Bats are in trouble

I've heard some rumblings about this for a little while. But here it is.

The Missouri Department of Conservation announced:

Avoid caves and bats this winter, but report signs of disease

Three New England states have reported thousands of sick and dead bats with a white fungus on their muzzles. Scientists don't know what causes "white nose syndrome" and they don't know whether the disease affects humans or other animals. So far, WNS has not appeared in the Midwest, but MDC bat biologists are staying alert for signs. These include bats flying near hibernacula during cold winter days, bats roosting just inside hibernacula, or dead bats lying outside the entrances. If you see these signs, do not enter caves or handle bats! Take photographs, note the date and location, and contact Bill Elliott or Tony Elliott.

Also, Urban Ecology Blog posted about this, too. Bats perish and no knows why.

Blog Action Item - Green for All Presents: The Dream Reborn

What is Green For All?

Green for All has a simple but ambitious mission: To help build a green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.

The Dream Reborn Conference is April 4-6, 2008 in Memphis, TN. It is both a commeration of Dr. Martin Luther King and a revisitation of his dream to eradicate injustice and poverty. The date also marks the 40th anniversary of the great civil an dhiman rights leader's assassination in Memphis, TN.

Student registration is only $50. If you register by Friday, Mar 14 (tomorrow!) get an extra 5% off.

Great speakers are scheduled like

Majora Carter, Green For All & Sustainable South Bronx

Malia Lazu, The Gathering for Justice

Rinku Sen, Applied Research Center

Winona LaDuke, Honor the Earth

Baye Adofo-Wilson, Lincoln Park/Coast Cultural District, Inc.

Mary Anne Hitt, Appalachian Voices

Jakada Imani, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights

Bryant Terry, Black and Green

Ian Kim, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights

Andy Lipkis, TreePeople

Robert Bullard, Environmental Justice Resource Center

Adi Nochur, 1Sky

Afeni Shakur, Amaru Entertainment

Bracken Hendricks, Center for American Progress

Kandi Mossett, Indigenous Environmental Network

Diana Abellera, People's Grocery

Jen Soriano, Center for Media Justice

Karl Carter, Inner City EnterprisesS

Blog Action Item: Register, Sponsor a student, and Spread the Word - blog about it.

Amazing Animal Stories - Animal Behavior edition

A Dolphin saved the lives of two whales - yes, no kidding. As much as I can get all warm and fizzy about animals, I still tow the hard line. I try not to get too carried away with the stories of animal heroism or villainy. But this is a documented case. Watch this video by BBC Sci/Tech News about Moko the dolphin .







Crabs have personality - yeah it's true. Research in personality or individual differences in behavior is becoming quite popular. I do similar research, too. In this case, the researcher is studying the differences in how individual hermit crabs respond to stress or being flipped on their backs. Test after after, individual crabs consistently behaved similarly across tests - this indicates that an animal as a distinct behavior from other individuals -- a personality of sorts. photo credit: preciouscritters.wetpaint.com

Cheating and Corrupt Societies - of Ants! Ant colonies are comprised of only females. The Queen lays eggs and most of the eggs develop in to females. (There are males; but the queens only lay a few male eggs compared to the thousands or more female eggs. Males mate, then die. That's pretty much it for them. Let's get back to the main point.) Females can become worker ants or a few can become royal or queen ants and later set off to start their own colony. Now back to the males -- Males are rare and short-lived, but important. To up the ante seems most of the Queens come from a particularly line - Royal descendants - it seems. Certain lines of males have managed, some how, - let;s call them Royal Daddies -to pack a punch and their daughters are more likely to become queens than offspring of Average Joe males. photo credit: http://www.richard-seaman.com/

Women in Science - Part 2

Here's more Women's History Month Fodder for you.

The Association for Women in Science is a national organization that promotes science careers for girls and women. Chapters throughout the nation host events and fairs to introduce school-age girls and young undergraduate co-eds to women scientists and engineers.

