Researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have developed a revolutionary device called the catalytic condenser, which electronically modifies one metal to behave like another, enabling more efficient chemical reactions. This innovation opens the door for catalytic technologies using non-precious metal catalysts, reducing reliance on...
Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed a chameleon-like material by incorporating boron into vanadium dioxide, bringing it closer to mimicking brain cell activity. Vanadium dioxide is known for its metal-insulator transition, where it shifts between conducting and insulating states based on temperature. By introducing boron, scientists...
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, have developed a nanomaterial that mimics chameleon skin, allowing robots to change color in response to movement. The material consists of gold nanorods fused with magnetic nanorods, encapsulated in a polymer shield. By controlling the orientation of these rods using magnets, scientists can...
Rosetta mission data has revealed how comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko undergoes color changes as it moves through space. The European Space Agency's VIRTIS instrument tracked the comet over two years, showing that its nucleus appeared redder when far from the Sun due to dust-covered surfaces. As it approached the Sun, sublimation exposed fresh ice,...
Researchers at Iowa State University have developed "chameleon metals"—materials that change their surface structure in response to heat. By treating liquid metal alloys with controlled heating, scientists observed the formation of tiny spheres and nanowires, altering the metal's surface texture. This breakthrough could lead to smart alloy...
Researchers at Rice University and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have uncovered new insights into the role of the protein CPEB3 in long-term memory formation. CPEB3, described as a "chameleon-like" protein, interacts with actin-binding domains in neurons, forming stable aggregates that may store memory-related...
Chameleons are true masters of camouflage, using their unusual bodies, limbs, heads, and tails—often adorned with enlarged scales, horns, and various skin duplications or protuberances—to seamlessly merge with their surroundings, a classic example of Bayesian mimicry.
Quite often, we see private keepers of chameleons showing off pictures and videos of chameleons being fed with tweezers, usually offering a relatively large feeder like a roach or a locust. It is very enjoyable to watch a chameleon feeding using its long, extendable tongue with immense precision. However, this practice almost always provokes...
Chameleons are famous for their unique visual system, where each eye can move separately, allowing them to scan their surroundings monocularly. However, this study by Ketter Katz et al. (2015) challenges the idea that their eye movements are truly independent, showing coordinated tracking behavior when confronted with two separate visual targets.
A study published in BMC Evolutionary Biology explores the exceptional tree-climbing ability of chameleons, revealing that their ball-and-socket joints in wrists and ankles play a crucial role in their arboreal lifestyle. Researchers found that chameleons have twice the number of skeletal elements in their wrists and ankles compared to previously...
Until recently, Calumma vatosoa, a Malagasy chameleon species, was known only from a single male holotype and a photograph of another male specimen. In this study, David Prötzel et al. (2016) provide the first formal description of female C. vatosoa, expanding knowledge of its morphology and systematic position.
In 1992, Rhampholeon chapmani was described as a new species for science by Tilbury.
Chapman's pygmy chameleon (Rhampholeon chapmanorum) is a tiny, forest-dwelling reptile endemic to the Malawi Hills in southern Malawi. This species depends on dense rainforest habitats, where it thrives among leaf litter, using its cryptic coloration to blend seamlessly into its surroundings. Unfortunately, rapid deforestation has left the species...
Chameleon breakthrough
Over the next few years I visited the Yemen on several occasions and spent as much time as I possibly could observing the chameleons, not only during the daytime but also at night. By the time I was 18 years old I had imported several specimens back to the Czech Republic and these became my breeding colony....
1. A Unique Life History Among Tetrapods: An Annual Chameleon Living Mostly as an Egg (Karsten et al., 2008)
Researchers have captured extraordinary footage of a dying Labord's chameleon, Furcifer labordi, revealing never-before-seen chaotic technicolor patterns during its final moments. Filmed in Madagascar's Kirindy Forest, this rare sighting was featured in the PBS series "Big Little Journeys".
Introduction: Understanding NMBD in Captive Chameleons
The study explores the impact of social structure on behavioral patterns such as dispersal, intraspecific niche partitioning, and resource utilization in the invasive lizard Trioceros jacksonii xantholophus in Hawaii. The authors investigate how juvenile-adult interactions, particularly through agonistic displays and paedophagic cannibalism, lead...
In an exciting development, the proud owner of a Jackson chameleon, reported the birth of eight baby chameleons. Among the new hatchlings is a notably tiny and fragile creature that has captured the interest of those observing the event.
Particularly noteworthy is Attenborough's popularization of chameleons, drawing attention to their unique adaptations and behaviors. In his documentaries, such as "The Trials of Life" and "Planet Earth," he showcases the chameleon's remarkable ability to change color, which serves as a fascinating means of communication and camouflage. By...
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Some keepers should go to court for the tremendous pain caused by their negligence and ignorance. See the case of morbid Gout caused by wrong supplementation, lighting, alimentation and hydration on the course of just 6months.
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The 2nd International Chameleon Day, celebrated on May 9, 2025, highlights the remarkable diversity of chameleons and raises awareness about their conservation needs. Initiated by Wildlife Madagascar in 2024, this annual event brings together researchers, conservationists, zoos, and schools to promote education and advocacy for these unique...
A gravid female Langaha madagascariensis specimen housed at the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology was μCT scanned and dissected, revealing a large prey bolus in its stomach. The snake, collected on 4 June 1994 near Manambaro, Madagascar, measured 543 mm SVL and contained five eggs in its oviduct.
Scientists have uncovered a second supercontracting muscle responsible for chameleons' extraordinary tongue projection. Previously, only the hyoglossus muscle was known to have this ability, but the study identified the sternohyoid superficialis muscle as another key player.
