Nature has many mysteries

[Tom]

Cicadas

These are small, locust-like insects, who emerge like clockwork on a 17-year cycle to wreak havoc (well, havoc to those people who dislike insects).

What puzzles me, is why 17 years? What is scientifically significant about 17 years? There must be a reason for it, some evolutionary advantage perhaps, possibly something in pre-history that we are unaware of?

The timing of things like monthly periods for women (caused by the lunar cycle), seasonal mating for various other creatures (caused by the seasons duh), they're all very obvious, but 17 years is going to take some serious guesswork IMO.

 

[dysfunction]

Weird

 

[Wij]

Rubbish. They can be permanently seen flying round many parts of Aegir all year round. In fact the olny time I remember seeing none was when a group of 4 Summ SMs went round killing them all.

 

[dysfunction]

If you read the article Wij you would notice that they are a different type of cicada

*ahem*

 

[yaruar]

If you read the article Wij you would notice that they are a different type of cicada

*ahem*

Does this mean I can't ride griffons in real life.

 

[TdC]

only if you smoke a magnesium bike beforehand yaruar

 

[Trem]

The timing of things like monthly periods for women (caused by the lunar cycle)

Also wrong imo, the womens period is caused once a month by the need for them to HATE ALL MEN!

 

[Mobius]

Rubbish. They can be permanently seen flying round many parts of Aegir all year round. In fact the olny time I remember seeing none was when a group of 4 Summ SMs went round killing them all.

Rofl..sad git.

 

[Wij]

Does this mean I can't ride griffons in real life.

Yes you can, but Griffons in real life are pink and cylindrical with bluish veins and a purple hemlet.

And who spotted my deliberate mistake ? Yes, I said Summ SMs instead of Supp SMs. Thickos if you didn't notice !!!

 

[Paradroid]

What puzzles me, is why 17 years? What is scientifically significant about 17 years? There must be a reason for it, some evolutionary advantage perhaps, possibly something in pre-history that we are unaware of?

The Sun has verrry long cycles (Sol, not Fleet street) which effect the earths weather systems (sounds good, eh?). It may have something to do (in evolutionary terms) with the other plants & animals - maybe 17 years was the amount of time it took to fully replenish stocks?

Or they're just taking advantage of stockmarket trends? (ThE HARMLESS SLEEPY FU*KERS!!!)

 

[Ch3tan]

Or maybe its just a survival technique. Spending so long underground to appear only to mate does lower their risk of becoming extinct.

 

[kelso]

Cicadas

These are small, locust-like insects, who emerge like clockwork on a 17-year cycle to wreak havoc (well, havoc to those people who dislike insects).

What puzzles me, is why 17 years? What is scientifically significant about 17 years? There must be a reason for it, some evolutionary advantage perhaps, possibly something in pre-history that we are unaware of?

The timing of things like monthly periods for women (caused by the lunar cycle), seasonal mating for various other creatures (caused by the seasons duh), they're all very obvious, but 17 years is going to take some serious guesswork IMO.

17 years is a prime number... it makes it harder for predators from synchronising the timing

 

[Sar]

Also wrong imo, the womens period is caused once a month by the need for them to HATE ALL MEN!

This I can back up wholeheartedly atm.

The painters arrived this morning.

 

[pcg79]

but how do they all know when to come out...

 

[Jupitus]

they huddle round an enourmous alarm clock

 

[kelso]

but how do they all know when to come out...

They don't... It's instinct... Evolution.

Natural selection of mutations gradually pushes such cycles into prime number configurations. The ones that don't do this are more likely to get eaten.

 

[dysfunction]

It could well be down to Fibonacci Numbers.

Although 17 isnt a Fibonacci number as such, it may have something to do with Fibonacci levels of 38.2%, 50.0%, and 61.8% which can be seen on snail shells. The rings get bigger by these percentages...

http://www.world-mysteries.com/sci_17.htm