ecology

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07.3928 Mugwort flower plant

What are the differences between mugwort, wormwood (Artemisia princeps), bitter wormwood, and male wormwood? We'll explain how to distinguish between similar species! Did you know that mugwort is used not only in rice cakes but also in moxibustion and medicine?

Artemisia princeps, Artemisia japonica, Artemisia urticaria, and Artemisia japonica are all members of the Artemisia genus in the Asteraceae family, and are extremely common perennial herbs that dominate small vacant lots from urban areas to mountainous fields. In addition to having a cottony, fluffy underside to its leaves, it belongs to the Asteraceae family...
2026.04.10
plant
07.3397 *Linaria japonica* (flower) plant

What are the differences between *Linaria japonica*, *Linaria cantoniensis*, and *Linaria thunbergii*? We explain how to distinguish between similar species! Despite their showy flowers, they are entirely self-pollinating!?

*Linaria japonica*, *Linaria cantoniensis*, and *Linaria thunbergii* all belong to the Plantaginaceae family and are herbaceous plants that bear cute, blue-colored "lip-shaped flowers" (flowers with separate upper and lower lips) with a swollen center on the lower lip. Although they are introduced species, they are frequently seen in urban areas, but their flowers...
2026.03.30
plant
07.1157 Akebia trifoliata (female flower) plant

What are the differences between Akebia, Akebia trifoliata, Akebia quinata, and Stauntonia hexaphylla? We explain how to distinguish between similar species! Are the large female flowers a way to deceive insects? Who eats the fruit in the wild?

Akebia, Akebia trifoliata, Akebia quinata, and Stauntonia hexaphylla all belong to the Akebia family. They are climbing plants with palmately compound leaves, and a key characteristic is that male and female flowers bloom separately. Akebia and Akebia trifoliata, in particular, are famous for the edible white, gelatinous pulp inside their opened fruits. For many, it's a taste of the countryside from their childhood...
2026.03.24
plant
07.4209 Hydrocotyle sappan (flower) plant

What are the differences between *Hydrocotyle japonica*, *Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides*, *Hydrocotyle japonica*, and *Hydrocotyle maximowiczii*? We'll explain how to distinguish between similar species! What insects visit these tiny flowers?

Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides, Hydrocotyle japonica, Hydrocotyle kobus, and Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides all belong to the genus Hydrocotyle in the family Araliaceae. These perennial herbs creep along the ground in slightly shaded areas of forests and other woodlands, and are notable for their small, nearly orbicular simple leaves. However, their flowers and fruits are small and inconspicuous...
2026.03.20
plant
07.0282 Nagaimo (Japanese yam) yam yam plant

What are the differences between Japanese yam (Dioscorea japonica), Chinese yam (Dioscorea japonica), Japanese yam (Dioscorea tokoro), and bitter yam (Dioscorea japonica)? We explain how to distinguish between similar species! Why do they produce bulbils? Their reproductive strategies were diverse!

Japanese yam (Dioscorea japonica), Chinese yam (Dioscorea longa), Japanese yam (Dioscorea tokoro), and bitter yam (Dioscorea japonica) all belong to the genus Dioscorea in the family Dioscoreaceae. They produce edible tubers and bulbils, and are very common climbing perennial plants often seen in urban areas. The genus Dioscorea, also known as yam, is a group that includes a vast number of species...
2026.03.18
plant
07.0120 White Magnolia Flower plant

What are the differences between white magnolia, kobushi magnolia, star magnolia, and tamushiba magnolia? We'll explain how to distinguish between similar species! Is it a myth that their flowers are primitive? What is the purpose of their conspicuous red seeds?

White magnolia, kobushi magnolia, star magnolia, and tamushiba all belong to the Magnolia genus of the Magnoliaceae family. Being deciduous trees, they shed their leaves in winter, and around April, like cherry blossoms, they produce large, white, polypetalous flowers—one per branch—before the leaves appear. A key characteristic of these trees is...
2026.03.10
plant
Posts 8805 Featured Image Cochineal Lac Shellac Differences animal

Are you actually eating them every day? The differences and dangers of insect-derived food colorings: cochineal, lac, and shellac.

In Japan, except in some regions, eating insects is extremely rare, and it's safe to say that it's almost unheard of among younger generations, especially in urban areas. While some advocate for insect consumption as a way to prepare for food shortages, cries of "Absolutely not!" are heard, mainly on social media. Even I, who work with insects...
2026.02.19
animalhistory
Posts 18779 Featured Image Spice Myth Age Of Exploration plant

Is the theory that spices were used to mask the smell of rotten meat during the Age of Discovery a myth? A thorough explanation of the real reason.

I originally have a science background, but I enjoy reading world history content. I came across something interesting: the idea that spices (spices excluding stems, leaves, and flowers) don't have much antibacterial properties, and that "spices were used to mask the smell of rotten meat"...
2026.02.13
planthistory
Posts 18742 Featured Image Ruminant Stomach Compartments animal

The differences between the four stomachs of a cow (tripe, honeycomb tripe, omasum, and abomasum) and how to remember them! Why do cows have four stomachs?

When you go to a yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) restaurant, you might see four parts of the cow's stomach (fore-stomach) listed as offal: mino, hachinosu, senmai, and giara. Because they have a distinctive taste and are internal organs, people either love them or hate them, but their chewy texture and the fact that they pair well with alcohol make them popular...
2026.01.22
animal
Posts 16293 Featured Image Origin Of Rhythm And Meter animal

Why can humans move in rhythm? Unraveling the origins of 2/4, 4/4, and 3/4 time signatures from an evolutionary biology perspective.

When listening to music, singing, or dancing becomes a hobby, you naturally develop an interest in rhythm and time signatures. However, if you try to pinpoint the origins of this interest, you might find it difficult to answer. Often, we just naturally find ourselves moving to the rhythm...
2025.11.12
animalhistory
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