Science Article Summary - 13

Science Article Summary - 13

2009’s Sleepy Sun Finally Woke Up in December

[1] A. Madrigal, “2009’s Sleepy Sun Finally Woke Up in December” Wired Science, Feb. 2010. [Online]. Available: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/12/the-year-in-sunspot/#more-16320. [Accessed Feb. 10, 2010].

Many people take the sun for granted, believing that it only provides us with merely light and nothing else.  This couldn't be more false, especially now that talk about the sunspots on the sun are reaching widespread media.  Apparently the sun has been having some downtime with its sunspots, leaving both 2008 and 2009 to be the second and third quietest years on record for the number of active sunspots.  2009 would be holding the spot for the second quietest year if it wouldn't have been for December's influx of active sunspots, leaving 22 of the 31 days of the months with sunspots.  Although this two-year low may seem troubling for some, scientists say that sunspot activity waxes and wanes in 11-year cycles, meaning that this period is normal for those waning years.

Although most are also worried about the lack of sunspots effect here on Earth, many would rather have a inactive sun than a active sun.  When the sun is really cranking out sunspots it can create geomagnetic storms that cause havoc by damaging expensive satellites and electrical grid infrastructure.  When the sun is in an inactive period, scientists note that it doesn't have as much of a strong effect, leaving us with an inkling of a change in the Earth's climate.

Science Article Summary - 11

Science Article Summary - 11

Fastest Wings on Earth Show Extremes of Sexual Selection

[1] B. Keim, “Fastest Wings on Earth Show Extremes of Sexual Selection,” Wired Science,  Feb. 2010. [Online]. Available: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/02/wing-resonance/. [Accessed: Feb. 10, 2010].

Researches observing the club-winged manakin bird have said that they have found the world's best example of sexual selection.  Instead of dynamically adapting their wings to flight, their wings have instead been adapted to create a mating sound that attracts the opposite sex.  Found in the western Andes mountains, this bird is able to place their wings over their back in order to create a high frequency sound due to their irregularities found in their wings.  The main irregularities found in their wings is that the feathers have seven district ridges and they have a single feather with an abnormally thick tip.  In order to make the noise, the bird places its wings behind its back and shakes their wings over 107 times per second, which to put that in perspective, is more than the hummingbird.  Each shake of the feathers allows the thick feather tip to grind into the ridges of the other feather, creating the same effect as putting a spoon over wooden slats.  In order to back up the frequency of 1,500 vibrations per second, the male has been suited with relatively thick breast muscles that dampen the effect of the extreme vibrations.  Overall the study is not only to reveal the adaptations that birds take on, but it shows how the sexual selection process outweighs all other needs, creating a bird with decreased wing functions.