BBC Science Focus - 10.2019

DISCOVERIES

ZOOLOGY

Songbirds consciously

control their calls

It seems that there’s order in the apparent

chaos of birdsong. A new study shows that

crows turn their calls on and off at will,

rather than just involuntarily reacting to

events going on around them.

Songbirds such as the crows are well

known for their songs,

which they use to attract

mates, defend territory,

recognise other birds,

and a whole host of other

social functions.

However, it wasn’t

known whether songbirds

deliberately control their

calls, or whether they are

react in an emotional,

‘knee-jerk’ way to changes

in their surroundings, such as mates,

predators, or the presence of food.

Dr Katharina Brecht and colleagues at

the University of Tübingen in Germany

investigated this by training three male

“Crows can

be taught to

control their

vocalisations”

In numbers

7

The number of northern

white rhino eggs fertilised

using frozen sperm taken

from the now-dead last

male of the species.

17,

YEARS

The age of roundworm

DNA found in ancient puma

scat, making it the oldest

parasite ever recorded.

1Hz

Utah’s Castleton Tower rock

formation is constantly

vibrating at this frequency,

according to a University

of Utah study. This is due

to latent energy travelling

through the Earth, and could

help protect the formation

from earthquakes.

crows to emit calls in response to a visual

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their calls in response to another cue

YJKVGUSWCTG

+PCUGEQPFGZRGTKOGPVVYQQHVJGETQYU

were trained on a similar task with the

colours of the squares reversed, as well

as being trained to withhold their calls to

CPQVJGTnPQIQoEWGVWTSWQKUGUSWCTG

The researchers found that the crows

produced precise and reliable calls in the

‘go’ trials, and that they quickly learnt to

suppress their calls in the ‘no go’ trials.

“Our study shows that crows can be

taught to control their vocalisations,

just like primates can, and that their

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TGURQPUGqUCKFVJGCWVJQTUp6JKUPFKPI

not only demonstrates once again the

cognitive sophistication of the birds of

the crow family, it also advances our

understanding of the evolution of

XQECNEQPVTQNq

Despite

their rather

tuneless

cawing,

crows are

classified as

songbirds

SWEET DREAMS, IT’S IN

YOUR GENES

We all need sleep, with adult humans

requiring seven to nine hours a night,

yet remarkably lile is known about

the genetics behind it. Now, scientists

at the University of California have

identified a gene that has an impact on

how much a person sleeps. The gene,

called ADRB1, was found by studying a

family whose members need just six

hours of shuteye a night. The scientists

say that this research could assist in the

development of new drugs to help with

sleep. “Not geing enough sleep is

linked to an increase in the incidence of

many conditions, including cancer,

autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular

disease, and Alzheimer’s,” said Ying-Hui

Fu, who took part in the study.

DISCOVERIES

ZOOLOGY

Songbirds consciously

control their calls

It seems that there’s order in the apparent

chaos of birdsong. A new study shows that

crows turn their calls on and off at will,

rather than just involuntarily reacting to

events going on around them.

Songbirds such as the crows are well

known for their songs,

which they use to attract

mates, defend territory,

recognise other birds,

and a whole host of other

social functions.

However, it wasn’t

known whether songbirds

deliberately control their

calls, or whether they are

react in an emotional,

‘knee-jerk’ way to changes

in their surroundings, such as mates,

predators, or the presence of food.

Dr Katharina Brecht and colleagues at

the University of Tübingen in Germany

investigated this by training three male

“Crows can

be taught to

control their

vocalisations”

In numbers

7

The number of northern

white rhino eggs fertilised

using frozen sperm taken

from the now-dead last

male of the species.

17,

YEARS

The age of roundworm
DNA found in ancient puma
scat, making it the oldest
parasite ever recorded.

1Hz

Utah’s Castleton Tower rock
formation is constantly
vibrating at this frequency,
according to a University
of Utah study. This is due
to latent energy travelling
through the Earth, and could
help protect the formation
from earthquakes.

crows to emit calls in response to a visual

nIQo EWGC DNWG USWCTGCPF VQ YKVJJQNF

their calls in response to another cue

YJKVG USWCTG

+P C UGEQPF GZRGTKOGPVVYQ QH VJG ETQYU

were trained on a similar task with the

colours of the squares reversed, as well

as being trained to withhold their calls to

CPQVJGT nPQ IQo EWGVWTSWQKUG USWCTG

The researchers found that the crows

produced precise and reliable calls in the

‘go’ trials, and that they quickly learnt to

suppress their calls in the ‘no go’ trials.

“Our study shows that crows can be

taught to control their vocalisations,

just like primates can, and that their

XQECNKUCVKQPU CTG PQV LWUV C TGGZKXG

TGURQPUGq UCKF VJG CWVJQTUp6JKUPFKPI

not only demonstrates once again the

cognitive sophistication of the birds of

the crow family, it also advances our

understanding of the evolution of

XQECNEQPVTQNq

Despite

their rather

tuneless

cawing,

crows are

classified as

songbirds

SWEET DREAMS, IT’S IN

YOUR GENES

We all need sleep, with adult humans

requiring seven to nine hours a night,

yet remarkably lile is known about

the genetics behind it. Now, scientists

at the University of California have

identified a gene that has an impact on

how much a person sleeps. The gene,

called ADRB1, was found by studying a

family whose members need just six

hours of shuteye a night. The scientists

say that this research could assist in the

development of new drugs to help with

sleep. “Not geing enough sleep is

linked to an increase in the incidence of

many conditions, including cancer,

autoimmune disorders, cardiovascular

disease, and Alzheimer’s,” said Ying-Hui

Fu, who took part in the study.