Blue Lobsters Are Real!
by: James Smith
Lobsters are supposed to be red right? ... Well, yes and no.
Most live american lobsters are naturally colored an olive green or mottled dark greenish brown. In rare cases, lobsters come in shades of bright blue, white (albino), yellow, black, and red have been reported from time to time. Perhaps the most unusual colors are the "half-and-half" lobsters with a line straight down their backs where the two colors meet.
The major pigment in a lobster's shell, astaxanthin, is actually bright red in its free state; but in the lobster's shell astaxanthin is chemically bound to proteins that change it to a greenish color.
When lobsters are cooked, heat breaks down these bonds, freeing the astaxanthin so that it reverts to its normal red color.
So how does a lobster turn bright blue?
A genetic defect has been found that causes a blue lobster to produce an excessive amount of protein. The protein wraps around a small, red carotenoid molecule known as as astaxanthin. The two push together, forming a blue complex known as crustacyanin which often gives the lobster shell a bright blue color. About one in a million lobsters are blue, but when cooked, it turns red like the other lobsters.
It has been suggested that more than 'one in a million' lobsters born are blue, but many do not survive because their bright blue shell brings too much attention to themselves, making them a prime target for predators. Scientists also believe that blue lobsters tend to be more aggressive than their normal colored counterparts. Since they don?t easily blend in, they have adapted and changed to be more aggressive to protect themselves.
The blue lobster is truly another gift from Mother Nature that most people never see. Many professional lobstermen go through their whole lobstering career without catching or even seeing a blue lobster. Those that do have the privilege of catching one, are amazed and excited as it is seen as a once-in-a-lifetime event and feel a sense of awe when they experience seeing the strikingly beautiful blue lobster for the first time. Those that are caught are not normally eaten, but rather given to aquariums and educational institutions and kept on display in tanks for others to admire.
Taxonomy of Homarus americanus:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Crustacea
Order: Decapoda
Suborder: Macrura reptantia
Family: Nephrodidae
Genus: Homarus
Species: americanus
About The Author
James Smith This article courtesy of Lobster Delicious at http://www.lobsterdelicious.com/. To see photos go to: http://www.lobsterdelicious.com/blue-lobster.html. This article may be freely reprinted as long as the author's resource box and url links remain intact.
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Kunzite Information and Interesting Facts
Kunzite Information and Interesting Facts
by: www.kaisilver.com
Kunzite, Information and Interesting Facts.
The gemstone Kunzite was named after it's founder G.F Kunz in 1902. First occurence of the gem stone were recorded around 1877.
Kunzite gemstones are normally pale pink (lilac) and can sometimes be seen in darker shades of pink and even with a tinge of purple color.
The scientific name of this mineral is spodumene and the color of Kunzite is derived from manganese that exists in the gemstone.
Here are some interesting and rarely disclosed facts about Kunzite gems:
(a) Kunzite has a hardness of around 6 to 7 on the Moh's scale of hardness. Yet, the gemstone is not very durable as the crystalline structure makes it quite fragile. You therefore need to protect the gemstone from blows and other impact.
(b) Most Kunzite is treated for enhancing color. The color of the gemstone will fade when exposed...
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Iolite Gem Stone Information
Iolite Gem Stone Information
by: www.kaisilver.com
For buyers without an indepth knowledge of gemstones, iolite would seem to be quite similar to tanzanite and many people infact mistake iolite for tanzanite. Iolite stones are a gorgeous bluish violet color and lighter shades of iolite look similar to tanzanite. However, iolite is not tanzanite and has a beauty of it's own.
Gem quality iolite stones are not exactly cheap but they are priced much lower as compared to tanzanite gems. Here are a few important features and facts about the iolite gem stone.
(a) The iolite gemstone is quite durable and strong. It has a hardness 7 to 7.5 on the Moh's scale of hardness. This makes the iolite stone very suited for jewelry making. As far as durability of the gemstone is concerned, iolite is more durable than tanzanite.
(b) Iolite exhibits an important property called 'pleochroism'. You can observe this if you hold an iolite gem stone and...
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Press Printing Pros and Cons
Press Printing Pros and Cons
by: Viojieley Gurrobat
Press Printing Pros and Cons
The introduction of the printing press has made producing multiple copies of a document much easier and convenient. This machine has changed the totality of the written language. It was a breakthrough in spreading literacy in the lower classes as books and other printed materials are now easily reproduced. Many more copies of a document could be made making the documents more available to the masses.
But have you ever wondered how these books, magazines or newspapers are produced? Are these printed materials literally written and colored by the writers? Absolutely not! Just imagine how long it will take to write a single copy of a book. It would seem impossible to actually produce one copy if one has to do it manually. Then how are they able produce thousands of copies in just a short period of time? The answer to that is press printing. Press printing can...
Press Printing Pros and Cons
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Lingerie Makes Great Gift for Him and Her
Lingerie Makes Great Gift for Him and Her
by: Jim Jin
It is clich? to say that lingerie is the gift that ?gives to him and her?, or is ?the gift that gives back? because clearly the man does not lose when he gives lingerie out as a present.
