text:
Will the heart keep beating if it's separated from the body?
The heart is a vital organ in our body, as it drives blood circulation. I was wondering if a heart keeps beating if it is separated from the body? If yes, then why?

This is more like a homework question. Please put in some effort towards answer.

@WYSIWYG I seriously have no idea if it is homework question or not but before asking I do searched in google which states that heart has its own electrical impulse but I wanted to know that is there anything else happen while our heart is seperated. I have never face this situation but for sure you are much experienced than me so I'll make sure to show my efforts when I will ask any sort of homework question next time . thanks

You have heard of heart transplants I suppose. What I am saying is that you should try avoiding one line questions. Add whatever you got from google and make the question precise. You can check some meta posts on "homework". Homework is not in strict sense something that you get in your school. It is in the sense of asking - "have you done your part of work i.e. homework, before asking others".

That's true no doubt on that .. I'll make sure to make question precise.

Short version
The heart  has the ability to beat independently of the brain as long as it has oxygen. The heart will eventually stop beating as all bodily systems begin to stop working shortly after brain death. Remember the heart can beat, but your diaphragm and lungs won't. Hence the cardiac muscles undergo asphyxiation and die off. However, immediately after death, there is enough oxygenated blood in the body to keep the heart pumping for a while.
Long version
There is a simple explanation why.
As you know every muscle in the body has to receive stimuli from the neuromuscular junctions (and subsequently the nervous system) in order to contract.
The heart is a bit different in that it is not regulated by the brain, but the regulatory mechanisms lie within the heart itself. The heart conductive system contains a special group of cells called the pace maker cells (SA node) that fire at regular intervals and cause the heart to beat.

Each heart beat is triggered by an electrical pacemaker - a group of cells in the heart that have the ability to generate electrical activity. They cause electrical impulses to spread over the heart and make it contract.
The largest natural pacemaker of the heart is called the sinoatrial or SA node and is found in the right atrium. From it, specialised groups of cells that carry the electrical charge lead off to the rest of the heart.

(Taken from here)
The brain regulates the rate of the heart beat sure, but it does not send the signals that cause the heart to beat in itself.
In short, even after disconnection, the SA node still sends the impulse down the AV node and Purkinje fibres that spread out across the cardiac musculature and cause them to contract, causing the heart to beat. This will continue for a while till they run out of energy and stop.
You can read more about it here: Wiki

-1 because too generic answer, too copy-pasted and little understanding. Recent research not previewed. To just say that there are that and that pacemaker in heart is not sufficient. More about why -part is needed. Beat itself is not the only process there. There is much more there if you think, for instance, the system in homeostasis. For instance, how are pacemakers kept functional?

@Masi Thanks fr pointing it out. I am sorry you feel that, I look forward to read your opinion in your answer. Secondly, I did not venture into the need for ionic homoeostasis because the question was too generic.

@RoverEye It is not only about ionic homeostasis. The central topic is electrical/mechanical function of the heart together i.e. how heart circulates its energy flow for a sufficient heartbeat. Ionic homeostasis is just a small part of this. Pacemakers are just a small part of electrical system. You do not describe anything about this combination system which the heart contains. There are some good preview articles, for instance, about internal physiology of SA node, describing limitations and targets in this research. Only a few about the integrative system but it still can be described.

For instance, how heart can restore its beating function after i/m KCl in a cardiac surgery where heartbeat must be stop?

@Masi I alwys presumed that after immersing the heart  in KCl during surgery, to restore the functioning of the Na/K pumps you just wash it off with saline? Also, you mention excellent reviews, can you point me to one which you recommend ? And what do you mean by combination system? I have not come across that terminology before, and google is not being helpful today.

KCl is eliminated through normal metabolic processes (kidneys). It cannot be "washed off". The heart is then electrically defibrillated.

@RoverEye One article is The sinoatrial node, a heterogeneous pacemaker structure by Boyett. However, it is not sufficient itself. Much things, I would rewrite completely and extend. Koivumäki et all In Silica ... article is about AF and some introduction for the cell-tissue-organ model in Computational Biology. Clustering, neuronal networks, analysis through different methods and their application - you must understand this from some sources which are outside of Biology. I will let you know when some of better reviews are published in this area.

@Masi If you recommend extended revision, might i suggest you formulate your own answer for this, and that way the OP can have a more complete picture? I'll try and edit as much as can, but you clearly have more to say in this case,, and it appears that you can do it more justice.

Personally, I think this answer is fine... "Does the heart keep beating? Yes, for a while, because it has a built in pacemaker". All the KCI, Kidney, etc (other junk) is good information to have - knowledge is power - but ancillary to actual SIMPLE question. If someone asks how a car engine works, we don't need to learn how brakes make the car stop...

This is a great answer, it just explained what I was looking for

Sydney Ringer showed in 1882 that when the heart, when separated from the body and immersed in lactated Ringer's solution, or even isotonic saline solution, will beat because it has its own pacemaker systems at the level of the Sinoatrial node and Atrioventricular node. This activity will continue until there is insufficient ATP to support it energetically.
The Ringer sources link.
Miller, David J. "Sydney Ringer; physiological saline, calcium and the contraction of the heart." The Journal of physiology 555.3 (2004): 585-587.

I was wondering if a heart keeps beating if it is separated from the body?

Yes, it does. Here's a video showing it (don't click if you're squeamish!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEuSCPifKhA
It's a classical physiology experiment to remove a heart and keep it beating for some time in a jar with liquid solution. In fact, acetylcholine, the first neurotransmitter to be discovered, was detected via an experiment involving disembodied, still-beating frog hearts. As a result, Otto Loewi (who conducted the experiment) received the Nobel prize.
Of course it won't go on forever, as the heart eventually runs out of nutrients and air (without access to lungs). There are also other problems. Taking steps such as supplying oxygenated blood, putting the heart in an isotonic solution, ensuring stable temperature, adding adrenaline (which stimulates the heart) can extend the duration of beating.

If yes, then why?

Why not? Tissue doesn't die the moment it's removed from the body (it's not like individual cells can telepathically tell they've been cut off, they have no way of knowing). It lives for some time before nutrients are exhausted, blood in capillaries drains off, oxygen is depleted, temperature falls, desiccation occurs, and cells finally die. Note how when an accident severs body parts, they can often be surgically reattached and function normally.
Most tissues don't seem to be doing much when you sever them. For instance, a severed hand won't make any movements (actually severed animal limbs can often keep on twitching) but that is because no signal is coming from the brain. If you could emulate the signal, you could get it to move before necrosis occurs.
The heart has a central cluster of neurons, whose function is to generated a regular signal which causes the heart to beat. Because of this, the heart muscle continues to receive a signal even if cut out. The pacemaker cells don't keep perfect rhythm (and more over heart rate is a complicated matter), so in a normal human the brain fine-tunes the rate of beating through hormones and the vagus nerve. If you cut off the vagus connection, the beating won't be as regular or as rapid as inside the body.

Can you please describe this more closer a central cluster of neurons.

In order to clear some issues with the question and answers I add this one.
The question itself was "will a heart keeps beating if it is separated from the body?"
The answer to this question as it was asked: No, the heart removed from the body "as is" will stop beating almost immediately. Denervation and stopping oxygen and electrolytes supply will cause short fibrillation and eventual asystole.
However, if we convert the question to "What are the conditions that will allow the denervated heart to keep beating?", the answer will be different:
If you supply it with solution of electrolytes it will continue beating for some time. If one want extend that time - other chemical compounds should be added as well as the temperature of the organ should be artificially lowered.
nice link that says exactly the same as my answer (provided by @RoverEye )

I'm sorry mate, but that is not the case. If you remove it completely it still continues to beat for a while. I have seen it first hand, and @Superbest has linked a youtube video showing the same. If we supply it with electrolytes, it will beat longer, but the heart beats without them also.

@RoverEye The heart on the video is partly emerged into the solution. Some hearts will beat more or less, but in general I am sure this answer is more precise. If you were right... people will never "die" if their heart is ok at the death time, their heart will beat indefinitely, but it is not the case.

I am afraid there is a misunderstanding here. The heart is part of the autonomic nervous system and thus has the ability to beat independently of the brain as long as it has oxygen. The heart will eventually stop beating as all bodily systems begin to stop working shortly after brain death. Remember the heart can beat, but your diaphragm and lungs wont. hence the cardiac muscles undergo asphyxiation and die off. However, immediately after death, there is enough oxygenated blood in the body to keep thing moving for a while. A quick google gives enough evidence for this.

@RoverEye the question is about heart "REMOVED from the body" :)

It doesn't matter where the heart is. It can be on a plate for what the heart cares.The heart is a self contained system as far as things go for contraction. As long as it receives electrolytes and most importantly oxygen, it will beat. You might want to read this: http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2001-03/986058306.Gb.r.html

Atrial and ventricular fibrillation will continue for maybe 3-5 minutes . 3-5 minutes is a quite a long time.

@RoverEye fibrillation is not beat, you know that very well

True, but its still a muscular contraction. I assumed  from the OP question he meant cessation of contraction, not cessation of beating as we know it. Apologies for the confusion.


text:
Identify this tree?
I found this tree in Crete, Greece close to the sea, planted next to a building. Since I haven't seen this tree anywhere else in the island, I suppose it was planted by someone. Here are some pictures of it.

Based on the distinctive leaf shape and placement of the fruit along the stem that appears to be a papaya.
If so then the plant should "bleed" latex (a milky white fluid) when damaged. You can test this by breaking off a small piece leaf.

Image credit: By Max.kit - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54547062

Indeed they seem identical. I will break a small piece of leaf tomorrow and I will let you know and accept your answer as correct! Comparing the plant with your photo, mine seem to not be doing so well. Could it be the cold? The temperature varies between 9 and 17 degrees

Glad I could help! Your plant does look quite damaged, but that could be due to many things including: cold, water stress, nutrient deficiencies, diseases, or pests. ——— If you want to ask a question about that I recommend [gardening.se].

source: Stack Exchange

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

sort: votes


text:
What is the species name of this plant?
Rubbing the leaves between your fingers feel strong, pleasant aroma of citrus.
The leaves are not fuzzy and are about 2 cm long.

