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Science In Action: Caterpillar Cannibals

Magazines & Reviews

Caterpillar Cannibals

13/07/2017 GMT

BBC World Service - Science In Action, Caterpillar Cannibals

Tomato plants can make caterpillars resort to cannibalism

Tomato plants that cause caterpillars to resort to cannibalism. Also Antarctic iceberg has cleaved off ice shelf, and the chemistry of the first life on Earth.

The arms race between insects that eat plants and plants, has had millions of years to evolve some pretty amazing interactions. Not least the tomato plant that produces chemicals that make caterpillars turn cannibalistic. When the caterpillar eats another caterpillar, it’s not eating the tomato plant and it’s effectively reducing the number of other caterpillars that could attack the plant. 

Arctic Iceberg 
The crack in the Antarctic ice shelf, Larsen C, has completed, leading to a giant iceberg breaking free. The more than 200m-thick tabular berg will not move very far, or very fast, in the short term. But it will need to be monitored. Currents and winds might eventually push it north of the Antarctic where it could become a hazard to shipping.

Clever Ravens
We all know how clever some birds are. The Corvids which include magpies, crows and ravens seem to be particularly intelligent. A new study shows when ravens are presented with boxes and keys they are able to plan ahead and delay getting a treat for the chance of a greater reward.

Early Life
All living organisms on Earth need the compound iron-sulphur in their cells in order to live. This suggests that this chemical could have been a fundamental component of the pre-biotic soup that led to life. We know that the component iron and sulphur elements were abundant on the early Earth, but they weren’t in the correct form to make these essential iron-sulphur clusters. New work shows that when the conditions are right, the clusters can form  With UV light being one of the key ingredients for the reaction. This means that the surface of our early planet could have been a good place for the spark of life to begin, not the deep sea hydrothermal vents as other people think.

Picture: Could this be a cannibalistic caterpillar? Credit Dr.P F Donald

Producer: Fiona Roberts
Presenter: Roland Pease

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