Year: 2023

Settling into social media

I’m usually as early an adopter as I can be with the various tools and apps that come online in the world of social media and social networking. For instance, I was one of the very early users of Plurk and subsequently twttr, although I think when I signed up in June 2007 it had already become twitter.

Anyway, there’s lots of activity at the moment with people shuffling allegiances. As you’d expect, I’m on Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, even Spoutible. If you want to find me on your favourite site, and I will almost certainly be there, just use a URL like this:

https://sciencebase.com/social

Swap the word social for your chosen site: pixelfed, Instagram, mastodon, the aforementioned spoutible etc. The link above will open my page with active links to all my social media outlets.

Anyway, the main point of this blog was to discuss whether or not it’s worth homing in on a particular site at the moment. Most of the discussion seems to be around Threads versus BlueSky. Very few people are talking about any of the others, at least it seems that way in my timelines. Personally, I’m seeing some interesting discussions and a little engagement on Bluesky. My recent mineral moon photo did better there in terms of likes and reposts. But, some of the bird photos do much better on my Mastodon page. I’m having more conversations on Threads, but I am not seeing likes or reposts of photos, or indeed, anything that even gets into double figures.

At the time of writing, I have almost 40000 X followers still, although I used to have 55000. On threads not even 300, BlueSky less than 100, but on Mastodon, I have 1339, although I suspect a large proportion of those were active in November 2022, but have not even logged in since, if my followees are anything to go by. I realise it’s not all about the numbers, but if you don’t have some numbers then it’s hard to gain any traction or get any reach for engagement or conversation, and certainly not for sharing widely.

It’s hard to know what to do. Most of it is watercooler banter and little more. Back in the day, twitter helped me get into the bestsellers lists with my book Deceived Wisdom, it also helped me get enough votes for a major charity grant for our village community centre, but I doubt I could get any of that to happen today. I will perhaps just maintain my ad hoc approach. Posting as and when and hoping that at least a few of you still enjoys my songs, snaps, and science…

Four angst-ridden songs on the beach and a fifth in the snow

I have lots of songs that have been with me for many, many years. Rush songs, Beatles stuff, Bacharach and David covers, Bowie, Queen, Chic, and on and on. But, three songs written and recorded in the late 70s and one in the mid-80s are not only close to my heart, but feel like they are related. Hashtag: #BeachAngst

The first is Message in a Bottle by The Police. This song hangs on Andy Summer’s arpeggiated riff, which goes from a C#min9 to an Amaj9, B7, and finishes with an F#m. It’s a fairly standard chord progression, although Andy Summers plays it with an interesting, wide inversion of each chord, which I discussed in my Classic Chords series some time ago. Incidentally, the opening C#min9 is equivalent to a C#sus2. The D# note being the 2nd and not in the C# major scale and the ninth in C# minor.

The second song is Martha and the Muffins’ Echo Beach. This tune also hangs on an arpeggiated guitar riff Am-D-C, Am D-Em. It doesn’t really sound like Message in a Bottle, but it shares an edgy guitar tone and the arpeggiation.

The third song is part i of a bigger opus, the Tide Pools movement from Rush’s Natural Science. Once the strummy acoustic of the intro has ended, an arpeggiated guitar riff builds to an edgy tone – Em-C(add9)-D-G-C(add9). This riff does resemble the Echo Beach riff, albeit in a different key. Both written and recorded around about the same time by two Canadian bands. However, if we simplify the chords and put this riff and The Police riff in the same key there’s a more obvious overlap, especially as C-major is the harmonic counterpart of A-minor:

Tide Pools – Em C D C
Message –      Em C D Am

Then, if we simplify the riffs from Echo Beach and Drive, She said and put them in E-minor too, we get this.