Getting Women Scientists to the Top - this is an article I came across at Science magazine.

The National Academies has an interactive site Women's Adventures in Science

Enjoy.

Science Writing for Highlights Magazine

I was sitting in the Dr.'s office and was thumbing through an issue of Highlights. I was instantly taken to my childhood. I loved those activity maganzines and I loved the TimberToes. Iwas such a nerd, even now.

I was looking through this issue and say a familiar name in the author section of an article. "I know this author" I thought. I met her. She's a Ph.D. ecologists and accomplish popular science writer. I scanned her article about snakes for young readers and I thought "I could submit articles to this youth magazine."

Though I am still green, I like knowing there are venues. So, I am researching all of the outreach possibilities. Highlights has a pretty impressive science section and a Science Editor. Heck, even most majoy newspapers no longer have science editors. Any way, there are several submission options and I'll start looking into it soon.

Wish me luck.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - the Green Trifecta

Do you recycle? A Better Question: Do you Reduce and Reuse? Do you and your family try your hardest to use as little as possible for as long as possible? When something becomes worn, broken or damaged, do you repair it or toss it? When it's time to discard something, have you considered using it again or donating it to a teacher's scrap center to be used for another purpose? Do you recycle your soda cans and bottles? I sincerely hop you do. Did you know one of the biggest environmental problems today is plastic waste? Yes, plastic. Once regarded as the saviour of material science, it is now a nuisance. Check out this article from Tree Hugger and see one reason why plastic is such a mess.

It's Women's History Month - Celebrate Science and Women Achievers

All year is great time to learn more about science and the people who make the discoveries. But the month of March offers a unique opportunity to learn about the achievements of Women throughout history and from different cultures in the sciences.

To get you started, I have listed links to some great on-line research resources.
Women's History Month Educational Resources & Ideas - by Education World
4000 Years of Women in Science Biographical Listing - this is a long alphabetical list of women who have contributed to science and medical discoveries
Women in Science - by the San Diego SuperComputer Center, lists great women in science from almost every field.

The Past and the Present: A Spotlight on Two Women in the Life Sciences
Dr. Roger Arliner Young - don't let the name fool you, she is a woman. I just learned about Dr. Young myself. She is the first African-American Woman to receive a doctorate in zoology. In my efforts to share more with the rest of the world, I've learned something myself. I'm so glad to have discovered Dr. Young. As an African-American female who is on the cusp of receiving my doctorate in zoology, she is my Shero, a pioneer to other young women like me and Dr. Andrade.

Dr. Maydianne Andrade is an Evolutionary Biologist who studies mating systems in spiders. I'm featuring her because I have the great pleasure of knowing her. She is a wonderful person and an awesome researcher. Her studies of spider mating systems (the males will actually sacrifice their lives and let females kill and eat them while mating) are the phenomenal.

If you're teacher or youth leader, I hope you encourage your students to do a report on women scientists. Please use this site as a resource and springboard.

Happy Reading
~DNLee

News from the People Could Fly Project

Kalimah (sister 2 of 5) just screened The People Could Fly documentary this past Friday (Feb 22) at the Dumas Arts Festival in Roanoke, VA - which showcases local African American talent. S
he was also interviewed on a radio station in that area. Listen! to Kalimah's radio interview with Studio Virginia 89.1FM Regional arts and culture news magazine, hosted by Gene Marrano & Cara Modisett. When you visit the site that's her in the picture!! She is talking about the PEOPLE COULD FLY DOCUMENTARY - the why and how and what REALLY we're doing.
For those of you still kind of wondering what this is really all about here's a good way to get it straight from the source. Listen here.
And you can also hear and see more from Djibouti and other places at thepeoplecouldfly.blogspot.com

Thanks again,
Intisar (sister 1 of 5)

Wolves making a comeback - and an impact

When I was in college I LOVED wolves. I had 6 posters of wolves on my dorm room walls. I just *knew* I would be a veterinarian. My interest in wolves were mainly sparked by concern about this animal being threatened with extinction.
Well, I didn't become a veterinarian. But I did become something better suited for me - an ecologist. As an ecologist I join a long list of other life scientists (including veterinarians) who work to keep animals safe and off of the endangered species list.

