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THE
GREATEST RISK
IS NOT
TAKING ONE.
It
takes courage to do something that's never been done before. To attempt a feat
that goes
understanding of
of the inherent
all
hsks
may
But,
it
enterphses than
we
No one has
arise.
do.
In fact,
better firsthand
all
time you wake up, mind ablaze with an idea that nobody's attempted
to
contact AIG. We're the organization that helps challenging ventures get
Jlr-,
WORLD LEADERS
IN
Group,
Inc.,
70 Pine
Street,
members
Department
A,
of
American
New York,
knowledge
pursue before,
off
the ground.
K>^Rl
International
WWW.AIG.COM
Coining In For
A Saie Landing.
Their wings
Bringing
danger.
And that's
^p"^
line.
Helping
safely.
on top
of
power poles
Chevron
People Do.
www.peopIedo.com
a.
land
COHO SALMON DO
EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD
IF
YOU WERE
IN
TROUBLE.
LAWYER
HIRE A GOOD
EARTH USTICE
I
Wwimming
is
dam
or
the water with erosion from logging operations, and survival becomes next to impossible.
That's where Earthjustice
comes
in.
We're a nonprofit law firm that enforces the laws that protect our
won hundreds
all
breathe, or
swim,
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whichever
a little easier
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our website.
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And
see
how
MAY
00
NUMBER
VOLUME 110
FEATURES
MOTHERS AND OTHERS
Rearing human offspring
to
independence
tasks.
Early
is
one of nature's
human
mothers, argues
up
baby.
NEW ZEALAND
SWEET STAKES
Tiny drops
ot
honeydew exuded by
forest.
THE
REWARDS
OF CHANCE
COVER
Thanks
to the
random
Female Barbary
macaques with
baby. Primate
mothering
is,
behavior of agitated
to
varying degrees, a
flex
its
wings and
can open up
its
chared venture.
STORY BEGINS
OH PAGE 50
PHOTOGRAPH BY
CYRIL RUOSO/BIOS;
PETER ARNOLD, INC.
BY
clam
shell.
MARK DENNY
DEPARTMENTS
8
UP FRONT
Others'
Day
10 LETTERS
12 CONTRIBUTORS
14 IN
SUM
16 FINDINGS
Tiny Conspiracies
BONNIE L. BASSLER
34 THIS LAND
The Mysterious
Side of Mercury
RICHARD PANEK
39 THE SKY IN MAY
JOE RAO
40 IN THE FIELD
Riding the Witches'-Broom
marchand
peter'j.
CARL ZIMMER
46 UNIVERSE
Cosmic Plasma
NEIL DE GRASSE TYSON
78 AT THE
MUSEUM
S.
F.
COOPER
JR.
82 MUSEUM EVENTS
84 REVIEW
Most Excellent of Fishes
LES
KAUFMAN
86 nature.net
Tnlobitophilia
ROBERT ANDERSON
86 BOOKSHELF
JENNIFER ACKERMAN
Visit our
Web
site at
u'wti'.iiaturalhistory.com
HistoryChannel,com/Egypt
;'-(ii7j'
1;
.^
.
'
-!^riJ^'liOK^pK^s2^'p>i^
CHANNEL
WHERE THE PAST COMES
ALIVE,.
UP FRONT
C ?. I
Day
Others'
Probably because
small and nuclear,
grew up
I
I
Rebecca B.
Thomas Page
had quite
first
among
A human
nature.
And
infant
it
is,
It
us
of the task of
who knew
the score
Board of Editors
Thomas Rosinski
as helpless a
one fmds
creature as
in
skills
Merle Okada
down on
its
Mark A. Furlong
from pediatricians
that the
back
as
is
is
an infant
can crawl,
its
Jessica
moment-to-moment
existence
is
threatened
as
Humans
up a
and individual experience. Yet we
to bring
financial circumstances,
We
we
our offspring
972-1157
925-9300
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Nai'
C/;iffl?oJerry
Greco
American Museum
OF Natural History
bottom Hne.
at that
fr-om nuclear.
bolsters her
hunch
human
honorees but
labors of "others"
made
Hrdy
(212)
6: Assoc. (847)
behavior,
Publisher
Circulation Assistant
An INSTITUTION DEDICATED TO
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are
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infancy requires
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Adrertising Production
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unending
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safest.)
