May 2013
13 posts
6 tags
How many birds are killed by windows? →
I find it very disappointing with all the citizen science data that is regularly collected concerning birds in the US and Britain that there has not been a more detailed investigation into bird death due to window collisions. I have found enough dead birds by windows even before I started doing rehab with birds to know the numbers are significant, but it would be beneficial to have hard data to be...
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Researcher slashes optics laboratory costs using... →
(Phys.org) âJust as the power of the open-source design has driven down the cost of software to the point that it is accessible to most people, open-source hardware makes it possible to drive down the cost of doing experimental science and expand access to everyone. As part of this movement, a Michigan …
3D printing is a game changer that is going to cause a LOT of pain to a wide variety...
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Why are the French drinking less wine? →
I don’t know if drinking less wine is a bad thing, but what I find interesting is how young many cultural “traditions” really are. I don’t think I or most people really appreciate how many of the things we perceive as old cultural traditions really stem from one of the World Wars. I don’t think I have any idea what the world really looked like before it was torn...
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Taxonomy Challenges →
http://boingboing.net/2013/04/24/leeches-are-a-hypothesis-why.html
This kind of explains some of the modern complexities of taxonomy and why species keep getting clumped and split depending on if the clumpers or the splitters are in control. Right now for birds in Australia, I think the splitters have it, but that could change.
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Gull Eats Starfish →
http://boingboing.net/2013/05/02/gull-eats-starfish-auditions.html
Awkward! Just a funny photo for your amusement, and yes, there is a bird.
6 tags
Since when were science toys just for boys? →
Every time a girl sees a shelf of science-related toys under a sign that says “boys”, she is being told that the world thinks science is not for her.
I don’t know if I would have paid much attention to whether toys were marketed for boys or girls when I was little. I often played with toys that were considered more boy toys: legos, matchbox cars, etc. I don’t think they...
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Bee-harming pesticides banned in Europe →
EU member states vote ushers in continent-wide suspension of neonicotinoid pesticides
I can’t say that I have followed the bee decline closely enough to know for sure if these pesticides are causing a problem, but it seems a lot of people think they are. We rely on bees for most of the grown food that we eat and much of the food that we feed the animals we eat. Everyone should be concerned...
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Amazing 2012 breeding season for Tahiti... →
And now for a little good endangered bird news after that horrible Middle East hunting story.
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Bitter taste celebration →
I have been planning to write something enthusiastic for the readers of the WorldWaders News Blog as there would be a reason for celebration. Today WorldWaders celebrates its 3rd birthday. I set th…
This is upsetting. I am not opposed to hunting for food purposes. In my mind there is really no other reason to hunt, but apparently not everyone feels the way I do. I also don’t think...
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Judith Grossman: A Mother, a Feminist, Aghast →
In The Wall Street, Judith Grossman writes that unsubstantiated accusations against her son by a former girlfriend landed him in front of a nightmarish college tribunal.
I think that it is important to not let domestic crimes go unpunished, but I think any time one person can ruin a person’s reputation and possible career by accusing another person, there is a great potential for abuse. I...
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Cawdor's eagle eyed new friend in baby... →
THE Cawdor community has a new friend in the skies a tough baby wedge-tailed eagle.
Your feel good wildlife story for the day :)
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Cooper Union Will Charge Tuition in 2014 →
One of the country’s last remaining tuition-free colleges will charge undergraduates deemed able to pay about $20,000 starting in 2014.
This is sad, but not surprising. I suspect that America’s university landscape is going to change quite a bit as formal education costs sky rocket while the cost to get an education via extremely good online resources (Khan Academy) plummets. However, it is...
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Why Your Supermarket Only Sells 5 Kinds of Apples →
And one man’s quest to bring hundreds more back.
I think it is sad that mass produced food are limiting the varieties of food that we have available to us. I also dislike the copyrighting of seeds or varieties. I hope more people start promoting and growing heritage fruits and vegetables. I would love to see some new apples at my local store.
April 2013
15 posts
2 tags
Source Of Down Syndrome Symptoms Identified? →
It’s well-established that Down syndrome results when a person is born with an extra 21st chromosome, but so far, scientists haven’t pinned down what causes the condition’s symptoms. New research, however, brings us one step closer to understanding Down Syndrome’s molecular biology.
This is good news for the better understanding of Down Syndrome.
5 tags
Images of Nordic Nature | - BY 15 SWEDISH... →
Images of Nordic Nature. - BY 15 SWEDISH PHOTOGRAPHERS
Stunning bird pictures from the Nordic region! For fun and enjoyment.
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The 12 Most Controversial Facts In Mathematics →
You won’t believe that these are all true.
Here is a fun slide show that goes over some of the classic twists in statistics (and some other fun math as well). These are very basic statistical questions that we intuitively get wrong. Experiment in any science hinge on being able to set the experiment up in a statistically significant way and then being able to properly interpret the results....
