| Feds appeal order blocking stem cell research By JESSE J. HOLLAND 2010-08-31T22:43:58ZWASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration on Tuesday asked a federal judge to lift a restraining order that it says could undercut federally funded embryonic stem cell research.... hosted.ap.org |
Jupiter making closest approach in nearly 50 years By MARCIA DUNN 2010-09-17T22:14:25ZCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- Better catch Jupiter next week in the night sky. It won't be that big or bright again until 2022. Jupiter will pass 368 million miles from Earth late Monday, its closest approach since 1963. You can see it low in the east around dusk. Around midnight, it will be directly overhead. That's because Earth will be passing between Jupiter and the sun, into the wee hours of Tuesday.... hosted.ap.org |
Mystery Bird: Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus | GrrlScientist This demystified British mystery bird species is notable for two reasons: its geographic range and its reproductive behaviourJuvenile common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus (formerly; Fulica chloropus), also known as the marshhen or, occasionally as the mirehen. In the USA, this species is known as the common gallinule. Photographed at Dungeness RSPB reserve, Lydd, Kent, UK. Image: Adrian White, September 2010. [larger view].Nikon D40x with a Tamron 70-300 lens.Question: This mystery bird species is notable for two reasons: its geographic range and its reproductive behaviour. Can you tell me more about either or both of those? Response: The common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus, is a member of the rail family, rallidae. This taxonomic family of birds is remarkable because it has an almost worldwide distribution (excluding Antarctica), occupying nearly every type of terrestrial habitat available. Rails often colonise islands, where they rapidly evolve flightlessness due to the absence of terrestrial predators. Despite their huge range, the rails have suffered disproportionally from human impacts, particularly from habitat loss, hunting, introduced species, and climate change. Scientists estimate that several hundred species of island rail have gone extinct as a result of human activities.Among the rails, the common moorhen is quite uncommon because young birds will help their parents raise younger siblings produced in subsequent nesting efforts. These young birds are referred to as "nest helpers" and this behaviour is known as cooperative breeding. Interestingly, the moorhen is one of just two British bird species that breed cooperatively. Can anyone tell me the name of the other cooperative breeding bird species in Britain? If you have bird images, video or mp3 files that you'd like to share with a large and appreciative audience, feel free to email them to me for consideration.GrrlScientistguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Malaysia to use lab mosquitoes to fight dengue By 2010-10-11T10:00:39ZPUTRAJAYA, Malaysia (AP) -- Malaysia could be the first country in Asia to use genetically modified mosquitoes to battle a rise in dengue fever, government authorities said Monday.... hosted.ap.org |
Mystery Bird: Madagascar Paradise Flycatcher, Terpsiphone mutata This lovely bird is a male: parents share incubation duties, as you see in this photograph of a male sitting in his nestMadagascar paradise flycatcher, Terpsiphone mutata, photographed at Ankarana National Park, Antsiranana (Diego Suarez), Madagascar. Image: courtesy of a reader, Matthew Greenall, December 2005. [with binoculars]. Olympus Mju digital camera.Question: There's a few really interesting things to learn from this bird species, but I'll let you tell me about what those are, instead of trying to dream up a question for you. But can you tell me if you think this bird is a male or a female? Response: This is a male Madagascar paradise flycatcher, Terpsiphone mutata, as you can tell by this individual's long, showy tail feathers. (It is assumed that females choose their mates based on their long tail feathers.) In addition to the long tail feathers and the fact that the female is quite brilliantly colored in her own right, this species is sexually dichromatic. Interestingly, males of the Madagascar paradise flycatcher have two colour morphs: white and chestnut (DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-048X.2002.02888.x). It is not known why this species has two distinct colour morphs in adult males. If you have bird images, video or mp3 files that you'd like to share with a large and appreciate audience, feel free to email them to me for consideration.GrrlScientistguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |