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January

  • Hidden Treasures-Peary Flag

    January 29, 2014

    A roughly 4- by 5-foot American flag on display at the Academy of Natural Sciences is a curiosity not just because of its number of stars, 43, but because of the story behind it.

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  • Fish Hips Grew Strong Before Life Took Its First Steps

    January 13, 2014

    The discovery of new fossil materials from the ancient fish species Tiktaalik roseae has revealed a key link in the evolution of hind limbs. The newly described, well-preserved pelves and partial pelvic fin from this 375 million-year-old transitional species between fish and the first legged animals, reveals that the evolution of hind legs actually began as enhanced hind fins, contrary to the existing theory that large hind legs developed after vertebrates transitioned to land.

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  • 2014 Academy Exhibits

    January 13, 2014

    The mating rituals of elusive birds, a humorous look into natural history museums and the history of chocolate — yes, chocolate — will be featured in a series of exciting new exhibitions this year at the Academy of Natural Sciences.

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  • Mapping Leatherback Turtle Hotspots

    January 08, 2014

    The leatherback turtle in the Pacific Ocean is one of the most endangered animals in the world. Its population has declined by more than 90 percent since 1980. One of the greatest sources of mortality is industrial longlines that set thousands of hooks in the ocean to catch fish, but sometimes catch sea turtles as well. Using modern GPS technology, researchers are now able to predict where fisheries and turtles will interact and to reduce the unwanted capture of turtles by fishermen.

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  • Paperwasps in Different Castes Develop Different-Sized Sensory Brain Structures

    January 06, 2014

    A queen in a paperwasp colony largely stays in the dark. The worker wasps, who fly outside to seek food and building materials, see much more of the world around them. A new study led by Drexel professor Sean O'Donnell, PhD, indicates that the brain regions involved in sensory perception also develop differently in these castes, according to the different behavioral reliance on the senses.

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