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"Discovery Files" Features from the National Science Foundation
"True-Blue Lizards"
Fully produced report in MP3 format:
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LOYAL LIZARDS TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM. THE "DISCOVERY FILES": NEW ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. THE SOCIAL ORDER OF THE SIDE-BLOTCHED LIZARD IS MUCH LIKE A SCHOOL PLAYGROUND: NATURE HAS GENETICALLY CODED THE MALE BLUE-, ORANGE-, AND YELLOW-THROATED LIZARDS TO EACH TAKE ON SPECIFIC ROLES. IN THE LIZARD SCHOOLYARD, THE ORANGE ONES ARE THE BULLIES; THE YELLOWS ARE THOSE QUIET KIDS; AND THE BLUE LIZARDS ARE TRUE-BLUE PARTNERS. IN FACT, RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND THAT THIS LOYALTY TO THE CAUSE WILL SPUR A BLUE MALE TO ACTUALLY FIGHT OFF AN INVADING ORANGE--SACRIFICING HIS OWN CHANCE TO MATE--TO ALLOW AN UNRELATED BLUE TO TAKE HIS PLACE. THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT USUALLY FOUND IN NATURE. YOU THINK IT'D BE "EVERY LIZARD FOR HIMSELF". BUT, IN THIS CASE, SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND SELF-SACRIFICE TO BE GENETICALLY ENCODED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PASSING ON THE "BLUE" GENES. IT'S KIND OF LIKE HAVING A FRIEND WHO WILL FIGHT THE BULLY SO YOU CAN GET THE GIRL. THE "DISCOVERY FILES" COVERS PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU! LEARN MORE AT "N-S-F"-DOT-GOV.
For additional "Discovery Files" features from the National Science Foundation, click here.
