Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle

Archive for October 2025

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There once was an old lady who swallowed a bullfrog…

Happy Halloween! As kids (and maybe a few parents) dig into their candy hauls, we’re checking out some wild creatures with even spookier taste…animals brave enough to snack on venomous prey! Scorpions beware! Pallid bats (Antrozous pallidus) are one of nature’s spookiest snackers. What’s on the menu for these fearless flyers? Scorpions, yikes! While most animals would steer clear of a venomous arachnid, pallid bats chow down without a worry […]

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Primed for survival: How sea hares inspire new clues to protect the brain from low oxygen conditions such as stroke

Sea hares (Aplysia californica) live in coastal environments where oxygen levels can fluctuate unpredictably. Knowing this, researchers set out to explore how these animals tolerate regular exposure to hypoxia (low oxygen) with the hope of discovering clues that could teach us how to protect humans from hypoxia-related conditions, such as stroke. To do this, they compared offspring from two types of parents: those collected from the wild that likely experienced […]

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From firefighting foam to feathers: Tracking PFAS in nature

It seems that we are learning more every day about potential exposure to “forever chemicals”, such as PFAS. From proposed laws in California that would ban PFAS in cookware and other items to maps such as the one above showing potential contamination in tap water. These chemicals are drawing so much attention because they do not break down easily and can remain in the environment for decades. In addition, PFAS […]

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How exercise and age change muscles

When we lift weights or do resistance exercises, our muscles adapt by changing which genes are turned on or off. These genetic changes (called transcriptional changes) help muscles grow stronger and improve their metabolism. Both young and older people experience these changes, but aging changes how muscles respond at the genetic level, which may help explain why older adults don’t gain muscle as easily as younger individuals. In a study […]

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