In Germany.

Please provide your location too.

Are the leaves fuzzy? I can't tell...  Also please add dimensions of leaves and any pictures of flowers if present.  A comment about where you got the plant could help, too.

The leaves are not fuzzy, about 2 centimeters in length. In Germany.

Where exactly did you find it? Assuming you found it growing in the wild. Please be as specific as possible, location/habitat.

One acquaintance gave. It is grown in pots in the room. He said that can eat.

He said that can eat. -what do you mean?

Can use as spice.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


text:
Does our nose detect only if there is change in odor?
If I enter a room with certain odor, I can sense the odor. However, if I stay there for some time I cannot sense it anymore. A new entrant to the room can still smell it or I have to leave the room for some time and upon returning I can sense it again. Does our nose detect only if there is change in odor?

Senses in general adapt to continuous stimulation due to various processes. One such process is simply the exhaustion of the reserves of a receptor, or secondary neuron, due to a depletion of neurotransmitters. Entering a room activates a fresh pool of chemical receptors, thereby generating a clear sense of smell. However, this dims due to adaptation. Exiting and re-entering the room after a while revives the neuronal response. More central adaptive responses may also play a role. A comparable effect is seen in the tactile sense. For example, the awareness of wearing a ring or watch fades quickly. Changing its position revives the percept. So yes, sensory systems like olfaction and touch are more responsive to differential stimuli.

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


text:
Species identification; clusters of big plump red bugs in Taipei
I saw these red insects in Taipei near XinBeitou MRT station in the last week of April 2017, around lunch time. They were fairly active and would keep checking each other out with their antennae for a moment and then move on to the next. What struck me was the wide range of sizes and development in the groups. I didn't notice any feeding or mating that I could recognize, just a lot of walking around and checking each other out.
There are plenty of birds around (this is quite a green area) but I didn't notice any interest by birds in eating them.
I've also included a screenshot from google maps so you can see the location and the trees growing in these concrete structures.
The body of the largest individual is probably 2.5 centimeters long.

@Charles photos of 25mm bugs taken by a ~6mm cube camera in my cellphone. I don't know how they do it!

@Charles I live here but I can not read Chinese. However, I asked google and it said that my place is too small, sorry! :-)

@GerardoFurtado Thanks for your help, rostrum tutelage, and for reminding me that I had a species identification question I'd been meaning to ask.


text:
Camera-shy black and green damselfly in Taiwan - species identification?
These photos are from April 7 and 21, 2024 in northern Taiwan, taken in dark, moist forest locations about 10 meters apart, of a damselfly species I've never seen before, here or anywhere else. I suspect it might be the same individual.
Photos are blurry - it's difficult to sneak up on, and fiddling with my cellphone to try to focus better scares it away. Nonetheless, I can say the following:

The front part of the body (head and thorax) seems dark but iridescent green.
The long thin abdomen is very dark or black.
The wings appear black when folded (and to the eye when flying) but when I boost the brightness or look at screenshots from videos, the wings seem to be brown rather than black. I can't be sure if they are the same color on the top and botom surface either.
The wingtips contain a small bright white pterostigma. It seems most/all dragonflies and damsel flies have these counterweights. In Aviation SE see Why this inertial regulator of dragonfly wing pitch reduces self-excited coupled flapping and feathering vibrations and improves gliding flight speed

click for full size:

screenshots of short unsuccessful video attempts

Update:
I think that Arrow's answer has nailed it!
A few days later I hiked the same path again, and about 100 meters from the initial sighting I met two more individuals. This time they were out in the open and bolder, and between swatting mosquitos and fumbling with a telephone that's supposed to be a "camera" I eventually got some better photos.
I'll add them here as confirmation of @Arrow's identification.

It appears to be a female Ebony Jewelwing(Calopteryx maculata). Females, but not males, have the white pterostigma and "smoky bronze wings"; where females have dull brown-black abdomen, males have the beautiful, shiny blue-green color all over the body. Wing color darkens with age. The problem is their range doesn't include Taiwan. So, not posted as an answer. Might be a hybrid of C. japonica x orientalis? Or an invader...

@anongoodnurse wow Wow WOW! It's exciting either way. Sounds like the title of a movie someone should make "Invasion of the Damsel Flies" :-) Not an invader, but I also spotted this bird a few weeks ago. It's range does include Taiwan but the sightings seem much lower than for surrounding countries south and east. https://ebird.org/species/whrsha

This is a very tricky ID to confirm at first glance
The first photo is incredibly like that of an Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) however, Calopteryx maculata is native to the US and not found outside of the western world. A hybrid is extremely unlikely.
After further research, the range narrows the genus of this species to the genus Matrona. A genus of damselflies, native to Asia. This narrows it down to 8 species.
After concluding this, the white on the wings almost instantly confirms this as a Formosan Jewelwing (Matrona cyanoptera) The first photo looks so much like Calopteryx maculata because of the angle that the picture was taken at. When identifying species one should always assume the most likely, or mistakes are likely to be made. The chances of seeing a Calopteryx maculata thousands of miles away from it's range is not a good assumption to make
Congratulations on this beautiful find!

Image ref: https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/43422986, Photo 43422986, (c) nikaboli, all rights reserved

@uhoh Thanks so much for your positive feedback! I really appreciate it! I think you should improve your image quality to help others. Try using a macro lens if your phone has one. Or you can buy a macro attachment for your phone or a jewelry's loupe. This is a very beautiful damselfly and a good photo would be very rewarding. I wish you the best on your photographic endeavors ;)

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


text:
Is this pollen?
The small round "pockets/buns" in the image. I am almost sure it is, but maybe someone knows more. Sample comes from (50.156992, 12.532546) (Google coordinates). It is a re-cultivated tailing in the Czech Republic. In the specific area we find birch trees and fir trees.

What area is that? Can you give geographic coordinates or something?

Yes. Google coordinates: 50.156992, 12.532546 . It is a re-cultivated tailing in the Czech Republic.

Looks like pollen to me, and I've spent a lot of time looking at pollen


text:
The genotype of a hybrid plant from a cross and its determination?
Question
I know about crosses Inheritance and this question is about Test Cross.
I want to know if we can determine the genotype of hybrid plant by crossing with a pure recessive parent from Filial generation 1 or if we require more generations to know the genotype?
My thoughts
if the plant is homozygous then no need if it is dwarf as we know that dwarf genes are recessive but if the phenotype is tall then we have to find its genotype whether it is Tt or TT. I have come across a MCQ : the genotype of hybrid plant obtained from a cross can be determined by crossing the plant with - . To me the ans should be Pure recessive parent at F1 generation. But ans given is Pure recessive parent at F2 generation

If you both parents are homozygous (which is the consequence of being a pure line), then you don't need to even do any cross to infer the genotype of the F1. Maybe you should give an example as to clarify your question and try to solve it yourself so that we see where is your misunderstanding

@Remi.b Yes, if the plant is homozygous then no need if it is dwarf as we know that dwarf genes are recessive but if the phenotype is tall then we have to find its genotype whether it is Tt or TT.   I have come across a MCQ : the genotype of hybrid plant obtained from a  cross can be determined by crossing the plant with - .  To me the ans should be Pure recessive parent at F1 generation. But ans given is Pure recessive parent at F2 generation.

I added your comment into your post and created two sections. Feel free to roll back if you don't like my edit.

@Remi.b Thank you for the edit, now the post looks more appropriate. Now, If we look at the question from statistical view the ans looks simple that more data sampling means more reliable effects i.e F3, F4.... generations, as the same done by Mendel. So, as we know in MCQ there is one correct ans either we gain or loose mark. Little caution, if you have to choose from two above options, which you will choose?

Real genetics is complicated
Biology is more complicated that you seem to expect. The answer very much depends upon the underlying genetics of the trait (and the underlying non-genetic factor affecting the trait; see here) as well as the genotype you are crossing it with.
Simplified model
But let's assume an extremely simple model of pure dominance / recessivity at a single bi-allelic locus. Let a be the recessive allele and A be the dominant allele. Let's assume the pure line you are using for the crossing is homozygote for the a allele (and let assume that we know it).

If the parent is AA, then all offspring will be Aa and all will have the dominant phenotype.
If the parent is Aa, then 50% of the offspring will be Aa and have the dominant phenotype and 50% of offspring will be aa and have the recessive phenotype.
If the parent is aa, then all offspring will be aa and have the recessive phenotype.

So, under this simple model, if you can produce a high enough number of offsprings to make good statistics, then yes, looking at the F1 generation is enough to determine the genotype of the parent.
Under a more complex model, it is not necessarily possible to only look at the F1 generation.

The concept of a test cross is still relevant. It was on my US medical licensing exam. Though that was quite a few years ago, I hope it is still on it. It is still important for evaluating risk based on family history. There are a number of diseases that demonstrate Mendelian inheritance. You can't just run genetic tests on everyone.

