Dear all,
We’re now more than halfway through semester 2. It’s great to receive links from you, so keep them coming in!
- Zoe Harris sent this link to a BBC news item about the origins of humans
She also sent this link, because she says “Sex sells!”
- Charlotte Palmer also sent in a couple of links
“Footage of a gorilla from Port Lympne Safari Park & Zoo in Kent that has been seen many times walking on two feet. The keeper thinks this might be due to a number of reasons, including the fact that the gorilla has realised he can carry more food if he opts for this method of locomotion.
Here it has been discovered that virus-mimicking nanoparticles can stimulate long-lasting immunity; might be a good read for students taking the Biol2022 Immunology module.
- In my 2nd year tutorials we have been discussing animal personality. In this article there is a link between personality and morphology – Bolder tortoises have darker shells
- In the last SEEN we saw that the relationship between dogs and humans is a special example of coevolution. A couple more dog studies in this edition.
Firstly, dogs prefer to follow their owner
Secondly, can dogs empathise with humans?
- In the 2nd year Evolution module we looked at the effect of genetic bottlenecks, how can species overcome its costs to be successful? This study looks at the invasive Harlequin ladybird
But, invasive plants are preferred by herbivores (arms race)
- Humans are affecting the arms race between predators and prey
Related to this, for everyone not in my Ecology lecture, this youtube film shows the infamous predator-prey arms race between the Canadian lynx and the snowshoe hare (I won’t spoil the end but there was a blood-thirsty round of applause)
- More human effects: Mass extinction events – are we on the verge of the 6th?
Related article – we don’t even know how many species there are or how important they are to us.
Climate change effects on song birds
Climate change has caused the loss of a penguin population
Allergic to climate change – longer summers means a longer hayfever season
Earth will reach temperatures last seen during the Pliocene by the end of this century. Is this because of a constant El Nino?
- This interesting News & Views article from Nature is about collective decision-makinghttp://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v471/n7336/full/471040a.html
But, it pays to be different – there is more individuality when species live in groups
- Linking behaviour and brain activity – a new imaging device allows neuroscientists to record brain activity whilst mice are active
- Image of the tsunami – you can see how the quake was concentrated around one area, with waves as high as 2.5m, further out they were only 20cm but, as you will no doubt be seeing on the news, it is still having a devastating effect
- Species of the week – Asian elephant, individuals have been shown to cooperate:http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/03/elephants-can-lend-a-helping-tru.html?ref=hp – review + video
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9417000/9417308.stm – review + video
- Finally, girls read this article to be better informed about which aspects of male dancing make them attractive
There’s only a few editions left for this academic year, so send me your links!
Judith
Posted By : Judith Lock