For Love of Writers’ Post

Unveiling the Secret World of Elephant Communication: Do Elephants Have Names? “As the current data indicates, elephants might not exactly be saying “You all know exactly who I am. Say my name” (as the infamous character from Breaking Bad, Walter White, said). However, elephants are sophisticated and complex animals. They can produce individual vocal labels which give them several evolutive advantages in their environment. Many more questions remain unanswered regarding the complexity of social cognition, symbolic communication, and social decision-making of elephants. The more knowledge and information we can gather from these magnificent animals, the more potential beneficial implications for conservation efforts.” This article discusses recent research suggesting that African elephants may use individual-specific calls, akin to personal names, to address each other. It explores the complex communication methods of elephants, their social structure, and the implications of such findings for understanding elephant intelligence and social behavior. Author: Jonathan Diaz Baca Let us know your thoughts on this article in the comments below! We would love to hear from you! #4loveofwriters #forloveofwriters #flow #writer #writers #writingcommunity #whattoreadnext #writerslife #writersociety #writersnetwork #explorepage #writerscorner #amwriting #amreading #whattoreadnext #bookobsessed #readingaddict #readmore #currentread #trendyread #nature #environment #elephants #african #communication #animals #ElephantCommunication #AnimalNames #WildlifeDiscovery #NatureResearch

FROG NEWS: Here's a new story about singing bullfrogs from the Future Natures website. https://lnkd.in/ear4EbyQ "The problem humans face as species is this: I am open only to some species, and only some species are open to me. In other words, we may connect only to some members of a particular species and not to others and vice versa. We expect to connect with dogs but not say, spiders. What can frustrate such assumptions? What must an animal do to cast doubt about whether we have judged them too quickly? How must humans respond to such a gesture should an animal make it? What strange things must happen? Animals are othered because we don’t speak the same language, but we do have secret and open friendships with domesticated animals. There are other common contract-languages such as work and companionship that enables us to translate what animals are saying. As the translators, we have an unparalleled power of interpretation; we can even say they are not saying anything at all..." ---- "We watched the frogs for a while, documenting the scene with photos and videos. Just before leaving, Calvin, on a whim, recorded their vocalizations and played them back using a portable speaker he happened to have with him. To our horror and great delight, the frogs responded to our playback." https://lnkd.in/ei9S8kMg #ecology #species #communication 🐸

Recently I was writing an article for ‘Marine Biology Fanciers Monthly’ that had the working title ‘Top Ten Aquarium Pets In Order Of Squishiness’, when I was subject to an event that I suspect is not unique to me. (It goes from ‘Hermit Crab’ to ‘Sea Slug’ in ascending order.) Needing to know how to spell ‘axolotl’, I typed an approximate jumble of the letters I thought were needed (amongst which I included a superfluous ‘y’) into Google which dutifully spewed out links to a number of articles with the correct spelling on display. I can’t explain the why for what happened next but from all the many words on the screen one jumped out as if written in fluorescent orange neon strip lighting. That brazen word was ‘paedomorphic’. Immediately, before I could even hazard an intentional and educated guess at the true definition, the voice that lives in my head had said: ‘Whoa, that’s got to be the most disturbing, shapeshifting supervillain that’s ever been created. ‘Professor Paedomorph’! There’s no way they’ll get a movie franchise.’ In an effort to silence the voice before it created an origins story for this most nefarious and transmutable of evildoers in the history of depravity I looked up the true definition of the word. Which actually means, ‘to retain juvenile features as an adult’, as in the axolotyl...axolotl. Any of you had the same experience? Has your subconscious (second personality) come up with an impulsive, and incorrect, definition for a word that’s new to you? And better still, have you acted on that misinformation? Admit it, you’ve spray-painted ‘nonce’ on the wall of a paediatrician’s house, haven’t you? Fill in the space below with your embarrassments, that’s what it’s for…in this instance. #sifrants #sifrantsagain #pennamesif #books #humour #lifestyle #dontknowhowtouse#

So you know when Elsa from Frozen belts out 'let it goooo', holding out her hand as a sparkling snowflake magically appears where she touches? That's basically what it's like to be in bioluminescent water. It's the weirdest thing: you dip your feet over the edge of the boat and the dark water dazzles around your toes. Or you trail your finger through the water, leaving a magical trail. And also, probably, leaving you thinking wtaf is going on? Bioluminescence is when marine organisms produce light through a chemical reaction within their body. This might be an animal like the firefly squid but it could also be produced by tiny plankton as they drift through the water. Why do they do it? For some species, it might be to attract prey. Others might use it to warn off predators. Or it could be a form of communication (maybe they're having an argument and thinking "Oh come on, Dave, just let it go" 😉) Have you ever seen bioluminescence in the water? Isn't it the coolest? - Fin - 🦈 Hi, I'm Mel: the ocean writer. On Sundays I share some of the amazing things that blow my mind about our Blue Planet (and which make me love my work as a marine conservation copywriter). Interested in working together? Get in touch! 💙 [Image ID: Gif shows bright blue bioluminescent waves crashing on the shore against the backdrop of the black night] #ScienceWriter #SciComms #ScienceCommunication