I'd add that a test cross is very specific: it's a parent that doesn't show a recessive trait crossed with a parent that does (just the first two bullets in your answer).


text:
Caterpillar identification
It has since cocooned I think but it was a weird circumstance. I kept adding leaves for it to eat, and it decided it was done, and cocooned under a wilted leaf.  I'm wondering if anyone can ID the species, and the following: I think it is a real cocoon, as there is no dead or rot smell.
But the cocoon was under the wilted leaf, and is now quite firmly attached. In the pics below, I've turned the leaf and cocoon over. Does the cocoon know "up"? And does it know it before or after making the cocoon? If it was stuck on its "up and out" direction, can turing it over be harmful? I.e. I turned it over so now it's trying to emerge towards the ground, can it figure out how to find 'up'?
Locale: Southwestern United States
Found in: found it in a moist garden bed (tomatoes, radishes, peppermint, basil) eating radish leaves
Description: About 2 inches long, 1/2 inch long hairy, black/grey hairs, body is black/grey with yellow striped markings
Cocooning position: wilted leaf / \, stick |, cocoon (), ...
 /|\
/()|\

Summary: It made the cocoon with the leaf on top of it, and it would never make it out in that case, so I turned it over. Is that okay? Can we still see the winged form come out? Like I said, it doesn't smell dead... in fact smells better than when the caterpillar was pooping everywhere.
Aside, this is the only tag I could find that might fit. Please feel free to edit tags to get this answered. TY
Caterpillar

Cocoon after being turned over, you can see it's kind of wrapped in the leaf

Till you put your pics, can we keep this question on hold? Because your textual information is also insufficient. Describe the caterpillar: colour, size texture etc. Describe your geographic location and local landscape.

@WYSIWYG added images and more description

From an unrelated answer, I think it might be a saltmarsh caterpillar. Can anyone confirm this?

This question is still open probably because the quality of the image is not good. Why don't you take it outside the jar for making picture? Like this it could be anything.

@ruffp because it's been over a year since I had the caterpillar, and I confirmed a few days after posting that it was, indeed, dead. I should probably just delete the question

Although a definitive ID will likely never be possible with such low quality photos, you probably have a Western Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma californicum).

According to the USDA Forest Service, mature larvae are about 2 inches (4.5-5.1 cm) long and are highly variable in color and markings.

This insect is the most variable of the North American species of Malacosoma, in which six subspecies and several unclassified forms have been recognized.

Although this species eats primarilly trees and shrubs (e.g., see here and here), the Minnesota DNR suggests that garden plants can also be targeted.
Cocoons are of white silk dusted with a white to yellow powder. Your image appears to show that.
The Western Caterpillar is found throughout western North America:

 [Source: USDA Forest Service]


text:
What made this pile of tiny poops at the base of an old oak? Eastern Long Island, NY
I ran across three trees (all with cavities) that had mounds of these small droppings at their base. These were approximately 50-100 meters from the shore of a salt marsh on the east end of long island.
We don't have porcupines, and I've never seen such piles associated with squirrels, so my first thought was bats. Any ideas?

What is the size? perhaps something is living in the tree and that's the resulting midden. Bats dump under their roost. I think it's some social rodents.

They are quite small. In the middle photo you can see an acorn for scale.

This has been identified as scat from flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) by several biologists in the county. It is apparently the first documentation of the species in this area.

UPDATE: I was not paying close enough attention to size. If the feces is as small as the OP mentions in the comment below this post ("20+ of these scat in an acorn"), then this is very unlikely porcupine!! Instead, the size and shape suggests the feces belong to either a rat (perhaps wood rat) or some type of squirrel.

I await an update form the OP with more specifics before diving deeper...

Hollowed-out tree? Pile of pellet-like feces? End of Winter/start of spring?
Almost assuredly these belong to a porcupine.

 Source: user Thomas at http://livingprimitively.com/2012/05/
The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), which can be found throughout Canada and much of the northern US, is present in New York.

 Source: NH PBS

Animaldiversity.org suggests that porcupines are primarily tree dwellers in the state of NY.

For a suburban example like yours, see here.

Although porcupines do not hibernate, they reduce their range significantly during the winter and will tend to accumulate large piles of scat in and near their winter den (or suite of dens -- source). Although caves are ideal as they keep porcupines warmer, they also will frequently use hollowed-out trees as winter dens.
Since the inner bark of trees is a favorite food of porcupines (source), they will linger quite a bit around their den tree or other nearby trees if available.
Porcupine scat matches what you've found. Scat is oblong, slightly curved, and composed mostly of sawdust (due to their high wood diet) [Source: here]. According to Northwoodguides:

Wood fibers are evident in their scat. Scat may be piles of pellets varying in length from 1/2 to 1 inch long or it may be present in a chainlike pattern connected by wood fibers. Color varies from season to season depending on diet but is usually brown to black.

This site also has some good info, photos, and videos.

It is unlikely your scat belongs to another mammal such as a flying squirrel. Although flying squirrel poop looks similar and is smaller, their feces will not be notable woody as they eat lichens, fungi, berries, leaves, and other non-woody foods. Source. This site suggests that flying squirrel scat can accumulate at the base of a tree, but I have not seen this nor do the other characteristics match your almost textbook example of a porcupine "poop tree."

Perspective and scale are really difficult in images like this, but doesn't it seem like the scat in OP's picture is far smaller than 1/2 inch? Certainly seems smaller than that in your picture.

I am confident we do not have porcupine in the area.

Also I'd estimate that you could fit 20+ of these scat in an acorn - second photo

@Bryan yeah, I guess after viewing these photos on my computer screen, the scat does seem quite small. I had not really focused much on the OP's middle picture. Hmm, perhaps flying squirrel, then. That Idiot, can you describe the scat? Was it dry and woody/saw-dusty, or moister and seemingly made out of other food stuffs?

@ThatIdiot wow, ok, if they're that small, then definitely not porcupine. Feces that size and shape likely belongs to either a rat (wood rat) or some type of squirrel. You could look into the snag to see if there's any sign of a nest or drey that might help with ID. Getting an exact scat size and more commentary about its texture and contents could also significantly help.


text:
Identifying a creature that appears to be a worm wrapped in a cocoon
This creature was found on a bed. At first, I thought it was a piece of lint, but then it suddenly moved. I picked it up in a paper towel and put it in an eye cream containers, which it is currently in. I believe this means that it is pretty strong, since it appeared to have pulled itself all the way up from the floor, to the top of the bed, then across to the other side of a King-sized mattress.
It appears to be a worm wrapped in a cocoon. It is pretty short, being small enough to fit inside an eye cream container.
The creature is a pale yellow-white/cream, with brownish-red tips on each end (unless it can somehow turn around without exiting its casing). It looks from the side as if it has a rather flat face, one that comes to a slight bump at the bottom, but is pretty much flat. The casing is light grey, with some small portions that appear to be almost the same color as the organism, just slightly darker. There is an opening at each end of the casing, which the organism uses to slide slightly out. It has never fully come out of the casing. The edges of the openings at each end are white. The casing seems to either be made out of or covered in dust.
It can create a substance that is sticky and strong enough to support its weight. I cannot tell if the substance is created by the 'worm', or the 'cocoon'. A thread at each end of the casing is connected to the side of the container by the substance. When I accidentally detached one end of the casing, the entire thing began to shake violently when held so that one end was hanging. It wouldn't stop until I had turned it so that both ends were touching the side of the container. Within minutes, though, it had reattached the broken end. Minutes. Not hours, but one minute.
The holes at each end of the cocoon can either grow or shrink closed. I believe this allows us to tell which opening is in use. If it is nearly shut, it will come out the other end.
It appears to be nocturnal, since it doesn't move during the day, but it is very active at night. It also appears to react to light. If some is put on it, it will poke out to look around.
It has survived for four days straight without food, as far as we know. We put a small piece of lettuce in with it. However, there are two small, brownish things on the bottom of the container. This may be its excrement.
The creature moves by reaching out with its 'tentacle/worm', grabbing onto something (including the ground), and pulling itself forward.
I cannot tell if the creature is attaching to the container's side to climb, or because it is morphing. If that is the case, then the outer shell may be a cocoon. It did detach itself from the side of the container, and first hid under a ledge of lettuce, but now has wrapped itself in lettuce.
To summarize: can someone please help me identify this creature?

Reminds me of a bagworm, but the bag looks different. Of course, if this was living indoors it wouldn't have the normal material to build a bag with.

Welcome to Biology S.E.! If you have additional questions, please visit The Help Center. I think this is a very interesting question and I look forward to seeing it get answered!

It is almost certainly a bagworm, I also have an outstanding question about them in http://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/27961/identification-of-unknown-bagworm-singapore. I don't have a picture of a de-leafed cocoon, but I remember the de-leafed cocoon looking very much like your photo.

I don't think the picture is good enought for a species determination. However, also consider case moths (Coleophoridae), which have larvae that carry around a larval case for protection (similarly to bagworms). A key factor is whether the casing you see is the pupa used for metamorphosis or the case that larvae in some families carries around as protection. Also see this BioSE question.

Looks like an Indian mealmoth to me.

I think it's just a case bearing moth larva (Tinea pellionella).

Source: http://www.hantsmoths.org.uk/

As you might already know the source of an image must be added if it is borrowed from a different person/site.

That, I believe to be the larvae of an Indian Mealmoth Plodia interpunctella, but it could also be Tineola bisselliella or Tinea pellionella. It's definitely emerging from a pupa, and it's definitely a moth larva, but I'd need more information for an accurate identification.
To Google images

It doesn't have to be a pupa - consider that larvae of some moth families carry around a larval case (e.g. case moths (Coleophoridae)).


text:
How does eutrophication yield lower levels of dissolved oxygen?
Where do the oxygen go? Is it consumed by a particular species? Is just not enough being made? Please explain.

This question indicates no prior research by the OP. Even a simple google search provides the answer. For example, see Wikipedia.

@theforestecologist The question keeps its interest. Since algal bloom produces both oxygen and organic matter (whose decay consumes the same amount of oxygen) the question of where has all that oxygen gone and why is there a large net loss of oxygen is not answered by a simple Google search.

From Wikipedia:

Eutrophication arises from the oversupply of nutrients, which leads to over growth of plants and algae. After such organisms die, the bacterial degradation of their biomass consumes the oxygen in the water, thereby creating the state of hypoxia.

The oxygen is used up by bacterial decay of the plants and algae that overgrow when there is too much phosphorus or nitrogen available; the plants grow so quickly that they compete with each other for sunlight.
Any basic source on eutrophication, even Wikipedia, will talk about this extensively.


text:
Cockroach-like insect identification (India)
I just saw an insect in my room, and I have never seen anything like it ever before. I captured a photo, please see if you can identify it. It has got quite unique colours on its exodermis and it has 2 pairs of wings ( I was not able to get a picture of them) which are very similar in structure and position to those of a cockroach. In addition to that, it is able to fly, albeit for short distances.
I live in Kolkata, India and the length of the insect is approx. 6-8 cm.

It's a longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae).
Most likely, it's a Red-spotted longhorn beetle (Batocera rufomaculata), also known as a mango tree borer, mango stem-borer and tropical fig borer.
See this SE question pertaining to the same insect.

From Biolib:

Country check-list: China, India, Israel, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Virgin Islands  [Might Not be complete]
Food: Ficus carica L. (Fig), Carica papaya L. (Papaya), Mangifera indica L. (Mango), Shorea robusta Gaertner f. (Sal Tree)

It might also be B. parryi, which, similar to B. rufomaculata, is common in SE Asia (but which is absent from Western Asia or Africa where B. rufomaculata is also found). Since you live in India, both are possible. I will look for a key to determine how to differentiate the 2 species.
Meanwhile, here is a list  of related species in the Lamiinae subfamily for further reference.
Also, a great resource (including keys) for wood boring beetles of the world!

Thanks, it is the same species atleast morphologically. Just like the one in the answer link you provided.

Country Checklist: Add Bangladesh


text:
Can anyone identify these bugs in the soil?
I was checking the soil around my pineapple pear tree and found this living down in the dirt. My goal is to identify the insect so I can properly treat the soil in an organic manner.

This what? W/o a pick it's hard to answer the question :-) also add your whereabouts and the habitat

Could you provide your location please

They look like termites.

It would be better if you posted a close-up.

How do they behave ? How do they move ?


text:
Strange Striped Insect identification (Northern Indiana)
These bugs are coming out of some wood that I cut and burned in Northern Indiana (USA) . I am not sure if it is coming out of a white ash, cherry or oak.  We did have the emerald ash boarer come though the area -- is this an ash boarer?
Thanks.

It's not an ash borer. You can learn more about Banded ash borers (Neoclytus caprea)  that are sometimes confused for this borer species here. See here for information on the more commonly recognized emerald ash borer

This is actually a Painted hickory borer (Megacyllene caryae).
According to the Virginia Cooperative Extension (and here), this species is frequently misidentified as a Locust Borer beetle (Megacyllene robiniae).
Here are their pictures side-by-side (M. robiniae on the left and M. caryae on the right):

Pretty similar, right? There are some differences though:

Appearance:

M. robiniae description (from Virginia Cooperative Extension):

Both males and females have black bodies with bright yellow markings. These markings are most notable in the "W" on the first pair of wings.  Legs are red and antennae are black. These long antennae place it among the "long-horned" beetles.

The distinction for M. caryae is the white 'W' stripe. From OSU Extension:

The first marking from front-to-back on the elytra is also a yellow horizontal band; however, the second marking appears as a distinct "W" that is light yellow to cream-colored.

The following image from the Ohio State Extension better demonstrates the white W markings of M. caryae (similar to the OP's picture):

These two insects also differ in Behavior ( this is important).

From OSU Extension:

Painted hickory borers emerge from cut wood in the spring and locust borers emerge from live trees in late summer to early fall.

Since the OP found this in the spring coming from firewood, it further points to the painted hickory borer.

Finally, they differ in the species they infest:

From the Virginia Cooperative Extension:

The locust borer is a native insect that attacks black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and its ornamental cultivars... Unlike locust borer adults, painted hickory borer adults...attack stressed or recently cut hickory and other hardwoods.

M. caryae is named for it's preferred wood, the hickories (Carya spp.).

According to OSU Extension, M. caryae also commonly infests the recently dead wood of ash, black locust, hackberry, honeylocust, oak, Osage orange, walnut, and butternut trees.

M. robiniae, on the other hand, gets it name from the larvae living in and eating their typical host tree, black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). Adults are also often found eating goldenrod species.

Should you be concerned? Not according to the OSU Extension page:

Fortunately, painted hickory borers only infest dead wood that has been cut for less than one year. ... The beetles will not infest older dead wood; they will not infest wood that has been dried or processed into home furnishings, or used as structural wood.  So, beetles that emerge from infested firewood in or around a home are only a nuisance pest.

A quick search for M. caryae turns up few other sources, but you can find additional fact sheets for M. robiniae here, here, and here.

For those that don't know trees: here is a link to learn more about the common North America hickory species, and below are some images of common hickory species. More info about black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) can be found here.

I updated this answer with the correct ID and the often misidentified look-alike (which I originally fell for). As a result, you get a two-for-one beetle lesson for the day :p

Thank you for the well described and documented answer, as well as answering my follow up question: "Should I be concerned".

For fun: Mating Frenzy of painted hickory borers on youtube!


text:
What does the root "phyllum" mean used botanical binomial nomenclature
I often encounter the root "phyllum" in binomial names in botany, but I've had trouble finding an actual definition for this root in any Latin dictionary outside of its taxonomic meaning. From context it seems to mean "leaf":

Acer macrophyllum - Bigleaf Maple
Tsuga heterophylla - A Hemlock with distinct two-ranked needles

But the Latin for leaf should be folium. Is there any real rhyme or reason to this? I don't know if this is a question better directed towards the Latin stackexchange, but I thought a botanist might have some insight on the subject.

Binomial names often use of greek words. Phyllum means -- as you correctly stated -- "leaf", but is not derived from latin but from the greek φύλλον, 'phyllon'.
By the way, there are also lots of examples where the latin word 'folium' is used. To stick with the genus Acer from your example, there is another species named Acer gracilifolium. So don't be confused by the linguistic chaos in binomial nomenclature.

Phyllum is used to refer leaf in Botanical nomenclature. How the word "Phyllum" is derived is not known.

Doesn't the existing answer already explain it? Why do you say it is not known?


text:
Can action potential generating ion channels only be understood as assemblies of membrane proteins (and not as single proteins)?
I always believed to have roughly understood how voltage-gated ion channels and the creation of action potentials work: as and by single (or non-interacting groups of) membrane proteins, that behave somehow non-linearily by intrinsic means, each by its own. But suddenly I doubt.
Might it be the case that some of the non-linear dynamics of ion channels and the generation of action potentials cannot be understood when looking only at single ion channels as proteins? Or is it like Wikipedia says:

A voltage-gated ion channel is a cluster of proteins embedded in
  the membrane.

This means, that some of the non-linearities only occur when many membrane proteins (presumably in a fine-tuned mix of different types) interact?
Maybe only then some features of ion channels can be understood:

Action potentials are always of the same size, independent of the voltage (or current) that is applied/injected (which would be hard to understand for single membrane proteins).
Ion channels can exhibit many different firing patterns, which depend on intrinsic emergent mechanisms of assemblies of membrane proteins.

If this is so, one must be very careful when talking or reading about voltage-gated ion channels, because depending on context sometimes single membrane proteins are meant, and sometimes complex assemblies of non-linearily interacting proteins.

Wikipedia's statement

A voltage-gated ion channel is a cluster of proteins embedded in the membrane.

is most likely referring to the fact that most ion channels (maybe all? I hate to say "all" in biology) are made up of multiple protein subunits; usually these are all considered one protein's quaternary structure, though, so wikipedia's language is not ideal.
I think you are then running with a misunderstanding of this statement to make some conclusions that are not warranted. Of course multiple ion channels come in to play when you are talking about membrane potentials at the cellular level. Of course you need to consider multiple ion channels when considering the overal membrane potential, but it is sufficient to know only a) the gating properties of a given channel and b) the membrane potential to know the contribution of that channel.
Action potentials are only roughly the same 'size' in terms of voltage amplitude - they are certainly not identical, and this size is because of the gating properties of voltage gated channels and the reversal potential for sodium. The membrane potential can never exceed the reversal potential for sodium via sodium-based conductances, so that puts an upper limit on action potential size. In addition, hyperpolarizing potassium-permeable voltage gated channels will open at depolarized potentials, further limiting the maximum amplitude of an action potential.
Ion channels don't exhibit any firing patterns: neurons exhibit firing patterns that depend on all the channels present and the physical morphology of the cell.


text:
Could these be Mycetozoa?
I found this on a forest in Mexico City. It was kind of a warm day (around 15°C). It had been raining a few days prior and it was quite humid, but not suffocating.
This orange thing was on top of a rotting tree. I thought it could be Dictydiaethalium... maybe.
When I moved it it produced an orange slime.

Your second species ID request (i.e., Lycogala epidendrum) should be asked in a separate question. In general, please do not combine multiple species into a single ID question. Thanks!

Looks like a slime mold perhaps. See here for a picture of Tubifera ferruginosa, a visually similar looking species. EDIT: actually I see you suggest Dictydiaethalium, so you're thinking alogn the same lines as me. I'm no mycologist, so I'll leave the details up to someone else to figure out / answer


text:
Insect Identification (even the family name would do)
I found this insect in Bhopal,Madhya Pradesh,India could you please help me identify it??
I think it is some kind of beetle. Approximately 2-3 cm in size.

Welcome to Biology. SE! Thanks for taking the tour before posting. From the wing case, it looks like a true bug (Hemiptera). Any chance you can add something to show the scale?

I am sorry I can't add anything to add to show the scale as I was just passing by when I saw it,but I suppose it was 2-3 cms besause if the size of the leaf which seen in the photo.

I suppose it belongs to superfamily Pentatomoidea.

That's a hemipteran not a coleoptera

You've found a specimen of Coridius janus or cucurbit stink bug or red pumpkin bug (don't mix up with the red pumpkin beetle). They betong to the suborder Heteroptera (True bugs).

