A year ago today I visited a colony of river primrose plants, Oenothera jamesii, in the bed of the North Fork of the San Gabriel River near Tejas Camp in Williamson County. On the retracted bud sheath of one of the flowers I noticed what I take to be a stilt bug in the genus Jalysus. Elsewhere I found another insect, a bee fly in the genus Systoechus. To give you a sense of scale, I'd say this fuzzy little fly was about a quarter of an inch long (which is 6mm for you who are of the metric persuasion). I found a much larger insect at this site in 2021. And if you'd like a reminder of what river primrose flowers are like, you can look back to a post from 2020.
§
§ § §
§
"Absolutely Stunning" – Scientists Discover Metals That Can Heal Themselves
Microscopic cracks vanish in experiments, revealing possibility of self-healing machines.
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have for the first time observed metal spontaneously healing its microscopic cracks, upending traditional material theories. This observation could lead to self-healing machines, significantly enhancing their safety and lifespan. The phenomenon, confirming a theory proposed in 2013, may pave the way for an engineering revolution, though further research is necessary to fully understand its practical applicability.
You can read the full article.
© 2023 Steven Schwartzman
No comments:
Post a Comment