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TL:DR – The waggle dance of the honeybee carries more information than scientists previously thought, allowing the bees to find known food sources even if they start their journey from a place other than the hive.
Here’s the buzz…
Scientists and beekeepers have known for years that honeybees have a way of communicating the location of food sources that involves hitting the dancefloor in the hive. The dance that the bees use to communicate is called the waggle dance, and the moves tell other bees where to find food, specifically nectar and pollen-rich flowers. The dance conveys both the distance and direction of the food source, allowing other bees to follow the instructions and find the food.
Honeybee, Apis mellifera, on Green Alkanet flowers
Now, Charles Gallistel of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, USA and Randolf Menzel of the Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, and their colleagues have studied a hive of nearly 2,000 honeybees in Germany. They watched as foragers (always female bees) returned to the hive and recruited other bees to the food source using the waggle dance. But then, they did an interesting experiment. They captured the recruited bees and released them far away from the hive. They tracked the bees’ location using radar and watched to see what they would do.
Even though the bees were released a long way from their home hive, they still flew in the direction indicated by the waggle dance. Moreover, the bees didn’t fly in a straight line, instead, they flew in a direction that was biased towards the true location of the food source. This suggests that the bees were able to use the information in the waggle dance to create a “cognitive map” of the food source’s location. This means they could presumably find the food source from any starting point going from A to Zzzzzz.
This new work published in PNAS suggests that the information contained in the honeybee waggle dance is even richer than was previously thought. This could have important implications for our understanding of how bees navigate and find food, which could have implications for everything from agriculture to conservation.
TL:DR – The problem of deteriorating plastic waste at sea and how it attracts birds to eat it when they really shouldn’t.
I have just finished reading the latest novel in Steve Burrows’ series of “birder murder” stories. This one was called A Foreboding of Petrels and hinges on apparently unconnected murders on the North Norfolk coast and at an environmental research station in The Antarctic.
The plot of the novel alludes to the Storm Petrel, perhaps the world’s most abundant avian species. It and related species have an incredibly sensitive sense of smell and can detect keystone odourant molecules on the wind. Compounds such as dimethyl sulfide (DMS) are released into atmosphere when other organisms are feasting on algae for instance. The compound thus attracts the predators to the places where their prey are themselves feasting.
The Fulmar is one of the procellariiforms, a group that also includes the petrels
The novel alludes to plastic waste in the oceans and how the combination of algal growth on that plastic waste coupled with degradation of the plastic through the action of seawater and sunlight could lead to the release of the same odourant molecules that attract these birds and lead to them ingesting plastic rather than prey. This is obviously detrimental to the birds’ health. Numerous studies discuss this possibility and provide evidence to support the hypothesis.
DMS carried on the oceanic wind attracts predators, such as petrels, albatrosses, and fulmars, to food sources, and in the modern age, unfortunately, plastic waste. This chemical confusion is seemingly leading some pelagic bird species to ingest a lot of potentially lethal plastic waste instead of food.
TL:DR – Even small wetland nature reserves could help boost Whooper Swan wintering populations in the UK.
A new study has shown that protected wildlife areas are crucial for the survival of Whooper Swans, a species of migratory bird. These protected areas are important for species conservation, but it has been uncertain how effective they are when species move between protected and nonprotected areas throughout their lives. The research, conducted by Stuart Bearhop, Richard Sherley, and their colleagues, analyzed data on more than 10,000 Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus, also known as the Common Swan) over 30 years at 22 different sites in the UK, three of which are managed as nature reserves.
The study found that although Whooper Swans (pronounced hooper, silent W) were less likely to breed when wintering inside nature reserves than outside of them, their survival rate for all ages was significantly higher and their population growth rates were 30 times higher inside the reserves compared to outside of them. The researchers also noted that there was a net movement of Whooper Swans from nature reserves to areas that were less protected than reserves.
It’s worth adding that the Whoopers we see in England will have migrated from Iceland, Scandinavia, and elsewhere and will head back each spring to their breeding grounds in the far north. There is no expectation that this species, nor the closely related Bewick’s Swan (Cygnus bewickii) would breed on our wetland nature reserves.
The study’s population models projected that the protective effects of nature reserves could double the population of Whooper Swans wintering in the UK by 2030. The authors emphasized that even if protected nature reserves are relatively small and only used for a part of a species’ life cycle, they can still have a significant impact on the populations of migratory bird species that live in them.
These findings highlight the importance of protecting wildlife areas and managing them effectively to support the survival of migratory birds like the Whooper Swan.
