As alluded to by its name, most shipworms bore into and digest wood – making them a natural nemesis to docks, pier infrastructure, wooden vessels and sailors alike. The mollusks digest the wood with the […]
Tag: Academy of Natural Sciences
New Species Announced at the Academy: 445 Days in Rewind
The continued discovery and documentation of new species shows life on Earth can still surprise us – and it’s clear that conservation and proper cohabitation of this world is increasingly important. Scientists at the Academy […]
Modern Taxonomy Benefits From A Closer Look at Specimens’ Genes
The “Tree of Life” is synonymous with evolution theory – the concept can be traced back to ancient Egyptian mythology, the Bible’s Genesis and is even harnessed by Charles Darwin in support of natural selection. […]
Media Watch: Academy Scientist Explains Fish Urban Legends on Netflix
In a new Netflix series, an Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University ichthyologist upacks the stories of several fish that have transcended from the water to our mythos. Mark Sabaj, PhD, interim curator of […]
What Goes Into a Controlled Burn?
The fires now ravaging North California have been particularly bad this year because years of drought have left the area much like a tinderbox. Without sufficient rain for years, many plants have been left dry […]
Hurricane Harvey: Even After Floodwaters Recede, They Hold Danger
Since Friday, Houston and its surrounding area has been hammered by more than 40 inches of rain, with more set to come. Flooding related to Hurricane Harvey has water cresting dams and forcing people to […]
Q&A: Extraordinary Four-Foot-Long Clams Finally Found Alive
Hiding inside a hard shell that’s up to four feet long and resembles an elephant tusk, there’s a dark-colored earthworm-like creature. At one end, the creature’s body forms a slight bulb. At the other, claw-like […]
Journey to the Bottom of the World: Academy Researcher to Dig for Fossils in Antarctica
On his latest adventure, Ted Daeschler won’t have to keep an eye out for wolves or polar bears. That’s a welcome change. “That’ll be very comforting,” he laughed. For the first time, Daeschler, a PhD […]
160 Years After Its Arrival, New Ichthyosaurus Identified at the Academy of Natural Sciences
More than 160 years after its discovery in an English quarry, an ancient, aquatic reptile specimen at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University has finally been given its own name. In the effort […]
Q+A: Are Wildfires Really That Bad?
In California, nine different wildfires have destroyed roughly 70,000 acres. They are just 40 percent contained. A fire that cropped up in Lovell Canyon near Las Vegas has consumed roughly 300–400 acres. With thunderstorms likely […]
