| The Bay Citizen: In Scandal’s Wake, Police Turn to Quick, Cheap Test for Drugs The San Francisco Police Department has moved to field testing for drugs after a scandal at its police drug-testing lab resulted in the dismissal of hundreds of cases. feeds.nytimes.com |
Global Update: Rape: Rights Group Calls Test to Determine Sexual Activity a ‘Second Assault’ in India In the test, a doctor inserts fingers into the victim during the forensic examination to test for “vaginal laxity. ” feeds.nytimes.com |
Frederick Jelinek, Who Gave Machines the Key to Human Speech, Dies at 77 Mr. Jelinek unlocked human speech for computers by thinking like a computer. feeds.nytimes.com |
Mystery Bird: Wilson's warbler, Wilsonia pusilla | GrrlScientist A daily mystery bird demsytified! This gorgeous but tiny neotropical species has an impressive taxonomic history to share with youWilson's warbler, Wilsonia pusilla, photographed at Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary, Brazoria County, Texas, United States. Image: Joseph Kennedy, 29 September 2010 [would you like to see this bird with binoculars?].Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/500s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400Question: This stunning North American species has experienced a taxonomic migratory history that rivals its seasonal migrations. Can you tell me a little about that?Response: Wilson's Warbler, Wilsonia pusilla, a common neotropical migratory bird, has experienced a rather impressive taxonomic migration since it was first described nearly 200 years ago by the American ornithologist Alexander Wilson. In his description, he assigned this species to the genus Muscicapa. But a couple decades later in 1838, the French naturalist and ornithologist, Charles Lucien Bonaparte, moved this species to its current genus, Wilsonia (named for Wilson). But almost immediately afterwards in 1840, zoologist Thomas Nuttall moved this cute little bird to the now-defunct genus Sylvania. But that classification didn't stick, either, because by 1845, many naturalists had placed this species into another (now defunct) genus, Myiodioctes. But in 1899, the American Ornithological Union returned this taxonomically-migratory species to Wilsonia, where it has remained since. Embedded below is a 2 minute radio program about the migration of the Wilson's Warbler (also including the species' lovely song), thanks to my friends at BirdNote Radio: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 |
Observatory: Predators Gone, Small Fish Get Bolder When predators become prey to fishermen, a study finds, little fish go farther to feed. And their emboldened feeding pattern could affect coral growth. feeds.nytimes.com |