(picturefrom Wikipedia)
Also see:
projectnoah.org: red pumpkin bug
nbair.res.in: Coridius janus
indiabiodiversity.org: Coridius janus

We really discourage linking to pictures or any other valuable info off of SO because if the link dies (which it often does), your answer becomes useless to future viewers. So, to follow up Charles's comment, please make sure your answer here on SO is as complete as possible without requiring users to visit external links


text:
Can food swallowed when a person is upside down reach the stomach?
If a person positions him/herself upside down and swallows food, will it reach the stomach against gravity? If so how?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swallowing#Pharyngeal_phase, phase 11. So... yes

The eminent @JanDvorak has basically provided the full answer, but yes, it is possible.  You can easily try this yourself, just lean off a bed and swallow something (small) and see what happens.  Peristalsis in the esophagus is responsible for moving food down into the stomach.  The big proof of this is that astronauts can eat when in space, when weightless.  Their food is moved into the stomach just fine.
It's easier to do it upright (peristalsis + gravity) as opposed to upside down (peristalsis - gravity) but definitely quite possible.

It is not a good idea to experiment with this just like that. A part of food can enter your larynx and bronchi and eventually lead to aspiration pneumonia.

Yes it is possible. As I myself have experienced it.I was doing a headstand when I tried it.It does take a lot of time but does reach the stomach.


text:
What is this yellowish insect?
I found this insect inside of my shoe. It is approximately 1cm in length and less than half a centimetre wide. It was found in the Netherlands, in the province Gelderland.
Close shot

Distant shot

Upside down

What kind of insect is that?
Edit:
As @fileunderwater suggested: the question is "close" but not identical.
I think that the suggested duplicate will only provide an identification of the family of the insect, but nothing more precise and specific. Therefore, the answers for the 2 questions vary.

Possible duplicate of What insect is this? (Black body two orange lines in its back and six legs)

@rg255 Its probably reasonable to close this as duplicate, but strictly speaking these are probably two different species (I'm not into Coccinellidae larvae). So a more general question is to what extent we should close questions as duplicates if they are "close" but not identical (for species-id Qs, similar at what taxonomic level)? Here, the proposed duplicate will provide a family id, but that is all. So comparing to mammals, equal to answering "this is a deer" to a species-id Q with a picture of an Moose.

It is the larva of Harmonia axyridis (Asian lady beetle).

The image posted by timbernasley is more accurate because the larva you have shown is in its late instar ,a stage not an early as this one.

Here's the link: Wikipedia

Note that this is not the same as what is commonly called the "Lady Bug" in North America.

As we should all hopefully know, lady bugs/birds/beetles are a beneficial species, so try not to kill any larvae you see.  However, do be aware that larvae have been known to bite, so take care in relocating it.

@n_b although this is the Harlequin ladybird larvae which is a very aggressive invasive species currently wiping out the native population of the UK

@n_b No, this one is Harmonia, kill it on sight.

@Ilythya & Vladimir I stand corrected. I didn't know it was an invasive species. Kill these.

@n_b Good luck on killing them; this invasive species is now the most common ladybug in urban areas in the Netherlands. :-(

This is a ladybug larva:
google image search

authors: Vladimir F Героям слава


text:
Identification of an insect from midwest US
I have been seeing them more and more frequently indoors.  I am currently in the Midwest United States, weather has been unusually warm for December, and there are many trees nearby. Can someone please help identify this?
The pictures are of the same bug, but from different angles.

Brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys):

See here, here, here or here for information.
These have become hugely invasive in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic (and slowly Southeast) portions of the U.S. as well as along the West Coast.
The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) is native to Eastern Asia, and likely 1st started spreading around the U.S. in Pennsylvania in the early 2000s.

Finally, you can see an image of the life stages of H. halys here.
Update:
Just for clarification, other brown stink bugs do exist and can be easily confused with H. halys. This article from UF IFAS, for example, demonstrates how to differentiate H. halys from Euschistus servus:

See here and here for additional ID tips and further reading.

Though the brown marmorated stink bug is non-native and hugely invasive, the bug's 'ick'  factor is not as bad as the native stink bugs that smell WAY worse! I guess the difference is, people rarely find native species indoors while these Asian ones infest homes  in the winter, bringing them into closer contact with most people.

Also if you see one of these insects, please consider reporting it! Though the battle is likely lost, there are still attempts to actively manage against the spread of these stink bugs. Google "report brown marmorated stink bug" and find a local organization or university that is collecting data in your area /region

General info about some common stink bugs foudn in the midwestern US: Stink Bugs of Ohio Soybean

I'm in the middle of Europe and just found one. Great.

@DavidTonhofer a quick search shows this insect was found in Europe as early as 2007 (Wermelinger et al., 2008). Zhu et al. (2012) created predictive models of their range expansion 8 years ago, which predicted spread throughout much of Europe (See Fig 6). Leskey & Nielsen, (2018) confirm that H. halys has established populations in many European countries as of 2018. (See map in Fig 1).

@theforestecologist Thanks. I'm in Luxembourg, 400km northwards even, directly east the yellow blotch covering the Ardennes region in Figure 5 of Zhu et al.. Well done.


text:
What is this plant in the Butler, Pennsylvania area?
This is growing in the woods near my house in the Butler, Pennsylvania (USA) area. I have not seen it around before, and I have no idea what is it. What is it? Is it poisonous to pets (or little kids)?

could you comment on two things: What time of year did you take this picture? And were the viney tendrils and green leaves the same plant as either the lighter-colored stem in the middle of your top picture or the cluster of berries? Or are the big stem and berries a separate plant.

That looks like a bit like a Smilax to me, possibly Smilax herbacea.
Make sure you have a positive ID on any wild plant before you eat it, but if this is Smilax it looks like you don't have to worry about it being poisonous: from Flora of North America entry on the genus Smilax:

Smilax has numerous uses. Sarsaparilla, a beverage and medicinal used
  against rheumatism, is obtained from the rhizomes of various species... All species of Smilax are excellent wildlife food and are also browsed, or the rhizomes dug
  and eaten, by domestic stock.

For you, or for other Pennsylvania people, note that the Pennsylvania Flora Project of the  Morris Aboretum is a great resource. You can download species lists by county, and just that and some google image searches can often substitute for a field-guide of your county.
If you want to identify plants the hard way, and are willing to deal with special botanical vocabulary, the Flora of North America that I linked to above is the definitive resource.

Short answer
I would also guess it's Smilax herbacea, but let me go a step further and explain why...

 LEFT: NC State Extension ; RIGHT: SEINet
Long Answer
This does indeed appear to be a species of Smilax, a genus of climbing and sometimes woody plants often found with prickles. The group often picks up the colloquial name "greenbriers," and according to BONAP, 5 of the ~20 North American species are present in Pennsylvania with 4 found in Western PA specifically: S. glauca, S. herbacea, S. hispida, and S. rotundifolia (with S. pulverulenta found in Eastern PA).

 Range map of Western PA Smilax species. Sourse: BONAP
Greater detail of the leaves would be quite beneficial for IDing to a specific species, but we'll try to figure this out with the available data. The nice shots of the umbel-shaped infructescences (i.e., the umbrella-like cluster of berries) are certainly useful. The long length of the peduncle (or main shoot to the base of the fruit cluster) should be able to help us here.
If we take a look at Weakley's Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States (I'm using a 2013 copy), the first dichotomous break in his key references peduncles of either usually > 4 cm long (clearly the case in the OP's picture) or < 3 cm long. Of the species I listed above from BONAP found in Western PA, only S. herbacea falls under the > 4cm peduncle step in the key.  In fact, Weakley claims that S. herbacea has peduncles 5-8x as long as the subtending petioles (these are the small stalks connecting the fruits to the main stalk). BINGO!

According to Flora of North America (vol. 26): peduncle to 30 cm.

But wait, according to both floras above, the berries are supposed to be blue...
Aha! But fruit on many greenbriers often start out paler green before darkening to dark blue in maturity. According to NC State Extension, the berries are not "available" until August in NC, so I'd guess berries in PA would be even farther behind being farther North. If you took this picture relative recently prior to posting the post (mid July), it would suggest any such fruits are still quite immature and so the pale coloration is not totally unexpected (though yours look particularly pale).

 Northern Bushcraft (see for additional pictures)
 Note: the International Plant Names Index actually lists a number of varieties (though I think a number of these have been separated out as their own species). Gleason and Cronquist (1991) [see here] suggest 3 remain.  I point this out simply because some variability could be a result of variation between these different varieties.


text:
How mosquitoes get their food and survive?
How do mosquitoes find and get their food? For how much time can they survive without food?

Only female mosquitos (of some, but not all species) need blood to reproduce, they find it by following cues that lead them to warm blooded animals. These include gradients of heat and CO₂. Pretty much all mosquitos feed on nectar and plants while they are adults...
As for how long they could survive without food, I don't know, but no longer than their normal lifespans of a few days to a couple of months as adult.

This answer would be greatly improved by linking to some study on the matter

@nico yeah, but during a cursory search I couldn't find any addressing the question at hand, how frequently must a mosquito feed (for any species), and I suspect it is because the question is kind of moot... most people don't care about how often a mosquito must eat its adult food... much less important to a mammal than: just when do they bite us?

blood seeking mosquitoes are attracted to CO2, lactic acid, and the bacteria that live in sweat (old sweat), physically active human emit all three.

Both Male and Female Mosquitoes feeds nectar and plant juice.
Only Female Mosquitoes feeds blood from Vertebrates. They find Lipid, protein from blood.
Lipid and Protein will help in nourishing egg nutrients. Their breeding proportionately increases with the amount of blood meal they intake.
I am not sure about their life expectancy without food.


text:
How to automatically obtain the "kingdom" of a species from its name?
I'm looking for a simple way (such as a database) so that a program can get the kingdom of a species, knowing its name (such as "Prunus persica"). As a matter of fact the species I'm concerned with are the ones in the miRBase database.

