Snowball in Bird Talk Magazine

Snowball's research will be discussed in an upcoming issue of Bird Talk Magazine. A research paper which debuted on April 30, 2009 in Current Biology made news around the world which inspired an interview with Dr. Aniruddh Patel, lead scientist, of the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, California.

Irena Schulz was interviewed by Bird Talk Magazine for the June 2008 issue. Here is a link to that article. http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-exclusives/snowball.aspx

Snowball Makes World News

Pictured: Dr. Aniruddh Patel (left) and Dr. John Iversen (right)

Snowball, the prodigal parrot, has once again hit the airwaves. But this time it's the science side of Snowball that has everyone talking. Music has always been believed to be unique to humans. Thanks to Snowball and the scientists at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, California led by Dr. Ani Patel, that theory no longer flies - pun intended.

Below are links to some articles regarding a paper which was released in Current Biology on April 30, 2009 entitled "Experimental Evidence for Synchronization to a Musical Beat in a nonhuman Animal" by Patel, Iversen, Bregman, and Schulz. You can find many more links by Googling "Snowball dancing cockatoo."

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/430/1

http://inventorspot.com/articles/snowball_dancing_cockatoo_disproves_evolutionary_theory_21320

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103710332

http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/news/dancing-birds-rhythm.shtml

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/04/backstreet-boys-cockatoo-shows-researchers-that-birds-really-can-dance.html

http://blogs.discovery.com/news_animal/2009/04/birds-can-dance-video-and-qa-with-harvards-adena-schachner.html

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090430.wdancing0430/BNStory/Science/home

Snowball on Animal Planet

Snowball can be seen instructing children on how to dance at a dance studio in Chicago, Illinois on Animal Planet's "Most Outrageous Animals." This segment can be seen on the following days (Eastern Time):

May 2, 2009: 10pm

May 3, 2009: 1am & 5am

May 9, 2009: 5pm

May 11, 2009: 9pm

May 12, 2009: 12am & 4am

Snowball and the Geico gecko

Introducing Snowball's latest competition...the Geico gecko. The Martin Agency which produces the Geico commercials may have the recipe for the animal world's version of "Dancing With The Stars" by creating this adorable video. Personally, I think this would make a playfully amusing SUPER BOWL commercial!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeC8rMjp8Mc

WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL June 10-14

The countdown to the 2009 World Science Festival has begun.

From climate change to the cosmos; from neuroscience to nanotechnology; from mathematical magic to the multiverse--this year's Festival will feature some of the world's leading scientific minds, celebrated artists and innovative thinkers including:

Nobel Prize-winning scientists James Watson, Harold Varmus, David Gross, Frank Wilczek, Sir Paul Nurse and William Phillips; renowned authors Bill McKibben and Irene Pepperberg; esteemed researchers E.O. Wilson, James Hansen, Daniel Wegner, Erich Jarvis, Daniel Levitin and Margaret Livingstone; acclaimed artists Alan Alda, Marin Alsop and Anna Deavere Smith; and Irena Schulz from Bird Lovers Only Rescue.

2008 Festival Event Videos - Now Online
For those of you who may have missed one of last year's programs, many are now available to view online. To watch 2008 program excerpts, please visit: www.worldsciencefestival.com/video/2008-video-excerpts

For Information
Complete information about the 2009 Festival's programming and special guests will be announced later this spring. Tickets will go on sale in late April.
Please keep visiting www.worldsciencefestival.com for new announcements about programs, participants, and tickets. You can also follow the World Science Festival on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

Bird Brain vs. Brainy Birds

If someone calls you a "bird brain," thank them for the compliment. Birds are highly intelligent according to Edward A. Wasserman of the University of Iowa. He had much to say on this subject during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

For the full story, please click on this link. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29169229/article

The Magic of Music

A surgeon struck by lightning and a dancing parrot hold clues to music�s profound effects.
by Geoff Olson

http://www.commonground.ca/iss/211/cg211_olson.shtml