New model sheds light on 'flocking' behaviour
Understanding how turbulence can alter the shape and course of a flock of birds, a swarm of insects or even an algal bloom could help us to better predict their impact on the environment.
Understanding how turbulence can alter the shape and course of a flock of birds, a swarm of insects or even an algal bloom could help us to better predict their impact on the environment.
General Physics
May 26, 2015
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Why does it seem as if a dark band ripples through a flock of European starlings that are steering clear of a falcon or a hawk? It all lies in the birds' ability to quickly and repeatedly dip to one side to avoid being attacked. ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 26, 2015
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95
Imagine a sky full of autonomous flying machines delivering anything from fast-food to important documents, medical supplies or just a surprise gift for someone special. How do you stop them all colliding with each other ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 5, 2014
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A team of researchers with members from several countries working together in Rome, Italy, has come up with a new explanation of how it is that starlings are able to fly in a flock in a way that makes them appear as a single ...
(Phys.org) —The mystery behind the movements of flocking starlings could be explained by the areas of light and dark created as they fly, new research suggests.
Plants & Animals
Jul 18, 2014
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(Phys.org) —Like something out of a science fiction movie, Scott Davis's remote controlled "octocopter" hovers above the ground and then soars over treetops, attracting the attention of onlookers who glance skyward.
Engineering
Mar 27, 2014
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Smartphone file-sharing apps Bump and Flock have announced that they will be discontinued at the end of January.
Software
Jan 2, 2014
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Male birds that exhibit 'shy' social behaviour are much more likely to join flocks of birds with a similar personality than their 'bold' male counterparts, a new study has found. But shy birds also have fewer social partners ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 17, 2013
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The introduction of young dairy goats into an existing herd is stressful for all animals involved. Rank fights and aggressive behaviour can further result in injury. Researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine (Vetmeduni ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 10, 2013
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It is a success story of happy coexistence: outnumbered by storks, residents of the Polish hamlet of Zywkowo welcome the birds on their roofs in exchange for good luck and, if you believe legend, newborns.
Ecology
Aug 28, 2013
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