Publisher
As soon
back, side, or
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the baby
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Associate
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writer James
Designer
a parent.)
of course, about
Maire Crowe
Managing Editor
Executive Editor
experience
own
Editor in Chief
Finnell
and
it
foster parents.
possible for
It
humans
may
to evolve.
Elleii
Goldensolin
Lewis
Tmstees
{ISSN 0028-0712)
Natiimi History
is
Jui>-/ August
Pack West
79th
at
Street.
New York. NY
New York,
N.Y, and
seum of Natural
at
History.
all
Museum
addidonal mailing
offices.
History.
Copyright
C 2001
by American
ai
Mu-
ANCIENT EGYPT.
^EGYI^ BBfiDTHIPYRAMIPS
MAY 2$^N^9^" kl 9PM/8C
ey to whereframeras'have never gone. From the everyday
common
I
tombs
lives of
'
'
~\ v;iLHimij
10
NATURAL HISTORY
5/0
LETTERS
The note
itself fascinating.
Larva By
Other
Any
Name
On page
56 of
"A World
DNA but
only
mitochondria." If Brown
happened
(3/01),
two photographs
'47.
was
1946 or
in
in the Scientific
at
correct and
McVey
via e-mail
is
some
Russell
L.
replies:
from father to
preservation of
does
child,
Chances
MacArthur's headquarters,
age.
occurs in a snail
of 170,000 years?
less
metamorphosis.
responsibihty ot overseeing
Adam
and even
Unfortunately, the
Japanese research.
project was
silkworm pupae
While the
snails.
nudibranch
is
adult
silk
correctly
not a nudibranch.
be discontinued
M.
cooked
of snail, one
Jolin
silk.
H. McClendon
of
The author
writes about
/*%
insects
Asia.
is
was
a child
is
had
was
any
DNA. No
fossils
"Peking man"
for
DNA testing,
as all
.Hiij^
Dislodged Beavers
In "In the Field" (3/01),
Peter J.
of egg
fertilization
Marchand writes
"show little
that beavers
inclination to chisel
More
recent studies,
through" the
ice
of a pond
their
sperm mitochondria
Lawrence River,
been observing
between
the
JKk
belligerent insects,
pendulum of opinion
swung back. I was
has
vendors
by
school gate.
scientific uncertainty
Eve and
Paula Mikkelsen
In
have
beaver
harvest trees
the deepest.
mitochondria.
Adam
less
suggest that
make
Hominid Bones
After reading "The
more
Scavenging of 'Peking
contribute irdtochondrial
turn, caused
"prosobranch" (not
and Russell
dam
"opistobranch").
mitochondria in sperm
(3/01),
might make.
The
is
quite
It
"The Evolutionary
six
A. Zee
The photographer,
this
lost.
%iVJj^)
right.
of
in
of
are available
egg.
fairly universal in
When
It
that there
erectus
three to fifteen
studies
^
.;.
used to
DNA
inherited paternally.
so,
DNA. Homo
about whether
any mitochondrial
been assumed
via e-uiail
Natural History
&
the
essentially
in the water
loosen the
Mikkclscn, Ph.D.
Mnseum
all
rather
American
ate
Food was
pupae were
of the neogastropods.
Paula
women
responds:
scientific
to
pupae.
four-
Guy Brown
yielded
had
different type
after the
Neanderthal
fossils are
Jackson, Newjerscy
Its
Klein
on the use of
multispiral, heavily
One
for the
DNA
Ciochon
that
DNA.
with Neanderthal
Kathleen
few or no
("Contributors") mentions
by Gregory A. Wray
the drastic
delivers a fuU
it
Apart,"
illustrate
conception,
load of nuclear
Insect Allure
Erik L. Laurent's
cell."
Zimmer
can't
Yet in
on
was
(7/00-8/00),
writes,
Guy Brown
"When
sperm
likely to
L. Ciochon
wondered if
Bob Arnebeck
in-process
Wellesley Island,
eflforts
erectus
to
are, in
by holes in the
repHcate the
or find
New
York
DNA of Homo
Homo
and/or
as has recently
habilis,
been done
is
nhmag@amnh.org.
^^
EVER WONDER
JlHHii
iT
IN
IF
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
J^WAf' --3S\/
THE=
HISWAY
CHANNEL.
WHERE THE PAST COMES
ALIVE.
