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Dialogue 2004 #2

 

Evolution Under the Microscope

Evolution Under the Microscope

Technical

The striking image on the cover of this book is a crystal of DNA. What more effective illustration could one imagine for a book which deals with the significance of biochemistry for our understanding of biology? Read the rest of this entry »


Eerie Reflections

Eerie Reflections

Intermediate

It was just a matter of time, of course, following the discovery of geckos’ amazing ability to stick to smooth surfaces by means of molecular forces (see Let’s Learn from the Best), that another such animal would be discovered. One might have expected that the next discovery would be in another reptile, similar to the gecko. Imagine our surprise, then when we heard that the second example is nothing like the first. An article published last year in the Journal of Experimental Biology reveals that such a phenomenon has been discovered in a jumping spider (Evarcha aracuata) commonly found in Europe. While many creatures such as flies use an adhesive fluid (ugh) to stick themselves to surfaces, these jumping spiders use ‘dry adhesion’ like the geckos. Read the rest of this entry »


Ivan Stonehocker 1918-2004

Ivan Stonehocker 1918-2004

Intermediate

Man of Vision:
Man of Action

Ivan was a true gentleman, a fine educator, a good friend and an active Christian. He knew “everybody” in education in Alberta and many in politics. Moreover, he and his wife Irene, took great pleasure in supporting many worthwhile endeavours. In their later years at their acreage, they grew flowers and food which they generously shared. If anybody needed help, they were there for them. Read the rest of this entry »


Not Junk After All

Not Junk After All

Introductory

Imagine that you found a hockey card. The pictured individual looks just like most other hockey players but you don’t recognize the name. It doesn’t look that exciting does it? You might be tempted to throw the card in the nearest garbage can. Your friend however advises caution. Why not investigate the value of the card? Suppose for the sake of argument that your card turns out to be extremely rare and worth a lot of money. Suddenly, what previously looked like junk, has now become a wonderful possession. The card has not changed, but your appreciation of what the card represents, has changed drastically. Such situations sometimes occur in real life. Not all of these instances involve things, some involve living creatures. Read the rest of this entry »