There are commonly several hundred Whooper Swans on our patch each winter and thousands slightly farther north.
TL:DR – It’s 2023. Once again we had frogs, then frogspawn, and then tadpoles in our garden wildlife pond.
UPDATE: 22nd Feb 2024 – Spawn present in the morning, perhaps been there a day or two, it’s been raining heavily so hadn’t checked since the weekend.
UPDATE: 9th May 2023. Still lots of very active tadpoles but no sign yet of metamorphosis beginning in any of them.
UPDATE: 25th March 2023, lots of tadpoles have now hatched, as of 19th April they are big but not yet showing signs of metamorphosis.
Son reported from our garden pond #PondLife on 11th March 2023 that there were at least a couple of dozen frogs visible in the pond mating and spawning. First dollop of spawn was seen on this date. He counted at least 30 frogs. I got a bit of video of the activity a day later in the rain. I will try and do better if it is dry this evening. The video was done as more of a hasty record of the sound of the frogs croaking.
To provide a little extra information I asked ChatGPT to act as a herpetologist and to tell me more about the Common Frog, Rana temporaria. This is what had to say, mildly edited:
The Common Frog is a type of amphibian, which means that it spends part of its life in water and part of its life on land. In the spring, adult frogs migrate to breeding ponds where they mate and lay eggs, spawning. The tadpoles hatch from the eggs and spend several months in the pond before metamorphosing into juvenile frogs and leaving the water to live on land.
If you have a garden pond, it is possible that you could attract Common Frogs to your garden. These frogs are quite adaptable and can live in a variety of habitats, including garden ponds. They prefer ponds that are relatively shallow (less than 1 metre deep) and that have plenty of vegetation around the edges. This vegetation provides cover for the frogs and their tadpoles, and also provides a food source for the tadpoles.
If you do attract Common Frogs to your garden pond, you may notice that they are quite vocal during the breeding season. Male frogs call to attract females, and the chorus of calling males can be quite loud. You may also notice the presence of tadpoles in your pond during the summer months. These tadpoles are herbivorous and feed on algae and other aquatic vegetation.
It’s important to note that while Common Frogs are a common sight in many British ponds, their populations have declined in some areas due to habitat loss and pollution. If you want to help support Common Frog populations, you can create a garden pond with plenty of vegetation. You can also participate in citizen science projects that monitor frog populations and help researchers better understand these fascinating creatures.
TL:DR – The Brecon Beacons are a delightful place to visit any time of year, but a winter visit is magical when the sun shines on snowy caps.
Just back from a lovely trip to the Brecon Beacons in Cymru to stay with friends. Didn’t do as much walking as we normally would because I have an obstinate ankle injury. It was a bit awkward getting into stable positions to photograph wildlife or indeed anything else, but I had a go, as you do.
Snow-capped views of Pen y Fan and Corn Du as seen from our friends’ back garden – what a view!European Dipper, Cinclus cinclus, perched on a mossy stump. The Dipper is so-called because of its bobbing action when perched like this or on a rock, although it also dips its head under water to hunt invertebrates, fish, and amphibia for food, diving in and swimming with its wings underwater.Grey Wagtail, Motacilla cinerea, perched a branch overhanging the River Usk between Trallong and Penpont, South WalesFlyfisher on the River Usk between Trallong and Penpont, South Wales
If you’re ever in the area and unable to scale the peaks and you’re into beer and music, then it’s definitely worth visiting the Antur microbrewery in Three Cocks, Haystacks Music and the Wye Fret guitar shop in Hay-on-Wye. The Gwernyfed Walled Garden (also in Three Cocks) and Hay Castle, obviously also in Hay, are worth a visit too.
I asked ChatGPT to tell me more about the Brecon Beacons, here’s what it had to say, lightly edited:
The Brecon Beacons is a mountainous region in South Wales that offers a unique blend of rugged natural beauty and fascinating history. This stunning area is located in the southern part of the country and is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs alike.
The Brecon Beacons is a range of mountains that is part of the larger Brecon Beacons National Park. The park covers an area of over 500 square miles and is home to some of the most breathtaking scenery in the United Kingdom. The highest peak in the Brecon Beacons is Pen y Fan [picture above], which stands at 2,907 feet and offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
The geological history of the Brecon Beacons is as fascinating as its natural beauty. The mountains were formed during the Carboniferous period, around 350 million years ago, when the region was covered by a shallow sea. Over time, the sea receded, leaving behind layers of sediment that were eventually compressed into the rock formations we see today.
