Researcher shows evolution of milkweed defense system

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A monarch butterfly caterpillar gets ready to devour a milkweed leaf. Before feeding the caterpillar disarms the plants natural defense system by cutting the milkweeds veins that deliver a toxic and sticky latex. Credit: Anurag Agrawal
A monarch butterfly caterpillar gets ready to devour a milkweed leaf. Before feeding, the caterpillar disarms the plant's natural defense system by cutting the milkweed's veins that deliver a toxic and sticky latex. Credit: Anurag Agrawal

(PhysOrg.com) -- The adage that your enemies know your weaknesses best is especially true in the case of plants and predators that have co-evolved: As the predators evolve new strategies for attack, plants counter with their own unique defenses.


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Tooth cavities are usually closed with plastic fillings. However, the initially soft plastic shrinks as it hardens. The tension can cause gaps to appear between the tooth and the filling, encouraging more ...

Tracking the reasons many girls avoid science and math

Sep 05, 2008 | User rating: not rated yet
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