ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → Biology

MRI scan reveals tarantulas have double heartbeat

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
August 4, 2011
in Biology, Health, Studies
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

Heart injected with liquid metal imaged with unprecedented detail
What’s an MRI and how does it work?
Baby brains grow to half the adult size in just 90 days
9 colorful, tree dwelling, extremely small tarantulas found in Brazil
Scientists can color the MRI images to highlight organs. The heart is shown in lighter colors in the posterior part of the body. (c) Gavin Merrifield
Scientists can color the MRI images to highlight organs. The heart is shown in lighter colors in the posterior part of the body. (c) Gavin Merrifield

Biologists from Edinburgh University might have stumbled across a significant discovery, after strapping a tarantula to a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, which showed how its heart contracted in a unique double beat. The find might apply to a species of spiders.

If your curious to see the strange double heart beat for yourself, scientists have a video up on the university’s website.

“In the videos you can see the blood flowing through the heart and tantalizingly it looks as though there might be ‘double beating’ occurring; a distinct type of contraction which has never been considered before,” said Gavin Merrifield in a press release.

Previous spider cardiac research were either indirect or highly invasive, however the Scottish biologists came to more accurate results by measuring heart rate and cardiac output with an MRI scanner. Merrifield presented the research at the Society for Experimental Biology Annual Conference in Glasgow last month.

Although  MRI use is often medical in reason, it’s been known to have implications in study advancements of other branches of biology.

“One potential practical use of this research is to ascertain the chemical composition of spider venom,” says Mr. Merrifield. “Venom has applications in agriculture as a potential natural pesticide. On the more academic side of things if we can link MRI brain scans with a spider’s behaviour, and combine this with similar data from vertebrates, we may clarify how intelligence evolved.”

 

 

Tags: mriMRI scannertarantula

ShareTweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines. He has a B.Sc in mechanical engineering and an M.Sc in renewable energy systems.

Related Posts

Biology

Meet the largest spider in the world: a tarantula the size of a puppy

byTibi Puiu
2 years ago
Health

Machine learning tool 99% accurate at spotting early signs of Alzheimer’s in the lab

byAlexandru Micu
4 years ago
Animals

Tarantulas are *everywhere* and now researchers know why

byMihai Andrei
4 years ago
Credit: Pixabay.
Animals

After scanning canine brains: “Dogs are people, too,” says neuroscientist

byTibi Puiu
5 years ago

Recent news

Meet Mosura fentoni, the Bug-Eyed Cambrian Weirdo with Three Eyes and Gills in Its Tail

May 14, 2025

Japan’s Stem Cell Scientists Claim Breakthrough in Parkinson’s Treatment

May 13, 2025

Scorpion Stings Are Surging in Brazil with Sting Rates Rising 155%

May 13, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.