Scientists Study The Scream Of The Squirrel 43
SimianOverlord writes "The BBC details a recent breakthrough in Squirrel to Man understanding. Scientist James Hare, in his study of the North American Ground Squirrel, noted peculiar behaviour; they appeared to 'lose their voice' while communicating, producing only a 'breathy whisper' in sound ranges audible to the human ear. On a hunch, the intrepid boffin borrowed a 'bat detector', which translates inaudible ultrasound into the human hearing range, and discovered the Squirrels were using a whole range of distinct ultrasound messages which can give gradated threat warnings or be targetted to family members, all without any predators detecting the message, or easily pinpointing the location of the caller. Though it has been known for some time rodents use ultrasound, this is believed to be the first time that it has a proven purpose, and the content of the messages have been deciphered."
Well... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Well... (Score:1, Funny)
Each other (Score:1)
Re:Each other (Score:2)
Teaching aids (Score:1)
Some wires across the outside of the screens, hooked to the flash capacitor of a scrap disposable-camera flash unit, might do the trick. You'll have to find a way to force the unit on, though; if it stays off for too long all the charge will leak away and its usefulness as a memory aid will be nil.
Bushy-Tailed Rats (Score:2, Interesting)
Other rodent performance evaluation. [harvard.edu]
Ground squirrels = gophers (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Ground squirrels = gophers (Score:3, Informative)
Gophers are members of the Geomyidae and native to the Americas.
The creature from this study is a Spermophilus richardsonii, family Sciuridae, commonly known as the Richardson's Ground Squirrel.
However it is very common in the US to call any larger ground based burrowing rodents a gopher.
Re:Ground squirrels = gophers (Score:2)
ps. I love Ray Bradbury, but he's old and wrong.
Re:Ground squirrels = gophers (Score:2)
Hrm, no, not really. Most people use specific names. eg: Woodchuck [wikipedia.org] Prairie dog [wikipedia.org] California Ground Squirrel [wikipedia.org]
Maybe "gopher" is more commonly used in the southern vocabulary?
-molo
Content of squirrel messages (Score:2, Funny)
When you're a kid and you wanna go "wheeeee," but you ain't got drugs yet
You hold out for your life
Hold on to your little gonads...and strife.
We could learn a lot from the little guys, no?
wow (Score:4, Funny)
Re:wow (Score:2)
Funny you should say that... [funnyjunk.com]
Re:Nice to know such important research happens (Score:2, Insightful)
Using your logic, we should be mad at you for spending time on Slashdot instead of using that time researching "molecular manufacturing, or stem cells, or space flight".
Get on it, you lazy bum!
I am, you insensitive clod! (Score:2, Funny)
But it does detract. It detracts money. (Score:2)
Or vice-versa... (Score:4, Insightful)
It all depends on whose ox is gored.
Something that I'm missing? (Score:1)
Leaf Guard . . . (Score:3, Funny)
That might seem extraordinary, but consider that the squirrels in question live in North America, it's pretty obvious that they'd start picking up our language. However, there are small enclaves of squirrels who speak Spanish and other languages. Just goes to show what a blended society the squirrels have.
Seriously though, I'm surprised this discovery hadn't aleady happened. Heck, if I had a ultrasonic-to-sonic thing-a-ma-jig like that, I'd have pointed it at all sorts of things by now--people, birds (who says what we hear is all they squawk), squirrels, cars, etc.
And if you'll notice here... (Score:4, Funny)
From a whisper to a scream. (Score:2)
I wonder what kind of ultrasonic scream the squirrel mentioned here (Squirrel Cop) [207.70.82.73] made.
Don't listen! (Score:1, Offtopic)
Hmm.... (Score:1)
Content of the message was... (Score:2)
Yes! (Score:1)
BTW, these things can also be made to sound like small monkeys if you close your hand over the opening, waggle the rubber part, and repeatedly allow the opening to open/close
Squirrel translator (Score:2)
I have a suspicion the squirrel communication is much along the same lines.
They can communicate, sure, but... (Score:2)
They seem smart in that article, but driving home today I'll probably watch one sitting on the curb, and for some reason runs across the road ONLY when the car is in range... not to mention the ones that run back and forth trying to dodge it - the ones that get all the way across and for some reason decide to run back across the road (and into the car).
Smart communicators, dumb survivors.
now wiv zee ultrasound detector (Score:5, Funny)
Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts (Score:2)
Re:Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts (Score:5, Funny)
Squirrel 2: Raise shields.
Squirrel 1: [Holds up large leaf with hole in it] Our shields are no match for their weapon systems, sir. But I believe that if we remodulate our communication frequencies, we will be undetectable to the enemy.
Squirrel 2: Make it so.
They are out to get us! (Score:1)
The truth is here [deadsquirrel.com]
I wonder how to build (Score:1)
I would maybe start with 2 product lines -the "Squirrel Companion" budget version (for university labs) and the heavy-duty "Squirrel Endeavor" model for demanding industry application. (Made of stainless steel and Teflon, with remote control and featuring multiple slots for up to 6 squirrels
Dog whistles... (Score:1)
Their next project: (Score:2)
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Haven't we known this? (Score:2)
Little Fuzzy (Score:2, Interesting)