Science Screen Report

Monday, October 10, 2011

Nova Scotia Brown Bats Becoming Extinct

The mysterious condition, known as white nose syndrome, is believed to have originated in New York. The condition has spread from coven to coven, carrying with it a mortality rate of 96-100%. New Brunswick is at risk of losing its entire bat population to white nose syndrome.

Tearing its way through bat populations in North America, white nose syndrome is wiping out populations in a short period of time. Without bats in North America, insect species will go on living unchecked. To combat the spread of white nose syndrome, The Department of Natural Resources is asking people to stay out of mines and caves.

Interested in teaching your students more about bats? Check out SSR's Vol 41 DVD, episode: Ecology - Bats: Creatures of the Night. Interested in speaking to students about bats? E-mail Fallon@ssrvideo.com

Source:

http://www.halifaxnewsnet.ca/Living/2011-08-09/article-2698415/Mysterious-disease-may-wipe-out-Nova-Scotias-brown-bats--/1

Sounds Yummy!

Bats use echolocation to find food while in flight. A bat’s screech bounces off the surrounding objects. The bat quickly processes these returned echoes to hone in on food. This impressive characteristic has researchers asking how bats differentiate between food and the rest of the world.

Researchers are finding that the bats rely upon neurons to differentiate the variances in amplitude received from the bat’s echoes. The returned echoes have minute variances, but are present enough so the bat can differentiate between food and clutter. Scientists are finding that bats process the echoes on two neurological levels; the first level being focused on the target, and the second processing nearby clutter. This second level of processing is what keeps the bat safe during flight. These findings could help in the refinement of sonar-led vehicles such as submarines.

Source:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110728144747.htm

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Not-So-Happy Hour

Texas is undergoing a historic drought that is affecting Mexican free-tailed bats that live underneath a downtown Austin bridge. This, the largest urban bat colony in the world, has been affected by the drought’s destruction of the colony’s insect prey, once found in the surrounding Texan crops. To find their food, these bats must leave the colony earlier in the evening, causing quite the spectacle for Autiners.

Every evening, the 1.5 million bats living under the Austin bridge, depart for their night-time hunt. The exodus is so thick with bats, their movement registers as “rain” on weather radar. While interesting for Austin citizens, this change in the bat’s hunting habits is a bad indication that life is getting tough on the colony. The bats migrate back to Mexico every October; hopefully, upon their return to Austin, conditions will be better.

Source:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43927330/ns/weather/t/million-bats-texas-city-left-hungrier-drought/#.To4-DLK3N2I

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Turning Over a New Leaf

The vampire bat is attracted to its prey through heat sensors in its face; but how do plant-eating bats find their food? Plants, such as the marcgravia evenia plant, rely on bats to pollenate their species. Since bats use echolocation to find their food, the marcgravia evenia had to find a way to stand out from the surrounding flora, to attract bats.

Over time, the marcgravia evenia has evolved its leaves so that its leaves are attractive audibly. The concave curves of the leaves return an echo that has a louder and broader sound than the surrounding plants. This saves the bat time during its hunt, and increases the marcgravia evenia’s likelihood of being pollinated.

Source:

http://www.neatorama.com/2011/08/01/plants-evolve-leaves-making-sounds-bats-enjoy/

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Bat-proofing Wind Turbines

While wind turbines are a large benefit to generating alternative energy, they can be detrimental to animals of flight. Bat fatalities are being recorded at record levels in wind fields, disrupting bat populations that are often slow to recover. Researchers are now looking for solutions so bats and wind turbines can harmoniously exist.

Alternating the wind speed of turbines has been suggested as a viable alternative since bats do not fly during certain times of day, and during certain weather conditions. Researchers have suggested alternative speeds for the turbines to spin during certain times and weather conditions, to avoid spinning during peak bat hours. Tests have shown a 44-93% reduction in bat fatalities based on alternative turbine schedules.

Source:

http://www.batsandwind.org/pdf/Arnett%20et%20al.%202011.pdf

Monday, October 3, 2011

Heat-Sensing Vampire Bats

Vampire bats are long known for their insatiable appetite for blood. This bat needs two tablespoons of blood a day, and cannot survive more than one day without this dietary requirement. So how does this little vampire make best use of its time when hunting?

Researchers have found that vampire bats have heat sensing TRP receptors in their face that direct the bats to an area, on its victim’s body, that has the highest blood flow. These sensors form a thermal image in the brain of the bat.

Source:

http://www.npr.org/2011/08/03/138953002/how-blood-sucking-vampire-bats-aim-their-bites

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Sesame Street's Newest Addition: STEM!

Sesame Street is looking to help improve kid’s STEM knowledge. According to research compiled by Georgetown University’s Early Learning Project, Sesame Street adds to children’s school-readiness, giving them an advantage that lasts well into high school.

In it’s 42^nd season, Sesame Street characters will now be building bridges, launching rockets, practicing problem solving skills using trial and error, and practicing observation and data recording. Seeking to enrich children’s natural curiosity, Sesame Street hopes to add “an extra layer of skills and language.”

Interested in teaching your students more about STEM? Check out www.SSRvideo.com. Interested in speaking to students about STEM? E-mail Fallon@ssrvideo.com

Source:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2011-09-25/sesame-street-stem-science-math/50548750/1?csp=34news