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Great Scientists Don't Need Math →
E.O. Wilson shares a secret: Discoveries emerge from ideas, not number-crunching.
Honestly, this article scares the hell out of me and I find it embarrassing it is coming from a Harvard Prof. No, you do not need a graduate degree in math to be a scientist, and in many cases once you have a “real world” job there won’t be a lot of long form calculation as there is plenty of...
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DNA Shows It: Birds Are Promiscuous →
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/birds-mate-life-cheat/story?id=18949572#.UW_PeruXQ09
Certain bird species have long been seen as the human ideal of monogamy, but more and more DNA evidence is showing that these birds are no more virtuous than we are. While they may pair bond for life, they often like to have a bit on the side to increase genetic diversity. Perhaps people could learn to be as...
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Those Crazy Plastic Cleaning Machines →
This is a bit harsh because I don’t think it is necessarily a bad thing to think about ways to clean up the oceans, but the reality is that the human brain does not grasp the scale of the problem. We can’t imagine how big the ocean and the garbage patch is so we don’t understand how impractical most cleaning suggestions are.
So it does make MUCH more sense to think about how we...
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Mosh Pit Math: Physicists Analyze Rowdy Crowd →
What could be more exciting that heavy metal and physics? Okay, I’ll skip the heavy metal, but apparently not all physics minded folk feel the same. Modeling random movements is a good excuse to go to rock concerts, apparently…
At a heavy metal concert five years ago, physicist Jesse Silverberg had a “eureka” moment: The jumping, raucous fans at the show seemed to be...
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How not to say the wrong thing →
This article seems kind of obvious to me, but apparently it is not to all people. It does break it down into an easy rule of what to say to who in the time of crisis or hardship so I thought I would share.
When Susan had breast cancer , we heard a lot of lame remarks, but our favorite came from one of Susan’s colleagues. She wanted, she needed, to visit Susan after the surgery, but Susan...
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“Firefly” Hat Triggers Corporate Crackdown →
As a Browncoat of course this story makes me mad, but in general I get upset when corporations decide to flip out about copy right when they have not provided a reasonable “legal” alternative. No one was making Jayne hats, people wanted them, so home based knitters filled a need. If I can download Game Of Thrones in a timely manner at a non-insane cost legally, I will, but if I...
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Neil Gaiman leaves guerrilla artwork on NY street... →
Neil Gaiman is creating fun for his fans. It probably would have been nicer if a regular fan had found the drawing, but I am sure having the Guardian find it gave it more publicity. Not that Neil needs that much more publicity.
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THE GIFT OF CARING FOR BABY HUMMINGBIRDS →
A nice article about rehabbing baby hummingbirds. My tiny swallows and honeyeaters need a lot of daytime attention, but not quite this much daytime attention.
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The 40 Best Animal Cuddlers Of All Time →
Pure internet cute overload and nothing else. The pics made me smile so maybe they will make you smile too. With foxes and bull terriers :)
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Why the mantis shrimp is my new favorite animal.... →
It is funny and educational as The Oatmeal often is. I want to see with 16 different types of cones!
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18 Reasons Why Doctors and Lawyers Homeschool... →
I don’t have children, but sometimes I ponder how I would raise them if I did. Of course, you can never be sure how you would do anything until you do it, but…. Growing up I never would have considered homeschooling a child, but I now think about it a lot. I am not sure I have a patient enough personality to do it, but as more people choose this route there are more and more resources....
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March 2013
9 posts
3 tags
New Reasons to Change Light Bulbs →
I am very excited about LED lightbulbs because they are every thing CFLs were promised to be and weren’t. LED’s are bright, but can be dimmed. They have great color with daylight or warmer white light choices along with a rainbow of other options. The only problem is that they are still a bit pricey and I think they have a ways to go before I would want to retrofit my whole house with...
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Metal sculpture created by artist David Kracov →
A very cool book sculpture which was done as an award.
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Down to a Sunless Sea by Neil Gaiman →
An exclusive Neil Gaiman short story on the Guardian website. I am not sure when newspapers started promoting short stories, but it is Gaiman so I can’t resist. It is Gaiman though so don’t read it as a pick me up. Good, but predictably dark.
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Making Salt Water Drinkable Just Got 99 Percent... →
While diamonds may not have much intrinsic value since they aren’t that uncommon, there are some exciting new forms of carbon that could make the world a better place. Economically purifying salt water into drinking water is a holy grail for having the planet be able to sustain our growing population. It looks like Lockheed is making some good progress towards that goal. Let’s hope...
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Fire tornadoes: a rare weather phenomenon →
I got an email forward in my inbox this morning with these pics, and I honestly thought they were probably photoshopped. However, I found a number of reliable news sources that substantiated them so apparently fire tornados are a very real, very cool, and super scary natural phenomenon. The photos are awesome, but I hope never to be that close to one.
