Listening to Stephen Fry’s podcast this morning, I heard this defense of America against cruel British stereotype: …[I]f there is one misapprehension about Americans that annoys me more than... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 9 May 2008 | 2:49 pm
Earliest known human settlement in the Americas raises new questionsNew evidence, more questions. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 9 May 2008 | 2:45 pm
Barence writes "A PC Pro reader has received a demand for a £600 out-of-court settlement from lawyers claiming to have forensic evidence that he illegally downloaded a PC game on BitTorrent. The law firm, Davenport Lyons, is acting on the behalf of German games distributor Zuxxez, creator of the game in question, Two Worlds. The PC Pro reader was given no prior warning to stop file sharing, unlike the usual 'three strikes and you're out' approach adopted by the music industry. The reader says, 'To add insult to injury it [Davenport Lyons] didn't pay enough postage on the letter and I had to collect it from the sorting office at a cost of £1.30. This also used up most of the two weeks that it allowed for a response.'"
Myanmar could suffer another major storm this season even as it braces for more bad weather after the devastating impact of Cyclone Nargis, a UN weather expert warned Friday. Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 9 May 2008 | 2:10 pm
HOUSTON, May 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Synthesis Energy Systems, Inc. ("SES") announced today that David Eichinger, chief financial officer, will present at the Merriman Curhan Ford 4th Annual CleanTech Energy Conference in New York on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 2:15 p.m. Eastern Time. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
Appellate Division, Third Department Neglect Drug Use -- Parental Rights In the Matter of Gerald BB. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Greeley Tribune, Colo. May 9--Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., helped a Greeley pastor open the U.S. Senate's day with a prayer Thursday morning. Allard invited Rev. Brian Severin of Victory Christian Fellowship church to offer the prayer Thursday morning. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
AN AWARD-WINNING garden in Leeds was trashed after about 350 of people armed with water pistols and buckets responded to a Facebook listing and took part in a mass water fight, according to the city council. (c) 2008 Coventry Evening Telegraph. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Steve Waters, South Florida Sun-Sentinel May 9--Pompano Beach Some offshore anglers just have a knack for knowing where to fish. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
By DAMON TATEM PIER FISHING improved along the northern beaches Thursday. One-pound bluefish were landed on Got-Cha lures off and on throughout most of the day on Avalon pier. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Brent Burkey, York Daily Record, Pa. May 9--Pennsylvania's Sustainable Water Infrastructure Task Force has scheduled a public meeting for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. May 29 at the Mazie Gable Elementary School, 100 E. Prospect St., Red Lion. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Jad Mouawad Some of the largest oil companies in the world have agreed to pay about $423 million in cash to settle a lawsuit brought by more than a hundred public water providers, claiming water contamination from a popular gasoline additive. Source: RedOrbit News - Science | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
By MAXIMILIAN FRANZ A construction worker is seen through a window on the corner of the nearly complete Gateway Building at Maryland Institute College of Art. The Gateway will be home to 215 residential students when it opens for the fall semester. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
Main Street fire station study Residents refused to spend $9,000 on the study. The project probably would have resulted in demolition of the Curtis School. Wind power The town will spend $250,000 on a wind turbine to power the Pond Street water treatment plant. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
Guests from Logitech and Sunbelt Software, Inc. will appear on radio talk show Let's Talk Computers. Logitech International is a Swiss public company traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI). Sunbelt Software, Inc. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
Travelstar, Inc. (OTCBB: TVLS) announced a new Group Leader Program empowering passionate travelers to create their own social networks. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
Lingospot (www.lingospot.com), the leading provider of in-text content discovery search services, announces a partnership with Yedda (an AOL Company) to launch the Yedda Questions and Answers service within the Lingospot in-text Discovery Bubble. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
By JULIAN WALKER By Julian Walker The Virginian-Pilot richmond Attorney General Bob McDonnell continued his crusade against Internet-based victimization and crime Thursday, announcing a multistate agreement with a popular social networking site. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