12
NATURAL HISTORY
5/0
CONTRIBUTORS
was a picture showing the bacterium Vibrio harveyi glowing in the dark that drew
Bonnie L. Bassler ("Tiny Conspiracies," page 16) to study ceU-to-ceU communication in
bacteria. At the time, she was just finishing her doctorate in biochemistry and wanted to
It
do research in
genetics.
She thought
could induce mutations that affected luminescence and then simply turn off the Hghts in
the
room
'languages'
of this
compHcated than
first
phenomenon
An
slightly
is
suspected.
is still
more
fian."
Bassler
is
an
Princeton University.
at
and
females,
their offspring,
Hanuman
Her evolutionary
perspective
on
Hrdy
males,
among
Sarah Blaffer Hrdy ("Mothers and Others," page 50) began her
is
essays for
University of California, Davis, and the author of four books, including, most recently. Mother
Nature:
Laura Sessions
"The
Little
A History ofMotiiers,
Stakes,"
Run
as
Things That
the
World"
been looking
for
examples ever
the
bill.
has
Sessions
since.
moved
page 64)
first
Selection
Honeydew
to
and Natural
Infants,
insects in the
says she
southern beech
United
forests
on
program there
in science
the
of
States in 1996.
visited
and
Denny conducts
sea Uons."
on
slug slime,
DeNault
fieldwork
at Stanford's
he wrote Chance
in
in Pacific Grove,
to
Explore Nature (Princeton University Press, 2000). Their interest in chance began while
written
book about
mathematician or
probability theory
them
statistician),
especially,
get a
he
John Serrao ("The Natural Moment," page 88) grew up in the borough of Queens,
New York City, where he pursued his passion for Hving things by hunting black
widow spiders around Jamaica Bay and collecting cicada-kiUing wasps in his
backyard. Alter receiving an M.S. in Science and Environmental Education from
Cornell University, Serrao (pictured here with a two-month-old black bear) began
his career as a professional naturalist, leading nature
home
his
in the
(J. S.
says,
wary look
Publications, 2000).
it
feels strange to
when he mentions
in their eye
Denny
have
it
to
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miracles
and
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Embark on an adventure you'll never
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All in our unique magazine, world ac-
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Subscribe today
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Associate benefits:
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discouMl
spectacular
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oi]
a ticket to our
visit
.Museum
crafts,
s gift shops,
in the
including books,
14
SUM
IN
CHICKS
SIS'S
common
in
is
good deal
for the
2000) Kirsten L
Academy of
Weir
Processions of foliage-
common
them
to
is
incapable of growing
its
and
field
Panama,
in
Brazilian National
that
routinely
per-
The
researchers
observed the
water-
ofthe inch-and-a-half-
them
peacefully with
freshwater streams of
and
as parasites. But
live
members
Federal Uni-
of fungus growers
Brazilian ichthy-
fall-climbing abilities
Some Megalomyrmex
fish
A team of
it raids
Salmon swim up
darter (Characidium)
among
waterfalls,
ROCK-CLIMBING FISH
ologists,
new ant
Weir
2000) Kirsten L
wissenschaften 87,
own
new
Usurpation of Attine
in the rain-
Megabmyrmex that
If
("Agro-Predation:
POACHED FUNGI
discovered a
Sciences 97:24,
of the newly
all
the
Espirito
Santo in east-
two
large
of
pairs
then
movements. Their
flat,
effort,
would expect
if
foot
cliff
fifty-
likely to
same
nest and
area, or
parasitize
nests in the
floods.
tar-
flash
washed downstream by
C.
where,
it
more
relatives spent
dom female
greater the
sion.
the
own
broods.
have indepen-
Shown by
nest
suggesting that a
("Host-Parasite Relatedness
Protein
pair,
number of
laid in a host's
relative host
host-parasite
Fingerprinting in a
near-
Brood Parasitic
eventually
Freshwaters 11:3,
2000) Richard
Milner
TUITION FINANCING
INSURANCE
RETIREMENT
Wouldn't
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it
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We
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for prospectuses.
Read them
carefully before
16
NATURAL HISTORY
5/01
FINDINGS
Tiny
Conspiracies
Cell-to-cell
to
of envhonments
earth, surviving
on
and multiply-
ing in and on plants and animals, in rock layers deep beneath the
surface, in searing desert soils,
under
autoinducers.
When
known
of
a cheirucal
environment
organ such
tract),
as
(for
example, in an
it
on the ocean
vents
past decade,
we
floor.