In reference to my love of wolves and my interest in promoting their protection I'm sharing these interesting links.
A rare video of wolves in Canada's Arctic region: Elusive wolves caught on camera
A quick read about wolves helping more aspen trees grow in Yellowstone Park:
Aspens Return to Yellowstone, With Help From Some Wolves. (If you can't get this, but want it, let me know and I can email it to you.

Space Camp for Middle School Girls

I MUST share this link with you. SISTER - Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Research Camp (Think NASA Space Camp, except for middle school girls).
This is perfect opportunity for anyone who knows, teaches, parents, or mentors young people.
The Link comes from CT Herd. Thanks.

Spread the word.

Sharing Science - Lusty Voles

Related to my last post on a new way to share science with the public, here is a percet example.
A team of researchers had a quick science news article released on ScienceBlog about their research on voles: Lusty voles, mindless of danger, mate like rabbits. Now this article interests me for 2 reasons. One, I work with voles, so here I am engrossed in the story. Two, I'm thining to myself, I know who did this research. There are only a handful of vole researchers, in this case prairie vole researchers, and we all know one another. And sure enough, I see some familiar names - Alex Ophir - a buddy of mine from waay back - hanging out at conferences and we've actually studied at the same institution but not at the same time. Check it out and enjoy. Scary how similarly lusty people and voles are, eh?

photo credit: www.gpnc.org

The New Way to Share Science with the Public

Scan through your local newspaper or favorite news magazine. Notice anything missing? Perhaps its the science section. Over the years, the science section of periodicals has been shrinking. In some major cities with large paper circulations, the staff science writer(s) have been eliminated. There are fewer and fewer science journalists today, than say 25 years ago. But sharing science with the public is still a public service. So with the expanding use, popularity, and dependence, the internet is become a great place for people to receive the science news. With that in mind, I had to link to this article Framing Science An Early Look at the Future of Science Journalism. Also check out the comments. They are worth a read.

America's Greenest Cities

Do you live in one of these Urban Oasis? Popular Science Magazine ranked America's 50 Greenest (or Eco-friendly) Cities. Cities on the west coast, specifically the Pacific Northwest top the list. That's no surprise, I've visited Oregon and Washington and the citizens in those states are SO environmentally progressive.

I bet the Urban Ecology and wildlife appreciate such considerate human neighbors.

6 word memoirs - The Green Life

Smith Magazine and Treehugger are hosting contest -- Six Word Memoirs: The Green Life. I entered the Green Life 6 word memoir. contest and decided to use something I'd created already that summed things up nicely. I submitted my name.


About the Contest
What can you say about yourself in just six words? In its new book, Not Quite What I was Planning: Six Word Memoirs from Writers Famous and Obscure, SMITH Magazine offers hundreds of minuscule yet insightful life stories. And now the short, short life story sensation is going green.
SMITH and TreeHugger challenge you to define your green life in just six words. Got a swell philosophy? Traveled a strange path? Fall off the eco-wagon often? Lay your tiny tale on us and you could win a copy of SMITH's new book, a Planet Earth DVD set, or even an iPod nano (personalized with your winning submission, of course). Everyone on this big, blue marble has a green story. So, what's yours?

Great Blogs I am recommending

Thanks to my every popular and fantastic cousins at The People Could Fly Project, they tagged this site as one of their favorite blogs. Thanks girls.

Here are some of my favorite blogs to read & I think are worth sharing. Check them out.

