The mystery behind the movements of flocking starlings could be explained by the areas of light and dark created as they fly, new research suggests. The research, conducted by the University of Warwick and published in the journal PNAS, found that flocking starlings aim to maintain an optimum density at which they can gather data on their surroundings. This occurs when they can see light through the flock at many angles, a state known as marginal opacity. The subsequent pattern of light and dark, formed as the birds attempt to achieve the necessary density, is what provides vital information to individual birds within the flock.
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Residents of California have been noting something disconcerting when they hit the grocery store this year: it's a terrible year for stone fruit. Despite the fact that it's the height of summer, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, cherries and their ilk are much more expensive than unusual, and of much poorer quality, too. What's going on? The answer lies in the state's extreme drought, which wreaked havoc on numerous crops this year, including stone fruit. The state's agriculture may be undergoing some major shifts in the coming years thanks to climate change and natural shifts in rainfall levels, and it's not the only region looking at a drier future.
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today unveiled a new graphic that will be available to appear on insect repellent product labels. The graphic will show consumers how many hours a product will repel mosquitoes and/or ticks when used as directed. "We are working to create a system that does for bug repellents what SPF labeling did for sunscreens," said Jim Jones, Assistant Administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "By providing vital information to consumers, this new graphic will help parents, hikers and the general public better protect themselves and their families from serious health threats caused by mosquitoes and ticks. We are encouraging manufacturers to submit applications so they can add the graphic to their registered repellent products."
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Los profesores Jesse Thé y Roydon Fraser de la Universidad de Waterloo están iniciando un estudio sobre la posible causa de la larga pausa de 10 años en el calentamiento global. Esta es una entrevista con el Prof. Thé, quien es también Editor en Jefe de ENN. ENN: ¿Qué está causando esta larga pausa de 10 años en el aumento medio de la temperatura global? Prof. Thé: En primer lugar, tenga en cuenta que la última década fue la más caliente registrada. Mientras que las temperaturas máximas no están aumentando tan rápido, no estamos viendo una pausa real en el aumento de temperatura, sino sólo una reducción significativa en su tasa de crecimiento. En segundo lugar, los investigadores no están seguros, y nuestro trabajo en esta etapa sólo se puede ubicar en el método científico como una hipótesis. Hasta que desarrollemos el análisis completo, todos mis puntos de vista en esta entrevista se basan en la hipótesis de que la pausa en el aumento de la temperatura es causada por la formación de aerosoles formados por la quema masiva de carbón en China (50% del consumo mundial de carbón) y la India.
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Wind farming is one of the leading industries in the renewable energy sector. The process is simple: wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity. However, converting this kinetic energy into mechanical power has resulted in quite a few wind turbines catching fire, and according to researchers not all fires are being fully reported. Researchers from Imperial College London, the University of Edinburgh and SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden carried out a global assessment of the world's wind farms, which in total contain an estimated 200,000 turbines. The team found that ten times more fires are happening than are being reported. Instead of an average of 11.7 fires each year, which is what is reported publicly, the researchers estimate that more than 117 separate fires are breaking out in turbines annually.
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