Mar 21, 2013

Horror Frog Breaks Own Body to Generate Claws

 Amphibian horror isn't a movie type, but on this proof perhaps it should be. Harvard biologists have described a strange, hairy frog with cat-like extendable claws.



Trichobatrachus robustus vigorously breaks its own bones to produce claws that puncture their way out of the frog's toe pads, most likely when it is threatened.

David Blackburn and colleagues at Harvard University's Museum, think the ghastly behavior is a defense mechanism.

Some other frogs have scrawny spines that assignment from their wrist, but in those classes it appears that the bones grow through the skin rather than pierce it when needed for defense.

The researchers state there are salamanders that strength their ribs through their skin to produce protective barbs on demand, but nothing quite like this mechanism has been seen before.

The characteristic is also found in nine of the 11 frogs belonging to the Astylosternus genus, most of which live in Cameroon.

Mar 4, 2013

Amazing Magnetic Boy and his Talents




While the Internet was still abuzz with chatter about the Jerusalem UFO, another weird mystery emerged in February, from the state of Serbia. A seven-year-old boy named Bogdan made international news for his mystic ability to be magnetic.

According to MSNBC, household objects such as spoons, knives, and forks stuck to his skin with almost paranormal ease. Even stranger, other things stuck to him too, such as small plates and small flat glass things. It was quite an unexplained mystery until it was pointed out that whatever made the items to attach Bogdan's bare skin, it was not magnetism, since many of the times were non-metallic. The mysterious capability was in fact due to simple skin friction.