The Ark In Space

Watch a Single Cell become a Complete Organism in Just a Few Minutes

Saturday, 5 July 2025

You may not have heard of the Alpine Newt but, like every other organism, it starts as a single cell. It is silent, so put some inspiring music on in the background to accompany the newt’s development. The detail is absolutely amazing, from the single cell right up to the hatching of the larva, you will remember the alpine newt for some time to come!

Becoming is a film by Jan van IJken. a Dutch filmmaker and photographer whose work lies at the intersection of art and science. He explores the hidden dimensions of nature, focusing on microscopy, embryology, and the complex relationships between humans and animals.

Watch the full video below - and don't forget to find some great music to go with it!

The Strange Life Cycle of the Ladybug

Saturday, 4 February 2023

The Ladybug has something of a strange life cycle and one that surprises many people. From egg to fully grown ladybug, join us on a journey of a lifetime - literally!

Image Credit Flickr User Anderson Mancini

The ladybug will always try and mate as close to a colony of aphids as possible. The ladybug loves aphids and will eat many of them each day.

Stinging Caterpillars of the United States

Sunday, 17 March 2019

Image Credit Flickr User Mean and Pinchy

Caterpillars – the shapes and sizes that they come in and for many the urge to touch, pick up and hold is almost irresistible. Yet although most butterfly and moth larvae are quite harmless, preferring to curl up in a ball when threatened, some will make it quite plain that they do not like to be touched. They will sting: here is a selection of the stinging caterpillars of the United States.

Image Credit Flickr User myriorama

The saddleback moth caterpillar, Sibine stimuli, pictured above has a 'face' that scares off many a potential predator. Yet it will also send you a definite message that it is unhappy with your sticky fingers on it. In a purely defensive tactic it will give you a sting that will dissuade you from picking up another. You can see the ‘horns’ that the caterpillar has on each end of its body – these are barbed spines which are also known as urticating setae.

Birth of a Mosquito

Sunday, 3 March 2013

Strictly speaking this amazing footage by Alvaro Mendoz Productions does not show the actual birth of a mosquito but the emergence of one in to its adult stage. The first three stages, the egg, larva and pupa are mostly spent in water. Typically this takes between five and fourteen days and at that point the pupae will come to the surface and break through to the air.

However, water tension allows the insect to literally walk on water – or in the case of this mosquito it can emerge from its pupa form in to adulthood right at the very surface without breaking the water’s surface tension. Floating on the surface it is able to harden its exoskeleton and wings and then fly off – all within the space of a very short amount of time. This piece of film shows this rarely seen episode in the life of a mosquito. Amazing.

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