The Brecon Beacons are also home to a variety of wildlife, including Red Kites, otters, and badgers. The area is also home to several rare plant species, such as the purple saxifrage and the lady’s slipper orchid (successfully reintroduced after it was lost to the area).
For those interested in history, the Brecon Beacons has a rich and fascinating past. The area was once home to numerous Iron Age hillforts, including the impressive fort at Pen y Crug. The region also played an important role in the Roman occupation of Britain, with several forts and roads still visible today.
One of the most impressive historical sites in the Brecon Beacons is the ruined castle at Carreg Cennen. The castle was built in the 13th century and was once a stronghold for the Welsh princes. Today, visitors can explore the castle ruins and enjoy the spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.
In addition to its natural beauty and historical sites, the Brecon Beacons is also a popular destination for outdoor activities such as hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking. The area is crisscrossed with numerous hiking trails, ranging from easy walks to challenging multi-day hikes.
For those interested in exploring the area on two wheels, there are several mountain biking trails that offer a thrilling ride through the mountains. Rock climbers will also find plenty of challenges in the Brecon Beacons, with several world-class climbing spots located throughout the area.
If you have your sights on the stars, it’s worth noting that the Brecon Beacons has a Dark Sky Reserve status, making it an ideal destination for stargazing enthusiasts and amateur astronomers.
In conclusion, the Brecon Beacons is a stunning mountainous region that offers something for everyone. Whether you’re interested in exploring its natural beauty, delving into its rich history, or seeking outdoor adventure, the Brecon Beacons is a destination that should not be missed. So pack your bags and come discover this mountainous gem.
TL:DR – Towards the end of 2024 there may be a bright, new comet in the sky. Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS
If you’re lucky enough to get a clear sky…it’s snowing here, so no chance…look up at the constellation known as constellation Serpens Caput with your big telescope and you might see a faint fuzzball. It’s an icy visitor from the far reaches of the solar system, the Oort Cloud, and it’s heading this way. Give or take. Thankfully, it is not on a collision course.
Right now, this comet, which was first spotted in early January is about a billion kilometres from Earth, just past the orbit of Jupiter. But, as we approach Christmas 2024, we might be in for a treat as it flares up and becomes visible to the naked eye. You can find all the details of the discovery, the name, and what to expect from Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS on the Universe Today website.
Comet NEOWISE in 2020
Late last year, you may well have caught sight of another comet, the green comet, C/2022 E3 (ZTF), which never did live up to hopes of outshining the stars. And, of course who can forget the early months of COVID when some of us were distracted by Comet NEOWISE [C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE)]. I managed to get some mediocre photos of that comet when we escaped COVID lockdown and had a few days at the coast.
Comets are typically named after their discoverers or a group of discoverers, with the addition of a prefix indicating the type of comet. The prefixes used are:
“C/” for non-periodic comets (i.e. ones that appear irregularly)
“P/” for periodic comets (one’s that return within 200 years)
“D/” for comets that have been lost or have disintegrated
“X/” for comets that are of an uncertain
Here are a few examples of some well-known comets with their colloquial names:
Comet Halley – This is perhaps the most famous comet, named after astronomer Edmond Halley who calculated its orbit and predicted its return in 1758. It is a periodic comet with an orbital period of approximately 76 years and was last seen in the inner solar system in 1986.
Comet Hale-Bopp – This was a non-periodic comet discovered in 1995 by Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp. I remember it being very bright in the sky for many months and would endlessly point it out to family and friends on night-time pub trips.
Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 – This was a non-periodic comet that collided with Jupiter in 1994 and was destroyed. It was named after its discoverers, Carolyn and Eugene Shoemaker and David Levy.
Comet Lovejoy – This is a periodic comet discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Terry Lovejoy in 2011. It has an orbital period of approximately 7 years and was visible to the naked eye in the Southern Hemisphere.
Of course, whether Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS lives up to expectations in late 2024 will depend on the local solar weather conditions as the comet’s orbit brings it closer and closer to the sun. If conditions are right, it may well flare up and become visible to the naked eye, we’ll have just have to wait and see, with our telescopes, binoculars, and cameras at the ready.
TL:DR – An antiviral drug called ensitrelvir could cut the time a person tests positive when they have COVID-19 by about a day. There is a controversial suggestion that it might also reduce the risk of developing long-covid.
An antiviral drug developed by Shionogi in partnership with Hokkaido University is an orally active 3C-like protease inhibitor, which can shorten the time between first testing positive after infection with SARS-CoV-2 and getting a negative test. Early signs are that it may well reduce the risk of developing long-covid, although that data is yet to be peer reviewed. There are some scientists sceptical of the claim having heared the results presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle, Washington, USA, in February. They suggest that more work in clinical trials is needed before the claim can be accepted. Mariana Lenharo has all the details in Nature.