The only time the plan backfires is when he gets something in the wrong style?or much worse?the wrong size.
But when the man puts some time and consideration into the purchase of some lingerie, he and the receiver are rewarded which is why it makes a great gift.
Too often men find themselves tempted to buy whatever they happen to find attractive or sexy.
These same men are then surprised later on when their girlfriend or wife is utterly repulsed by the lingerie and refuses to wear the garment.
It takes a special kind of woman to tolerate a thong but men continue to thrust their desires into lingerie purchasing decisions that utterly conflict with the desires and tastes...
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How to put together a wardrobe using blue color to take you through work, play and romance
How to put together a wardrobe using blue color to take you through work, play and romance
by: Janice Wee
Imagine a wardrobe where everything you have goes with everything else.
Actually, if everything is black, you know, your bag is black, your dresses, tops, bottoms, shoes are all black, then everything would go with everything else. That is the trick some chic travellers use. All black wardrobe for a holiday in the city and an all white wardrobe for a holiday by the beach. But that would be really boring.
Instead of basing your entire wardrobe on black, you could base it on a versatile color. Blue comes to mind right away.
After all, blue is a great color for the office. That dark blue outfit gives you an air of authority. Blue is a very professional color.
Although blue tends to be associated with boys, women do look great in blue too. If you look great in blue, you could give it a feminine touch with pink accents. Blue...
How to put together a wardrobe using blue color to take you through work, play and romance
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Color Cues to help you Find Mr. Right
Color Cues to help you Find Mr. Right
by: Alan Stafford
Color preferences say a lot about a person's personality and - perhaps more importantly to some of us - about a person's love style. Bright color preferences reflect outgoing characteristics, while darker colors reflect more subdued and calm qualities. Secondary colors, including purple, orange and green reveal a person's desires, goals and needs in a relationship. Color experts, such as light scientist Jacob Liberman O.D., PhD, and color therapy expert Louanna Wilson of SciArt Company, agree that these colors also tell us something about how different types of personalities attract men and women.
To figure out your color type, start by choosing your favorite color of these three. Even if you don't like any of these, pick the one you like best for the sake of this analysis. Pick the color, green, purple or orange, that most appeals to you. Do not choose the color you prefer for clothing...
Color Cues to help you Find Mr. Right
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Dealing With Colic Without Losing Your Mind
Dealing With Colic Without Losing Your Mind
by: Sarah Veda
For a brand new mommy, or even a seasoned one, dealing with a colicky baby can be overwhelming. The constant crying is heartbreaking and nerve wracking, and leaves you with a sense of helplessness. But don?t lose heart; the only good thing I can tell you about colic is that it?s temporary. Here are a few ideas to keep you going.
First ? Be sure it?s really colic. If you haven?t had the little one...
vacuum cleaner Color printers Dealing With Colic Without Losing Your Mind Blue Lobsters Are Real!
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Anniversary Gift Ideas Year by Year, the First Nineteen Years
Anniversary Gift Ideas Year by Year, the First Nineteen Years
by: Elly Kendall
It?s impossible to remember what gift is traditional for each anniversary. This article is perfect to print out or post on your website for easy reference. Plus gift ideas for each anniversary makes it easy, you?ll never miss getting the perfect anniversary gift again.
The traditional gift for the first anniversary is paper. An addition of the newspaper from the year you were...
watches Color printers Anniversary Gift Ideas Year by Year, the First Nineteen Years Blue Lobsters Are Real!
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Velvet - The Fabric Of Fall
Velvet - The Fabric Of Fall
by: Catherine Olivia
The history of velvet is somewhat fuzzy, but the first English reference to it was in 1278, when a king's tailor purchased the fabric in Paris for the kings bed. More than 700 years later you don't have to be a king to afford to wear velvet.
You're seeing it everywhere, in every shade. Carefully created into dazzling jackets, dresses, handbags, boots, pumps and flats. You will find velvet this fall in an...
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5 Tips For a Smooth Transition to Contact Lenses
5 Tips For a Smooth Transition to Contact Lenses
by: Debbie Pettitt
So, you've made the decision to wear contact lenses! The excitement is building and you can hardly wait to see the "new you." But just a few minutes of educating yourself on the "basics" can make that transition from glasses to contact lenses successful the first time out. Just follow these few suggestions:
1. Have your eyes examined and fitted by a reputable eye care specialist. Your...
vacuum cleaner Color printers 5 Tips For a Smooth Transition to Contact Lenses Blue Lobsters Are Real!
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Children and Learning
Children and Learning
by: DeAnne Joy
How would you like a way to help your child to feel more successful at home, at school, with friends?
How would you like to feel less stress in your life and have a better relationship with your child?
What if your child knew simple, effective strategies that will enable him to learn easily and quickly?
It has been my experience that virtually every young person that I have worked with has had the desire...
Children and Learning student loans Color printers Blue Lobsters Are Real!
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