New Scientist video round-up - February 1, 2008

TL;DR

Discover new mammal and bird species, study schizophrenia through virtual reality games.

Transcript

hello and welcome to our latest science video Roundup I'm Tom simonite and I'll be taking you through the best clips of the past week first footage of a newly discovered species of mammal sing Cal tells us more this animal may look a bit like an anteater but it's actually a new species of elephant shrew and is distantly related to elephants sea cow... Read More

Key Insights

• 👶 New mammal species, elephant shrew, discovered in Tanzania's unga mountains.
• 😶‍🌫️ Male Anna's hummingbirds utilize tail feathers to produce loud chirps during mating.
• 👾 Virtual reality games are being used to study schizophrenia and how individuals perceive the world.
• 🚄 The use of high-speed cameras in studying hummingbird behavior.
• 😶‍🌫️ Tail feathers of hummingbirds mimic wind instruments for loud chirping.
• 💨 Virtual reality offers a unique way to incorporate sensory information for studying schizophrenia.
• ❓ Schizophrenia patients struggle with distinguishing unusual items in virtual reality experiments.

Questions & Answers

Q: How was the newly discovered species of elephant shrew found?

The discovery of the new species of elephant shrew was made in Tanzania's unga mountains after biolog Galen Urban investigated sightings of the creatures, eventually finding 40 of them slurping up ants and worms from the forest floor.

Q: How do male Anna's hummingbirds produce sound with their tail feathers?

Male Anna's hummingbirds produce loud chirps by fluttering their tail feathers during mating season, mimicking wind instruments due to the stiff vibrating feathers that create the sound.

Q: Why are Israeli researchers using virtual reality games to study schizophrenia?

Virtual reality games are being used to study schizophrenia as they can incorporate different sensory information in one environment, allowing researchers to understand how people with schizophrenia perceive the world.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• A new species of mammal, the elephant shrew, has been discovered in Tanzania, using its long tongue to feed on invertebrates.

• Male Anna's hummingbirds use their tail feathers to produce loud chirps during mating, mimicking wind instruments.

• Israeli researchers are using virtual reality games to study how people with schizophrenia perceive the world.