My latest blog on Medium reflects on recent experiences that got me thinking about the link between evolution, social norms, and the rules of language—and what this might mean for our species and your writing. https://shorturl.at/baIhS

My latest blog on Medium reflects on recent experiences that got me thinking about the link between evolution, social norms, and the rules of language—and what this might mean for our species and your writing. https://shorturl.at/baIhS

🐉 Pet Dragon or Pet Dinosaur? 🦖 Add some excitement to your lessons with this interactive Snorkl "Would You Rather"! Fun, engaging, and perfect for student-driven writing & discussions. 🎉💡 What will your students choose? 🐠📚 #SnorklActivities #WouldYouRather #EdTech #InteractiveLearning

And for today's task: trying to work out how to become an expert in ornithology... Research matters. But let's face it, not everyone in comms and marketing can be a specialist in every single subject. You don't have to be... Our journalists are experts in interviewing academics and students to create: ➡ Stories for your website ➡ Headlines for social media content ➡ Case studies ➡ Pitches to the media ➡ Reports  ➡ Awards entries  Leave it to us 🙋🏾♀️ - we'll get your story 📖 #higheredcomms #storytelling #researchimpact

𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 (𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒏) : a copse (small group of trees) or small patch of woodland home to a great many birds (Haggard Hawks)   A small area of woodland with a noticeable population of birds can be known as a 𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆, or 𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒎. The word is recorded in a handful of 19th century dialect dictionaries—including the monumental English Dialect Dictionary, which prefers the –𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 spelling. Others (including an 1883 Glossary of the Dialect of Almondbury and Huddersfield) either use or suggest the –𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒎 spelling instead.   It is likely that the L spelling is the more etymologically sound one. As a word in its own right, a 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒎 is usually an island (as in 𝑰𝒏𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒎, in the Firth of Forth), and in that sense it has been in recorded use in English since the 11th century at least. Before then, 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒎 was an Old English word for a wave on the surface of an area of water (the sense you will find used in 𝑩𝒆𝒐𝒘𝒖𝒍𝒇); after then, it was used in several looser senses, typically to describe anywhere similarly isolated in or by its surroundings. By the 1400s, for instance, 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒎 was being applied to isolated hilltops—and it is perhaps along similar lines, in the sense of an isolated area of forest, that it crops up in 𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒎.   The confusion with 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 is probably a later development, based on the word’s apparent attachment specifically to areas of woodland inhabited by (i.e. ‘made home’ by) noticeable numbers of birds. Is that the accurate etymology? With scant textual evidence to go on, it is about as good as we can get.   𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒔: Paul Anthony Jones, writer, language blogger, and author of eight books about language and etymology (including Haggard Hawks, which is dedicated to obscure words, language trivia, and etymological stories)   𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑨𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒕: Frans Snyders aka Frans Snijders (1579-1657), Flemish painter of animals (one of the earliest specialist animaliers), hunting scenes, market scenes, and still lifes, “Concert of Birds,” 1629-30   #mydictionary #words #bindhome #bindholm #etymologicalstories #lexicography #etymology #haggardhawks #naturalhistory #lifelonglearning #artbasedlearning #franssnyders #visualstorytelling #illustrateddictionary #alternativelearning #learningreimagined

Stick around to the end to watch me slowly lose the will to live 🎬🌳 I talk a lot on camera, I find it easy, right? Think again! From missed cues to tangled tongues, I thought I'd peel back the curtain. Yes, even I stumble! Here’s the raw, unfiltered truth: Stepping in front of the camera is a skill, and like any skill, it takes practice (and a fair share of bloopers) to master. As ecologists dive into survey season and arborists catch the trees in bloom, there’s no better time to start creating video content. Documenting your work or journey. Providing insights and inspiration to others. Sharing knowledge and advice. In this video first world we live in, if you want to increase engagement on social media, video content has to be part of your strategy. But, I get it. It's daunting. My advice. Start small. 1. Practice Makes Perfect. The more you film, the more natural it feels. Start with short clips. 2. Speak to One: Imagine talking to a friend, not a lens. It makes your delivery more personal and less daunting. 3. Edit Out the Awkward: Remember, editing is your best friend. Those bloopers? They don’t make the final cut. 4. Just Have Fun: The best videos capture your passion, not perfection (as I've recently told James Butler-White and others many times). Let your enthusiasm for nature shine through! And next time you're nervous. Pull up this video. #arboriculture #ecology #socialmedia #bloopers