Echo – Em A G
Drive – A G Em

The fourth song is Drive, She Said by Stan Ridgway. The arpeggiated guitar of this song is like a desiccated version of Message in a Bottle splashed with Permanent Waves on Echo Beach watched over by Kim Carnes’ Bette Davis eyes. Bette Davis substitutes snow for sand. Meanwhile, chords from Bette Davis Eyes hanker after the Rush’s permanent waves and The Police’s lonely desert island.

Eyes – C Em D

Now, many years later, I suddenly had a revelation. All of these songs are angst-ridden and all of them allude one way or another to beaches, the coast, a rocky shoreline…have I really taken this long to spot that figurative connection. So, it begs the question what led all of those disparate songwriters back in 1979 to hang their song on an edgy arpeggiated guitar riff and sing about longing, with the beach as allegory?

The marine connection is obvious in Message in a Bottle – a guy stranded on the desert island that is loneliness sending out an SOS. Martha hankering nostalgically for the far away escape that is Echo Beach. Rush worrying about our little lives in the Tide Pools, ignoring the big changes, the science and nature, the permanent waves. But, what about Drive, She said? That’s about a taxi driver being coerced into being a getaway driver. But, yes, in his fear-infused imagination, he pictures an alternative reality with his gun-toting, bank-robbing passenger:

“I thought I saw the both of us on some kinda tropical island someplace
Walkin’ down a white sandy beach”

See? Angst and beaches!

Incidentally, I recorded a solo cover of Message in a Bottle many years ago, we perform Echo Beach with my band C5, but we’re yet to include any Rush in our cover songs repertoire. That said, we do Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing, which is basically a musical clone of Rush’s The Spirit of Radio. I might see if the others in the band fancy doing a mashup of Stan Ridgway and Kim Carnes.

Footnote

Having shared my thoughts on social media, I started getting other examples of other angsty, beach songs, although they don’t necessarily have a compact guitar figure:

From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea by The Cure – from Robin McCarthy

All for Leyna by Billy Joel – from Kevin Sargent

Staring at the Sea by The Cure – from Andrea Thomson

On the Beach by Neil Young – from Andrea Thomson

Godrevy Point, Wind in the Wires by Patrick Wolf – from Andrea Thomson

Invasive species in the UK

Invasive species, a term referring to non-native species introduced to new environments, often establish self-sustaining populations with negative impacts on local ecosystems, economies, or human health.

These invaders, encompassing plants, animals, fungi, or microorganisms (refer to the foot of this article for examples), typically arrive due to human activities such as trade, travel, or intentional release. In rare cases, invasive species might reach the UK through natural avenues, such as animal migration or wind dispersal. Climate change exacerbates the situation, creating new ecological niches due to shifts in temperature and persistent weather changes. Alterations in landscape, urbanization, and habitat loss add pressure to natural ecosystems while simultaneously creating new opportunities for invasive species.

In the context of the United Kingdom, invasive species present significant challenges for various reasons:

Ecological impact: Invasive species can outcompete native species for resources including food, water, and habitat. They may have no natural predators in their new environment, allowing their populations to grow unchecked. This can lead to the decline or extinction of native species, disrupting the balance of the ecosystem.

Biodiversity loss: The displacement of native species by invasive ones can lead to a loss of biodiversity. Native species are often adapted to specific ecological niches, and the introduction of invasive species can disrupt these relationships, leading to a reduction in overall biodiversity.

Human health and safety: Some invasive species can pose risks to human health. For instance, certain plants may be toxic, and some animals may carry diseases that can affect humans. Additionally, invasive species can create safety hazards; for example, certain plants or animals might be harmful if they interfere with buildings, bridges, transportation systems.

Economic consequences: Invasive species can have economic impacts on agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. For example, invasive plants can reduce crop yields, while invasive animals may damage crops or compete with native species for resources. Invasive species can also impact infrastructure, such as clogging waterways or damaging buildings.

Increased management costs: Controlling and managing invasive species can be expensive. Governments, communities, and individuals may need to invest significant resources in efforts to control or eradicate invasive species and mitigate their impacts.

