| David Attenborough in conversation with Richard Dawkins From mayflys and digital dinosaurs to life on Mars and pre-Cambrian fossils, David Attenborough and Richard Dawkins leave no stone unturned as they discuss the state of science guardian.co.uk |
Chimps' future prompts debate over NM primate lab By TIM KORTE 2010-09-22T18:17:05ZALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- A decision to move 186 chimpanzees from a southern New Mexico facility to Texas is pitting government officials and scientists against a coalition of elected officials and animal rights advocates, including New Mexico's governor and also famed primate researcher Dr. Jane Goodall.... hosted.ap.org |
NASA announces new mission to Mars US space agency NASA says it will lead a new mission to Mars in 2013. abc.net.au |
Mystery Bird: White-winged Scoter, Melanitta fusca deglandi Here's a demystified mystery bird -- or, because there is so much we don't know about it, is this bird truly demystified?White-winged Scoter, Melanitta fusca, photographed at Bolsa Chica Wetlands, Huntington Beach, California, USA.Image: Steve Duncan, February 2009 [with binoculars].Question: Despite the fact that it is fairly common, this migratory North American and European mystery bird is quite mysterious in many ways -- for example, not much is known about this species' migratory patterns nor about its molting sites. However, there are a few things that we do know about this bird -- can you tell me about them?Response: This is a female White-winged Scoter, Melanitta fusca, snacking on a clam. This large seaduck ranges over much of the northern hemisphere, breeding in the far north of Eurasia as well as North America. There is also a separate population that breeds eastern Turkey. The East Siberian and North American white-winged scoter, M. deglandi (or M. fusca deglandi), is sometimes considered to be the sister taxon with the Eurasian velvet scoter, M. stejnegeri (or M. fusca stejnegeri). The velvet and white-winged scoter, along with the surf scoter, are placed in the subgenus Melanitta, distinct from the subgenus Oidemia, where the black and common scoters are placed. Female white-winged scoters can be distinguished from adult males of the species because they lack the male's distinctive "comma shaped" white patch around the eye. Female surf scoters look similar to female white-winged scoters, but surf scoters have more white on their cheeks, larger bills and a darker crown than surf scoters. Female black scoters also have darker crowns along with a contrasting paler face. They also lack white spots on the face, and have rounder heads. Male black scoters are all black in color with a bright orange bill and a round head. Embedded below is a 2 minute radio programme about the dramatic declines of a number of bird species, including the white-winged scoter, 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 |
Council abandons gas plan Cobar is unlikely to have access to natural gas in the near future with the Shire Council abandoning further investigations into the proposal. abc.net.au |