1. Planning and Preparing for College. This is a GREAT resource for my readers. Paying for college is no walk in the park. It's getting more expensive and the colleges/universities are offereing fewer full rides. And please know, the days of the minority scholarship are dead. It's better to receive scholarships from multiple foundations. That way you can take your money anywhere.

2. Science To Life. Graduate student Karen V. posts the latest in science and medical news. News you can use. I don't think alot of people know about ScienceBlogs (people in the Black Blog-o-sphere, that is) and that's a shame. Her posts are really informative and I think we may see her on TV one day, the medical/science commentator on CNN, MSNBC or something.

3. Young Black Professional Guide. It is a great place to catch up with a little bit of everything...professional tips, financial literacy, tech updates, politics. social commentary, a little gossip. Just enough of everything without being overwhelming. They also produce rsspect.org - directory of black blogs. It's worth checking out. It's where I discovered my recommended blogs #1 and #4.

4. Science, Education, and Society. This blog is a commentary about how more and better science education and literacy are needed within the Black community. I hold-heartedly agree. Also includes some political and socioeconomic commentary that can get a little irreverant.

5. Jessie's Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Adventures. It is is wonderful blog, full of great photos and descriptions of wildlife and landscapes in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The page is defunct, but the posts and beautiful upclose photos of the area's wildlife are worth a share. My friend Jessie did a summer research internship there and she talks about the research, too. Ecology Rocks!!

Honorable Mention:
LiveScience.com. I like how it is organized. You can check out news stories about the environment, animals, technogy, more. It's all tabbed. Plus there are always some cool top ten lists. They have a blog site that features some great commentaries on the stories. It's a great way to stay up.

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"The rules are like this:“This link loving in 2008 came from Not Much More Than This. I have randomly selected 5 of you below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You will have to tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes we hope it will be a long list!). It’s real easy! Tag others and see your Technorati Authority increase exponentially!

The benefits of Viral Linking:- One of the fastest ways to see your technorati authority explode!- Increase your Google PageRank fast- Attract large volume of new traffic to your site- Build your community- Make new friends!"Now, add/tag 5 of your friends blogs…The Strategist Notebook Link Addiction Ardour of the Heart When Life Becomes a Book The Malaysian Life Yogatta.com What goes under the sun Roshidan’s Cyber Station Sasha says Arts of Physics And the legend lives My View, My Life A Simple Life What Women REALLY Think Not Much More Than This Jayedee Jenn Beth Christie Marla Cailin Simone FlipFlopMom Katrina Gill’s Jottings Work of a Poet WakelaModern Day GoddessLivin With Me A Simple Life Verb Random Thoughts I’m Running to Win Two Regina’s Family Seasons Lifesong The Laughs Will Go OnMilitary MomTheVasquez3Brik-See-Us Five Dollar Shake , My Three Wisemans , You Better Recognize , Miscellaneous Matters , Opinionated Black Woman, The Happy Go Lucky Bachelor, Slausin-Ass Slaus, Word On The Street, Invisible Woman, Darkbrotha, The Black Actor, The Happy Go Lucky Bachelor, The People Who Could Fly Project , The Luscious Librarian, Sincere Thoughts Urban Science, Black Girl on Mars, The Global South, Brooklyn Circus, She Real Cool,
Planning and Preparing for College Science To Life Young Black Professional Guide Science, Education, and Society Jessie's Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Adventures LiveScience.com blog site

Come on out the weather is nice.

Are Americans Afraid of the Outdoors? I hope not. But that's what recent research on visitation rates of natural areas like national parks has found. Getting outside is good for you. Perfect for exercise, recreation, and nature walking.

But this makes having urban outdoor adventures even more important. Enjoy the nature in your immediate vicinity. Then venture further, to the park, a state park or nature preserve. Notice the variety of plants and animals and the change in landscape. So let's get out there more. Plan a day trip or afternoon outing with friends and family. Need quiet time to yourself? Visit your local natural area for a morning walk or an after work/school unwind.







photo credits: upload.wikimedia.org and http://www.britannica.com/

Physics is Fun!

