In a head-to-head contest, trout will starve, goldfish will live. Dive into the rich history of the humble goldfish
As a science historian, you’ve written about esoteric subjects like 17th century mollusk expert Martin Lister. Goldfish seem comparatively banal. I gather there’s a personal backstory.
Goldfish are basically carp. The Chinese originally bred them to eat. Carp, which are normally grey or green, breed like crazy, and you get variations of colors and shapes. Nature plays around. They have a smattering of pigment cells that are red or gold. A mutation would have suppressed the grey pigment cells, allowing the yellow and red ones to be expressed. Humans took a mutation and made a species of them.
Losing their mystique and exoticism along the way, no doubt. At one time, you write, the United States government gave them away.Illustration by James Petiver, Courtesy The Royal SocietyIn a publicity stunt, from 1884 to 1894, if you were a resident of Baltimore or Washington, D.C, and wrote your congressman, the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries [today the National Marine Fisheries Service] would send you goldfish. Some 20,000 were given away each year before the program was discontinued.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
California bill would ban single-use smoking products like cigarette filtersSupporters of the bill said cigarette butts and vape pods cost millions per year in cleanup and pollute the environment.
Read more »
Groups pushing for more pet-inclusive housingPET INCLSUIVE HOUSING - About 75% of housing owners and operators consider themselves pet-friendly, but nearly the same amount of pet owners say it's hard to find animal-friendly housing.
Read more »
Planting Tatume squash may be your best bet to thwart pestsFor other gourds, soil preparation and planting time are key considerations.
Read more »
Pet Owners in Hong Kong Are Now Chartering Private Jets to Move Their Furry FriendsOne aviation firm's pet transport business has grown 700 percent since the beginning of the pandemic.
Read more »
Traveling in 2022? These US cities have the most bed bugsPest control company Orkin released its annual “Top 50 Bed Bug Cities List' warning 2022 travelers that 'bed bugs are still very much a threat.'
Read more »
A Harvard Mathematician Has Basically Solved an Epic, 150-Year-Old Chess ProblemOn one level, chess seems like a simple game: 64 individual black or white squares, 16 pieces per side, and two competitors striving for conquest.
Read more »