This weeks prompt was:

Light from an electronic device can create a dramatic photo. Most of us own at least one electronic gadget! Practice this illumination technique and share what you capture here on Wednesday. Alternate light sources: candle light, low lamp light, fireplace, or string lights.

Although I have to confess mine was from my (not previously published) archives due to lack of time for being creative this week.

More photos from the illuminate gallery can be found here.

The sex of the World Turtle is pivotal in proving or disproving a number of conflicting theories about the destination of Great A’Tuin’s journey through the cosmos. If, as the Discworld version of the popular “big bang theory” states, Great A’Tuin is moving to its mating grounds, then at the point of mating might the civilizations of the Disc be crushed or simply slide off? Attempts by telepaths to learn more about Great A’Tuin’s intents have not met with much success, mainly because they did not realise that its brain functions are on such a slow timescale. All they’ve been able to discern is that the Great A’Tuin is looking forward to something.

The other theory, described as being popular among the Discworld’s academics as the Discworld version of the steady state theory, which in-universe is known as the “steady gait” theory, is that he/she came from nowhere and is going to keep swimming through space to nowhere for ever. Eric shows Great A’Tuin being made instantly from nothing, seemingly in support of the theory that it came from nowhere and would continue at a constant pace into nowhere; however, the events in The Light Fantastic, in which the Great A’Tuin attended the hatching of eight baby turtles, each with four baby elephants and a tiny discworld of their own, would seem to support the Big Bang hypothesis.

Due to the Great A’Tuin’s travelling through the universe, the night sky of the Discworld, unlike that of our world, changes markedly over the course of decades, as the turtle departs older constellations and enters new ones. This means that astrologers must constantly update and alter their horoscopes to incorporate all-new zodiacs.

Clown fish start life as males and live inside a sea anemone, together with a female clownfish. The female prevents the males from changing sex by bullying them. When she dies, the largest male changes sex and takes over her role.

Wrasses, damselfish and antheas, not only change sex, but also colour! Unlike clownfish they are born females and later change into males.

Usually there is one male in charge of a harem of females. When he dies the largest female changes colour and becomes a male within a matter of days.

What an interesting concept…

This is another theme I struggled with.  I haven’t got any photos of schools or school days and even my photos of fish aren’t quite right because some of the fish are pointing in the wrong direction.  But I shall share this one with you, which is the best I have to hand.

From Wiki:

In biology, any group of fish that stay together for social reasons are said to be shoaling (pronounced /ˈʃoʊlɪŋ/), and if, in addition, the group is swimming in the same direction in a coordinated manner, they are said to be schooling (pronounced /ˈskuːlɪŋ/).^[1] In common usage, the terms are sometimes used rather loosely.^[1] About one quarter of fishes shoal all their lives, and about one half of fishes shoal for part of their lives.^[2]

Fish derive many benefits from shoaling behaviour including defence against predators (through better predator detection and by diluting the chance of individual capture), enhanced foraging success, and higher success in finding a mate. It is also likely that fish benefit from shoal membership through increased hydrodynamic efficiency.

Fish use many traits to choose shoalmates. Generally they prefer larger shoals, shoalmates of their own species, shoalmates similar in size and appearance to themselves, healthy fish, and kin (when recognized).

The “oddity effect” posits that any shoal member that stands out in appearance will be preferentially targeted by predators. This may explain why fish prefer to shoal with individuals that resemble themselves. The oddity effect would thus tend to homogenize shoals.

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out tnchick.

For the second annual Blogger’s silly week.

I
Calico Pie,
The little Birds fly
Down to the calico tree,
Their wings were blue,
And they sang ‘Tilly-loo!’
Till away they flew,–
And they never came back to me!
They never came back!
They never came back!
They never came back to me!

II

Calico Jam,
The little Fish swam,
Over the syllabub sea,
He took off his hat,
To the Sole and the Sprat,
And the Willeby-Wat,–
But he never came back to me!
He never came back!
He never came back!
He never came back to me

III

Calico Ban,
The little Mice ran,
To be ready in time for tea,
Flippity flup,
They drank it all up,
And danced in the cup,–
But they never came back to me!
They never came back!
They never came back!
They never came back to me!

IV

Calico Drum,
The Grasshoppers come,
The Butterfly, Beetle, and Bee,
Over the ground,
Around and around,
With a hop and a bound,–
But they never came back to me!
They never came back!
They never came back!
They never came back to me!