Chris Clark
@selasphorus1.bsky.social
I study hummingbirds and owls, and the sounds they make, or not, with their wings.
false, odors are molecules small enough to volatilize -- about 12 carbon atoms max. So no, the smell of shit is not shit itself
November 21, 2025 at 6:21 AM
false, odors are molecules small enough to volatilize -- about 12 carbon atoms max. So no, the smell of shit is not shit itself
The topic is how owls hunt prey thru snow. I learned that snow can reach up and grab sound that was just minding its own business, passing nearby (called "Grazing incidence sound absorption").
November 15, 2025 at 5:07 AM
The topic is how owls hunt prey thru snow. I learned that snow can reach up and grab sound that was just minding its own business, passing nearby (called "Grazing incidence sound absorption").
Paper is probably salvageable but my naïve model isn't. Editor replied rejecting paper w/o prejudice. I've got some work to do on it, but I'm actually excited by it all. I learned a concept w/ strong relevance to my work, and I have an idea for additional experiments in this area as a result.
November 15, 2025 at 5:04 AM
Paper is probably salvageable but my naïve model isn't. Editor replied rejecting paper w/o prejudice. I've got some work to do on it, but I'm actually excited by it all. I learned a concept w/ strong relevance to my work, and I have an idea for additional experiments in this area as a result.
Today Sr. author again replied, he'd read my paper, he provided a short critique, named additional concepts, and answered a couple questions. Don't fully understand concepts yet but googling tells me what I need to know: Weird result not so weird, and model in my paper wrong. 3/
November 15, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Today Sr. author again replied, he'd read my paper, he provided a short critique, named additional concepts, and answered a couple questions. Don't fully understand concepts yet but googling tells me what I need to know: Weird result not so weird, and model in my paper wrong. 3/
Looked @ refs, saw senior author, googled him, realized this concept might explain my weird result, then emailed, sketching result. Got very prompt reply; realized my 'weird' result probably not so weird. Emailed editor at journal to notify, and sent Sr. author draft of submitted paper. 2/
November 15, 2025 at 4:56 AM
Looked @ refs, saw senior author, googled him, realized this concept might explain my weird result, then emailed, sketching result. Got very prompt reply; realized my 'weird' result probably not so weird. Emailed editor at journal to notify, and sent Sr. author draft of submitted paper. 2/
Sadly, the companion to this piece, on which males had paternity, did not work. Sean found nests in this population, to try to measure paternity. However, a litany of problems (microsats weren't variable, windstorm caused nest failure, too little DNA in the sample) mean this part didn't work.
October 30, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Sadly, the companion to this piece, on which males had paternity, did not work. Sean found nests in this population, to try to measure paternity. However, a litany of problems (microsats weren't variable, windstorm caused nest failure, too little DNA in the sample) mean this part didn't work.
Is that a tiny snake or a gigantic fly?
October 23, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Is that a tiny snake or a gigantic fly?
I always wonder how much the experimental exposure to noise benefits the owl by masking the prey's hearing.
September 30, 2025 at 10:43 PM
I always wonder how much the experimental exposure to noise benefits the owl by masking the prey's hearing.
What's next: "these facts don't match my preconceived ideas, this professor needs to be fired!"
September 9, 2025 at 5:12 PM
What's next: "these facts don't match my preconceived ideas, this professor needs to be fired!"
In other words: the algo *knows* you, maybe better than you know yourself!
August 17, 2025 at 1:42 AM
In other words: the algo *knows* you, maybe better than you know yourself!
How long can a log remain preserved in a lake? Could any have been there for 1000's of years? any chance of a dendochronology study similar to what they did with bristlecone pines?
August 7, 2025 at 4:12 PM
How long can a log remain preserved in a lake? Could any have been there for 1000's of years? any chance of a dendochronology study similar to what they did with bristlecone pines?