Bear in mind that since plants and animals use different nomenclatural codes, it is possible (but extremely rare!) for the same species name to be present in both Plantae and Animalia. Here's an example: https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Centropogon_australis

@Gaurav huh, really?? I always wondered  if this ever happened.  cool fact!

Here's a paper about cross-kingdom homonyms: http://www.mapress.com/bionomina/content/2011/f/bn00004p072.pdf

You could try the Catalogue of Life

The Catalogue of Life is the most comprehensive and authoritative global index of species currently available. It consists of a single integrated species checklist and taxonomic hierarchy. The Catalogue holds essential information on the names, relationships and distributions of over 1.6 million species. This figure continues to rise as information is compiled from diverse sources around the world.

You can export the search results (in the above example indicating Kingdom Plantae for search term "Prunus persica") and analyze the exported table in your program of choice.


text:
Is there such thing as a bird with infrared vision?
I am writing a story and I specifically need a bird with infrared vision. Worst case scenario I just invent one but that would break the pattern in my story.
The closest thing I have seen from researching myself was this statement, "tawny owl's retina has about 56,000 light-sensitive rods per square millimetre (36 million per square inch); although earlier claims that it could see in the infrared part of the spectrum have been dismissed."
So apparently it was proven that the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) does not have infrared vision. I couldn't find a better forum to ask this on (I don't know, is there a zoology forum?) so my last resort would be a biologist.

I read somewhere it was suggested some falcons may have infrared vision, but I have no source. Also, if I remember well some nectar-feeding hummingbirds can see near IR, but no full blown IR vision.

I posted a recent answer that might give you some background here. A quick tl;dr is that true infrared vision (like in snakes) doesn't happen except for specialized organs that aren't really vision anymore. However, in other cases, infrared really just means "marginally red shifted vs. human vision" which is a lot more likely but also a lot less impressive.

I looked on Google Scholar for "avian infrared vision" and "bird infrared vision" and found nothing, so it seems fairly unlikely unless there is something very obscure. Frankly, I think it is unlikely that the physiology of enough bird retinas or behaviors have been studied to conclusively say there are no birds with red-shifted visual capabilities.

@BryanKrause I agree, it may be possible that such a bird exists but hasn't been properly studied... well thanks for the help I guess I'll work with what I've got

Just fort the record, @Alexlok: you confuse near IR with near UV. Opposite end of the spectrum. :)


text:
Can ants sense food from a long distance?
I recently had ants find and then swarm to a food container that I put down on a desk. I'm curious as to whether an ant would have needed to get lucky (i.e., discovering the food after crawling up the desk) or ants have the ability to sense food from a distance.
I'm skeptical of believing that ants simply scout around until finding food; I'll use this case as an example:

My room has had no food or drink in it for weeks, so the area wouldn't be a "hotspot" for ants to be interested in.
I put the mostly empty food container down on my clean desk and turned my lamp off to work on the computer. No more than 2 hours later did I turn my light back on to discover a trail of ants swarming to the container I put down. It happened pretty quickly.
The desk is high, standing on four thin legs. I find it difficult to believe that an ant would crawl up the desk as often as a 2 hour time frame to scout for food, for the message to be passed to the colony so quickly.

I've been curious about this scenario for a long time. So my question:
Can ants sense food from a long distance? If so, how does it work? If not, how is the phenomena (ants locating food quickly in unlikely places) explained?

You can detect food at a distance too, it is called smell.

Ants follow odor cues in the wind.  A study by Wolf and Wehner (2000) manipulated ant antennae and wind direction to show that ants followed odor plumes on the wind. A more recent study by Buehlmann et al. (2014) showed that desert ants of the genus Cataglyphis cued in on linoleic acid, a so-called necromone (death scent) released by dying insects. Here's a popular article that summarizes the latter study.  Chances are good the ants are followed the odor plumes coming from your mostly empty food container.
Literature Cited
Buelhman, C. et al. 2014. Desert ants locate food by combining high sensitivitty to food odors with extensive crosswind runs. Current Biology 24: 960-964.
Wolf, H. and R. Wehner. 2000. Pinpointing food sources: Olfactory and anemotactic orientation in desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis.  Journal of Experimental Biology 203: 857-868.


text:
Spider Identification Illinois
I noticed a really huge, beautiful web on my porch last week, and tonight, I discovered its resident. I'm thinking it's an Araneus diadematus (Cross Orbweaver), but I was hoping for some confirmation.
Can anyone confirm this or offer a better suggestion?

I would agree this is some species in the Araneidae. Do you have a picture of the spider's belly? Or a better picture of the spider's web? Thanks.

This is very likely an araneid (or Orb-weaver spider) in the family Araneidae.
Without further evidence, it's hard to narrow down to a species.
One possibility:
Neoscona crucifera (Hentz orbweaver, spotted orbweaver or barn spider)

 Source: Will Cook 2001

 Source: Wikipedia

Description:

Relatively variable in color (and sometimes pattern), but is usually rusty-red or golden orange color.

This site suggests females are reddish-brown to brown and males are lighter brown with the sides of the carapace nearly black.

Dorsal abdomen is brown and hairy; abdomen underside = black, with two white spots
The epithet crucifera refers to the cross-like pattern on their back
Legs have alternating light and dark brown bands.

Size: females = 9.5-19 mm long; males = somewhat smaller
Web: very large (up to 0.61 m diameter) and often on buildings and other man-made structures
Range: Eastern/Central USA + Mexico

According to Will Cook,

Several other species of Neoscona are confusingly similar...Other species usually have a bolder pattern.

We can rule out Neoscona domiciliorum because Illinois is west of its range and the colroation is different. [Source].

@Dan Do you remember if the spider had dots on the underside of the abdomen?


text:
Why can we eat salty food, but can't stomach salty water?
I know that too much sodium is bad for our health. However, it struck me as odd that we like to add salt to pasta sauce or other foods we eat, yet trying to drink salt water can bring on the gag reflex.
Is this because sea water is many times more salty than the salt we would add to our food? Or is there another reason?

Seawater is equivalent to adding a bit more than an entire tablespoon (17.5 mL) of salt to a 16oz (~500 mL) glass. If you're dumping that much salt onto your pasta sauce, I'd recommend you not skip the annual physical this year :p.

Not sure everyone experience a gag reflex when drinking sea water. Do you have a reference that this (claim) actually happens, before we try to find out why? (That it's unhealthy to drink/eat that much salt is another matter.)

Seawater is many times more salty than the "pinch" of salt that is often recommended to add to cooked dishes.
According to the USGS

the concentration of salt in seawater (salinity) is about 35 parts per thousand. In other words, about 35 of 1,000 (3.5%) of the weight of seawater comes from the dissolved salts

To translate that to a typical glass of water: seawater is equivalent to adding a bit more than an entire tablespoon (17.5 mL) of salt to a 16oz (~500 mL) glass!
By the way, 1 tablespoon of salt is about 7100 mg. To put that into perspective, you'd have to consume almost two entire 8-cut pizzas (using Domino's as a reference) or more than 7 McDonald BigMac cheeseburgers to consume that same amount of salt.
In fact, consuming 7,100 mg of salt would more than triple the recommended amount for daily intake. According to the FDA:

Americans eat on average about 3,400 mg of sodium per day. However, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day—that’s equal to about 1 teaspoon of salt!

Thanks for the answer. I would never have guessed seawater had such a high concentration of salt.


text:
Please, help identify this sea worm

It was found in Malta, in a puddle by the sea.
It left a lot of tiny hair on the shoes (which we removed thoroughly without touching them).
I didn’t have any coins with me so I put keys for scale.

Apparently a "bristle worm" , there are many kinds. When I had salt water aquariums, there were at least 3 varieties in the gravel that were introduced with "live" rock.

Looks like a Mediterranean Bearded Fireworm (Hermodice carunculata).

 Source: The Malta Independent
From Wikipedia:

Bearded fireworms are usually 15 centimetres in average length, but can reach up to 30 centimetres.

Each segment has a pair of parapodia, a structure for locomotion, clusters of stinging white bristles, and red or orange gills all in bilateral position.

You can see this post from the Malta Independent warning people who hang out in tidal areas in Malta about this polychaete worm -- it's bristles can inject a neurotoxin which can cause intense irritation/burning and possible nausea and dizziness.
Also, FYI, the whitish elliptic shape on the second body segment closest to your keys is the mouth. See here for some images of this mouth in action!

@Thomas. Thanks for accepting my answer -- hope it helps! Please consider upvoting, too :)


text:
What does "molecular" mean in the context of anatomy, for example the molecular layer of cerebral cortex
The first apical layer of the cerebral cortex is also called as the molecular layer, I could not find the exact reason of the naming.
What I found:
Molecular alongside its primary meaning in chemistry can also mean:
of or relating to individual or small components
source
And if you only stain the neuron somas, you can only see some scattered neurons in this layer. Maybe this is the basis of to the naming.
What does molecular exactly mean in this context?
Is this adjective used widely in anatomy with the same meaning?


text:
Are there any anatomy books focusing on etymology?
I noticed that I can remember names for a very long time if I now their etymological background, the reason is easy I love etymology, especially when it is connected to mythology. However when I learn anatomy searching for the etymological background consumes too much time.
Are there any books or even preferably searchable online materials focusing of the etymology of anatomical nomenclature?

Though a little bit outdated looking this from the university of Sydney is pretty good and searchable.
I find it pretty useful for aiding memorisation or just a quick entertaining read.
Arnold's Glossary of Anatomy - The University of Sydney


text:
What order does this bug belong to?
I caught this insect in my house.
It has 6 legs, long antennae, 2 pairs of wings and is dark brown.

Order Coleoptera, Family Cerambycidae.

You could confirm the family ID by looking at the eyes. They are kidney-bean shaped, with the base of the antennae inserting into the concavity.


text:
Small black slow-moving insect showing up in the home
In the past few weeks (winter) I've started to notice these insects crawling about various places of the home.