Long-covid is also known as long-haul COVID, post-COVID-19 syndrome, post-COVID-19 condition, post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), or chronic COVID syndrome (CCS). The term describes the long-term symptoms and effect on various body systems and organs following infection with SARS-CoV-2.
Currently, there are two orally active antivirals for treating COVID-19, Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) and molnupiravir. The antiviral ensitrelvir has the brand name Xocova.
The controversy surrounding whether or not ensitrelvir can reduce the risk of a person developing long-covid is about whether or not the trials and the definitions offered by Shionogi on this point are valid. There had previously been a more general suggestion that shortening the time that a person tests positive for COVID-19 could be beneficial. That said, there is evidence that even those who only have mild symptoms of COVID-19 can still develop long-covid. It could be that long-covid is a side effect of the body’s immune response to infection rather than being due to residual virus. There is much we are yet to learn about this virus.
TL:DR – Software used to predict which chemicals in a database have potential as new medicines has been flipped as a warning demonstrating that the same system could be used to predict whether they are highly toxic.
Artificial intelligence, AI, machine learning, language models, neural networks, generative models, algorithms trained on big data. A lovely collection of buzzwords that have been littering grant proposals for years and are now emerging into the real world as apps and websites and citizen science projects. For chemists and pharmaceutical scientists, AI has been a tool to experiment with for a long time. Creating molecular diversity, simulating physiology and screening for drug-like activity have been high on the laboratory agenda for quite some time. They have also used it to test for toxicity in silico and so reduce animal testing and problems once a drug gets into early. clinical trials.
Scientists at Collaborations Pharmaceuticals Inc., which focuses on drug discovery for rare diseases, commonly use trained AI to help them determine the likely toxicity of various novel molecular structures. Molecules with physiological activity are a prerequisite for finding new pharmaceuticals but it is also necessary to avoid those compounds that have a toxic effect on the patient rather than the disease.
A thought experiment flipped this work for good on its head and had team leader Fabio Urbina and colleagues wondering about the implications of an AI that seeks out life-taking toxic compounds rather life-saving pharmaceuticals. The team was asked to carry out simulations and to present the findings and implications to an international security conference.
The Convergence Conference is convened every two years by the Swiss Federal Institute for NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical) Protection – Spiez Laboratory – on behalf of the Swiss government to identify developments in chemistry, biology and enabling technologies that could have implications for the Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions. The conference seeks to spot the next VX or Novochok.
Urbina and his colleagues have been careful not to disclose the details of their simulations, but by setting their AI in reverse so that it seeks out structures that are likely to be toxic rather than safe pharmaceuticals they were able to generate a whole molecular library of potential toxic agents on a par with VX and Novochok. Indeed, six hours on the computer produced a database of 40000 such molecules any one of which might theoretically be synthesised in a rogue state laboratory and many of which were predicted to be more toxic than VX. Of course, it could be that the AI has got it wrong (it happens!) and that none of these compounds are at all toxic. The details the team provides were published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence.
It is rather worrying. But perhaps also inevitable and better that we know this is now a possibility rather than our ignoring the risks. It’s worth remembering, that the invention of dynamite had a notable dual use, noble and not so noble, you might say. This is in some way just a modern take of how an invention for good might so easily be manipulated for bad.
To quote from the paper: “We can take inspiration from examples such as The Hague Ethical Guidelines, which promote a culture of responsible conduct in the chemical sciences and guard against the misuse of chemistry, in order to have AI-focused drug discovery, pharmaceutical and possibly other companies agree to a code of conduct to train employees, secure their technology, and prevent access and potential misuse.”
That is unlikely to be enough in the long-term and it is perhaps inevitable that some rogue team somewhere is already building its own database of toxic agents using AI. We just have to hope that the worst in any such database are false positives or that they all prove to be too to tough to crack even for the best, bad chemists. But, given that we already have AI tools for devising chemical reaction schemes and have done for many years, it feels unlikely that this particular toxic genie is going to stay in its reaction flask for long.
UPDATE: 22nd Feb 2024 – Spawn present in the morning, perhaps been there a day or two, it’s been raining heavily so hadn’t checked since the weekend. 40+ frogs in the pond, mating activity still ongoing at the beginning of March, masses of spawn.
I have resculpted the rear edge of the pond to allow it to spill when it is very full and creates a potentially semi-permanent swamp area to increase invertebrate diversity. This was prompted by a chat with a member of our village nature recovery project.
