http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/zoology/ Zoology. Full-text news, articles and photos on animal life sciences. Read the latest research in zoology. Updated daily. en-us Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/zoology/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214121854.htm Bumblebees can use cues from their rivals the honeybees to learn where the best food resources are, according to new research. In a new study, researchers trained a colony of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) to use cues provided by a different species, the honeybee (Apis mellifera), as well as cues provided by fellow bumblebees to locate food resources on artificial flowers. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214121854.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214100554.htm Curcumin, a substance extracted from turmeric, prolongs life and enhances activity of fruit flies with a nervous disorder similar to Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. The study indicates that it is the initial stages of fibril formation and fragments of the amyloid fibrils that are most toxic to neurons. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214100554.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185654.htm In a study of the molecular underpinnings of plants' pest resistance, biologists have shown that plants use circadian rhythms to both anticipate raids by hungry insects and to time the production of defensive hormones that protect against insect attack. The researchers demonstrated that when the plants' timing was shifted, the plants were defenseless against daytime-feeding caterpillars. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:56:56 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185654.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154053.htm A study of the evolutionary history of Antarctic fish and their "anti-freeze" proteins illustrates how tens of millions of years ago a lineage of fish adapted to newly formed polar conditions -- and how today they are endangered by a rapid rise in ocean temperatures. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154053.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213134144.htm The choices big fish make on where to shelter could have a major influence on their ability to cope with climate change, say scientists. In research aimed at understanding the process of fish population decline when coral reefs sustain major damage, scientists have found that big fish show a marked preference for sheltering under large, flat table corals. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213134144.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095049.htm Advances in studying genes mean that scientists in evolutionary developmental biology or “evo-devo” can now explain more clearly than ever before how bats got wings, the turtle got its shell and blind cave fish lost their eyes, says an evolutionary biologist. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095049.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210111302.htm A new study has shown that boosting the estrogen levels of male garter snakes causes them to secrete the same pheromones that females use to attract suitors, and turned the males into just about the sexiest snake in the neighborhood -- attracting dozens of other males eager to mate. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210111302.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209140200.htm Global warming is having an effect on the dive behavior and search for food of southern elephant seals. Researchers have discovered that the seals dive deeper for food when in warmer water. The scientists attribute this behavior to the migration of prey to greater depths and now wish to check this theory using a new sensor which registers the feeding of the animals below water. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209140200.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101730.htm Horseflies are unpleasant insects that deliver powerful bites and now it seems that zebras evolved their stripes to avoid attracting the unpleasant pests. New research show that zebras have the least attractive hides for horseflies. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101730.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101728.htm Shark skin has long been known to improve the fish's swimming performance by reducing drag, but now a new study show that in addition, the skin generates thrust, giving the fish an extra boost. The duo also discovered that Speedo's shark skin-inspired Fastskin® FS II fabric surface does not improve swimming speed, although they point out that the figure hugging costumes probably enhance performance in other ways. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101728.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208220215.htm A species of mosquito has been discovered breeding in the UK that has not been seen in the country since 1945. Populations of the mosquito, found across mainland Europe and known only by its Latin name Culex modestus, were recorded at a number of sites in the marshes of north Kent and south Essex in 2010 and 2011. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208220215.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208220210.htm Tarsiers' ultrasonic calls -- among the most extreme in the animal kingdom -- give them a "private channel" of communication, says an anthropologist. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208220210.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208180253.htm Scientists have found that only about ten percent of the fall-run Chinook salmon spawning in California's Mokelumne River are naturally produced wild salmon. A massive influx of hatchery-raised fish that return to spawn in the wild is masking the fact that too few wild fish are returning to sustain a natural population in the river. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208180253.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152340.htm Scientists searching for the genomics version of the holy grail – more insight into predicting how an animal’s genes affect physical or behavioral traits – now have a reference manual that should speed gene discoveries in everything from pest control to personalized medicine. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152340.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208133029.htm Biologists have found new evidence of why mice, people and other vertebrate animals carry thousands of varieties of genes to make immune-system proteins named MHCs -- even though some of those genes make vertebrate animals susceptible to infections and to autoimmune diseases. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208133029.