As the markets wallow in negative territory since the beginning of 2008, many traders are worrying about their losses. Subscribers to the BullTrade.com (http://www.bulltrade.com) Special Membership, however, are counting their gains. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
By Ed Davies and Harry Suhartono Microsoft has no plans to make another approach for Yahoo after it pulled its $47.5 billion bid earlier this month, Microsoft's chief research and strategy officer, Craig Mundie, said Thursday. Source: RedOrbit News - Technology | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
The perennial debate surrounding Twitter's revenue model continues to live on. The micro-blogging service has succeeded in building a strong, loyal following, but failed to capitalize on it. Such a scenario,... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 9 May 2008 | 2:00 pm
Kashmir's endangered red deer faces extinction without a captive breeding programme that will start this summer in the scenic Himalayan region, Indian wildlife officials said Friday. Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 9 May 2008 | 1:57 pm
It’s always a good idea to kill your startup in public. Russell Beattie did that last month with Mowser, a service that converts regular Web addresses into mobile-friendly ones, because he said... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 9 May 2008 | 1:56 pm
By Andrew Liszewski A lot of animators will keep a mirror next to their drawing desk so they can use their own faces and expressions as inspiration for their work. Well here's a product designer who also... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 9 May 2008 | 1:55 pm
ozmanjusri writes "According to Information Week, within hours of its wide availability Windows XP SP3 had drawn hundreds of complaints from users who claim the update is wreaking havoc on their computers. One user said in a Microsoft newsgroup: 'I downloaded and installed [the SP3] package for IT Professionals and Developers on one of my computers. Now I can't get the computer to boot. I don't think Microsoft should have made this a critical update.' Other sites including IT Wire are also reporting problems, which include include random reboots or the inability to boot at all." Note that XP3 won't install on systems running beta IE8; and after a successful SP3 install users will no longer be able to downgrade from IE7 to IE6.
By Andrew Liszewski If you're in the business where you have to record the occasional interview, why spend your money on a dedicated digital audio recorder when there's a good chance you'll already have... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 9 May 2008 | 1:39 pm
While Yahoo! Go 3.0 has been available for most popular smartphone platforms for a few months now, Windows Mobile support has been sorely lacking. Fear not, WinMo users - your days of Yahoo! Go 3.0 fun... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 9 May 2008 | 1:25 pm
l2718 writes "Yesterday we discussed Skype's appeal of a German court's ruling against them regarding a violation of the GPL. Harald Welte (the plaintiff) now reports in his blog that following oral argument, Skype decided to drop the appeal and accept the lower court ruling in Weite's favor. More details and analysis at Groklaw. Congratulations to Mr. Welte and GPL-violations.org!"
Clear Channel Communications Inc. reported Friday its first-quarter profit soared due to asset sales, an investment gain and higher revenue, but earnings from continuing operations were... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 9 May 2008 | 12:44 pm
Although the existing Palm Cradle Kit already offers compatibility with the Centro, Palm has just launched a new Palm Centro Desktop Cradle (image below) priced at $29.99 that has now been specifically... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 9 May 2008 | 12:41 pm
WillS sez, "The Get Out Clause, an unsigned Manchester band who could not afford a camera crew for their video, 'performed' in front of a load of CCTV cameras, requested the footage from the camera operators under the Freedom of Information Act Data Protection Act and then stitched the results together for their music video."
Link
(Thanks, WillS!)
WillS sez, "The Get Out Clause, an unsigned Manchester band who could not afford a camera crew for their video, 'performed' in front of a load of CCTV cameras, requested the footage from the camera operators... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 9 May 2008 | 12:35 pm
An anonymous reader brings news that Net Neutrality legislation is making another comeback. A new bill, sponsored by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), would make ISPs who fail to provide service in a non-discriminatory manner subject to anti-trust violations. From the NYTimes: "'The bill squarely addresses the issue of the enormous market power of the telephone and cable companies as the providers of 98 percent of the broadband service in the country,' said Gigi Sohn, president of Public Knowledge. But broadband providers and some congressional Republicans have argued that net neutrality legislation isn't necessary. The broadband market is becoming more competitive and net neutrality regulations could hamper investment in broadband networks, some Republicans said during a hearing this week."
