Bark Beetles Hate Rush Limbaugh and Heavy Metal 220
Aryabhata writes "According to scientists, climate change and human activity have allowed bark beetle populations to soar. They decided to fight the beetles by using the 'nastiest, most offensive sounds' that they could think of. These sounds included recordings of Guns & Roses, Queen, Rush Limbaugh and manipulated versions of the insects' own sounds. The research project titled 'Beetle Mania' has concluded that acoustic stress can disrupt their feeding and even cause the beetles to kill each other."
Re:Pitiful. but accurate (Score:3, Informative)
I would think G&R and Queen would be really offensive to anyone who likes metal.
better representation (Score:5, Informative)
He and his colleagues found that while Limbaugh and the heavy metal initially bothered the beetles, the insects mostly ignored the sounds after a while.
The researchers next decided to record and manipulate the beetle-produced sounds. They focused on an aggression call produced by males of the "tree killer" Dendroctonus species.
By making this call longer and louder than usual, they altered the beetles' behavior.
Apparently if you want to alter beetle behavior, using sounds that beetles understand is more effective. Just like Rush Limbaugh is more effective at making human subjects froth at the mouth.
Scientists' Opinions on Music and Politics (Score:2, Informative)
Right up there with Lady Gaga's perspectives on Quantum Mechanics or Keith Olberman's taste in pop music.
Thanks, I'll pass.
Proof of no scientific method (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Did they ever consider... (Score:5, Informative)
Go for the gusto. Play Obama's latest SOTU speech. It's nasty, offensive, AND completely untruthful for a 3-in-1.
Congratulations -- you're officially part of the far right. [cbsnews.com] Under 17% of speech watchers disapproved of the speech in general, let alone found it "nasty, offensive, AND completely untruthful". Even though democratic viewers outnumbered Republican viewers 2:1, independents were well represented, and combined with the fact that you expressed much more than simple disapproval, this places you solidly in the right-wing column.
It may be a surprise for you to learn that most of America doesn't think the way you do. They don't view Republicans as an oppressed minority suffering from an evil socialist conspiracy. 58% actually view them as obstructionists [washingtonpost.com]. Heck, over 10% of Scott Brown's vote came from Obama voters, who were overwhelmingly trying to punish the democrats [boldprogressives.org] for not getting enough done (82% of Obama voters who voted brown support the public option; 86% of Obama voters who stayed home do).
Re:So, any loud noise will work? (Score:3, Informative)
Why should he be apologetic? Because most people who are prescribed Oxycontin do use it as directed, and don't become addicted to it. And if you do develop an addiction, you wouldn't be so colossally stupid as to try to hide it and refuse treatment to wean you off it. Otherwise you run the risk of...wait for it...other medical problems. Get it now? Oh, poor Rushie, he's in so much pain. Too bad it's because he's too fucking fat, rich, and self-entitled. He stepped into his own shit and he has nobody else to blame for it but himself.
Re:So, any loud noise will work? (Score:3, Informative)