Slow-moving like a beetle.
Black all over.
Hard to see but they have two prongs sticking out of the front.
I own dogs and cats.
I live in Tel-Aviv, Israel.
I live on the second floor.

Very hard to capture in an image so I tried a video. Here's a Gif:

What is this species?

@GerardoFurtado Thank you. I've actually never heard of them. Using your information as a starting point, I believe the ones we have are specifically the Rice Weevil.

@GerardoFurtado I wouldn't say just a weevil. This is very likely some type of grain/rice/maize weevil. If you've been seeing multiple of them, that likely means they are breeding in some container of grain (rice or corn perhaps) you have in your home and could be well on their way to an infestation if your grain source is large enough. I recommend you check all sources of dried foods in your home to see if you hear/see weevils in it or coming out of the container.

@GerardoFurtado Got it. Yes, sorry, I  was talking to OP. I've had a weevil infestation, which is why I responded the way I did :p -- what a pain!!

@Rotem FYI, for future reference,  I used https://ezgif.com/ to convert your video to a gif, which can be placed on a SE page directly.

Based on the hard-looking outer "shell" and elongated snout ("rostrum"), this is certainly a type of beetle called a  weevil.
Given the size of the weevil, the time of year and the location of your home (second floor in a large city), I would guess this is certainly some species of nuisance/pest weevil.
Candidates include:
Wheat weevil (Sitophilus granarius)

Range: Worldwide
Food: wheat, oats, rye, barley, rice and corn
Appearance: 3–5 mm long with elongated snouts; reddish-brown
Life History: 36-254 eggs in 5-20 weeks

Rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae)

Range: worldwide
Food: wheat, rice, and corn
Appearance: 2-3 mm, long nose, brown/black in color with 4 orange/red spots
Life History: 300 - 400 eggs per month [source]
Note: can fly

Maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais)

Range: cosmopolitan in warmer climes [source]
Food:  corn (maize), wheat, rice, sorghum, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat, peas, cottonseed, other types of stored, processed cereal products (e.g.,  pasta, cassava, other coarse milled grains), and even has been known to attack fruit while in storage (e.g., apples)
Appearance:  2.5 - 4 mm, brown with four reddish-brown spots on elytra, long/thin snout, and elbowed antennae

See this Wikipedia page for a comparison of the rice vs. maize weevils

Life history: 300 - 400 eggs per 36 days

If you've been seeing multiple of them, that likely means they are breeding in some container of grain (wheat, rice or corn perhaps) you have in your home and could be well on their way to an infestation if your grain source is large enough. I recommend you check all sources of dried foods in your home to see if you hear/see weevils in it or coming out of the container.
Given the relatively large number of eggs each female can lay and given the month long generation time, this is an infestation you'd like to stop quickly.
 Note: all info is from the linked/cited Wikipedia pages unless otherwise cited.

I had an infestation once -- bag of dried corn. Vacuuming wouldn't pull the buggers out of my carpets, so I was forced to pull them out one by one using a headlamp and tweezers

Thank you. Source was eventually tracked to a bag of dry pasta.


text:
Black insect with antennas and large abdomen
I found this insect crawling outside near my house, and I have never seen anything quite like it!

It was found in the summer in Denmark.
Length is approx 4 cm (1.5 inc) with the antennae.
What species is this insect from and what is the insect called? Is it rare? What caused it to have such a large abdomen?

Meloidae  is a family of insects belonging to the order Coleoptera. In the world, this family has about 2,500 species divided into 120 genera. Adults use flowers and feed on pollen.
Scientific name: Meloidae
The females of the meloes have their abdomens filled with so many eggs that this organ acquires a considerable size, but the male's is small.

Please be sure to ALWAYS provide evidence/citations for answers on this site, especially for species ID questions. I advise that you update this answer with some sources. You should preferably only refer to reputable sources given the amount of misidentification and misinformation floating around the internet. The point here is for other people to learn to teach themselves, and showing them the sources/process is really a good start. Thanks!


text:
How do our sensory organs work automatically without our conscious effort?
I wonder how our different sensory organs (e.g., eyes, nose, ears, etc.) work automatically without our conscious efforts or without our command. We don't have to tell our eyes how to see, our ears how to hear, etc. How does this work?

Read: Autonomic Nervous system

I think this is really two questions, 1: how do our senses work. And 2: why don't/can't we control them consciously.

Because consciousness evolved much much later than sense organs, and consciously seeing does not make much sense evolutionarily speaking.
We can consciously direct some sense organs, like the eyes, but signals sent sense organs by their very nature have to activated by outside stimuli otherwise they don't work as sense organs. If I could command my taste buds to taste cheese pizza while eating hay or poison it kinda defeats the purpose of having taste buds in the first place.
You really don't tell most of your body to do anything it happens automatically, becasue there is no benefit to doing it consciously, humans have more ability for fine motor control of some muscles becasue they help with things like speech or tool making, but having to learn to consciously control pupil dilation would take much longer and likely result in quite a bit of damage to the eye.
Now our eyes do have to learn how to see (or at least how to focus) and our brain has to learn how to interpret the impulses from our sense organs, but this is not really conscious learning. there is a cool experiment you can to to reteach your brain wrong see the inverted vision experiment but all the learning is without you being aware of it.

The special sense organs are really extensions of the brain and activation of the organs via stimuli such as light or sound directly fire neurons that message the cortex. This is not learned but just straight neural activation. Interpretation of those senses is called perception and that is learned as you grow, and achieve self perception.
http://www.medicalook.com/human_anatomy/systems/Sensory_organs.html

The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) controls the actions that are performed without our conscious efforts.
It controls the automatic activities in the body. For instance, we cannot voluntarily increase or decrease our heart rate or slow down our digestive tract, these are the work performed by Autonomic Nervous system. I would suggest you to read about autonomic nervous system, you will understand.

Welcome to Biology! Whilst this may theoretically answer the question, it would be preferable to include the essential parts of the answer here, and provide the link for reference. You have basically re-stated the premise of the question and provided a link, but no physiological mechanism of why that is.

The autonomic nervous system does not include the senses.


text:
What's the difference between a simple and 1-foliolate (unifoliolate) leaf?
How is a 1-foliolate leaf (e.g., Hardenbergia) different from a simple leaf?

Short answer:
Look for a pulvinus at the leaf-stalk/leaf-lamina junction.

Long Answer:
So from a strictly anatomical identification standpoint, this can be a bit confusing.
According to "Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary" (Harris & Harris, 2001):

Simple: Undivided, as a leaf blade which is not separated into leaflets.

Where:

Leaflet: A division of a compound leaf

and

Compound Leaf: A leaf separated  into two or more distinct leaflets.

So the definition of a compound leaf is to have "two or more distinct" leaflets.
But wait...
From plantnet:

one-foliolate (1-foliolate, unifoliolate): a compound leaf reduced to a single leaflet, usually recognized by the articulated or jointed ‘petiole’, which is in fact a petiole plus a petiolule.

So what gives?
Perhaps this is due to a deficiency in terminology, as discussed (and corrected) by Jiménez-Saa 2011.
But, again Harris & Harris (2001) hint toward how this might arise [emphasis mine]:

Unifoliolate: a leaf theoretically compound, though only expressing as a single leaflet and appearing simple.

So there is still a fundamental difference between the two.
Structurally, we can see the difference at the basal joint of the foliar structure:

Simple or unifoliolate: The leaf is undivided...with (unifoliolate) or without (simple) an articulation between the leaf lamina and leaf stalk. [source]

Put differently:

Unifoliolate leaf is usually recognized from a simple leaf by the presence of a distinct joint or a pulvinus at the lamina-petiole junction, which is in fact a petiole plus a petiolule.

Note: Pulvinus = a distinct enlargement/swelling at the base of (sometimes at the apex of) a petiole or of a petiolule.

Note: a discussion about the developmental evolution of unifoliolate characteristics in Cercis canadensis is discussed here.


text:
cloning and blue white screening in pet21a
I am using pet21a as a carrier vector for my gene, with R.E BamHI and XhoI,in reverse primer I haven't added any extra nucleotide sequence so that it should code for the histag towards C-terminal. Am I doing so correctly?
Another question: after transformation to DH5alpha, I am getting only white colony(X gal stock was 20mg/ml about 200ul and IPTG 100mM stock about 40ulon surface of plate)... why I am not getting blue colonies?

pET21A doesn't encode the lacZ α-peptide necessary for blue-white screening by complementation. Since DH5α has the lacZΔM15 background, only the lacZ ω-peptide is produced and thus β-galactosidase is inactive.


text:
What is the difference between gene expression and protein synthesis?
I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. Can someone please help me? What is the difference between gene expression and protein synthesis?

This is a really poor question. "I have no idea on what I'm supposed to do" What are you talking about? How should we know what you are supposed to do when you don't explain the context of your question? What level course are you following, what books are you using, how did this question arise? Please take the Tour explaining how this list works and read how to ask questions properly.

According to the homonymous article of Wikipedia

Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product.
These products are often proteins, but in non-protein coding genes such as transfer RNA (tRNA) or small nuclear RNA (snRNA) genes, the product is a functional RNA.

As shown by this picture, gene expression consist of genetic transcription, that results in a mRNA, maturation of the mRNA (splicing, incorporation of a poly(A) tail, capping, ...) and finally protein synthesis by means of translation of the mature mRNA.
Again, the homonymous Wikipedia article tells us what is protein synthesis:

Protein synthesis is the process whereby biological cells generate new proteins [...]. Translation, the assembly of amino acids by ribosomes, is an essential part of the biosynthetic pathway, along with generation of messenger RNA (mRNA), aminoacylation of transfer RNA (tRNA), co-translational transport, and post-translational modification.

The following picture describes the process of mRNA translation by ribosomes that results in a polypeptide.