In the UK, various organizations and initiatives actively monitor and address the issue of invasive species. This global concern necessitates efforts to prevent introductions, manage existing populations, and control their impacts, preserving biodiversity, ecosystem health, and human well-being.

It’s crucial to note that some invasive species in the UK have been present for centuries, becoming integrated into local ecosystems. For example, the sycamore, recently in the news having been vandalistically felled at Sycamore Gap on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, had long been part of the landscape but sycamores arrived with the Romans. Distinguishing between long-established non-native species and recent arrivals is crucial for effective management.

Despite confounding factors, certain invasive species contribute to ecosystem services, such as soil stabilization, water filtration, and habitat provision. Invasive crayfish used as food in mainland Europe have established themselves in the lakes of France and Spain and this in turn has allowed ostensibly African and Mediterranean birds such as the Great White Egret and Glossy Ibis to spread further north. It was only a short hop for them across the English Channel to the UK where they are no beginning to establish themselves, without apparent harm to native species or ecosystems it seems.

Indeed, some invasive species may enhance overall biodiversity by providing new habitats or food sources for native species, fostering a more diverse and resilient ecosystem. Additionally, there’s potential for utilizing invasive species in agriculture, forestry, and horticulture.

Examples of invasive species present in the UK

Plants:

American Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)
Australian Swamp Stonecrop (Crassula helmsii)
Chilean Rhubarb (Gunnera tinctoria)
Cotoneaster species (Cotoneaster sp.)
Cotula Silverweed (Argentina anserina)
Curly Waterweed (Lagarosiphon major)
Floating Pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides)
Floating Water Plantain (Luronium natans)
Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)
Hottentot Fig (Carpobrotus edulis)
Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica)
Japanese Rose (Rosa rugosa)
Parrot’s Feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)
Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum)
Small-Flowered Water-Weed (Elodea nuttallii)
Spanish Bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica)
Water Fern (Azolla filiculoides)
Water Primrose (Ludwigia grandiflora)
Winter Heliotrope (Petasites fragrans)
Yellow Azolla (Azolla caroliniana)

Invertebrates:

Asian Hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax)
Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus)
Box-tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis)
Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis)
Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)
Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
Harlequin Shrimp (Hymenocera picta)
Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner (Cameraria ohridella)
New Zealand Flatworm (Arthurdendyus triangulatus)
New Zealand Mud Snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum)
Oak Pinhole Borer beetle (Platypus cylindrus)
Oak Processionary Moth (Thaumetopea processionea)
Quagga Mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis)
Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)
Rosemary Beetle (Chrysolina americana)
Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus)
Spanish Slug (Arion vulgaris)
White-Legged Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)
Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

Vertebrates:

American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)
American Mink (Neovison vison)
Black Rat (Rattus rattus)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Chinese Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)
Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
Muntjac Deer (Muntiacus reevesi)
Parakeet sp.
Pumpkinseed Sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus)
Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
Red-Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Sika Deer (Cervus nippon)
The Red-Eared Slider terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans)
Topmouth Gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva)
Wallaby (Macropus sp.)
Yellow-Bellied Slider terrapin (Trachemys scripta scripta)

Fungi/Microbes:

Chalara Ash Dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus)
Dutch Elm Disease (Ophiostoma ulmi)
Horse Chestnut Bleeding Canker (Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi)
Phytophthora Ramorum (Phytophthora ramorum)
Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora sp.)

The Winter Moth – Operophtera brumata

This unassuming little moth has a suitably unassuming little name. It is known as the Winter Moth. It is one of the geometers, or what is referred to as inchworms in North America, because the larvae seem to measure out the earth as they move inch by inch.

