Credit: American Physiological Society Earlier this fall, comparative physiologists met in San Diego for the eighth APS Intersociety Meeting in Comparative Physiology. Comparative physiology is the study of biological processes—particularly adaptation to various environments—of different species. In short, comparative physiologists study animals. The theme of this year’s conference, “From Organism to Omics in an Uncertain … Continue reading Climate Change Research Is a Focus at APS’ Comparative Physiology Conference
Comparative Physiology
St. Patrick, Leave Those Snakes Alone!
Credit: iStock Snakes don’t have the best reputation. Not only are they considered synonymous with “traitor,” but on March 17, folks around the world celebrate a man famous for driving the snakes out of Ireland. When it comes to science, though, snakes have a lot to offer. There are hundreds of articles about snakes published … Continue reading St. Patrick, Leave Those Snakes Alone!
2021’s Most-read I Spy Physiology Posts
Credit: iStock This year, as the pandemic continued, the lights of labs and classrooms switched back on as scientists and students returned to studying, working and researching in person. Our I Spy blog contributors wrote about a wide range of topics this year, including aging, the physiological effects of grieving, achieving optimal physical performance and … Continue reading 2021’s Most-read I Spy Physiology Posts
What Snoozing Seals Can Teach Us about Cardiovascular Health
Credit: Kaitlin Allen. Photo taken under NMFS permit #19108 Sleep apnea, which is thought to affect up to 1 in 4 adults, occurs when we briefly stop breathing while asleep. The brain senses the decrease in blood oxygen levels that occurs during the interruption and wakes us up so we’ll take a breath. Some of … Continue reading What Snoozing Seals Can Teach Us about Cardiovascular Health
Experimental Biology 2021: Q&A with Dr. Michael Tift and Anna Pearson
Credit: iStock APS member Anna Pearson, a graduate student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), studies red blood cells in dolphins. She presented her work last month at Experimental Biology. Dr. Dolittle, the American Physiological Society’s comparative physiology blogger, chatted with Pearson and her mentor, Michael Tift, PhD, an assistant professor at UNCW. … Continue reading Experimental Biology 2021: Q&A with Dr. Michael Tift and Anna Pearson
Experimental Biology 2021: Q&A with Dr. Christian Damsgaard
Credit: iStock Experimental Biology (EB) is an annual flurry of science, collaboration and connection, and this year's virtual meeting is no exception. Dr. Dolittle, the American Physiological Society's comparative physiology blogger, caught up with Christian Damsgaard, PhD, of Aarhus University in Denmark, at EB to chat about his work with teleosts, a type of ray-finned … Continue reading Experimental Biology 2021: Q&A with Dr. Christian Damsgaard
Hibernation: Not Just for Animals?
Credit: iStock Why isn’t crawling into bed like a well-fed grizzly bear and sleeping away the world’s problems on our list of options for surviving life? I imagine my hibernation pod would be kind of like the COVID-19 pandemic’s “stay-at-home” orders, but with a lot more sleep and a lot less pizza delivery (though adequate … Continue reading Hibernation: Not Just for Animals?
Horseshoe Crabs Help in Fight against COVID-19
Credit: iStock COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for distribution across the U.S. As of mid-January 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 31 million doses of vaccine have been distributed and about 12 million people in the U.S. have received a COVID-19 vaccination. That may sound like a lot, but to fully … Continue reading Horseshoe Crabs Help in Fight against COVID-19
Of Pets, People and Lucky Ducks: Risks of COVID-19 Transmission
Credit: iStock This summer, many mourned the passing of Buddy, a 7-year old German shepherd who was the first dog diagnosed with COVID-19 in the U.S. He was diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in May. By July, his owners reported he was having a hard time breathing and was throwing up blood. … Continue reading Of Pets, People and Lucky Ducks: Risks of COVID-19 Transmission
What Can Greenland Sharks Teach Us about (a Long) Life?
Credit: Julius Nielsen and Holly Shiels The U.S. just had its birthday, which means it’s been 244 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. What if I told you that in the Arctic Ocean, there are sharks swimming around today who were alive in 1776? And before you ask, yes, the very same … Continue reading What Can Greenland Sharks Teach Us about (a Long) Life?