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Robin Hobb New Book, I hope
I second this post fully. I love the Fool and hated the way Fool’s Fate ended.
a-phoenix-from-the-fire:
So Robin Hobb is working on another book featuring Fitz and the Fool. I think I’m going to cry from happiness.
For more information, follow this link:
http://aidanmoher.com/blog/2012/09/asides/robin-hobb-working-on-new-fitz-fool-novel/
2 tags
We all crave it, but can you stand the silence?... →
This looks really cool, and I would love to try it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like you can just rock up get admission. I bet they could make some money if they did let people rent it out on an individual level. I think it would be awesome to hear your heart beating clearly.
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Diamonds Are A Sham And It's Time We Stop Getting... →
This is a nice, new follow up article to my post here. It is nice as it has some more current information on the deBeers, but the gist is the same. Diamonds are not worth much and buying them for an engagement ring is a tradition started by the folks selling you the diamond.
I am not actually opposed to diamond engagement rings. I like sparkly pretties as much as the next girl, but I think...
4 tags
Swallows Seem To Be Evolving To Avoid Cars →
Evolution gets discussed quite a bit, and you can definitely see signs of it in the fossil record. However, t is rare to be able to watch evolution of a complex animal (bacteria evolve like crazy), but it appears some swallows are evolving before researcher’s eyes. Of course, perhaps we are just discovering how to recognize evolution in progress.
September 2012
1 post
5 tags
Whooping Cough Makes a Comeback →
Everyone should know that it is a good idea to get a tetanus booster every ten years, but unless you work in a high risk field, I bet you have let it slide. I know I had until I started working with wildlife and regularly poking myself in the hand stringing apples on wires for a flying fox snack. However, I now urge EVERYONE unless you should not receive vaccines for a legitimate medical reason (a...
August 2012
10 posts
4 tags
Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea: Not Just A U.S. Problem →
People like to think of STDs as not their problem because “they don’t have sex with anyone that has those kinds of diseases,” but the reality is that STDs are everyone’s problem because some can be transmitted non-sexually, no one is immune to sexual assault, and even if you are faithful, you can’t be sure your partner is. Plenty of people have ended up with STD...
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3 Bear Cubs Rescued From Dumpster →
An American animal rescue story with a happy ending for three very cute bear cubs.
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How I Lost My Fear of Universal Health Care →
I am not a Christian fundamentalist so I do not agree with many of the author’s preferences on health care, but I do think that she has the right to those beliefs and preferences. I found her transformation from suspicion of universal healthcare to embracing it very similar to my own experiences moving from US to Australian health care. I think this article spoke to me *more* because while...
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Lofoten – Arctic Circle Anomaly →
This looks and sounds like an amazing place in the Arctic Circle that I would even be willing to visit since it has surprisingly warm temperatures. Not warm, mind you, just surprisingly warmer than to be expected inside the Arctic Circle. I think I shall add it to the travel wish list…
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On Leaving Academia →
You don’t typically hear too much about professors leaving their positions to take industry jobs though it is more common in the technical fields where more money can be a powerful lure. However, I suspect the changing academic environment may lead to more of these cases. I don’t agree with everything in this post, but it does cover some of the problems with the current academic...
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Black-browed Albatross shows population increase →
I love good news for an endangered species. It makes me feel like conservation efforts are paying off. I just wish there were more good stories to go with all the ones of animals slipping away into extinction. A lot of work still needs to go into saving the world’s albatross, but it is nice to see that things are headed in the right direction.
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The 11 Ways That Consumers Are Hopeless at Math →
This is an interesting article about the tricks companies use to get us to buy things. Some of the techniques I was aware of, but some I was not. These are things that we, as consumers, should know and keep in mind when we are shopping.
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Project Unbreakable →
This is a tumblr blog that I found particularly moving and I think it should be shared. It is a bit painful as it is pictures of sexual assault victims, but it really demonstrates that sexual assault can happen to anyone: young or old, female or male, attractive or not. In cases of sexual assault society often wants to find fault with the victim which encourages it to be such an under reported...
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Audubon Magazine Photography Winners →
A nice selection of bird photography.
July 2012
22 posts
4 tags
Ecuador Won’t Drill for Oil in the Amazon—As Long... →
I think that it is good that the world is working to help preserve this area of vast biodiversity, but I think it is also setting a dangerous precedent. What is to stop Ecuador to demand more payments in the future as oil prices go up? As oil reserves dwindle and prices soar, I suspect any part of the planet harboring oil is in danger. I wish they could drill for oil without destroying the...
4 tags
'This is an emergency': Florida bird may soon be... →
I hate hearing about species that are crashing, particularly when the cause is not understood. I hope that they can get a population in a captive breeding program before it is too late. I have heard objections to captive breeding, but I think having a reserve in captivity is much better than losing a species even if it can never be fully wild again. I hope they can figure out what is going on and...
