| Astronomy photographer of the year 2010 A selection of entries from this year's competition, held at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich guardian.co.uk |
Researcher digs into fish fossils past A student palaeontologist says he is trying to determine how to conserve fish species by researching fossils in western and north-west Queensland. abc.net.au |
Stem Cells in Court, Scientists Fear for Careers Hanging in the balance are thousands of jobs and millions in grants that support more than 200 research projects. feeds.nytimes.com |
Scientists find gene linked to depression Scientists in the United States say they have found a gene that appears to play a key role in the onset of depression, a finding that could unlock new avenues for drug engineers. abc.net.au |
Mystery bird: Western meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta This bird's song transports me to a very special time and place. Are there any birdsongs that have this effect on you?Western meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta, photographed at Attwater Wildlife Refuge, Texas, USA. Image: Joseph Kennedy, 8 November 2010 [velociraptorize].Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/500s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400This is an adult western meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta. Hearing the sweet, bright song of this species transports me back in time and place to the semi-arid Umtanum Canyon in central Washington state. I could be sitting in my flat in Frankfurt (as I am right now), or listening to my iPod on the train in NYC or in an ornithology lab in Seattle, but as soon as I hear the song of the western meadowlark, I am -- like magic! -- suddenly a teenager again, shivering as I lay on the very hard ground wrapped in my too-thin sleeping bag, rubbing places on my back and shoulders that have gone numb whilst I slept. I am watching stars wink out as the sky pinkens, then brightens into brilliant gold above the canyon walls as this amazing bird sings. Then I am sitting up, still shivering. The icy breezes of autumn carry the scent of ripening wheat, hops and apples, and soon, I will be contributing the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee to this rich olfactory landscape. Embedded below is a 2 minute radio programme about the stunning and iconic western meadowlark and its gorgeous song, thanks to my friends at BirdNote Radio:Are there any birdsongs that transport you back to a particular time and place? If so, I'd love to read your stories. If you have bird images, video or mp3 files that you'd like to share with a large and (mostly) 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 |