I was listening to NPR, (Sunday) Morning Edition and heard this amazing interview with a retired Physics professor, Russell Stannard, who now writes children books about physics. I turned the radio up and listened closely. He wrote books that would not only better relate to youngsters, but also taught them key concepts about theoretical physics. Listen to the show, To the Best of our Knowledge, Program on Future Physics, Segment 3.

The main characters are a little girl and her uncle, Albert Einstein. She has a very active imagination and can actually live out her fantasies of chasing light and visiting black holes. The book series is exciting to science educators because it actually relates true and accurate physics concepts that everyone can understand.

Check the Uncle Albert Books out at your local library or book store. Perfect for youth and adults.

Local actions have global impacts - Urbanization & Global Warming

"Cities are substantive ecosystems in their own right, replete with complex human-environmental interactions and increasing and far-reaching impacts," Grimm and co-authors write.
from the National Science Foundation Press Release on the Effects of Urbanization Extend to the Global Scale

Urban areas have an amazing impact on the environment. On a local scale, we can see how removing forests and laying asphalt and building skyscrapers can change how everything looks. But it also changes the environment itself. The grass and trees are gone. So too are the squirrels, rabbits, insects, and many of the birds. The average temperature changes, because there is no more shade from the trees and no more grass for dew to collect upon. And when it rains, there's no ground to soak it up, it just runs to the nearest drain and disappears from our thoughts. More and more people are living in cities. More land is being converted from natural and agricultural lands to urban purposes (apartment buildings, parking lots, large buildings, factories, etc.)

The world is changing.

Celebrate International Polar Year

Again, continuing with posts that related to this week's Black History Month Feature on Matthew Henson - Arctic Explorer, here is an opprtunity to learn more about Arctic/Polar Ecosystems.

2007-2008 is International Polar Year. Yes, 2 years, one year each to celebrate the unique and important polar ecosystems at each of our world's poles.

For educational activities and ideas, check out their resources for Educators and Students.
Another IPY Website
Educators' Icy IPY Activities
IPY Blogs

Study at the North Pole

As a follow-up to the Black History Month Feature on Matthew Henson - Arctic Explorer, here is your opportunity to become an Arctic Explorer. (For College Students)

FIELD COURSE IN ARCTIC SCIENCE 2008

The hands-on "Field Course in Arctic Science" will be offered through Summer Sessions at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the students will have the unique opportunity to travel from the boreal forest in Interior Alaska past the alpine environment of the Brooks Range to the arctic tundra at the Beaufort Sea. The students will learn about the ecology of the arctic and boreal systems through daily lectures delivered by a variety of scientists, active participation in field sampling, and discussions of the relevant science literature. This exciting course will span a broad range of disciplines, including local natural history, fire ecology, snow ecology, plant ecology, invertebrate and mammal biology, carbon budgets, and the implications of a warming climate. The students will gain a firm background in the structure and function of the ecosystems in northern Alaska and become familiar with the tools and techniques useful to ecological field research.

The four-week, 5-credit field course will be taught both at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and at the Toolik Field Station in northern Alaska from May 20 to June 13, 2008. The course is limited to ten advanced undergraduate or starting graduate students. The cost of food at Toolik Field Station, lodging, and travel between the field sites will be covered, and students are expected to pay for in-state tuition and their travel to Fairbanks, Alaska. The students will need to bring all-weather clothing including winter jackets, rubber boots, and a warm sleeping bag.Interested students should submit a current curriculum vitae and a cover letter stating their experience and how the course would benefit them to Anja Kade.

Anja Kade
Alaska Geobotany Center PhD Candidate
email: anja_kade@yahoo.com phone.907-474-2459 fax.907-474-6967
mailing address:Institute of Arctic Biology, 311 Irving PO Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775