The Winter Moth, Operophtera brumata, has internal antifreeze to help see it through the cold
The Winter Moth, Operophtera brumata, has internal antifreeze to help it survive the cold

The Winter Moth is not to be confused with the November nor the December Moth. It flies at the opposite end of the season to most other moths – October to December and sometimes into January and even February. It is unlikely to ever cross paths with the Spring Usher, the May or July Highflyers although it may well overlap with the Autumnal Moth and perhaps even the Autumnal Rustic, and definitely the aforementioned November and December.

While its common name is rather unassuming and perhaps obvious given the season in which it the males are on the wing (the females are flightless), this belies a resilience and a resistance to the cold that many other creatures do not display. Indeed, while some warm-blooded mammals from hedgehogs to bears will seek out shelter and hide themselves away from the ice and snow during hibernation, this little creature is searching for a mate. Incidentally, the females simply crawl up tree trunks and exude sex pheromones to draw the attention of amorous males.

The females then lay a couple of hundred eggs in crevices in the bark of trees. The larvae don’t emerge until the spring when the daytime temperature reaches about 10 degrees Celsius. Historically, this would have been perfect timing for the larvae to feed on the newly opening leaf buds of their host trees. But, with climate change, that temperature is consistently reached several days before those tasty leaf buds have begun to appear. As such, many larvae that emerge when the temperature rises and the leaf buds have not yet opened simply starve. Evolution, however, has a way. There is evidence that some larvae that incidentally hatch later, when it’s warmer still, can feast on leaf buds. As such, they survive to mate as adults in the winter and so pass on their genes. Among those genes will, of course, be the ones that trigger them to emerge when the temperature is a little higher and so coincide with the opening leaf buds.

The moth’s scientific name is Operophtera brumata, the brumata meaning “short” and alluding to the length of the days at this time of year. I am not 100% certain of the etymology of the first part of the name, the genus Operophtera. Opero could mean I work and the second half could be “to destroy” from the Greek, or it could be a tweak on “wing”, which can be ptera or phtera, I believe.  So, it could mean “I work to destroy” or “I work my wings”. Given that the larvae can ravage a small tree’s foliage leading to a halving of the tree’s growth that year, perhaps “I work to destroy” is apt.

I’ve recorded Winter moth since I began nothing, but not every year and only one specimen per season – 2018, then 2021, 2022, and now 2023.

For US readers, the closest relative is the Bruce Spanworm, Operophtera bruceata.

Nudist Snow Buntings

At this time of year, you might spot Snow Buntings pecking about the shingle and driftwood on a remote windswept beach, perhaps in north Norfolk or Dorset. One Studland birder tweeted earlier that this species has now reached their shores.

The birds are apparently on the beach edge just north of the nudist beach…

The twitter birder was at pains to point out to anyone who fancies seeing these birds that the nudist track is a “Wellies only track”.

It’s worth adding that there’s also at least one nudist beach where you might see Snow Bunts in north Norfolk. I have no idea whether Wellies are allowed there or not…but it’s less than 10 degrees Celsius up there and taking wind chill into account, I’m sure the local “club” won’t mind you carrying a muff, just in case it gets too nippy.

Emulating Alex Lifeson’s Rush guitar tone

Back in the day, I ran a series of Classic Chords for Lifeson, Hendrix, The Manics, Oasis, and many others. I attempted to emulate the various guitars of the artists highlighted so I could demo the chords more authentically. Anyway, with the advent of large language models, such as ChatGPT, there is now the option to utilise their training to find a better way to describe how to get a particular guitar tone.

I asked ChatGPT to explain how I could emulate the guitar tone Alex Lifeson uses on one of my favourite Rush song’s Freewill, from their 1980 album Permanent Waves. That was the first tour on which I saw the band live so it holds a special place for me.

Here’s the specific prompt I used to  get it to describe how I might emulate the tone:

You are to act as an expert in VST plugins for music mixing including Guitar Rig. Analyse the Rush song Freewill and tell me how to set up Guitar Rig to emulate the guitar tone used by the band’s guitarist Alex Lifeson in that song. You should provide all details in terms of amp model I should use, and the amp head, reverb, EQ, chorus, and any other effects.