Over on Boing Boing Gadgets, our Rob has spotted this handsomely crafted NES-themed Duck Hunt lamp -- now that's a conversation piece!
Link,
Discuss on Boing Boing Gadgets
Over on Boing Boing Gadgets, our Rob has spotted this handsomely crafted NES-themed Duck Hunt lamp -- now that's a conversation piece! Link, Discuss on Boing Boing Gadgets ... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 9 May 2008 | 12:13 pm
Today sees the launch of Doko, a social networking game aimed at the tween market which claims to be “The World’s First Global Trading Game”. The game revolves around metal discs about... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNBlogTech | 9 May 2008 | 12:01 pm
ATLANTA, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- ESi(R), the global crisis information management solutions provider, today announced the opening of its new training facility, ESi... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 9 May 2008 | 10:37 am
NEW YORK, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- At today's first annual Joan Ganz Cooney Center Symposium called "Logging Into The Playground: How Digital Media Are Shaping... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 9 May 2008 | 10:35 am
Instructables has just posted its latest installment in its collection of HOWTOs inspired by my new novel Little Brother, a young adult book about hacker kids who use technology to win back their civil liberties from the Department of Homeland Security.
This week, it's instructions for building a simple device that will let you spot hidden "pinhole" video cameras:
With one hand, hold up the toilet paper tube to your eye. With your other hand, hold up the flashlight at about eye level and point it away from you. With one eye, look through the tube and scan the room. If there are any small points of light bouncing back, inspect it further. It might be a camera.
If swinging from trees, collecting bananas and beating up monkeys are your thing, this Tarzan spoof is the game for you Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 9 May 2008 | 10:20 am
I was just alerted that the House of Reps has passed HR 4279, with the lovely name, PRO-IP (Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act of 2008). Like the doublespeak PATRIOT Act and Peacekeeper missiles, PRO-IP puts local law enforcement in a position to demand the forfeiture in criminal proceedings of stuff used to violate copyright. Which means that instead of the RIAA simply trying to collect fines, they can also incite local authorities to collect all the computers and related gear that was used to pirate.
This isn't a judgment on my part as to whether piracy is good or bad (I think copyright deserves to be protected through reasonable methods), but I am always horrified when civil enforcement morphs into criminal enforcement. Conservatives and liberals should be up in arms alike that local prosecutors and/or police could intervene as they desire in essentially a private affair arranged by the RIAA, and permanently seize thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in private property in addition to any civil penalties.
If this bill is passed in its present form by the Senate and signed, that means there's no more pro forma RIAA lawsuit payoffs, because if you wind up settling with the RIAA, you could still lose all your stuff in addition to any fee you paid them.
This is particularly irksome in light of the MSN Music shutdown, about which the EFF has written a strong and powerful letter. It is increasingly likely a normal person could have purchased music legally from an online site, burned it to an ordinary audio CD, and in the right set of circumstances be branded a pirate because the original "granting" authority no longer exists to prove that the consumer was a legitimate purchasers.
The more the law is constructed to sweep in folks who are absolutely observant of it, the more we need broader protections.
As part of Manchester's Futuresonic 2008 conference, you can have your old CDs and DVDs "overwritten" with a vintage record cutter and converted to a 45RPM record:
Take part in a social music sharing event with a difference - in CD-Recycled 45rpm Aleks Kolkowski uses his vintage record cutter to 'overwrite' existing data and cut grooves on CDs/DVDs so they can be played on a turntable. Bring unwanted CDs/DVDs and a sound file and receive a recycled disc in return.
WESTFORD, Mass., May 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sonus Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: SONS), a market leader in IP communications infrastructure, announced today that company... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 9 May 2008 | 10:13 am
Alex from WorldChanging sez, "We weren't satisfied with the bogus "green" graduation gifts being hawked out there, so we decided to create the ultimate one.
For a gift of $6,000, we'll offset the climate emissions of your favorite high school grad's whole childhood, giving them a carbon clean slate.
It's only $7,500 for a college graduate.
Expensive? No, discounted. The point is our impacts are much to big to change with some hemp sandals or a solar backpack, and it's time to get real."
Link
(Thanks, Alex!)
