Save Our Species with Science: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of Earth Day

The International Earth Day campaign started as a socio-environmental movement back in 1970 and is promoted yearly on the 22nd of April. In the 90’s the movement went global with the aim to raise awareness of environmental problems and driving the inclusion of environmental guidelines during law making decisions. The #EndPlasticPollution movement of 2018 was […]

Whale Song – Short Poem

Deep within the echoes of the blue Rings a melody strong and true Alight with harmonisations, and tonal hues Bellowing its chorus from the sea Others do not believe the creature that it chose to be A spiritual nomad, a wandered and one who is free I hear its song of long journeys from the […]

A Cat’s Point of View – Short Poem

From behind these yellow eyes I watch humans chase after lies Back & forth you rush for days All in your futile little rat-race You are constantly filled with rage, since you have not found the keys to your cage But true freedom can only grace those who look beyond another’s face How much more […]

Dragon Spirit – Short Poem

The Dragon raises its head from slumbers deep against those who seek to destroy its inner keep Many a battle it has fought before drawing upon the power within its glowing core it will allow this transgression no more! Sometimes fire is the only measure against those who would steal your crafted treasures do not […]

We are Borg: How Ticks Assimilate Genetic Adaptation

To most people parasites are gruesome creatures, likely the feature of nightmares. Yet, they are fascinating organisms from an evolutionary perspective (read more about Tick Origins and the Fossil Record). They are prime examples of the evolutionary arms-race, where parasite and host try to outwit one another through biological adaptation. Unlike plant ectoparasites, animal parasites […]

Ticks in the Fossil Record: How the cousin of the Spider became a Blood-sucking Vampire

Ticks are blood-feeding external parasites. Truly disgusting creatures and I still say this even after I had studied them for four years. How did they become such repulsive organisms? To glimpse an answer, let’s take a walk down the earth’s memory lane and explore the ancestral fossils from which they came. Fossils are used to […]

Origins of Domestic Cattle: Migration patterns & Speciation events

During my masters, I studied the blue cattle tick, Rhipicepahlus microplus (REF 1). I was interested in the movement of cattle as a factor of human migration and trade through Africa. Additionally domestication and selective breeding affected the genetic make-up of cattle, which influences resistance against parasites. Since host geographical distribution and genetic inheritance are […]