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Walking the Walk: What Sharks, Honeybees and Humans Have in Common

By Guest PostDecember 25, 2013Nature, Scienceadam gordon, brian wood, common, david raichlen, east africa, evolutionary history, fundamental pattern, gps data, hadza people, hadza tribe, herman pontzer, honeybees, human movement patterns, humans, hunter college, hunters in africa, levy walk, levy walk pattern, mathematical pattern, new york, sharks, state university, Tanzania, ua anthropologist, university at albany, urban areas, walking the walk

A research team led by UA anthropologist David Raichlen has found that the Hadza tribe’s movements while foraging can be described by a mathematical pattern called a Lévy walk – a pattern that also is found in the movements of many other animals.

A mathematical pattern of movement called a Lévy walk describes the foraging behavior of animals from sharks to honey bees, and now for the first time has been shown to describe human hunter-gatherer movement as well. The study, led by University of Arizona anthropologist David Raichlen, was published on December 23, 2013 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The Lévy walk pattern appears to be ubiquitous in animals, similar to the golden ratio, phi, a mathematical ratio that has been found to describe proportions in plants and animals throughout nature. (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…)

Crocodiles 168 Times More Dangerous Than Sharks

By PravdaDecember 14, 2010General, Natureakvatoria, angola, bandundu, bees, cancun, cockpit, congo, croc attacks, crocodiles, daniel philemotte, elephants, hendrik coetzee, hippos, kinshansa, lagoon, lauren faille, malaria, marine animals, Mexico, mosquito, predators, salt water crocodile, shark attacks, sharks, south african guide, stewardess, threat to humans, ukraine, yalta

The fears connected with shark attacks are stronger in the world today than those related to much more dangerous predators – crocodiles. However, crocodiles pose a greater threat to humans than sharks do.

A crocodile snatched Hendrik Coetzee, a South African guide, 35, from his kayak while he led an American expedition into the heart of Congo last week. Two American tourists could only watch the scene in horror as the guide was killed and eaten by the predator. They paddled to safety unharmed. Coetzee’s body has not been recovered.

Stories about croc attacks are just as terrible as they are hopeless. Experts say that it is possible to stay to fight off a shark, but it is much more difficult or even impossible to rescue themselves from an attacking croc. (more…)

Sharks Sniff out Their Prey, One Nostril at a Time

By Guest PostJuly 19, 20103 commentsNatureboston university marine program, current biology, department of integrative biology, dogfish shark, gulf oil spill, jayne gardiner, jelle atema, mustelus canis, new england, nostril, plume, sharks, tom kleindinst, university of south florida, usf, whiff, whoi, woods hole oceanographic institution

It turns out the old saying is right — the nose really does know. And when it comes to sharks, the nostrils are particularly discriminating.

Combined with the ability to detect underwater vibrations, sharks are able to zero in on the location of their prey by smelling in stereo, according to a new study by researchers at the University of South Florida (USF) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).

(more…)

Tag Archives: sharks

Walking the Walk: What Sharks, Honeybees and Humans Have in Common

Sharks: Bad Creatures or Bad Image?

Crocodiles 168 Times More Dangerous Than Sharks

Sharks Sniff out Their Prey, One Nostril at a Time