Glyn sez, "Mazz has been posting knitting patterns to help other people re-create characters from the cult series using only two sticks and ball of wool. Impressive? The BBC, producers of the series, didn't think so. They sent Mazz a letter, which states:"
We note that you are supplying DR WHO items, and using trade marks and copyright owned by BBC. You have not been given permission to use the DR WHO brand and we ask that you remove from your site any designs connected with DR WHO. Please reply acknowledging receipt of this email, and confirm that you will remove the DR WHO items as requested."
NEW YORK, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- With Mother's Day around the corner, Conde Nast's premier destination bridal website Brides.com ( Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 9 May 2008 | 10:02 am
You know how all the record labels have been dropping their requirements for DRM on their music, opening up more and more venues for DRM-free music? Well, according to David Hughes, head of RIAA technology, that's just a temporary condition. From now on, we're going to increasingly rent our music with subscription services that will use DRM to take it away from us if we stop subscribing. Hughes says that that's the only possible way to run a subscription service -- but of course, Magnatunes has a DRM-free subscription service, and I still have all those issues of Asimov's they sent me when I had a subscription, even though I let the subscription lapse.
The RIAA believes in "intellectual property," which is a fancy way of saying: they believe that they get to own property, and you have to rent it. The bits on your hard-drive belong to them, and that means you have to install DRM that lets them control your PC so that you don't do bad things with their bits. In the information age, "property" is the exclusive preserve of giant companies that can afford to register copyrights and sue to defend them, while the rest of us get to sharecrop all our embodiments of their property, from furniture to t-shirts to music to games to cars to PCs.
Hughes believes that per-track purchases are going the way of the dodo in favor of these other models, and that's why DRM will have a resurgence. "I think there is going to be a shift," he said. "I think there will be a movement towards subscription services and they will eventually mean the return of DRM." Hughes did acknowledge that users would rather live in a world where DRM stayed out of their way by saying that as long as they get to use files how they want, users don't care about DRM.
The problem with DRM is that users can't use the files how they want, which is why they do care. And we're miles away from the kind of magical solution solution envisioned by the Hughes that would create the perfect, unnoticeable DRM scheme. Others on the panel realize this. Digimarc Corp. director of business development Rajan Samtani pointed out that there are too many ways for the "kids" to get around DRM and that it's time to "throw in the towel."
BOULDER, Colo., May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- WHO: Brent McAdams Director of Sales FreeWave Technologies Prior to joining... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 9 May 2008 | 10:00 am
SHENZHEN, China, May 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- China Information Security Technology, Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: CIFS) ("China Information Security",... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 9 May 2008 | 10:00 am
PLANO, Texas, May 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- EDS today announced it has once again been named a leader in the Outsourcing Services Category by CRM Magazine in its 2008... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsTech | 9 May 2008 | 9:55 am
Microsoft Corp. will focus on growing its own advertising and Internet search business after it withdrew its takeover offer for Yahoo Inc. , Chairman Bill Gates said Friday. Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 9 May 2008 | 9:27 am
Facebook has reached an agreement with the attorneys general of 49 states and the District of Columbia to develop and enhance controls to protect minors from inappropriate content. This follows a similar commitment from MySpace several months ago. The lone holdout in each case was Texas. News.com notes: "In the deal, the social network has agreed to develop age verification technology, send warning messages when an under-18 user may be giving personal information to an unknown adult, restrict the ability for people to change their ages on the site, and keep abreast of inappropriate content and harassment on the site. While the agreement is with U.S. state authorities, Kelly said that the tools deployed will apply to Facebook's international users as well. More than half of the site's 70 million users are outside the U.S."
Boing Boing tv's embedded robo-combat reporter Xeni Jardin witnesses warfare inside Robogames and Combots at Bay Area Maker Faire 2008, where robots battle until death -- or at least 'til one competitor busts a sprocket.
Next, BB-gun wielding battleships go BOOM!, with the Western Warship Combat Club. Participants painstakingly re-create historic battleships on small scale, and outfit each warboat with actual artillery. He who sinks last wins. The cameraman took a pellet or two in the pants, but the goofy safety goggles kept all eyes intact.