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202302.htm When mature male white-crowned sparrows duel to win a mate or a nesting territory, a young bird just doesn’t get much respect. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202302.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207121808.htm Biologists have found new evidence for why mice, people and other vertebrate animals carry thousands of varieties of genes to make immune-system proteins named MHCs -- even though some of those genes make us sick. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207121808.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206214228.htm A ladybird's color indicates how well-fed and how toxic it is, according to scientists. This research directly shows that differences between animals' warning signals reveal how poisonous individuals are to predators. The study shows that redder ladybirds are more poisonous than their paler peers and reveals that this variation is directly linked to diet in early life, with better-fed ladybirds being more visible and more deadly. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206214228.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206154122.htm Studies of diving beetles suggest sperm evolution may be driven by changes in female reproductive organs, challenging the paradigm of post-mating sexual selection being driven mostly by competition among sperm. In the process, the researchers discovered an unexpected and stunning variety of sperm form and behavior. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206154122.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206154114.htm The love song of an extinct cricket that lived 165 million years ago has been brought back to life by scientists. The song – possibly the most ancient known musical song documented to date – was reconstructed from microscopic wing features on a fossil discovered in North East China. It allows us to listen to one of the sounds that would have been heard by dinosaurs and other creatures roaming Jurassic forests at night. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206154114.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143952.htm Satellite tracking of threatened loggerhead sea turtles has revealed two previously unknown feeding "hotspots" in the Gulf of Mexico that are providing important habitat for at least three separate populations of the turtles. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143952.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203102414.htm They are tiny, ugly, disease-carrying little blood-suckers that most people have never seen or heard of, but a new discovery in a one-of-a-kind fossil shows that "bat flies" have been doing their noxious business with bats for at least 20 million years. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203102414.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203092423.htm Scientists believe a new procedure to repair severed nerves could result in patients recovering in days or weeks, rather than months or years. The team used a cellular mechanism similar to that used by many invertebrates to repair damage to nerve axons. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203092423.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151608.htm By figuring out how butterflies flutter among flowers with amazing grace and agility, researchers hope to help build small airborne robots that can mimic those maneuvers. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151608.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151248.htm 'Yellow biotechnology' refers to biotechnology with insects -- analogous to the green (plants) and red (animals) biotechnology. Active ingredients or genes in insects are characterized and used for research or application in agriculture and medicine. Scientists in Germany are now using a procedure which brings forward ecological research on insects: They study gene functions in moth larvae by manipulating genes using the RNA interference technology (RNAi). RNAi is induced by feeding larvae with plants that have been treated with viral vectors. This method -- called "plant virus based dsRNA producing system" (VDPS) -- increases sample throughput compared to the use of genetically transformed plants.  Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202151248.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202150825.htm The Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) Peru program recently announced the discovery of 365 species previously undocumented in Bahuaja Sonene National Park in southeastern Peru. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202150825.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201173222.htm Humpback whales on both sides of the southern Indian Ocean are singing different tunes, unusual since humpbacks in the same ocean basin usually all sing very similar songs. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:32:32 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201173222.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201104637.htm Scientists analyzing the release of genetically modified insects into the environment have found that access to accurate scientific information can be misleading. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:46:46 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201104637.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131175625.htm A new species of prehistoric crocodile has been discovered. The extinct creature, nicknamed "Shieldcroc" due to a thick-skinned shield on its head, is an ancestor of today's crocodiles. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:56:56 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131175625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131175152.htm The current issue of PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases presents a new collection of articles on the use of genetically modified (GM) insects for controlling some of the most widespread infectious diseases. Articles from across the PLoS journals describe the technological advances these tools represent, the regulatory framework, and the societal dialogue that is necessary for their wide-scale application for disease control. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131175152.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131135205.htm New research links precipitous declines in formerly common mammals in Everglades National Park to the presence of invasive Burmese pythons. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:52:52 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131135205.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131092455.htm An evolutionary geneticist helped discover the gene in passion vine butterflies that keeps predators from eating them. The gene is responsible for red patterns on the butterflies' wings. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131092455.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130193241.htm Precipitous declines in formerly common mammals in Everglades National Park in Florida have been linked to the presence of invasive Burmese pythons, according to new research. The study, the first to document the ecological impacts of this invasive species, strongly supports that animal communities in the 1.5-million-acre park have been markedly altered by the introduction of pythons within 11 years of their establishment as an invasive species. Mid-sized mammals are the most dramatically affected, but some Everglades pythons are as large as 16 feet long, and their prey have included animals as large as deer and alligators. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:32:32 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130193241.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171911.htm It took about 10 million generations for terrestrial mammals to hit their maximum mass: that's about the size of a cat evolving into the size of an elephant. Sea mammals, such as whales took about half the number of generations to hit their maximum. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171909.htm Scientists have for the first time measured how fast large-scale evolution can occur in mammals, showing it takes 24 million generations for a mouse-sized animal to evolve to the size of an elephant. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130171909.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130170227.htm Forked fungus beetles are not pretty – they look like tree bark – but they're helping us better understand the evolution of social behavior, an evolutionary biologist said. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130170227.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120129232818.htm Killer whales are the top marine predator. The increase in hunting territories available to killer whales in the Arctic due to climate change and melting sea ice could seriously affect the marine ecosystem balance. New research has combined scientific observations with Canadian Inuit traditional knowledge to determine killer whale behavior and diet in the Arctic. Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120129232818.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127140528.htm Hundreds of rare, endemic species in the Central Andes remain unprotected and are increasingly under threat from development and climate change, according to a new study. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127140528.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127140013.htm Every night millions of people go to bed hungry. New genetic technology can help us feed the world by making inedible seeds edible and tasty. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127140013.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126224526.htm Researchers have demonstrated how a new virus evolves, shedding light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous mutations. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:45:45 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126224526.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126223929.htm The Andes-Amazon basin of Peru and Bolivia is one of the most biologically rich and rapidly changing areas of the world. A new study has used information collected over the last 100 years by explorers and from satellite images which reveals detailed patterns of species and ecosystems that occur only in this region. Worryingly, the study also finds that many of these unique species and ecosystems are lacking vital national level protection. Endemic species are restricted to a specific area and occur nowhere else. These species are especially vulnerable to climate and environmental changes because they require unique climates and soil conditions. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126223929.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126143653.htm Location matters for birds on the hunt for caterpillars, according to researchers. Findings suggest that chickadees and others zero in on the type of tree as much as the characteristics of their wriggly prey. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126143653.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126142908.htm Fish biologists conducted one of the first studies of deep-sea fish sounds in more than 50 years, 2,237 feet under the Atlantic. With recording technology more affordable, fish sounds can be studied to test the idea that fish communicate with sound, especially those in the dark of the deep ocean. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126142908.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126134001.htm A key feature of human and animal brains is that they are adaptive; they are able to change their structure and function based on input from the environment and on the potential associations, or consequences, of that input. To learn more about such neural adaptability, researchers have explored the brains of insects and identified a mechanism by which the connections in their brain change to form new and specific memories of smells. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126134001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126100633.htm It comes as a surprise to many that male house mice produce melodious songs to attract mates.  Unfortunately for us, because the melodies are in the ultra-sonic range human ears cannot detect them.  Through spectrographic analyses of the vocalizations of wild house mice, researchers have found that the songs of male mice contain signals of individuality and kinship.  Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126100633.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125163406.htm Women who consumed a diet high in animal fat and cholesterol before pregnancy were at higher risk for gestational diabetes than women whose diets were lower in animal fat and cholesterol, according to researchers. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125163406.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125132810.htm If you were a blind, cannibalistic sea slug, living among others just like you, nearly every encounter with another creature would require a simple cost/benefit calculation: Should I eat that -- or flee? In a new study, researchers report that these responses are linked to a simple circuit in the brain of the sea slug Pleurobranchaea. