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Exhaustive Family Tree for Birds Shows Recent, Rapid Diversification

By Guest PostNovember 9, 2012Natureanalysis, arne mooers, avian diversity, basic hypotheses, behavioral innovation, biodiversity expert, bird species, birds, bumblebees, canada, diversification rate, dna data, earth, eurasia, evolution, evolutionary history, extinction, family tree, fossil, g h thomas, geographic context, geographic space, geographical information, global phylogenies, global picture, habitats, islands, j b joy, k hartmann, life, mainlands, north american, simon fraser university, south america, Space, tasmania, time, tropical species, tunafish, walter jetz, western hemisphere, yale, zeitgeist

A Yale-led scientific team has produced the most comprehensive family tree for birds to date, connecting all living bird species — nearly 10,000 in total — and revealing surprising new details about their evolutionary history and its geographic context.

Analysis of the family tree shows when and where birds diversified — and that birds’ diversification rate has increased over the last 50 million years, challenging the conventional wisdom of biodiversity experts.

“It’s the first time that we have — for such a large group of species and with such a high degree of confidence — the full global picture of diversification in time and space,” said biologist Walter Jetz of Yale, lead author of the team’s research paper, published Oct. 31 online in the journal Nature. (more…)

Microsoft Retail Stores Maturation: Going Behind the Scenes

By Guest PostNovember 8, 2012Technologybing it on, corte madera store, kiosk experience, microsoft lip balm, microsoft retail stores, white glove, windows 8 pcs

Fans flocked to the opening of a new Microsoft retail store in Corte Madera, Calif., to get their hands on the new Surface and Windows 8 PCs. The opening, one of many at Microsoft in recent weeks, is part of the company’s ongoing expansion of its brick-and-mortar retail stores program.

CORTE MADERA, Calif.— Nov. 8, 2012 — A group of beaming, cyan-clad Microsoft retail store employees gathered near the front windows, which were covered by an opaque curtain. (more…)

Saber-toothed Cats and Bear Dogs: How They Made Cohabitation Work

By Guest PostNovember 8, 2012Sciencebear dogs, extinct mammals, mammalian predators, saber toothed cats

ANN ARBOR — The fossilized fangs of saber-toothed cats hold clues to how the extinct mammals shared space and food with other large predators 9 million years ago. (more…)

Sharks: Bad Creatures or Bad Image?

By Guest PostNovember 8, 2012Media, Naturebret muter, climate change, conservation biology, conservation issue, ecology, extinction, fins, habitat loss, international, key issue, Media, media coverage, media market, meredith gore, michigan, negative effect, negative report, news article, overfishing, overharvesting, pollution, risks, shark attack, shark biology, shark conservation, shark population, sharks, species, state university, survival, threat, threatened species, udall foundation, wildlife

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Historically, the media have been particularly harsh to sharks, and it’s affecting their survival.

The results of a Michigan State University study, appearing in the current issue of the journal Conservation Biology, reviewed worldwide media coverage of sharks – and the majority isn’t good.

Australian and U.S. news articles were more likely to focus on negative reports featuring sharks and shark attacks rather than conservation efforts. Allowing such articles to dominate the overall news coverage diverts attention from key issues, such as shark populations are declining worldwide and many species are facing extinction, said Meredith Gore, MSU assistant professor of fisheries and wildlife and the School of Criminal Justice. (more…)

Virtual Reality Could Help People Lose Weight, Fight Prejudice, Says MU Researcher

By Guest PostNovember 8, 2012Healthavatar, electronic doppelganger, interactive games, obesity treatment, virtual reality, virtual worlds

Study found that online presence can positively affect physical health and well-being

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Internet-based interactive games and social media outlets have become intertwined with the physical realities of millions of people around the world. When an individual strongly identifies with the cyber representation of themselves, known as an avatar, the electronic doppelganger can influence that person’s health and appearance, according to a University of Missouri researcher’s study. Harnessing the power of the virtual world could lead to new forms of obesity treatment and help break down racial and sexual prejudices. (more…)

comScore Reports $41.9 Billion in Q3 2012 U.S. Retail E-Commerce Spending, Up 15 Percent vs. Year Ago

By Guest PostNovember 7, 2012Technology2012, apparel, Comscore, comscore chairman, double digit, ecommerce sale, ecommerce sector, Economy, estimate, event tickets, gian fulgoni, growth, growth rate, macroeconomic environment, q3, rate, retail, showrooming behavior, US, us consumer

comScore Chairman Gian Fulgoni to Present Overview of Q3 2012 E-Commerce Trends in Upcoming Webinar

RESTON, VA, November 7, 2012 – comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, today released its Q3 2012 U.S. retail e-commerce sales estimates, showing that online retail spending reached $41.9 billion for the quarter, up 15 percent versus year ago. This represents the twelfth consecutive quarter of positive year-over-year growth and eighth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. (more…)

Commerce Guys Taps Microsoft Cloud to Evolve E-Commerce

By Guest PostNovember 7, 2012Technologyann arbor, azure platform, ceo, cloud, commerce framework, commerce guys, database, drupal, ecommerce sales, economic landscape, european headquarter, european summit, france, frederic plais, Microsoft, microsoft bizspark, mike oconnor, one startup, open source, Paris, product, real world, software, sql server, top sommeliers, us headquarter, windows

Microsoft BizSpark One startup helps businesses adapt in a volatile economic landscape.

REDMOND, Wash. — Nov. 7, 2012 — E-commerce sales are expected to top $1.25 trillion by 2013 globally.* However, according to the CEO of Commerce Guys, e-commerce is still in its infancy.

There is a growing opportunity for retailers and merchants using e-commerce, but meeting the needs of a global marketplace presents many challenges. Commerce Guys is working to make it easy with a platform that is flexible and scalable to meet the needs of a variety of customers. (more…)

New Evidence Shows Power of East Coast Earthquakes

By Guest PostNovember 7, 2012Environment2011 virginia earthquake, earthquake energy, earthquake in Virginia, earthquake risk assessments, east coast earthquake, united states, virginia seismic zone

Virginia Earthquake Triggered Landslides at Great Distances

Earthquake shaking in the eastern United States can travel much farther and cause damage over larger areas than previously thought. (more…)

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