If you dig the robots, you may enjoy the upcoming Robogames. The world's largest robot show takes place Fri, June 13th through Sun, June 15 in San Francisco. Link to tickets.
Apple Inc. agreed to pay refunds of $25 to $79 to as many as 2.3 million Macintosh computer owners to resolve claims that some of its power adapters were prone to spark. Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 9 May 2008 | 7:00 am
'Guitar Hero' helps the video game maker post a profit of $44.2 million in the quarter, triple analysts' forecasts. ... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 9 May 2008 | 7:00 am
Since it withdrew its bid, the software giant has said it would not launch a proxy fight. Google presses on with an ad-search deal. Microsoft... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 9 May 2008 | 7:00 am
Social networking site MySpace said Thursday that it would soon enable users to quickly share profile data with websites operated by Yahoo Inc., EBay Inc. and others. Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 9 May 2008 | 7:00 am
The social networking website follows MySpace in acting on safety concerns. Protections will include controls on age and minors' contact with unknown adults. ... Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 9 May 2008 | 7:00 am
FudRucker points out a story from The Guardian about NASA's plans to visit 2000SG344, an asteroid 40 meters wide and weighing roughly 71 million kilograms. The manned mission would take three to six months, and it would make use of the Orion spacecraft, which will be replacing to retiring space shuttle fleet. "A report seen by the Guardian notes that by sending astronauts on a three-month journey to the hurtling asteroid, scientists believe they would learn more about the psychological effects of long-term missions and the risks of working in deep space, and it would allow astronauts to test kits to convert subsurface ice into drinking water, breathable oxygen and even hydrogen to top up rocket fuel. All of which would be invaluable before embarking on a two-year expedition to Mars. As well as giving space officials a taste of more complex missions, samples taken from the rock could help scientists understand more about the birth of the solar system and how best to defend against asteroids that veer into Earth's path."
I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has declared that copyright infringement 'substantially interferes with the interest of the public in the quality of life and community peace, lawful commerce in the county, property values, and is detrimental to the public health, safety, and welfare of the county's citizens, its businesses and its visitors.' You might laugh, but that means they can close up a property for up to one year for violations of the anti-infringement ordinance [PDF] and the owner can be fined $1,000 for each infringing work produced on site. Not to mention the penalties in the PRO-IP Act, which just sailed through the House."
An anonymous reader writes "The Kindle made waves when it came out, but they've now had the chance to calm. How many of you have been using your eBook readers since you've received them? How many of you forgot you had one, and how many of you swear by your reader? I like my single-purpose (well, dual — music player) Sony Reader because I actually use it to read, rather than multitasking myself to death. Is this technology as convenient and useful as you expected?" If not, what refinements or improvements would reKindle your interest?
elwinc writes "There's a great New Yorker story about Nathan Myhrvold's Intellectual Ventures company, whose business model is to nurture ideas, write patents, and sell them. Apparently they're filing about 500 patents a year including a passive thorium reactor which consumes waste from conventional reactors. On the lighter side, you can read how Nathan has achieved 'dominant T. rex market share.'" Though we've discussed Myhrvold and his company in the past, the New Yorker focuses more on how incredible it is to have a group of very intelligent people sitting around a table developing ideas.
Celebrity Squares: Globetrotting filmmaker Morgan Spurlock finds that his Sony Vaio really takes a load off Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNPaperTech | 8 May 2008 | 11:41 pm
TorrentSpy lawyers said the torrent-tracking service won't pay the $111 million judgment a U.S. judge levied against it. Attorney Ira Rothken said he would appeal one of the nation's largest copyright penalties. The search engines' owner, he said, has filed for bankruptcy.
jcatcw points out a blog entry by Scott McPherson, CIO for the Florida House of Representatives. McPherson condemns the state of data sharing and data mining in law enforcement, saying that the US causes itself a great deal of trouble by focusing more on "antiterror armor and nuke-sniffing devices" than a useful information distribution network. He discusses a few such projects, and how they could have directly affected the events of 9/11. Quoting: "One of those ingenious things that actually worked, Seisint founder Hank Asher's brilliant MATRIX system, remains mired in controversy and politics. Hank showed me MATRIX just a few short weeks after the 9/11 attacks. Using law enforcement data and commercial data, all of the commercial data available in the public domain, Asher's query produced [hijacker Mohamed] Atta's photo -- and about 80 others, many of them fellow 9/11 hijackers, many of them associates of the 9/11 hijackers. It was simple data mining and algorithms, and none of the information was obtained illegally."
