclear scales, atomic scales, molecular scales, microscopic scales, macroscopic scales, sub-planetary scales, planetary scales, star-sized scales, stellar system scales, galactic scales, cluster-and-void scales, and truly cosmic scales. Each scale represents a different level of organization and interaction, from the smallest particles to the largest structures in the Universe. These scales provide a framework for understanding the complexity and diversity of the physical world.

via Big Think|

#cosmology #particles #physics

science2 years ago•3 min saved

Single Gene Tweak Transforms Chicken Feet into Feathers

Scientists have discovered a way to permanently transform the scales on a chicken's feet into feathers by tweaking a specific gene, providing new insight into the bird's evolutionary origins from dinosaurs. By altering the sonic hedgehog gene (Shh), researchers were able to create a cascade of developmental effects that triggered feather growth, offering new insights into the evolution of these animals. The study also sheds light on how dinosaurs may have evolved to have feathers.

via Livescience.com|

#chickens #evolution #feathers

science2 years ago•3 min saved

Gene Editing Transforms Scales into Feathers in Chickens.

Scientists at the University of Geneva have altered embryonic chickens to grow feathers instead of scales on their feet by targeting the sonic hedgehog (Shh) gene. The alteration is permanent, and the chickens' feet will remain feathery for life. The researchers say this has implications for our understanding of how animals evolved and diversified, as natural variations in Shh signaling are probably an evolutionary driver of skin appendage diversity. The study shows that a transient change in expression of one gene, Shh, can produce a cascade of developmental events leading to the formation of feathers instead of scales.

via ScienceAlert|

#chickens #evolution #feathers

science2 years ago•3 min saved

"Scientists Use Gene Expression to Turn Chicken Scales into Feathers"

Researchers from the University of Geneva have transformed chicken scales into feathers by temporarily modifying the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) gene expression, revealing that significant evolutionary transitions can occur without major changes in the genome. The study sheds light on the mechanisms responsible for the wide diversity of animal forms and has important implications for understanding the evolutionary mechanisms generating the enormous diversity of animal forms observed in nature.

via SciTechDaily|

#chickens #evolution #feathers

science2 years ago•2 min saved

The Genetics of Scales and Feathers

Researchers at the University of Geneva have discovered that it is surprisingly easy to grow feathers where there should be scales, just by affecting one gene's expression. The Sonic hedgehog (Shh) gene is responsible for the transformation of scales into feathers. A single treatment on chicken embryos when they are still in the egg is enough to trigger the formation of feathers on their feet. The Shh pathway is key to the diversity of various skin appendages in nature, as well as the evolution of birds from avian dinosaurs.

via IFLScience|

#chickens #embryonic-development #feathers