Dmmetler Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Here's one of DD's AOPS algebra problems from today. Which may explain why math always takes such a long time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Worth having math take a long time :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 She decided to post her written proof on her blog, too. http://www.allissnakes.blogspot.com/2015/01/math-with-little-pythons.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 There needs to be a "Like" button for things like that. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 Love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korrale Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Awww Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Ssssooo ssssweeeet. :D (sorry, couldn't resist!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Random snake question: I was reading ahead in science about evolution and vestigial structures. Do snakes retain leg bones in their bodies? Are they evolved from lizards who had an advantage by being low to the ground? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 Random snake question: I was reading ahead in science about evolution and vestigial structures. Do snakes retain leg bones in their bodies? Are they evolved from lizards who had an advantage by being low to the ground? Yes on vestigial limbs, for some snakes. You can see it most in the heavier bodied pythons and boas (who are also closest to the snakes in the early fossil record), where the skeleton still shows signs of limb attachment points, and the pelvis has short "spurs" attached. On male pythons, these actually protrude out of the body slightly, and are visible (although tiny compared to the snake. On a 15 foot male Burmese python, they might be, maybe, an inch long, on DD's 5 foot male Ball python, they're maybe a couple of millimeters). No on evolving from lizards, at least this week. It's one of those "which came first" questions that the fossil record keeps shaking up, but as of right now, it looks like snakes and lizards are a case of parallel tracks, and any relation between them dates back to early primeval oceanic vertebrates. Herpetology is kind of the catch-all category of the biological world, with a lot of animals where the only commonality is that they breathe air, have a backbone, and are cold-blooded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 So cute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy G Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 This is adorable! Frame it!! :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie of KY Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerileanne99 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 So cute! One to definitely save:) It made me laugh because Alex did something similar last fall...I had to dig it out and couldnt resist sharing. Of course, she was four and Frozen was the theme of choice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 No on evolving from lizards, at least this week. It's one of those "which came first" questions that the fossil record keeps shaking up, but as of right now, it looks like snakes and lizards are a case of parallel tracks, and any relation between them dates back to early primeval oceanic vertebrates. It is kind of funny to think about how losing one's limbs could be a survival advantage. It's like saying, "my life would be so much easier, if only I were a quadruple amputee." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 What she did today while she was supposed to be doing a problem set for Chemistry-but she says she'll get to it after lunch. I guess it counts as writing, right?? If rattlesnakes covered Taylor Swift songs... http://mylittlepython.blogspot.com/2015/01/shake-my-tail-parody-of-shake-it-off.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 It is kind of funny to think about how losing one's limbs could be a survival advantage. It's like saying, "my life would be so much easier, if only I were a quadruple amputee." Harry Greene has a really, really neat book on the evolution of snakes along with hominids. Basically, every time hominids made a leap in tool use, snakes made a leap in adapting to them (the talk we heard was on evolution of spitting venom-it evolved separately on several continents, and in all cases, happened as hominids evolved distance weaponry. In areas where tree cover or landforms made slings or arrows less viable, snakes didn't evolve their own form of distance weaponry (and snakes, invariably, aim for the eyes in spitting-which allows them to escape. They don't use spitting venom to kill prey at all-it's a defensive strategy). It's really, really cool. As far as the limbless thing, snakes are more adept climbers with a larger body mass than lizards, so that larger surface area and the ability to use those muscles really does seem to make a difference. Rat snakes can pretty much climb straight up a tree trunk, something that usually only fairly small legged creatures can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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