"Early one evening a few years ago, I took a short hike with my wife, Jamie, in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in Belize. The large, lush reserve is known for its healthy population of jaguars, so, following closely behind our guide, we kept our eyes peeled for the elusive cats. We saw a few tracks and some claw marks on trees, but elected to leave the jungle before nightfall.
We were very near the end of the trail when we were surprised by a large snake, about six feet long, crossing directly in front of us. Belize has lots of snakes, more than 50 species. Some can get pretty large, like the boa constrictor, which is impressive but harmless.
This one was not harmless. Even in the darkening jungle, the triangular pattern on its back allowed me to identify it quickly as a fer-de-lance, the most dangerous snake in Belize.
Excited, and comfortable that I was well out of striking range, I reached into my backpack for my video camera and flipped on its “night shot” feature. I now saw the magnificent snake clearly on my LCD screen. As I tried to creep in for a closer shot, however, I felt something holding me back.
It was Jamie. She had a grip on my backpack and was concerned that my enthusiasm for snakes had overtaken my judgment. She was not convinced that we were out of range, nor that the snake would not move quickly toward us. I used the zoom and filmed from where I stood.
For me to film the snake in the dark, I had to rely on Sony’s innovation and engineering. The camera’s infrared LED source generated light with a longer wavelength than the human eye can detect; those photons then bounced off the snake and were detected by the camera’s infrared sensors and converted into an image. "
...
"Humans and other warm-blooded animals emit heat as infrared radiation. Pit vipers are so adept at infrared sensing that some can detect potential prey a meter away.
To understand how snakes evolved their infrared detection systems, a group of scientists led by (former Pew Scholar) Prof. David Julius at the University of California, San Francisco, searched for potential infrared-sensing proteins in the western diamondback rattlesnake. They looked in particular at genes active in the nerve cells that are connected to the pits, called trigeminal neurons.
They found one gene, known as TRPA1, that was 400-fold more active in rattlesnake trigeminal neurons than in other kinds of neurons. Moreover, they found that the TRPA1 gene was not highly active in the trigeminal neurons of snakes lacking pits. These two pieces of evidence suggested that TRPA1 might encode a protein involved in infrared sensing. "
- Date added:
- Aug 29, 2012
- Project:
- Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences
- Topic:
- Biomedical Research
Related Resources
2010 Pew Scholar Identifies Mammalian Immune Regulators
Changchun Xiao, a 2010 Pew scholar and assistant professor at The Scripps Research Institute, was lead author in a paper in Nature Immunology focusing on tiny RNA molecules. His findings demonstrated that mice with too little of the tiny RNA molecules were immune deficient, while mice with too many of the molecules developed an auto-immune disorder. His Pew supported research could inform vaccine production and drug development for autoimmune diseases and immune deficient diseases.
More info2012 Pew Scholar Receives Grant to Study Cataracts in Infants
Salil Lachke, a 2012 Pew scholar and assistant professor in University of Delaware’s Department of Biological Sciences, has received a $60,000 grant from the Knights Templar Eye Foundation. As one of 19 researchers across the country to receive this award, he aims to identify biological pathways leading to genetic cataracts.More info
Science That Takes Risks: Biomedical Researchers Receive Pew Awards
The 2013 classes of Pew scholars and Latin American fellows are researching the basis of perplexing health problems—including diabetes, autism, Parkinson's disease, and cancer. More infoEn las fronteras de la ciencia: diez becarios Pew han sido seleccionados para investigar enfermedades que incluyen la diabetes, la esquizofrenia y el cáncer
Diez científicos latinoamericanos fueron hoy nombrados Becarios Pew en Ciencias Biomédicas por las Fundaciones Benéficas Pew. Esta beca proporciona apoyo para financiar las investigaciones de los becarios, permitiéndoles estudiar con destacados científicos de Estados Unidos e invirtiendo capital inicial para ayudarles a establecer sus propios laboratorios al regresar a sus países de origen. La beca Pew otorga un financiamiento flexible a los investigadores posdoctorales que investigan algunos de los problemas de salud más preocupantes del mundo, como la diabetes, la esquizofrenia y el cáncer.
More infoQuiz: Biomedical Science
Every day, researchers learn more about how our bodies work. Their discoveries point the way to new techniques to treat and prevent disease. Take our quiz to test your knowledge of biomedical science! More info
From Autism to Diabetes to Parkinson's Disease: Pew Funds 22 Early-Career Scientists to Take Calculated Risks
Twenty-two of the nation’s most enterprising researchers were named Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences by The Pew Charitable Trusts for 2013. The scholarships provide flexible funding to early-career scientists researching the basis of perplexing health problems such as diabetes, autism, Parkinson’s disease, and cancer. Learn more about the scientists and their research.
More infoOn the Scientific Frontier: Pew Funds 10 Latin American Scientists Conducting Innovative Research
Ten scientists were named Pew Latin American fellows in the Biomedical Sciences by The Pew Charitable Trusts for 2013. The fellowship provides support to advance grantees’ research, enables them to study with prominent U.S. scientists, and invests seed capital to help them establish laboratories in their home countries. Learn more about the scientists and their work.
More infoNas fronteiras da Ciência: 10 Pew Fellows são selecionados para pesquisar doenças
Dez cientistas foram hoje nomeados Pew Latin American Fellows nas Ciências Biomédicas, pelo Pew Charitable Trusts. Este prêmio oferece suporte para que jovens cientistas avancem em suas pesquisas, permitindo-lhes colaborar com renomados cientistas nos Estados Unidos, além de investir capital para ajudá-los a estabelecer novos laboratórios em seus países de origem.
More infoNational Cancer Research Month
May is National Cancer Research Month, and Pew’s biomedical scholars and Latin American fellows are doing their part to address the disease, which affects nearly 13 million people in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. More infoFounding Member of Latin American Fellows Program Elected to National Academy of Sciences
Edward De Robertis, National Advisory Committee member and founding member of the Pew Latin American Fellows Program, has been elected into the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. De Robertis, a native of Uruguay, is the N. Sprague Professor of Biological Chemistry at University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute—best known for identifying genetic patterns conserved throughout evolution.
More infoSeven Pew Scholars Named HHMI Investigators
On May 9, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) announced that 27 of the nation’s top biomedical researchers—including seven Pew scholars—will become HHMI investigators and will receive the flexible support necessary to move their research in creative new directions. The Pew scholars named HHMI investigators are Peter Baumann (2003), Michael Dyer (2004), Nicole King (2004), Tirin Moore (2004), Dyche Mullins (2000), Michael Rape (2007), and Rachel Wilson (2005).
More infoInterview with Pew Latin American Fellow Esteban Engel
An interview with Pew's 2011 Latin American Fellow Esteban Engel. More info2009 Pew Biomedical Scholar Charles Mullighan Helps Identify Mutations Linked to Brain Tumors
2009 Pew Biomedical Scholar Charles Mullighan was part of a research team at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital which recently found mutations responsible for more than half of a subtype of childhood brain tumors. Their paper in Nature Genetics pinpointed alterations in two genes that increased the risk of low-grade gliomas—the most common childhood tumors of the brain and spinal cord—and identified an existing drug as a possible treatment.
More info2012 Pew Scholar Earns ARI Young Investigator Grant
Salil Lachke, a 2012 Pew scholar and assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Delaware, has been selected by the Alcon Research Institute as a 2013 Young Investigator. As one of just eight researchers worldwide to receive the $50,000 grant, Dr. Lachke will continue his work on an online tool he created to discover genes related to glaucoma and other eye diseases.
More info