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125132810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125091341.htm Archeologists have documented a series of more than 7,500-year-old fish seines (nets) and traps near Moscow. The equipment found, among the oldest in Europe, displays a great technical complexity. The survey will allow us to understand the role of fishing among the European settlements by early Holocene (10,000 years ago), especially in those areas where inhabitants did not practice agriculture until nearly the Iron Age. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125091341.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125091059.htm Each year around 20,000 people are infected by nematodes of the genus Anisakis and suffer from illnesses ranging from gastrointestinal diseases to serious allergic reactions as a result. For the first time, parasitologists have gathered data on the occurrence of the parasitic worm and have modeled the worldwide distribution of individual species in the ocean. The resulting maps not only enable statements to be made on the occurrence and migration behavior of certain hosts of the parasites, such as Baleen or toothed whales,  but also provide conclusions on the risk of human infection. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125091059.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124200106.htm The mating habits of marine turtles may help to protect them against the effects of climate change. The study shows how the mating patterns of a population of endangered green turtles may be helping them deal with the fact that global warming is leading to a disproportionate number of females being born. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:01:01 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124200106.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124151945.htm The fate of the world's great whale species commands global attention as a result of heated debate between pro and anti-whaling advocates, but the fate of smaller marine mammals is less understood, specifically because the deliberate and accidental catching and killing of dolphins, porpoises, manatees, and other warm-blooded aquatic species are rarely studied or monitored. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124151945.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124140352.htm In August 2010, an entomologist at the University of California, Riverside discovered a tiny fairyfly wasp in upstate New York that had never been seen in the United States until then. Nearly exactly a year later, he discovered the wasp in Irvine, Calif., strongly suggesting that the wasp is well established in the country. Called Gonatocerus ater, the 1-millimeter-long wasp was accidentally introduced in North America. It lays its eggs inside the eggs of leafhoppers. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:03:03 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124140352.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124113036.htm The iconic, winged dinosaur Archaeopteryx was dressed for flight, an international team of researchers has concluded. The group identified the color of the raven-sized creature's fossilized wing feather, determining it was black. The color and the structures that supplied the pigment suggest that Archaeopteryx's feathers were rigid and durable, which would have helped it to fly. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120124113036.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123115536.htm Land and marine iguanas and giant tortoises living close to human settlements or tourist sites in the Galapagos islands were more likely to harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria than those living in more remote or protected sites on the islands, researchers report. Many of the reptiles harbor E. coli bacteria that are resistant to ampicillin, doxycycline, tetracycline, and trimethoprin/sulfamethoxazole. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:55:55 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123115536.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123094801.htm Lessons from tens of millions of years ago are pointing to new ways to save and protect today's coral reefs and their myriad of beautiful and many-hued fishes at a time of huge change in the Earth's systems. Today's complex relationship between fishes and corals developed relatively recently in geological terms -- and is a major factor in shielding reef species from extinction, say experts. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123094801.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122201209.htm Blind Mexican cavefish have not only lost their sight but have adapted to perpetual darkness by also losing their pigment (albinism) and having altered sleep patterns. New research shows that the cavefish are an example of convergent evolution, with several populations repeatedly, and independently, losing their sight and pigmentation. Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120122201209.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184233.htm Rising human carbon dioxide emissions may be affecting the brains and central nervous system of sea fishes with serious consequences for their survival, an international scientific team has found. Carbon dioxide concentrations predicted to occur in the ocean by the end of this century will interfere with fishes' ability to hear, smell, turn and evade predators, says a professor. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120184233.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183806.htm Why different animals carry different amounts of fat depends on how they have solved the problem of avoiding both starving to death and being killed by predators, new research suggests. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:38:38 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183806.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119163259.htm Native birds at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge are in unprecedented trouble, according to a new article. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:32:32 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119163259.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119133757.htm The northern goshawk is one of nature's diehard thrill-seekers. The formidable raptor preys on birds and small mammals, speeding through tree canopies and underbrush to catch its quarry. While speed is a goshawk's greatest asset, researchers say the bird must observe a theoretical speed limit if it wants to avoid a crash. The researchers found that, given a certain density of obstacles, there exists a speed below which a bird -- and any other flying object -- has a fair chance of flying collision-free. Any faster, and a bird or aircraft is sure to smack into something, no matter how much information it has about its environment. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120119133757.htm