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Categories: Biology: Zoology, Engineering: Robotics Research
Published Forget social distancing: House finches become more social when sick



Social distancing when sick has become second nature to many of us in the past few years, but some sick animals appear to take a different approach. A new study of house finches uncovered a surprising result. Unlike other social animals who passively or actively isolate themselves when sick, this gregarious backyard bird species gravitates toward healthy flock mates when they are sick, even more so than healthy birds do.
Published Use it or lose it: New robotic system assesses mobility after stroke



Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide. Each year more than 15 million people worldwide have strokes, and three-quarters of stroke survivors will experience impairment, weakness and paralysis in their arms and hands. Many stroke survivors rely on their stronger arm to complete daily tasks, from carrying groceries to combing their hair, even when the weaker arm has the potential to improve.
Published Researchers discover way to boost shelter dog adoptions



Researchers are working to help more shelter dogs experience this kind of love, safety, and happiness in an adoptive home. The research team found that implementing shorter-term fostering programs at animal shelters vastly improves adoptions for our canine friends.
Published Surveilling wetlands for infectious bird flu -- and finding it



Recently, morning omelets and holiday dinners have gotten more expensive. One likely cause is bird flu, outbreaks of which led to the deaths of millions of chickens and turkeys from infection or culling in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and which still demands rigorous monitoring of wild populations. Now, researchers have developed a method that detected infectious bird flu virus in wetlands frequented by waterfowl.
Published Printed robots with bones, ligaments, and tendons



For the first time, researchers have succeeded in printing a robotic hand with bones, ligaments and tendons made of different polymers using a new laser scanning technique. The new technology makes it possible to 3D print special plastics with elastic qualities in one go. This opens up completely new possibilities for the production of soft robotic structures.
Published Roaming seabirds need ocean-wide protection



Seabirds roam far and wide in the Indian Ocean -- so they need ocean-wide protection, new research shows.
Published This 3D printer can watch itself fabricate objects



Engineers have developed a high-throughput, multimaterial 3D inkjet printer that uses computer vision to rapidly and automatically control the amount of material being deposited during the printing process in real time. This enables the use of a wide range of materials for fabrication.
Published New deep learning AI tool helps ecologists monitor rare birds through their songs



Researchers have developed a new deep learning AI tool that generates life-like birdsongs to train bird identification tools, helping ecologists to monitor rare species in the wild.
Published Geese 'keep calm and carry on' after deaths in the flock



Canada geese strengthen existing friendships and forge a few new connections after losing close associates from their flock, new research shows.
Published Non-native species likely to continue spreading in North America, Australia and Europe



Naturalized species, which are not native but have established themselves in new locations, have the potential to spread even further to suitable habitats in many parts of the world, reports a new study.
Published Individual back training machine developed



18 percent of reported sick leave relates to musculoskeletal ailments, in particular back-related disorders. The GyroTrainer is an intelligent training device that resembles a balance board. It uses artificial intelligence to adjust the difficulty level to the individual patient's current ability.
Published Evolution of taste: Early sharks were able to perceive bitter substances



New genetic data show that humans and sharks share bitter taste receptors, even though their evolutionary pathways separated nearly 500 million years ago.
Published A 'fish cartel' for Africa could benefit the countries, and their seas



Banding together to sell fishing rights could generate economic benefits for African countries, which receive far less from access to their fisheries on the global market than other countries do from theirs. By joining forces, researchers say African fisheries would not just secure more competitive access fees, they could also protect their seas' biodiversity.
Published Cycle of fasting and feeding is crucial for healthy aging



Fasting interventions, which involve alternating periods of fasting and refeeding, are generally thought to improve health. But these interventions don't work as well in old animals. The question is: Why? By studying the short-lived killifish, researchers have shown that older fish deviate from a youthful fasting and refeeding cycle, and instead enter a state of perpetual fasting, even when ingesting food. However, the benefits of refeeding after fasting in old killifish can be restored by genetically activating a specific subunit of AMP kinase, an important sensor of cellular energy. These mutant fish experienced improved health and longevity, indicating that both fasting and refeeding are needed to confer health benefits and act through AMP kinase to do so.
Published Mysterious new moth species discovered in Europe



European Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), with a currently known inventory of approximately 11,000 species, are generally considered well-researched. However, a new genus and species from the Geometrid moth family tell a different story. The moth, named Mirlatia arcuata, is one of the most remarkable discoveries in Lepidoptera of recent decades.
Published Endangered turtle population under threat as pollution may lead to excess of females being born



Researchers find exposure to heavy metals cadmium and antimony and certain organic contaminants, accumulated by the mother and transferred to her eggs, may cause embryos to be feminized in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), a species already at risk of extinction from a current lack of male hatchlings.
Published Hummingbirds' unique sideways flutter gets them through small apertures



Hummingbirds are highly maneuverable fliers, flitting forward and backward as they home in on flowers. But in the dense foliage many inhabit, they often encounter gaps that are too narrow for their wingspan. Since they can't bend their wings in flight, how do they get through? Researchers used high-speed cameras to capture their movements, discovering two unique strategies: they sidle through while fluttering, or fold their wings in a tuck and glide.
Published Found at last: Bizarre, egg-laying mammal finally rediscovered after 60 years



A long-beaked echidna named after Sir David Attenborough and last seen by scientists in 1961 has been photographed for the first time in an Indonesian tropical forest. An international team of researchers worked with local communities to deploy over 80 camera traps to film the elusive animal. Besides rediscovering the echidna, the team uncovered a wealth of species completely new to science, including beetles, spiders, and a remarkable tree-dwelling shrimp.
Published Pesticides, herbicides, fungicides detected in New York state beeswax



An analysis of beeswax in managed honeybee hives in New York finds a wide variety of pesticide, herbicide and fungicide residues, exposing current and future generations of bees to long-term toxicity.
Published Desert birds lay larger eggs when they have more helpers



Desert birds lay larger eggs when they have more helpers to feed their chicks, new research shows.