In Tulsa, Oklahoma, over the last 30 years, the number of cliff swallows killed by moving vehicles has drastically decreased. That change can't be accounted for by alterations in traffic patterns or swallow populations, say scientists. Instead, they think it's tied to the fact that the birds' wingspan is also decreasing. This adaptation — whether selected for by vehicular birdicide and/or other factors — helps swallows be more nimble in the air at high speeds, making it easier for them to avoid oncoming traffic. (EDIT: Sorry guys, I made an error here. Some of the researchers were from Tulsa, but study actually happened in Nebraska. Evolution takes place throughout the plains states.)
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5:11 am Wed
Mar 20, 2013
Evolution happens. Even in Oklahoma.
A deep dive into how parasites hijack our behavior and how we evolved to resist them
On Slate Star Codex (previously), Scott Alexander breaks down Invisible Designers: Brain Evolution Through the Lens of Parasite Manipulation, Marco Del Giudice's Quarterly Review of Biology paper that examines the measures that parasites take to influence their hosts' behaviors, and the countermeasures that hosts evolve to combat them.
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NASA is going to Europa
NASA announced today that the agency is moving ahead with a planned mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa. In this next phase, engineers will complete the final design, construction, and testing of the Europa Clipper spacecraft for a launch as soon as 2023. Why the icy moon Europa? From NASA: NASA’s Europa Clipper mission will conduct […]
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Canada's election watchdog: ads saying climate change is real may break law
The BBC reports that Canada’s election watchdog claims that advertisements saying climate change is real may break the law, because it is a political opinion and “issue” advertising is partisan political activity. Canada has strict regulations on partisan advertising during the election period, whether they be from candidates, parties or third-party organisations. … Keith Brooks, […]
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Boost your marketing skills with training on Google Analytics and AdWords
If you’re marketing on the web, your Google-fu needs to be strong – and up to date. Without a firm grasp on what drives traffic, you’ll never be able to take the wheel. That’s why even if you know where to put your keywords, a little extra effort goes a long way on any marketer’s […]
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Save $45 on this wireless charging sonic toothbrush kit
Want to keep the dentist away? A little tooth care at morning and night isn’t bad, but it won’t keep the stains from smoking or fried foods at bay for long. If you enjoy your food and want to avoid the consequences, an upgrade from that old analog toothbrush can make a huge difference. Among […]
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Boost your productivity with this Microsoft Office boot camp
If your office works at all, it uses Microsoft Office. Those icons for Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook are as familiar around some workplaces as the coffee machine. So familiar, in fact, that they get taken for granted – and rarely used to their full potential. Whether you need a crash course in the essential tools […]