During the
of these
tiny,
celled
singlein large
as
this
newly manufactured
re-
that regulate
The
proteins, in turn,
affect
which
take advantage of
one another's
proliferate.
trait
cellular organisms.
of only
part
one another
Artist's
Bacteria
to their presence
by
Until recently,
the
exchange of
few
of "higher," multi-
characteristic
cases
Researchers
knew
of bacterial ceU-to-
cell
but
is
not only
common
and in-
sens-
ing was
fisclieri
first
and
Both of
harveyi.
these
I
s
light
ability
only
when
notifies
their
quorum-sensing
them
manufacture
luciferase,
They then
an enzyme con-
coction that
facilitates a
Ught-producmg
reached a high
cell density.
two
Vfisclieri Hves
ciation
in symbiotic asso-
as
luring prey,
mates. In return,
where
it
is
is
a free-living
By means
by con-
organism, and no
of a process
quorum
called
V harveyi,
sensing,
when
One
of
associations
V fischerih
most
fascinating
is
ters,
Hawaiian bobtail
knee-deep
squid. Living in
coastal
comes out
hunt
wa-
buries itself in
makes the
on
clear,
bright nights,
when
tip
could cause
it
to cast a
Hght shin-
moon
and
shadow and
But through an
alliance
with
it.
l{ fisclieri,
serves as a camouflaging
on
is
mechanism.
emitted from
this
controlled by an
iris-
18
NATURAL HISTORY
like structure.
tensity
5/01
The
The
squids light
is
many
day of sleep, so
Hving in
its
with adequate
all
produced by the
V fischeri.
cent of the
the seawater
bacteria in
cheri
swim
where
the hospitable
critical
threshold and
The pumping
is
may improve
pact.
Invading bacteria
their
odds of overcoming a
by releasing
fenses
when
tors
de-
host's
immune
host's
off the
tip
system.
species
under
survival
Many
hostile conditions.
produce
bacterial species
for
and for
antibiotics
By
immune
but that
kill
simultaneously, invading
bacteria
may
improve
odds of overcoming
their
host defenses.
competitors
their
Quorum
growth.
or
impede
their
Quorum
A Hawaiian
has accumulated
it
DNA
ability
fragments
that,
because of the
them to glow.
conditions enable
them
to multiply.
ior, secrete
The
it.
and
one an-
bacteria alert
squid's circadian
is
rhythm
As the
numbers
increase,
autoinducer accumulates.
the Hght organ
do
its
is
"on"
By
and more
nightfall,
again, ready to
sensing
is
not restricted to
Then
critical
remarkable part of
symbiosis
is
the
way
this exquisite
At
sunrise,
when
many
its
the squid
it
the
are detected,
for repairing
quorum
production of
regulate.
For ex-
is
con-
is
there
likely to
free
DNA
sensing turns
Bacterial mating,
more
which
species,
sensing
donor
know
as
cells
and recipient
cells.
We
tumors in susceptible
im-
and
DNA.
creates a
quo-
on the machinery
When
DNA
rum
job.
Quorum
V fischeri
effect,
tuned to the
These
sensing,
this serves
is
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20
NATURAL HISTORY
5/0
Catertoyour
Curiosity
Often bacteria
live in biofilms,
or
as a
Meteorites
pond
A biofilm
or the lining of an
Their Impact on
intestine.
polymer coating, or
Brigitte
Zanda and
is
surrounded by
shield, that
though the
trolled
to be
how
of
details
this is
al-
con-
Many
keeps
been shown
bacteria are
known
to pro-
Monica Rotaru,
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Editors
An
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some
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among the
A bsfiiig impression
^for your futurea
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bacteria as well.
widespread molecule
a
common
is
the basis ot
"language,"
bacterial
between
The
species.
both from
more
its
own
through
from
kind and
code
universal
others
mation.
It
species
consistently ranked
may be
communicate mth
Different species
able to
cell
come.
Consider the
common
''language," a
est.
bacterial Esperanto.
of
its
own
whether or not
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22
NATURAL HISTORY
5/01
have
to
produce the
They
in-
S.
phihis influenzae
sepsis),
tis,
ulcers,
feri
(pneumonia, meningi-
Helicobacter pylori
stomach cancer),
(Lyme
(peptic
Borrelia burgdor-
(meningitis).
