How Fast Can a Cheetah Run?

How Fast Can a Cheetah Run?

The science of cheetah speed Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are the fastest land animals on Earth, reaching speeds up to 75 mph or 120 km/h. In order to catch and attack their prey, cheetahs sneak up and sprint a short distance. Cheetahs can reach speeds of 65 to 75 mph (104 to 120 km/h), but their … Read more

What Is a Cladogram? Definition and Examples

What Is a Cladogram

What a Cladogram Is (and Isn’t) The cladogram represents a hypothetical relationship between groups of organisms, including their common ancestors. It is derived from the Greek words clados, which means “branch,” and gramma, which means “character.” It resembles the branches of a tree that extend outward from the trunk. A cladogram, however, does not necessarily … Read more

What Do Termites Look Like?

What Do Termites Look Like

The 2,200 or so species of termites living in the tropics have been munching away on wood for more than 250 million years, long before humans built their homes from wood. By feeding on cellulose, the main component of plants’ cell walls, termites recycle wood products into the soil. Most termite damage is caused by … Read more

Analogous Structures in Evolution

Analogous Structures in Evolution

Many types of evidence support evolution, including studies in molecular biology, such as DNA, and developmental biology. Anatomical comparisons between species are the most common type of evidence for evolution. An analogous structure shows how different species have evolved to become more similar from their ancient ancestors, whereas homologous structures show how similar species have … Read more

10 Facts About Pterodactyls

10 Facts About Pterodactyls

“Pterodactyl” refers to two famous pterosaurs of the Mesozoic Era,  Pteranodon and Pterodactylus. Ironically, these two winged reptiles were not all that closely related. Discover ten essential facts about these so-called “pterodactyls” that every prehistoric life enthusiast should know.  There’s No Such Thing as a Pterodactyl “Pterodactyl” became the pop-culture term for pterosaurs in general, and for … Read more

Pyramid of Biomass: Definition, Example & FAQs

Biomass pyramids

Biomass pyramids are a visual representation of the biomass present in a unit of the territory of different trophic levels. Additionally, it displays a link between biomass and trophic level, estimating the biomass available in each ecological degree at a given moment. There are two primary kinds of biomass pyramid – the altered biomass pyramid and the … Read more