Year 11

Did you know that it is not only your eyes that allow you to see? Your brain functions with the eyes to process and make sense of all things that you see. A part of the brain called the visual cortex is responsible for vision. The brain contains over 100 billion brain cells called neurons, and they work in “levels” to help you see the world—from a basic level in which you perceive simple shapes up to higher levels where you understand complex patterns. When networks of brain neurons do not work properly, brain disorders can result. Doctors and scientists can use various techniques to measure the activity of neurons. For example, unusual patterns of brain waves can tell us about damaged neural networks and brain abnormalities. Computers can also be programmed to “see” visual information, and such computers can help us to learn about the vision process in humans.

You might have heard that dedication and perseverance are important elements for success. This is particularly true for science, specifically the study of animal behavior. Collecting biological data for decades can help scientists to better understand slow environmental changes and their consequences. For instance, globally increasing temperatures may affect animal behavior and reproduction. We investigated if and how environmental changes, such as a long-term increase in temperature and milder winters, affect the reproduction of a population of graylag geese. To do that, we collected data for 29 years—by monitoring temperature, the number of eggs laid, and the number of young birds that survive to adulthood. We found a temperature increase over time (an effect of climate change), and that higher average temperatures had a positive effect on the reproductive success of the geese. This suggests that the flock of graylag geese we studied could profit from warming temperatures, perhaps because the time window favourable for laying eggs and raising young is prolonged when winters are milder.

Scientists have long known that cows are a huge source of the greenhouse gas methane, contributing up to four percent of emissions globally. But could there be a way to make cattle less -- ahem -- gassy? Animal scientist Ermias Kebreab talks through an ingenious solution to reduce methane-rich cow burps by feeding cattle something growing below the surface of the ocean: seaweed.

 

In cities, evolution occurs constantly, as countless plants, animals and insects adapt to human-made habitats in spectacular ways. Evolutionary biologist Menno Schilthuizen calls on peculiar beings such as fast food-loving mice and self-cooling snails to illustrate the ever-transforming wonders of urban wildlife -- and explains how you can observe this phenomenon in real-time, thanks to a global network of enthusiastic citizen scientists.