from American Scientist
July-August 2012
When threatened by fish, some marine plankton leap through the air to safety. Researchers studied this previously undocumented behavior in two species of copepods (tiny crustaceans) that swim near the ocean’s surface. Although breaking the surface tension is a drag for such tiny animals, it pays off in low air resistance and long leaps. Also in this issue’s news roundup: Efficient quantum LEDs and prehistoric Hawaiian fisheries.