Yersinia pestis
(bubonic
Staphylococcus aureus
MyEn-
(pneumonia, endo-
shock syn-
septiceinia, toxic
carditis,
bacterium present in
specific
is
mounting evidence
cases,
it
The
is
some
that, at least in
explosion of research in
quorum
new
by
victim's
By
body may be
the
signals,
to
quo-
constitute a
antibiotics.
new broad-spectrum
an-
of
might
nals.
way can be
devised
underixdne
quorum sensing,
such drugs would constitute
or disrupt
of antibiotics.
novel research
is
di-
quorum
The
idea
is
to
molecule that
detector of a particular
By
sensing, scientists
abihty to sense
its
appropriate
signal
This would
be
molecule.
quorum
may
may
antibiotics.
discover
how
to
and other
and treatment of
pro-
teria
from recognizing
when
trial
in
thus
process that
triggered.
proach
is
avert
is
the
normally
Another ap-
to design drugs
processes.
Whatever the
numbers and
great
would
class
the
new
ing
algae.
ducers.
a donor
and
If therapies could be
focused on designing
make
E. coli,
plants
Some
is
sig-
result, for
instance, if a
to
quorum-sensing
new
system.
cells
burns, cancer, or
fibrosis,
way
a tube. In
cystic
other conditions.
pointing the
tibiotic
DNA through
of
biotech-
ria, is
class
transmits
soils
sponding to autoinducer
increases virulence.
would
cell
own
and wetland
rum
al-
aeruginosa, a
for the
nipulate or disrupt
bacteria mate, as
host organisms
cases,
While
When
some
In
soning).
pneumoniae
tions,
practical
applica-
of
quorum
investigation
the
An
mechanisms
volved in synthesizing
venting
the
bacteria
their
appreciation
teractions
that
of the molecular
govern
this bacterial
cell-to-cell in-
in higher organisms.
ft: ..V
L: R. J: J ...S.
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Brunswick
C
SCENIC
BYWAYS
New York
New York
is
AAaR
Out of vietting
a VDreat Vacation
here
New York
is
Hudson River
and waterfalls
Valley,
of the Finger
The tour
of the
Hudson River
homes
Thruway
trip.
combines
Valley
(1-87) at
cliffs
Hudson
swim,
hike,
9W
Return to Route
9W
Academy
at
West
Point.
9W through
some
for a tour
and a
New York has hundreds
of golf courses
D.
of waterfalls:
Roosevelt
Sites
and on
visit
Montgomery Place
city limits
miles.
While
in
and
Stop and
Falls.
Follow Route
89 north along
the shore of
where the
Falls
drops
Park,
Trail (for
Elmira,
The tour
(1-87).
home
of the
17
is
buried;
is
call
1-800-732-1848)
in
Exhibit;
more information
11
Finger Lakes,
known
for their
deep clear
to
travel south
still in
54 west
wine country, so
State
finally
Mill
Route
Site.
23B
of
its
hiking paths
visit
Watkins
and natural
of
Montour
Falls
and
Falls,
visit
Havana Glen
Cliff Falls.
will
Continuing
travel ideas or
1-800-CALL-NYS, or
visit
sites,
www.iloveny.com.
s^^-^^fS^
Discover
New
York's
many
butterfly sanctuaries
ak)ng breathtaking waterfalls. Take a wild ride at an amusement park, or play through a
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ilavenvcnm
STATK OF
NfwvoRK
are as diverse
1-800-1
you'll
many
find
it
as
circuit
in
trails
of superb
cultures. >X1iether
all
and nature
festivals
recreation or
New
York.
Gal|
ficofgt K. I'alaki
Governor
OuHcf A. Gargsno
Chairman
ie^im,
C E
BYWAYS
,x>
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As YOU CAN
is
just one
way
IMAGINE,
byways
in
so large, there
is
its
Scenic
vistas of distant
visitors to discover
in
live in
the
of
roadways, take
freedom that
in
first
When
TOURISM
1-800-225-5996
www.wyomingtourism.org
rises sharply
Lovell,
Wyoming
traveling these
terrain
why they
fully
deserve
14),
status.
16),
All will
Meadow
This
byway
and
its
is
10 percent grades
may
to
November,
(US 14A).
Pass,
enhancement
Byway (US
Powder
to be recognized with
in
Hill,
Mountains
in
Wyoming web
site at
www.wyominqtourism.orq.