This is what it came back with:

In “Freewill,” Alex Lifeson’s guitar tone is characterized by a crisp, clean sound with a touch of chorus and reverb. To get started with Guitar Rig, you’ll want to follow these steps:

  1. Amp Model: For this tone, you should look for a clean amp model with some headroom. Lifeson is known for using a mix of clean and slightly driven tones. In Guitar Rig, consider using the “Tweedman” or “Citrus” amp models. Both offer a good clean base tone.
  2. Amp Head and Cabinet: Pair your chosen amp model with a suitable cabinet simulation. Lifeson often used Marshall and Hughes & Kettner amps, so you could select a corresponding cabinet in Guitar Rig. The “Jazz 120” or “British Double” cabinets are good options.
  3. Reverb: Add a touch of reverb to give your guitar sound space and depth. Lifeson’s tone usually has a subtle reverb. In Guitar Rig, you can use the “Guitar Rig Pro Reverb” effect or experiment with other reverb presets.
  4. Chorus: Lifeson occasionally used chorus to thicken his tone. Add a gentle chorus effect to your signal chain. In Guitar Rig, try the “Chorus & Flanger” module or “Vintage Chorus” to dial in the right amount.
  5. EQ: Lifeson’s tone is well-balanced, so consider using a parametric EQ to make subtle adjustments. Boost the mids slightly and cut or boost the treble and bass as needed. Keep the adjustments modest to maintain clarity.
  6. Noise Gate: Use a noise gate to reduce unwanted noise, especially if you’re using any drive or distortion. Set it to a threshold where it only engages when you’re not playing.
  7. Compression: While not always present, a light compression can help even out your dynamics. Use the “Studio Compressor” in Guitar Rig or a similar plugin.
  8. Guitar: It’s worth mentioning that the guitar you use plays a significant role in achieving this tone. Alex Lifeson used a variety of guitars, but for “Freewill,” he used his famous, white Gibson ES-355. These semi-hollow body guitars contributed to his signature sound.

Remember that tweaking these settings will be necessary to get your tone as close as possible. Alex Lifeson’s tone evolved over the years, so it may also vary slightly from live performances to studio recordings. Use your ears as your best guide and make subtle adjustments until you achieve the desired result.

Some Sciencebase readers reached this page searching for “Alex Lifeson headrush rig”. Headrush is a FX pedalboard brand from inMusic Brands.

 

Deathcap mushrooms – Amanita phalloides

What makes the death cap fungus (toadstool or mushroom), Amanita phalloides, so poisonous?

Well, the primary toxin present in this fungus is alpha-amanitin. This chemical goes by the following systematic name, although you’re unlikely to see it spelled out in full in the news about the ongoing murder trial that’s in the Australian news at the moment:

2-[(1R,4S,8R,10S,13S,16S,34S)-34-[(2S)-2-Butanyl]-13-[(2R,3R)-3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanyl]-8,22-dihydroxy-27-oxido-2,5,11,14,30,33,36,39-octaoxo-27-thia-3,6,12,15,25,29,32,35,38-nonaazapentacyclo[14.12.11 .06,10.018,26.019,24]nonatriaconta-18(26),19,21,23-tetraen-4-yl]acetamide.

The same toxin is also found in the Destroying Angel fungus, Amanita virosa.

The chemical is essentially a ring of eight amino acids. This structure fits easily into the active site of two enzymes, RNA polymerase II and III and blocks their activity in the body leading to liver and kidney failure. When ingested the toxin ultimately binds to the enzyme and kills liver cells, but symptoms often don’t appear for at least ten hours, sometimes a day. This period of time is way past the point at which stomach pumping to remove the fungus would help.

Diarrhoea and stomach cramps are the first symptoms. These subside after a day or so and gives the poisoned a false remission. By day four or five, the toxin starts to have severe effects on the liver and kidneys, leading to total system failure in both, coma and death ensue within a week.

