Bubba lives near Leland High School in San Jose, California and he loves going to school. Every day he’ll venture out, get treats from his favorite teachers and hang out with friends until the school day is over and everyone has gone home. He started by following his owner Matthew to the nearby Bret Harte Middle School and graduated to Leland High School with him. He has since dedicated himself to getting a good education.
…Or at least we haven’t bred as many deformities into them yet.
Cunning Cats Forced Dogs To Evolve… Or Go Extinct
IFLS wrote the above article, summarizing how when cats came to North America, their superior predatory skills forced the dogs already living there to either adapt and improve or go extinct. Both cats and dogs are powerful predators and exclusive carnivores, so in the wild, they’re in direct competition with one another. Scientists compare this extinction/adaptation result to be on par with what you see from drastic climate changes.
Nature has always done a pretty good job of keeping things balanced. Then, along came humans…
Dogs are their primary victims. I know lots of people like the various breeds, like pugs and bulldogs, but the truth it, they’re being bred into helplessness. We’re exaggerating traits for aesthetic effects (and frequently inbreeding them in the process), and this is having a detrimental effect on their health and well-being. Wanna see the worst of them?
Of course, cats have suffered from our tampering too…
Don’t get me started on those short-legged cats they’ve been breeding… Animals are beautiful the way they are. A little selective breeding is fine (great, even!) but when it causes health problems and other detrimental side effects? I disagree with that path.
Studies are suggesting that dogs may be better at detecting cancer than many of the tests we use to screen patients, so now the National Health Service in the UK has authorized dogs to be used in trials to detect prostate cancer.
Ruh-roh!
Humanity is always trying to advance, and it seems like more and more, advancement is only coming when we realize that nature is already doing – and doing well! – what we’re trying to do. We study birds and insects to make better flying machines. And now we’re using animals themselves in medical tests to detect an illness.
I think this is amazing progress. After all, why reinvent the wheel? Additionally, studies have also shown that being around animals can aid healing regardless.
Check out the article for more of the scientific details – as always, IFLS does a wonderful job of breaking it down.
IFLS just did an article on some new, science fiction-y technology headed out way. Some scientists have invented a “small handheld ultrasonic emitter that accelerates tissue repair…healing times could be reduced by 30%. This both increases comfort for the patient and shortens how long the wound is susceptible to infection.”
Probably not what it looks like.
This is way cool. IFLS compares the invention to Star Trek’s medical ray gun, although of course that instrument provides instantaneous healing (methinks we’re a ways off from that yet). Essentially, this device reinvigorates cells and “jump starts” the healing process. As the article explains, “[t]he ultrasound device works by inducing nano-vibrations in the membranes and surrounding environments of skin cells.” The scientists are very optimistic about various uses for ultrasound technology in the future.
There was an interesting tie-in when IFLS asked (and partially answered) Why Do Cats Purr?
“Vibrations in the body have been shown to promote healing.
This raises the fascinating possibility that purring is actually a way for cats to heal themselves. While ultrasound has been shown to accelerate skin healing, and high frequency vibration training increases muscle power, some suggest that a cat’s purring can help to increase its bone density. This would fit the idea that athletes have denser bones on average as a result of vibrations when their feet hit the floor during exercise.
With such sedentary life styles, it might actually make sense that cats would need to increase healing and bone density while effectively lounging around for most of the day. It would also explain why cats purr when sick or injured.”
So it looks like cats are one step ahead of us. Also, apparently purring is a superpower. It would certainly be an interesting superpower. Someone needs to write this superpower into a book! Wait! I know a writer!
And, just because, here’s a nine hour video of a cat purring:
So somehow this stunt-kitty evaded the pre-flight checks and went for a wild ride…in an airplane. About 30 seconds into the video, the kitty appears from inside the wing to meow in distress at the two oblivious humans. 30 seconds later the pilot notices the cat (and his expression is priceless), but the passenger doesn’t see kitty for over a minute.
Thankfully, kitty survives this harrowing experience without any physical damage. But maybe he’ll learn not to hide inside airplanes anymore.
Stephanie Beavers 