8 Weird Creatures That Keep Science Secrets

From immortal worms to tadpoles that just keep swimmin'.

1. Meet the gribble: the tiny bug that could make liquid fuel

Laura Michie, University of Portsmouth / Via bbsrc.ac.uk

That's right. This tiny crustacean could change the world by revolutionising fuel production.

Gribble feed on wood, and in times gone past, have been known to demolish entire ships. Scientists have now discovered how an enzyme hidden within the gribble digests plant material, which could help in the quest to create green fuels.

To do this manually, material must be broken down into simple sugars and then fermented. It's difficult and it's expensive - but gribble do the job for free.

If we can harness the enzymes in the gribble effectively, woody waste could be used to make sustainable biofuels.

2. Chewing isn't just for mammals

Chester Zoo / Via bbsrc.ac.uk

The New Zealand tuatara chews its food in a way unlike any animal on the planet.

Now scientists from UCL and the University of Hull have uncovered how the tuatara uses its jaw to tear food apart like a "steak knife". While most reptiles swallow or bite their food, the tuatara has highly specialised jaws to saw food apart, allowing it to eat food much bigger than its mouth.

"The slicing jaws of the tuatara allow it to eat a wide range of prey including beetles, spiders, crickets and small lizards. There are also several grizzly reports of sea birds being found decapitated following predation by tuatara."

"Although the tuatara-like chewing mechanism is rare today, fossils from Europe to Mexico show us that during the time of the dinosaurs (about 160 million years ago) some fossil relatives of the tuatara used a similar system and it was much more widespread." - Dr Marc Jones, Lead researcher, formerly UCL.

3. Immortal worms that defy ageing

Dr Aziz Aboobaker and Dr Thomas Tan, University of Nottingham / Via bbsrc.ac.uk

It doesn't look like much but this worm knows the secret of eternal youth.

Planarian worms, usually found lurking at the bottom of rivers, have amazed scientists with their seemingly limitless ability to regenerate.

When our cells divide to heal wounds or for growth, they start to show signs of ageing. Over time, this hinders their ability to divide. Planarian worms are somehow able to avoid the ageing process as their cells keep dividing.

By uncovering the worm's tactics, scientists from the University of Nottingham hope to understand the mechanism behind ageing, which could lead to improved health and lifespan in humans.

4. ANTibiotics

JIC and University of East Anglia / Via bbsrc.ac.uk

Could this humble ant be on the verge of a major scientific discovery? South American leafcutter ants transport plant material deep underground, where it decays to form a hub of fungus.

To protect this precious food source from nasties, the ants cultivate antibiotic-producing bacteria on their bodies. Antibiotics, closely related to those used in modern medicine, have already been discovered on these ants.

Researchers hope to discover new antibiotics too, which could help to combat the growing threat of antibiotic resistance.

5. The tadpole that just keeps swimming

University of St Andrews / Via bbsrc.ac.uk

Ever wondered why you can't sprint a marathon? By looking at the tadpoles of a frog called Xenopus, scientists from the University of St. Andrews have come a step closer to understanding how the brain helps us to avoid exhaustion.

A memory mechanism hidden within the nervous system shows how the tadpoles are able to pace themselves to avoid burnout, either swimming short sprints or slowly for a long time. The need to trade-off speed against endurance is important for all animals, but the mechanism behind it was poorly understood.

The research demonstrates that even very simple animals are able to pace themselves, shedding light on how animals regulate activity to avoid exhaustion.

6. Diesel on demand

David Gregory & Debbie Marshall, Wellcome Images / Via wellcomeimages.org

It might sound like science fiction but a team of scientists from the University of Exeter, with support from BBSRC and Shell, have developed a method to make bacteria produce diesel on demand.

Amazingly, the diesel produced by special strains of E.coli bacteria is almost identical to conventional diesel used to power cars. E.coli naturally turns sugars into fats, but artificial fuel oil can be created by harnessing this natural process.

The technology still faces challenges before coming to a town near you, but exploring this new method of creating fuel could help to meet the increasing demand for low carbon fuel in an environmentally friendly way.

7. Limbs from locusts

University of Leicester / Via bbsrc.ac.uk

This glorified stick could help improve the control of robotic limbs, as the insect moves its legs - without moving a muscle.

Researchers from the University of Leicester have shown that in some insects like grasshoppers and locusts, 'passive joint forces' cause limbs to move, even in the absence of active muscle contraction.

It's hoped that this work could spur a new understanding of how limbs work and can be controlled in other animals, people - and even robots.

8. Glowing bugs

University of the West of England / Via bbsrc.ac.uk

What do jelly fish, beetles and fungi have in common? They can glow.

In nature, different types of organisms demonstrate 'bioluminescence' to warn off predators, attract mates or find food. This process also occurs in species of bacteria, deep down in the ocean where there is very little light.

By adding light producing (lux) genes to useful bacteria, scientists from the University of the West of England have created tiny 'biosensors' which could be used in the fight against cancer.

The team have developed a simple diagnostic test for a range of chemotherapy drugs to identify the most effective course of treatment for patients suffering with a very rapid form of leukaemia.

"If the patient is likely to respond to a drug, white blood cells convert the drug into its active form and the bacteria give out more light. If the light level remains low, the patient is less likely to respond to the drug so an alternative can be chosen." - Professor Vyv Salisbury, University of the West of England.