2023: Several frogs active in our garden pond, some of them mating, but no spawn as of 2nd March 2023. UPDATE: 11th March, sudden appearance of spawn and ongoing frog activity, croaking, mating, at least 30 frogs. UPDATE: 11th April. Frog activity down, lots of tadpoles, one batch still very small an older batch looking big-headed and perhaps just about to start sprouting limbs.
I’ve not mentioned our wild garden pond for a while. It’s still thriving with iris, reed, and sedge shoots beginning to show already and it is just late February. Matt often checks on the frogs after dark and reported that there were a pair mating on the night of 26th February, which is a good sign, we might soon be with spawn again. We had spawn on 21st February 2021, but not until 5th March in 2020, nothing in 2019 when I’d only just resurrected the pond.
This is how it looked in May 2019 when I first re-dug our garden pond (it’s just half the size of the original)This is how it looked in April 2022
Just for the record, no fish. This is a wild pond for frogs, water snails, and dragonflies etc. Anything else that turns up by chance will find a home, but I’ve not introduced any creatures other than two species of watersnail from a friend’s wildlife pond.
I asked ChatGPT to act as a herpetologist to explain the lifecycle of the Common Frog:
The Common Frog, Rana temporaria, is a species of amphibian found throughout much of Europe and parts of Asia. Here’s a general overview of its lifecycle:
Egg Stage: The lifecycle of a Common Frog starts when the female lays eggs in water, typically in ponds, lakes or slow-moving streams, usually in the spring. A female can lay up to 4,000 eggs in a single season. The eggs are enclosed in a gelatinous mass that floats on the surface of the water.
Tadpole Stage: After several days, the eggs hatch into tadpoles. Tadpoles are aquatic and breathe through gills. They feed on algae and other small organisms found in the water. During this stage, they develop legs, absorb their tail and undergo metamorphosis.
Metamorphosis Stage: As tadpoles grow, they start to develop legs and eventually lose their tails. They also start to breathe air through their lungs instead of gills, and their digestive system changes to accommodate a more carnivorous diet. This metamorphosis can take several months, depending on the temperature and food availability.
Juvenile Stage: Once the metamorphosis is complete, the young froglets leave the water and begin their life on land. During this stage, they continue to grow and develop, and their diet shifts to insects and other small invertebrates.
Adult Stage: After a few months, the young froglets reach sexual maturity and become adults. They will continue to breed and lay eggs, thus completing the lifecycle.
The entire lifecycle of a Common Frog typically takes around 2-3 years, although it can vary depending on environmental factors such as temperature and food availability.
TL:DR – Thanks to GINA I have not needed to use salbutamol to treat my asthma for three years at the time of writing.
It’s three years since my asthma nurse introduced me to GINA, the Global INitiative for Asthma. It was a phone consultation because the then new virus SARS-CoV-2, which causes what became known as COVID-19, was beginning to spread. At the time, I was very worried that it would be a killer for me given my asthma. Eventually, medical science learned that people with asthma were not necessarily at any greater risk of morbidity and mortality.
Anyway, it was nice to meet GINA. GINA contradicts some of what general practitioners (GPs) in the UK have been advising asthma patients for years, but supports what the medical evidence suggests one should do in terms of medication. The main thing is GINA told me to stop using Salbutamol (the reliever spray) and to use my Symbicort (combined preventer with reliever spray) instead. Salbutamol is an old, out-of-date drug with some unpleasant side effects in long-term use, partly because it can affect the heart but mainly because inappropriate use in the absence of proper control of the condition with a preventer can lead to scarring in the lungs.
Modern relievers are more targeted to the lungs rather than other organs. Moreover, using the preventer at a higher dose, which is what my nurse recommended, means you reduce inflammation and mucus production, which are the main issues with asthma in parallel with episodic bronchoconstriction.
For three years, I have been taking twice as much preventer each day as I was before, and only very occasionally need to take extra to get a dose of reliever. I have not used Salbutamol at all in those three years and don’t expect to have to ever again. I no longer carry Salbutamol with me.
A GP friend was concerned when I told him about GINA, he reasoned, quite sensibly that taking this approach would be increasing one’s exposure to the preventer drugs, which are corticosteroids. This is true. But asthma is mostly about inflammation and these drugs reduce inflammation and so should reduce asthma symptoms. They do. He discussed the issue with colleagues and is now persuaded that GINA is a more sensible approach to asthma control than the current NICE recommendations in the UK. Hopefully, someone will introduce NICE to GINA soon.
