BY KAIA KARPE

STAFF WRITER

The Nicobar Pigeon is found on Nicobar Island, right through the east of the Malay Archipelago, down to Palau and the Solomons. You may have heard of this bird as the closest living relative to the dodo. Scientists have this idea based on some cladistic analysis of mtDNA cytochrome b and 12S rRNA sequences.  Cladistic analysis is “a system of biological taxonomy based on the quantitative analysis of comparative data and used to reconstruct cladograms summarizing the (assumed) phylogenetic relations and evolutionary history of groups of organisms” says vocabulary.com. With this they can say that the Nicobar Pigeon has a slight possibility of being related to the dodo with the small amount of taxa. The definition of taxa (or taxon) is a way to categorize a group. They live up to eight to twelve years in the wild, and ten to fifteen years in captivity.

Nicobar Pigeons are the only living species in the Caloenas genus. They can measure up to sixteen inches, though typically the females are shorter than the males. These birds’ feathers are from not having any predators to hide from. In 2004, the Indian Ocean tsunami inflicted a huge amount of damage on Nicobar Island and caused a slight population decrease.

Nicobar Pigeons’ diet consists of seeds, fruit, and buds. A gizzard stone helps them digest hard foods such as seeds. Birds swallow tiny amounts of gravel that helps the gizzard stone by acting as “teeth”.

Here are more visual examples of the gizzard stone.

An interesting thing about the Nicobar Pigeon is that they fly in columns or a single file line unlike the more common loose flock. Their white tail is similar to a taillight; It helps the group stay together and not get lost in the dark. Younger birds lack the white feathers, so if an adult Nicobar Pigeon sees that, they will know that they are not potential mates, not competition for mating, and they are not old enough to safely guide the flock to one location to the next. They like to build nests in heavy forest areas. Nicobar Pigeons build loose stick nests in a tree, and lay only one egg. Nicobar Pigeons are monogamous which means they only mate with one partner for life.

Sadly, the Nicobar Pigeons are considered near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN. They are hunted for their gizzard stones, which are made into jewelry, and they are trapped in an illegal trade to the local pet market as an exotic pet. Also, their nesting habitat is decreasing due to deforestation for plantations. That is not all of the threats to the Nicobar Pigeon of course. Nicobar Pigeon populations are also decreasing because of the travel of predators to their breeding grounds. Some examples of non-native predators are cats and rats. They are trying to be saved by multiple zoos which are helping Nicobar Pigeons adapt in safer areas. Hopefully people will notice them and try and pitch in to keep these wonderful creatures alive and healthy.

Citations

• “Nicobar Pigeon.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, September 27, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicobar_pigeon. 
• “Gizzard.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, September 15, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gizzard. 
• “This Colorful Pigeon with Luminous Feathers Is the Closest Living Relative to the Extinct Dodo Bird.” Positive Outlooks Blog, August 19, 2020. https://mypositiveoutlooks.com/nicobar-pigeon-dodo-relative/. 
• “The World’s Fastest Dictionary.” Vocabulary.com. Accessed October 15, 2020. https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/cladistic analysis. 
• “Gizzard and Crop Impaction.” Farm Health Online Animal Health and Welfare Knowledge Hub. Accessed October 15, 2020. https://www.farmhealthonline.com/US/disease-management/poultry-diseases/crop-impaction/. 

BY MARKOS YIANGOU

STAFF WRITER

From senior living homes to prosthetic limbs, the reach of robotic technology is growing in almost every industry. When I was younger, the idea of an automated machine was in my robot dog Zoomer or my friend MIP.  Who could have ever imagined that such efficiency from this type of technology could affect so many sectors in such a short time.

In the agricultural industry, companies are using robots to gather all kinds of crops, from apples to lettuce. Eliminating countless hours of manual labor. Not to mention manual labor is getting harder to find. In Washington, an orchard in Grandview uses a harvesting robot to pick apples off of their trees.   

The service industry has also seen a shift in automation. For example, McDonalds has been acquiring technology companies to automate their ordering process and bring more efficiency to their drive-thrus.In the future you will see drive-thrus change based on the time of day, weather, traffic, and the customer’s order.

Another job robots are doing is taking care of seniors. Some robots act as coaches to help elderly people exercise, stay social, and even distribute food and medicine. In South Korea there is a type of chair that can hold someone who weighs up to 220 pounds. It is a robotic chair that moves around with a joystick. Robots can be used for getting people around if they are unable to walk.

As we move into the age of experience, robotic technology will continue to play a big role in shaping our lives. Some are skeptical about bringing robots into everyday life, but if you weigh the pros and the cons, you’ll see the difference.  All of this technology is a benefit to society as it solves labor shortages and allows companies to remain competitive.  Everyone could use more Zoomer’s & MIP’s in their lives.

Sources:

Staples, P. (2019, March 02). Robots Used in Everyday Life. Retrieved September 13, 2020, from https://sciencing.com/robots-used-in-everyday-life-12084150.html

Lucas, A. (2019, September 10). McDonald’s acquires A.I. company to help automate the drive-thru, its third tech deal this year. Retrieved September 15, 2020, from https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/10/mcdonalds-acquires-ai-company-trying-to-automate-the-drive-thru.html

Picture: https://time.com/longform/senior-care-robot/

BY LAASYA AKI

STAFF WRITER

People in general have mixed feelings about social media. Some only concentrate on the benefits of social media, viewing it as a way to connect with their friends. Others focus only on the cons, seeing it as a threat to our health and society. Either way, many people spend a lot of time on social media and come across tens and hundreds of posts each day. Using the powerful influence of social media, activists have reached a number of eyes that they wouldn’t have been able to reach before. 

Why is social media different from any other news outlet?

Well, social media and news outlets differ in many ways, but the main area is the audience. Social media is mostly used by a younger audience: Generation Z and Millennials. Many of these news outlets rely on people going to their site to view their content. Social media is on almost every phone of Gen Z. Even if they don’t actively look to learn, they will come across it while scrolling through their social media. And this doesn’t just apply to Gen Z, though there is a majority here; it applies to anyone who has social media.

Why is it important that the younger population comes across these posts?

Gen Z is the most tolerant generation compared to previous generations. A larger percentage of these younger peoples are more likely to be tolerant of race, religion, and sexuality. A large percentage of Gen Z is seeing what is right and what is wrong. The younger generation is the future and can change it. This isn’t the case with previous generations. Gen Z is known to take action when needed.

After the tragic death of George Floyd, an innocent black man who was murdered at the hands of the police, many people on social media organized protests and reached the eye of those who they couldn’t have reached without social media. Those who couldn’t attend protests spread awareness to others. This also was the case with Breonna Taylor, Elijah Mcclain, and many more. But, with all of this good, comes the bad.

The dangers of misinformation.

With all this information spreading around, not all of it can be true. With the rise of activists comes misinformation and conspiracy theorists. One of these absurd theories is that George Flyod isn’t actually dead and that he faked it. This is not true, but on social media how does one know? We can try to fact check what we read and educate others. With all of this good also comes bad. The activism is growing louder, and they’ll have to listen to us soon.

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Sources

https://psmag.com/ideas/how-generation-z-as-the-multicultural-vanguard-can-safeguard-the-future-of-america

http://thesnapper.millersville.edu/index.php/2020/06/08/how-social-media-is-contributing-to-the-blm-movement/

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/technology/george-floyd-misinformation-online.html