TOP 100 SCIENCE SITES
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| A Bike Boom Backlash Biking is booming in New York City, with the number of daily cyclists rising to an average of 236,000 in 2009, up 26 percent from 2008, according to statistics compiled by Transportation Alternatives, a pro-biking nonprofit group. feeds.nytimes.com |
EPA told gas drilling does, does not taint water By MARY ESCH 2010-09-13T22:25:44ZBINGHAMTON, N.Y. (AP) -- Rep. Maurice Hinchey told a federal hearing Monday that the Environmental Protection Agency must regulate hydraulic fracturing, the natural gas extraction process that he said has contaminated water near drilling sites around the country.... hosted.ap.org |
On Our Radar: Hardball on Drilling Ban Senator Mary Landrieu, Democrat of Louisiana, threatens to block President Obama's choice for running the Office of Management and Budget unless the deepwater drilling ban is immediately lifted. feeds.nytimes.com |
Birdbooker Report 139 | GrrlScientist Compiled by an ardent bibliophile, this is a weekly report about nature, science and history books that have been newly published in North America and the UKBooks to the ceiling, Books to the sky,My pile of books is a mile high.How I love them! How I need them!I'll have a long beard by the time I read them. ~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books. Compiled by Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, the Birdbooker Report is a long-running weekly report listing the wide variety of nature, natural history, ecology, animal behaviour, science and history books that have been newly released or republished in North America and in the UK. The books listed here were received by Ian during the previous week, courtesy of these various publishing houses. Featured Title: Beletsky, Les (editor). Bird Songs Bible: The Complete, Illustrated Reference for North American Birds. 2010. Chronicle Books. Hardbound with carrying case: 535 pages. Price: $125.00 U.S. [Amazon UK; Amazon US]. SUMMARY: From the best-selling Bird Songs series comes the most comprehensive bird book ever published. The Bird Songs Bible covers the sights and sounds of every single breeding bird in North America (including Hawaii) -- nearly 750 species in all. This utterly distinctive package features a state-of-the-art digital audio player that brings to life the birds' songs and calls with the touch of a button. Written by a panel of ornithological experts and produced with the renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this indispensable reference features lavish illustrations of the birds and their habitats, scientifically accurate range maps, and detailed information on distribution, habitat, behavior, and vocalizations. A beautiful keepsake object, the Bird Songs Bible is an essential volume for the true bird lover.IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: The perfect holiday/birthday gift for any birder! For a really cool interactive online demo, click here. New and Recent Titles: Seeley, Thomas D. Honeybee Democracy. 2010. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 273 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S. [Amazon UK; Amazon US]. SUMMARY: Honeybees make decisions collectively -- and democratically. Every year, faced with the life-or-death problem of choosing and traveling to a new home, honeybees stake everything on a process that includes collective fact-finding, vigorous debate, and consensus building. In fact, as world-renowned animal behaviorist Thomas Seeley reveals, these incredible insects have much to teach us when it comes to collective wisdom and effective decision making. A remarkable and richly illustrated account of scientific discovery, Honeybee Democracy brings together, for the first time, decades of Seeley's pioneering research to tell the amazing story of house hunting and democratic debate among the honeybees. In the late spring and early summer, as a bee colony becomes overcrowded, a third of the hive stays behind and rears a new queen, while a swarm of thousands departs with the old queen to produce a daughter colony. Seeley describes how these bees evaluate potential nest sites, advertise their discoveries to one another, engage in open deliberation, choose a final site, and navigate together -- as a swirling cloud of bees -- to their new home. Seeley investigates how evolution has honed the decision-making methods of honeybees over millions of years, and he considers similarities between the ways that bee swarms and primate brains process information. He concludes that what works well for bees can also work well for people: any decision-making group should consist of individuals with shared interests and mutual respect, a leader's influence should be minimized, debate should be relied upon, diverse solutions should be sought, and the majority should be counted on for a dependable resolution. An impressive exploration of animal behavior, Honeybee Democracy shows that decision-making groups, whether honeybee or human, can be smarter than even the smartest individuals in them.IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: Anyone with a serious interest in honeybees will like this book. (free sample chapter PDF) You can read the early Birdbooker Reports in the archives on my former ScienceBlogs site, and Ian now has his own website, The Birdbooker Report, where you can read his synopses about newly published science, nature and animal books.GrrlScientistguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Scientists confirm water from lunar probe A head-on collision by a NASA spacecraft last year has confirmed the presence of ice and other frozen compounds on the surface of the moon, according to scientists. abc.net.au |