A November, or a Pale November, or an Autumnal Moth! Who knows?

This is a November Moth…or a Pale November Moth…or maybe an Autumnal Moth…it’s definitely one of the Epirrita species of moth, but I, and almost nobody else could tell you for sure which from this photo.

One of the British Epirrita species of moth
One of three possible moths, so we record it as Epirrita agg (aggregate)

But, it’s is one of those moths that could be any of several different species. You cannot know for sure unless you’ve raised it from larvae and know for sure what species you had, or you’ve done DNA testing but that assumes someone has the genomics for the various species, or you’ve done what lepidopterists call “gen det”.

Gen det, genital determination is where you dissect the male moth’s genitalia. Moth genitalia are markedly different even between otherwise very similar species and so you can identify which species you have from the bits you chopped up.

I am not going there.

So, my records simply say Epirrita agg, meaning an aggregate of all the possible species in the UK and no positive ID for any of them in particular.

There is, however, another British Epirrita species, the Small Autumnal Moth, which as the name would suggest, accurately for once in taxonomy, is actually smaller than the others and its wings markings are stronger. If you have one of those, you can assume you’d be able to distinguish it from the other three Epirrita species.

Moustached Reedlings – Bearded Tits

The Bearded Reedling, Panurus biarmicus, is the only known avian species in its genus. It was originally named the Bearded Tit because of its superficial resemblance to the Long-tailed Tit perhaps, but it is definitely not closely related to that bird nor any other tit.

Female Bearded Reedlings lack the "beard of the males
Female Bearded Reedlings lack the “beard of the males

The odd thing though is that the “bearded” part of its name refers to the facial markings of the males. They have long, droopy-looking black patches either side of their bills, whimsically resembling male facial hair but perhaps sideburns or moustaches rather than a beard. I’ve no idea why it wasn’t originally called the Moustached Tit. Either way, it’s not political correctness that is morphing the tit into the reedling it’s simply that it isn’t a tit, as mentioned.

Male Bearded Reedlings showing his "beard", which looks more like sideburns or a pair of moustaches
Male Bearded Reedlings showing his “beard”, which looks more like sideburns or a pair of moustaches

The species is sexually dimorphic, the “clean-shaven” females lack the sideburns/moustaches/beard as well as differing in size and other aspects of their plumage. They’re often quite shy and tend not to show well when it’s windy. That said, you can commonly catch small groups and sometimes larger flocks darting back and forth making their characteristic “pinging”, or “pew-pewing” contact call as the fly. When they settle on a reed, they often shuffle from a lower portion up to the top of the stem. On other occasions, they will dance about the lower parts of the reeds almost at water level.

The Sciencebase musical Top Ten

The current Top Ten of my songs streamed from my BandCamp page

1 Ticking Clocks
2 No Footprints in the Sand
3 Easy come, easy go
4 Festival Friends (Cool as Folk)
5 No symphony for lovers
6 What we have become
7 The people we could be
8 Ebb and Flow
9 Dustbowl
10 Tideline

Ticking Clocks – A sort of sequel to “She’s Leaving Home”

No Footprints in the Sand – When there’s nobody on the beach

Easy come, easy go – Argument for argument’s sake, laid-back funk rock

Festival Friends (Cool as Folk) – Acoustic, fingerstyle instrumental

No symphony for lovers – The Synaesthesia Blues in a Paul Weller style

What we have become – Live studio, singer-songwriter melancholy

The people we could be – Songwriter reminiscences

Ebb and Flow – Singer-songwriter tidal musings

Dustbowl – A nice big slice of Americana

Tideline – Still a Northern Soul at heart

Interesting that the majority of the streams this month have been for the more melancholic singer-songwriter acoustic stuff. I do have quite an eclectic mix of styles across the last decade of recording and musical collaborations. Ten albums worth of my music. And, a triple-album collection of earlier songs here.