Huge Mammals after Dinosaurs' extinction

SUMMERY

In the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Calgary, associate professor Dr. Jessica Theodor, is part of a team of researchers studying the impact of the extinction of dinosaurs, 65 millions years ago, on mammal populations. Their article that appears in the journal Science is the first to truly display the signifigant size difference mammals had after the predatory positions dinosaurs filled were left vacant. When there was no competition for vegetation or habitat, mammals had the opportunity to expand, and being large makes an animal a more efficient herbavore. The scientists analyzed the recorded mammal species from every time period and estimated which were largest and heaviest. The rapid evolution they underwent in less than 25 million years took mammals from a maximum of about 10 kilograms to a maximum of 17 tonnes!

OPINION

This article makes sense perfectly. If there's no competition it's obvious that the remaining animals are going to grow larger and stronger. I'm only surprised that it took this long for there to be articles about this topic. It's all a matter of competition. When the dinosaurs were gone, the mammals that were left had to hold their own in the new enviorment and had to evolve or die. There was also the changing weather patterns so they needed to take a form that could keep them warmer and help them find food.

BRITTANY BURNS

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2010/11/26/size_of_mammals_exploded_after_dinosaur_extinction.html

http://www.biologynews.net/archives/2010/09/15/mild_memory_loss_is_not_a_part_of_normal_aging.html\

memory loss is not due to the age of a person. The loss of memory is just a symptom of dementia that will grow more and more. Its just that you are more likely to experience it if your age is greater. In the last four to five years of life they would forget more.

I thought that this article was okay. I learned that old age doesnt mean that you will lose your memory. I dont think it concerns me at this point in time because Im still like super young.

Giant Stingray Not so giant afterall?

http://www.macroevolution.net/giant-stingray.html

SUMMARY
In central Thailand on January 28, 2009, a massive stingray was caught by a volunteer fisher working for the National Geographic "Megafishes Project". The project aims to find, study, and preserve the world's largest freshwater fishes. They later caught the same fish, however, never has the species been weighed, so no one knows if it's a record breaker. Scientists estimated the fish to be between 550 and 770 pounds. The largest found so far was in Cambodia in 2003. The team hopes to eventually tag 40 or 50 rays for research.
OPINION
There isn't much to judge on this article. It's not like it's a huge contraversy that I can state my side on. But, I saw a picture of that huge stingray and immediately checked in further, only thinking "It'd be fun to ride on that thing's back". I'd give all my support to the "Megafishes Project". Preserving the ancient giants of the sea should be a priority simply for the fascination. I really do hope they'll weigh one of these beasts. I can't believe they still haven't.
~Brittany Burns