Aubrey Manning & Richard Dawkins Discussion

Aubrey Manning & Richard Dawkins discuss ethology and others topics.

Aubrey Manning & Richard Dawkins Discussion

Discover Blogs

I love the Discover Blogs - http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/

The layout is simple & the blog posts are good reading.

The RSS options are versatile - you can subscribe not only to individual blogs but to specific topics, with an RSS feed for a topic comprising posts for that topic pulled from different blogs.

Here's are some posts pulled from the 'Living World' feed that I'm subscribing too.

1. New population of snow leopards found:

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2011/07/here-be-snow-leopards/

2. Farmers use bees to keep elephants away. Interesting comments:

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/14/guardian-bees-protect-kenyan-crops-from-roaming-elephants/

3. Baby parrots learn their 'names' from their parents:

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/13/baby-parrots-learn-their-names-from-their-parents/

4. Tool use in Fish? This story has been doing the rounds:

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/07/13/fish-join-the-list-of-tool-using-animals/

5. Newts' healing powers don't diminsh with age:

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2011/07/12/newt-healing-factors-unaffected-by-age-and-injury/

6. Snails get around in birds' bellies:

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2011/07/11/avian-airways-snails-get-around-in-birds-bellies/

Discover Blogs

Understanding Evolution

Now here's a great site for understanding evolution:

http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/evohome.html

Understanding Evolution

Animal Learning Techniques

A quick summary of the different types of animal learning techniques.




Topics discussed are Associative learning (classical conditioning), Fixed action patterns (FAPs), Habituation, Imprinting, Insight learning, Observational learning & Operant Conditioning.

Animal Learning Techniques

Robert Sapolsky on the Uniqueness of Humans

Sapolsky uses vivid examples to discusses the basic similarities between humans and animals vis a vis aggression, theory of mind, reciprocation, empathy, anticipation and culture, and goes on to describe our uniqueness in that we take these concepts to new advanced levels. An excellent introduction to comparative behaviour for laymen.


[via Zooillogix]

Robert Sapolsky on the Uniqueness of Humans