globalbriefs


News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work to- gether in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all. The International Day of Peace is September 21.


Sound Play Birds, Like Humans, Sing Just Because They Can


Animal researchers like Gisela Kaplan, Ph.D., and Irene Pepperberg, Ph.D., have determined that birds not only sing to communicate daily needs, many engage in sound play, most often when they’re alone, but sometimes also when humans are present. Some species continually improvise their singing with new elements, phrases and sequences, reports Kaplan, a professor at the Research Centre for Neu- roscience and Animal Behaviour at the University of New England, Australia. Nightingales and canaries are among the avian virtuosos, reinventing their rep-


ertoire in each successive season, while the brown thrasher may hold the record at close to 2,000 song types. Nightingales, she notes, organize their compositions according to rules of construction similar to the way humans use syntax. These birds even create distinctive phrases that identify them as individuals. Kaplan’s own recordings of Australian magpies reveal how the bird’s voice moves across four octaves, varies its phrasing between staccato and legato, and embellishes sequences with vibrato, trills or deep overtones. More, it will close a completed song with a signature phrase, in much the same way that a painter initials a finished canvas.


ecobriefs


Gulf Update Citizens Move to Ban Toxic Oil Dispersants as Options


In response to British Petroleum’s use of toxic chemicals to dis- perse the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, American citizens are asking the U.S. Environmental Protec- tion Agency to immediately delist products of concern from the National Contingency Plan Product Schedule. This would include removing such disper- sants as an approved method of dealing with an oil spill. Products of concern are defined


as those that contain any substances known to be a human health hazard or that have not been proven to be nontoxic to wildlife species relevant to the area where they will be used.


Sign the petition at ipetitions.com/petition/delist. natural awakenings September 2010 9


Entrance Exam College Applicants Leverage their Creativity


Tufts University, in Medford, Massachu- setts, now invites prospective students to submit an optional, one-minute personal video to supplement their admissions application. The purpose is to discern the student’s creative side, which they may also display by way of an essay or by creating something using a single 8-by-11-inch sheet of paper.


Find videos at YouTube.com, search Tufts Admissions Videos.


Prized Junto The Creativity Foundation Taps Top Talents


Two 21st cen- tury awards, sponsored by The Creativ- ity Foundation, annually recognize


current and potential contributors to innovative thinking and applied creativity. The Creativity Laureate Prize honors the most gifted thinkers and catalysts in all areas of human endeavor—the arts, sciences, humani- ties, technology and public service. The Legacy Prize salutes students who show great promise and dedication in their chosen field of public service.


For details see Creativity-Found.org.


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