#ran science

The EU just passed Articles 11 and 13.

But not all is lost! It still takes time (about 2 years) until every state has adapted the laws to their own system.

There are European elections soon!

If you are eligible to do so: VOTE

Make sure there are consequences for the representatives who voted for Article 13! Only then, we will have political influence and maybe we are able to stop the laws before they do too much damage!

I went marching today to fight Articles 11, 12 and 13.

These new European laws would lead to Uploadfilters throughout every platform. While they claim it's for small artists, the regulations (especially Art.12 in that regard) would only be beneficial for large publishers and not the actual authors.

Most people think these only apply to the 'big 4' Google, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter but small blogs (on wordpress or even self hosted) would suffer equally if not more.

Since I try to promote the exchange of knowledge and data, I'm against Articles 11-13 which would effectively stop me from continuing this blog and all my creative work.

A great question!

1. Appendicularia larvae

They look like litte Aliens and can be up to 7cm big (usually they are smaller though <1cm). They are filter feeders and use a mucus net around their bodies to filter very small particles out of the surrounding water. They can create a current with their tail so the water get's pulled inside their mucus house.

So now, they can 'drive' around in it like a spaceship. Should a predator try to eat them, they will only get the mucus mesh because they have an Emergency exit built into their spaceship that allows them to flee the structure in seconds. The Larvae itself is mostly small enough so the predator won't find it on it's own. They also discard it when it's clogged or they need to make a bigger one. The whole structure can be rebuilt in about 24h, pretty impressive don't you think?

2. Kleptocnides

Some gastropodes of the Nudibranchia are able to accumulate stinging cells from the sponges they prey on for their own defence.

The Flabellina affinis feeds almost exclusively on Eudendrium species (Hydrozoa) and is able to transport their Stinging cells through it's digestive system without them being triggered. They are then distributed under the skin of the tentacles on the back of Flabbellina so that they will harm predators should they try and feed on the snail. Why make them yourself if you can steal them?

3. Kleptoplasts

You think they can only steal stinging cells? Well you are mistaken! The species of the group Elysia are able to accumulate Chloroplasts from the algae they feed on.

Elysia translucens feeds on green Algae of the group Codium and can perserve their Chloroplasts for up to two months inside their digestive system. All products generated by them benefit the snail.

Carnivorous Plant (Sarracenia) photographed in the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin, Ireland

Habitat: open Grasslands

Occurrence: tropical Africa, Madagascar