A special eye protein is helping birds to “see” Earth’s magnetic field! If that’s not cool, I don’t know what is.
The ability to see Earth’s magnetic field, known as magnetoreception, relies on the presence of specifically the blue wavelength of light. The complex process involves “radical” intermediate molecules which are sensitive to Earth’s magnetic field. The Earth’s magnetic field, as it relates to the direction the bird is facing, could alter the intermediate radical molecules differently, giving the bird a sense for where it is facing in relation to the Earth’s magnetic field.
While the exact way birds visualize Earth’s magnetic field is part of further investigation, scientists believe the Cry4 protein acts as sort of a filter over the bird’s vision. This filter would allow birds to see a sort of compass of the Earth and direct their migratory flights accordingly.
If you’re looking for a good way to spend the rest of your week, Archive.org have unearthed a gigantic collection of cassettes from the mid-eighties into the mid-nineties. According to their notes, the collection was saved from the archives of noise-arch.net and donated by former CKLN-FM radio host Myke Dyer in August of 2009. Due to the size and obscurity, the collection hasn’t been properly notated but is said to include cassettes ranging from “tape experimentation, industrial, avant-garde, indie, rock, DIY, subvertainment and auto-hypnotic materials”. Head to Archive now to download the free collection.
I know that some of you will lose your minds over this.
Founded in 2005, the all-female motorcycle club meets every Sunday to cruise through the streets of New Orleans and share in the sisterhood of partaking in what is often a male-dominated arena.
“The motorcycle and MC [motorcycle club] world is very male-dominated, so to be African American and be a woman involved in this predominantly male world was also really fascinating.”
the contrast between their glamorous looks and gritty bikes sets them apart from other riders.
“Watching them dressed so feminine, and then being on these really masculine machines and being able to control them and do tricks on them, is visually stunning,” she said.
That is so damn badass! I’m in love!!!!!!
i’m obsessed with the idea of all black girl gangs.
Black women helping, fighting for and supporting other black women is what we need.
Inspiration Haven 