Once folded in its proper 3D structure, the polypeptide becomes a functional protein.
In order to work properly, some proteins need post-translational modifications, which is (citing Wikipedia again) the covalent modification of proteins following protein biosynthesis and goes beyond the scope of this answer.


text:
Test of antibiotic A for sensitivity as surrogate of antibiotic B
I am reading the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS) - Manual for Early Implementation. it mentioned some of the drug-bug combination that will be put under surveillance in page 8 of the following link, I have screen-captured the page below that I have some questions.
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/188783/1/9789241549400_eng.pdf

For S. aureus, Cefoxitin is selected for surveillance, but the remarks mentioned that Cefoxitin is a surrogate for testing susceptibility to oxacillin (methicillin, nafcillin). I know S. aureus showing resistance to methicillin is MRSA, but why test for Cefoxitin but not test methicillin directly?
The same question goes for S. pneumoniae for Oxacillin as a surrogate for testing reduced susceptibility or resistance to penicillin. Why not directly test for penicillin?
Sorry that I am not a microbiologist, just a data analyst recently working on microbiological data, hope that I won't be asking something too stupid.
Thanks!

I will be interested in seeing if this gets answered. +1

This is not a proper answer as such and it's based on a bit of an 'educated guess' but it was too long for a comment.
I did however, find this article. Unsurprisingly, one of the big drivers of using surrogate antibiotics is down to availability and cost. Some antibiotics, while known about, may not be produced commercially at scale, or be widespread enough for testing facilties around the world to use. Consequently, the WHO can maintain a list of antibiotics with complementary 'cross-talking' modes of action, so that a resistance mechanism can be probed without needing the specific antibiotic.
Another reason for using a surrogate might be to avoid some of this cross-talk. I.e., if you wish to know the effectiveness of (say) imipenem, and you know imipenem and meropenem have the same mode of action, but perhaps the bacteria has a second resistance pathway that  is specific for imipenem - you could use meropenem as a surrogate, knowing that it won't be degraded/removed by pathway 2, and you can still probe the mode of action.*
*(This is a contrived example, I have no idea if you'd ever use those 2 antibiotics in this manner.)
It seems like, from reading online, the real drivers to use surrogate testing however, are purely as an interim measure due to the enormous lag phase between discovery of new drugs, testing, scale up, administrative approval, and then general market availability.

Though I'll add to this I have absolutely no idea why that would be an issue for penicillin which is definitely widely available!


text:
HOW is the Gallbladder attached to the liver
The gallbladder’s function is to store bile from the liver which is delivered through the cystic (bile) duct.  The cystic artery is also connected to the gallbladder to deliver blood.  (Correct me if I am wrong about any of this.)
However, when I was watching a gallbladder surgery video on YouTube, in the process of removing the gallbladder the surgeon clips the bile duct and artery which I understand but he/she also cauterises the gallbladder off the liver.  I also understand that The cauterisation is to prevent bleeding.
BUT the question is WHY is the gallbladder attached to the liver in the first place?  WHAT purpose does being attached to the liver serve? Does it provide stability? Because I always thought the gallbladder just sits beneath the liver.  Most importantly, HOW is the gallbladder connected to the liver?  (This maybe be more of a chemistry question), what bonds is it connect through, what/which biomolecule connects it and why is it that biomolecule/ bond that is used.
As watching the video,  I also noted that the surgeon didn’t clip the cystic vein, or even mentioned it.  Maybe I am wrong and he/she did clip the cystic vein but I didn’t see, would you also be kind enough to explain to me why the surgeon didn’t clip the cystic vein or if he did why it wasn’t pointed out.  Also tell me more about the cystic vein where is it located because it’s very hard to find clear diagrams with them...(is it because it’s small)

Hi welcome to Bio.SE! Posts should not contain multiple questions. Please remove the final paragraph of your post as it has nothign to do with the main question. You may opt to post it as a secondary question in a separate post.

1. Gallbladder attachement to the liver
In this video (check from 55 sec on), you can see that the gallbladder is covered by a thin sheath that wraps the gallbladder; the sheath extends to the liver and intestine and thus keeps the gallbladder in place. The sheath is a part of the abdominal membrane (peritoneum) that covers most of the abdominal organs. You can see that the surgeon is cutting the sheath.
2. The Cystic Vein: The Significance of a Forgotten Anatomic Landmark (PubMed Central)

...there is no cystic vein per se, but the venous drainage is
  through the bed of the liver [between the attachment surfaces of the
  gallbladder and liver]...however..Gray's
  Anatomy of the Human Body...describes cystic veins which join at the
  neck of the gallbladder to form either single or double cystic veins
  which flow along the cystic duct and upward along the hepatic
  ducts.

there are also accessory ducts (Luschka) that can connect to the gall bladder directly. Not all bile enters the gall bladder through the common bile duct. These additional ducts need to be sealed to prevent bile being leaked directly into the body cavity.

@John, that's a valuable info.


text:
Please identify this tree in the Netherlands

Please identify this tree for me. It was found in a park in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

I suspect this is a hazel (Corylus avellana) based on:

the leaves
the male flowers (not mature in your photo)
the fact that it is a common tree in Europe)

This one has twisty branches, so it could well be of a particular variety called "contorta".
According to
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corylus_avellana#Cultivation_and_uses

A selection with twisted branches has been propagated horticulturally as Corylus avellana 'Contorta'.

Though providing links to supporting sources is ideal and often required when answering [tag:species-identification] questions, citing random non-reputable links is harmful to constructive learning and often inaccurate. This is especially true of google search results, which are very often inaccurate.  Please do the extra homework and find an image or description from a reputable source. (e.g., here or here). Thanks!

@theforestecologist Sorry for the link. I thought it would improve my answer because the male flowers in the wikipedia article or the link you suggest are mature ones. I removed it. Feel free to edit my post or propose another better documented answer.

Well, you don't have to remove the link necessarily, but use it as cautionary evidence instead of direct evidence. If that makes sense....In general, though, if your best line of evidence is a link such as one from google images, it probably just means you need to keep searching for better evidence. So, keep the link if you'd like (with some note signifying its lack of reputability), but take the time to keep searching for better support :). Thanks!


text:
Insect ID Montreal, Qc Canada
I found this bug in my kitchen, in front of my oven.
It has wings and moves quite slowly on the ground.
I can provide additional pictures if required.
Can somebody tell me what it is?

I have found an article on a local website that seems to say this is a carpet beetle even though it's written bedbug right bellow it.
http://www.exterminationmontrealbedbugs.com/insects/

As a general hint: everyone on the internet calls every small insect a bedbug, every brown spider a brown recluse, and every 3 leaved plant poison ivy. There is a TON of misinformation and wrongfully ID's species rampant all over the internet. Stick to well cited or reliable sources (e.g., .edu or .gov, websites, science journals, etc.). In general,  TRUST NO ONE 0.o

Dermestidae, Reesa vespulae; wasp nest dermestid
http://pestcontrolcanada.com/5965-2/

Also, I find long-winded explanations of species IDs to be annoying. When the question is "what is this species?" the answer is two words.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3253/2597399688_b6ca9e1370.jpg

I agree that it appears to be a Dermestid of some kind, but I'm not a beetle pro, and so I'm not going to weigh in on the specific ID.  Sometimes family is good enough, in my experience.  I merely want to say that in my experience, commercial pest control websites are not places I would look to for accurate identification information.  I'm sure they try hard, and some of them may have people on staff who know their business, but all too many simply cut and paste posters and photos from other locations, without regard for accuracy.  The common "Spider ID" poster that pops up in the US, which features Australian species, is a frequent source of irritation for me.


text:
What are these colonies on my Bacillus pumilus lawn?
I am growing Bacillus pumilus and I have plated some on agar plates. Now I can see some colonies on top of the lawn.

Does anybody know what they could be? A contaminant? Bacillus pumilus? I have observed some people growing Bacillus pumilus, and the colonies they streaked looked different than mine. Could it be that B. pumilus has several colony phenotypes?


text:
Can I kill bacteria with distilled water?
Given that bacteria are hypertonic (contain more salts) compared to distilled water, and that they rely on ion concentration differences across the plasma membrane to survive, can I kill a bacterial solution by adding an excessive amount of distilled water to make them explode? If I add distilled water on a surface, are the bacteria on it going to die?

Counter question: If you think this is so easy, why are surface disinfectants used instead of water?

maybe because disinfectants have a wider spectrum of species that they can kill? maybe distilled water would kill some species but not all? I don't know. I would like an explanation of why then distilled water is not used as a disinfectant.

In addition to @Superbest's answer, distilled water does not remain 'distilled water' from the moment it touches a washcloth, sponge, surface, etc. You would need to literally flood your counters with the stuff to do any disinfecting, and at that rate, probably anything you use (e.g. tap water) might be just as effective.

@Chris: this is the kind of answer/comment which shuts down interest and research. "Because" comes just below in the rank. And then "Don't ask stupid questions".

@MartinKlvana: sure, but it does not help when someone does not know the subject. If you ask me "Can we have smaller particle accelerators?", to what I say "if this was that easy we would not have built CERN", does this helps you? And - more importantly - does this gives you food for thought? Saying "we could, but because of this and that it is not easy/feasible". This is an answer which is helpful.

Indeed, bacteria are susceptible to osmotic stress from being in pure water. They are also susceptible to starvation in such an environment.
However, wild bacteria tend to have many mechanisms that protect against this and allow them to survive in spite of being exposed to water. Note, also, that freshwater can serve as a habitat for many species of bacteria: Consider ponds, streams, lakes, etc.
Thus bacteria which you encounter in everyday life will likely have been those that survived osmotic stress in the first place. And drying, and mild disinfectants, and sunlight, and temperature variation... So it is unlikely that water alone will kill them.
Here is a recent article on this topic: http://jgp.rupress.org/content/early/2015/04/07/jgp.201411296.short
And here's one about how osmotic stress affects susceptibility to other antibacterial effects: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0740002014001890