I deepen my search of pandas by getting information on what
makes up 99% of their diet, the bamboo.
It is the fastest growing plant worldwide, growing as fast as 1.2m in a 24-hour period.
It can be used for cooking, medicine, construction and even torture.
Cooking
Bamboo shoots are widely used in Asian dishes and broths.
Despite having edible shoots, the Giant Bamboo contains cyanide.
But the Golden Bamboo Lemur ingests many times the amount of the toxin
needed to kill a human.
Medicine
Chinese doctors use bamboo in treating infections
because of it being a low-calorie potassium source.
Construction
Bamboo can form a hard, lightweight, yet durable contruction material when treated.
Thus it is also used as a substitute for steel reinforcing rods for concrete construction.
Many companies are also popularizing bamboo floorings nowadays.
Torture
Although it is a weird use, it has happened.
During the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese troops abused the bamboo's fast-growing rate
to torture US soldiers by popping off their fingernails with bamboos.
Having researched on stem cells, I deepened my research by finding information
on where they are produced from, the bone marrow.
It consists of the:
Red bone marrow, containing alot of capillaries for the new "recruits" to report
to their duty.
Yellow bone marrow which contain fat cells.
The bone marrow is red at birth, and
the yellow bone marrow is produced after quite some time.
In the case of severe blood loss, the yellow bone marrow can convert back to
red bone marrow to increase blood cell and platelet production.
Bone marrow in the femur.
Reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_marrow
Topic 2: 9.2.2009
Taxonomy
Family:Ursidae
Genus:Ailuropoda
Species:melanoleuca
Many scientists believe that Giant Pandas are misplaced in terms of family;
some believe that they should be in their own family,Ailuridae, but it also shares both
the physical characteristics and the unusual ursine reproduction, where their offspring is
born prematurely.
Reference:http://www.lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=89
How are white blood cells created?You may ask.
Their origin is just like any other cell,be it the nerve cell,
muscle tissue cell or any of the other millions.
The stem cell of the blood marrow.
They do not serve any purpose as organs, but they can actually make
special cells to repair a part of the body, etc.
Thus, many scientists believe they can be very useful in medical
treatments and many nations are establishing funding in stem cell.
research to explore the possibilities of their development.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-stem-cells.htm
A close-up on a stem cell.
95-160 days after barking calls, scents and mating occur, female pandas give birth to their once-a-year offspring. Chances are she gives birth to twins, but one leaves Mother Nature & Father Time before experiencing childhood.
A mother panda cares for one
of her offspring at one time.
Info:http://www.globio.org/glossopedia/article.aspx?art_id=1&art_nm=Giant+Panda&gclid=COKjhq3ex5gCFU0wpAoddVsy0g
Red-NucleiInfo:http://www.funsci.com/fun3_en/blood/blood.htm#19
I also researched deeper into the Giant Panda. Although it is not known why, scientists believe the Giant Panda creates a camouflage suiting it's current environment, the snowy mountaintops. To crush the tough bamboos, the Giant Panda has large molars and strong jaw muscles.
Though they are thought to be cute, they are as dangerous as any other bear. Despite eating a plant that is 50% water, Giant Pandas still have to go to mountain rivers and stream to get water fed by melting snowfall. Although male and female pandas meet up only during the mating/breeding season, recent studies have shown that small groups of them share a large territory and sometimes meet up.
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/PandaFacts/default.cfm