The eco-geeks aboard the carbon-neutral, biodiesel-powered Earthrace trimaran have completed the first leg of their trip around the world. And they're on pace to do it in record time.
The social networker plans to allow its customers to share their personal data with websites operated by Yahoo, eBay and others, a move that would change the nature of social networking.
Turn last night's dinner into a piece of scientific scuplture by cleaning a chicken's bones and reassembling the skeleton. Follow our guide in Wired's How-To Wiki.
Los Angeles County, following New York's lead, is declaring property a public nuisance if it's used to counterfeit copyrighted music and videos. Among the reasons: "It's detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare" of the public at large. Penalties range up to $1,000 for violation and properties can be shuttered.
Wired Science's Brandon Keim reports from The New Yorker conference, "Stories from the Near Future," which features visions of the next decade presented by the biggest names in science, technology and culture.
The Defense Department is keeping plump war-time budgets fat to fund a "longer war on terrorism" with lots of new gear. A new $165 billion House defense-spending bill goes well beyond what troops need on the ground in Iraq -- $50 billion is allocated for the latest manned and robotic aircraft, as well as new aerial and weapons systems.
Climate change threatens many animals -- but with any luck, some will handle weather shifts with as much aplomb as Parus major, a colorful songbird also known as the great tit.
In a study published today in Science, ornithologists from the University of Oxford tracked the egg-laying times of great tits in Wytham, England. Since the mid-1970s, temperatures in Wytham have risen steadily, hastening the start of spring by two weeks. The birds have followed suit, timing their breeding to coincide with earlier hatches of their favorite food source, a species of moth caterpillar.
The birds' adaptation appears to be based in what's known as phenotypic plasticity -- the ability of a creature to respond to changes in its environment -- rather than natural selection favoring birds with earlier breeding times.
Such plasticity allows the birds to respond quickly to climate change. Although there's no guarantee that they could handle more-radical warming, the findings strike a rare optimistic note in a chorus of warnings about climate-change-induced animal doom.
"These changes were driven not by evolution, but by the inbuilt ability of individuals to respond to their environment," said study co-author Ben Sheldon. "If driven by natural selection, this adaptation wouldn't have happened so rapidly. In terms of matching environmental change, this is more effective."
Great tits walk a fine line. If they lay their eggs just a few days late, the winter moth caterpillars on which they rely for springtime sustenance will have already hatched and departed when their chicks are hungriest.
But some environmental cue -- most probably temperature-related, though the researchers aren't sure -- triggers timely egg-laying in Wytham's great tits. Whether spring comes early or late, they've laid their eggs on time ever since scientists started tracking them in the early 1960s.
This versatility, said Sheldon, is produced by individual adaptive mechanisms, rather than long-term calibration by natural selection that favors earlier-laying birds.
"The temperature is changing in one direction, but each year it fluctuates a little bit. Natural selection would have trouble keeping up with those fluctuations," said Sheldon.
Such plasticity is good news for the birds.
"You can have rapid evolutionary responses to climate change -- but plasticity, if it does the right thing, can occur more quickly," said Andrew Hendry, a McGill University biologist who has studied the effects of climate change on animals.
"If plasticity is common in these traits that are influenced by climate change, it will aid population persistence," added Hendry, who was not involved in the study.
The findings in Wytham run contrary to those in another great-tit population in the Netherlands. Though they experienced similar weather patterns, the Dutch birds failed to lay their eggs on time.
Some populations may prove better able than others to handle climate change, said Sheldon, but he warned against expecting plasticity to handle the worst of our greenhouse excesses.
"We've seen these birds adapt to a 1.5-degree rise over the last three decades, but there's no guarantee they could cope with another five degrees," he said.
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