NOVA scienceNOW: Episode 4 (2008)

Index
Peter's DVD rating: 3.0 stars
Bird Brains
3:05Language in bird song 5:00 Zebra Finch learns song from adults; canaries learn new songs seasonally 5:00Parrots ("Einstein") mimic human voices
6:20 Eastern Meadowlark 6:40Veery song slowed down 7:15Starling inspired Mozart; Wood Wren inspired Beethoven's 5th
9:30Stuttering Zebra Finch brain FMRI: less activity 12:30FOXP2 gene also found in birds; activated during learning; also in other species 17:05Aurora Borealis (northern lights) caused by solar wind, deflected by magnetic field; substorms
22:50Sunspot 11-year cycle 27:25Cherry Enoki prosthetic hands controlled by brain 40:15Minneapolis bridge collapse: gussets have no backup against failure
Taeniopygia_guttata.jpg
5:00 Zebra Finch
Sturnella_magna.jpg
6:20 Eastern Meadowlark
 
Index Oct 26, 2010 copyleft Peter Chen