biochemcollegestudent4

[biochemcollegestudent4]

In a new study published in Nature Chemistry, UNC-Chapel Hill researcher Ronit Freeman and her colleagues describe the steps they took to manipulate DNA and proteins—essential building blocks of life—to create cells that look and act like cells from the body. This accomplishment, a first in the field, has implications for efforts in regenerative medicine, drug delivery systems, and diagnostic tools. "With this discovery, we can think of engineering fabrics or tissues that can be sensitive to changes in their environment and behave in dynamic ways," says Freeman, whose lab is in the Applied Physical Sciences Department of the UNC College of Arts and Sciences.

Continue Reading.

[biochemcollegestudent4]

Red admiral butterfly

Scientific Name: Vanessa Atalanta

A very common species in the UK that is often seen in gardens. They have a wing span of 4.5-7.6cm and a life span of 10 months though this is usually shorter in the UK because they can’t survive the winter. Most migrate to the UK from North Africa and continental Europe, arriving in spring to lay their eggs. The name “red admiral” apparently comes from the corruption of the original 18th-century name “red admirable”.

[biochemcollegestudent4]

Slow worm

Scientific name:Anguis fragilis

NOT A SNAKE! Or a worm. Slow worms are legless lizards because unlike snakes they have eyelids and can shed their tails if threatened. They can be found through mainland Britain they are most commonly found in wales and the south-west England although they are not fond in Britain. They can grow up to 50cm and have a diet of slugs, snails, spiders, insects and earthworms.

[biochemcollegestudent4]

Ladybug larva

This week me and my friend found a weird looking bug which actually turned out to be a Ladybug in the larva stage of its lifecycle. In a typical ladybug lifecycle after 3-10 days a ladybug will hatch from an egg into its ladybug form in which it will stay for about a month before it enters its pupal stage , wich is a bit like the chrysalis faze in a butterfly life cycle, which lasts about 15 days. After this the ladybug emerges as a fully formed lady bug. The main reason for the larva is for beetle to eat a lot, a single larva can consume up to 350 to 400 aphids. This is why so gardeners actually use ladybug larva as a treatment when they have an aphid infestation.

[biochemcollegestudent4]

Pigeons

Another very common species of the UK this post the humble pigeon. The one I shown in the picture above I believe are feral pigeons, one of the five species of pigeon and doves that live in the uk. They are often very friendly animals and long as you have bread or seeds to bribe them with

Hight: 20-30cm

Weight: 250-350g

Eggs: 2 per nest

Speed: 150 Km/h

Fun fact: some pigeons where so useful as messengers for the English and the French in WW1 they we decorated with military honours like the Dickin medal

[biochemcollegestudent4]

Ducks

This spring I was lucky enough to spot ducklings and their mother on my way home from school. The most common type of duck in the uk is the Mallard duck and are most recognisable from the males shiny green hood and yellow bill. Mallard ducks can be found in almost any body of fresh water in the UK and breed in the Summer and winter. Ducklings can be up and walking within a day of hatching but take 50-60 days to fledge (fly) and become independent. They are also incredibly cute and fluffy.

Scientific name: Anas platyrhynchos

[biochemcollegestudent4]

Dandelion 

For my first post about wild life why not start with something I find in my own front “wild flower” garden the mighty Dandelion 

It is common knowledge this little yellow flower can be rather dominating as you can see above and many regard it as a weed. Not me though, I regard it as quite pretty 

scientific name: Taraxacum officinale

found: literally anywhere in the uk 

Fun fact: 'Dandelion', their common name, has been derived from the French phrase 'dents de lion', which means lion tooth referring to the pointy tooth like shape of it’s leaves