Wyoming and
be available
mountain
its
include Hospital
outstanding state.
pride of the
&.
These designated
TRAVEL
this
forever.
(A
of several roadside
is
from one
valley views
includes
driving.
45 miles
of scenic
in
1-800-225-5996. ^
will
call
West
Virginia
FHWA
national
which to enjoy
its
Trail,
Trail,
Trail. All
preserve
a beautiful path
visitors past
hardwood
43
byway extends
US Route
seven
219,
to the
Trail
Virginia's
this byway,
Virginia's
and
physical,
its
abundant coal
The Midland
the
Trail follows
same path
that
The Midland
Trail
Midland
Trail
Full
Trail
and
historic towns.
significant to historians
his family
homes
area.
built
in this
Call
now
1-800-CALL
vacationed and
In fact,
seven
trail.
scenic byways,
call
state's website at
Virginia
1-800-CALL-WVA,
or
second oldest
..it's
rii'er
and
is
because George
Washington and
and
visit
its
the
www.state.wv.us/tourism.
Visit
us on
tlie
web
at;
WVA
-H^^
*;
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WAYS
jcenic jhort C^uts
Jome
Pennsylvania Route 6
Route 6
is
400
all
make
such a gem.
on the side
ttiis
byw/ay
Pull
in
and stop
of the road,
that wonderful
many
to
restaurants
photograph
By the end
your
of
trip, you'll
your "best
to
have
festivals
Tafce
you
you'll drive
Forest.
are
11
If
of Americana
offers
If
you want
to stretch
your
hiking.
legs,
there
of trails for
Commonwealth's
and one
naturalists
visit
events
call
calendar of upcoming
1-814-435-7706, or
visit
the state's
website at www.paroute6.com.
Life, liberty
New England
Islands
map and
England's enchanting
the U.S."
a detailed road
New
will
whaling
Other
museums and
New England
historic
homes.
IsiAND Getaway
FOR Discriminating
Travelers
available in paperback.)
major attractions
For your
Route 6 brochure,
and
inns.
And
More
galore.
(Now
6
attractions to lure
Warren County
me
Scenic Route.
Jtennsylvania's Route
many more
is
FREE
call
1-87-PAROUTE6
The Lodge on
For your
FREE
50-page Trip
1-888-GO-PHIIA
Planner
call
or
www.gophila.com
visit
Pennsylvania
Route 6 Tourist Association
Simons
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memories
last
a Ittetime
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Audubon, which
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No matter
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pair of binoculars
In fact, for
visit
40
is
bird
designing
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1-617-436-2960, or
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Fall
Block Island
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INC. IS
NATURAL HISTORY
5/01
THIS LAND
and camping
facilities
About
logjam formed
200
years ago, a
huge
in the
Red
River where
it
two centuries
In the
flows through
have adjusted to
its
and animal
including
nearby Cypress
common
which
straddles the
Louisiana.
Caddo
is
in
a
life
presence. Alligators
Lake, a large
Caddo
since
Bottomland
is
stands only
lake,
fishes
and
wood and
sometimes germinate.
elevation
are
swampy
into the
fall
of beggar's-hce.
forest
some of the
time.
still
Caddo Lake
arose earher,
of dead
trees piling
result
up in what was
slow-
relatively
flowing, shallow
section of the river.
The logjam,
known locally as
the Great
Red
Pdver Raft,
white water
1870s,
when
federal
government
the
level,
it
sampled
gelatinous sHme.
now has
century, the
of oil
a stable water
fifty
a protective coat
of
slopes,
while
tops.
Caddo Lake
is
one of only
sites,
so
named
for the
from
Ramsar,
forum
that
Iran, in 1971.
took place
The
whose ridge
tops are less than a hundred feet above
the elevation of Caddo Lake. Next to
conservation.
are
terrain consists
of low
hills
With
its
square
and ridge
Ramsar
cypress
may be
Caddo Lake State
diverse habitats
shield,
river to
in Texas's
whose three-inch-
explosives. This
Its
water
enveloped in
for purposes
with
underwater
Among its
fruits.
is
and
lotus,
cleared the
supply,
and water
lily;
blockage with
dammed
and the
was
lake's large
lake
The
lake continued to
persisted
lake.
may
The
tower
as
knees
also store
as a
form of starch.
hundred
feet.
When
a bald cypress
now
More
convention.
The United
States ratified
Texas-owned land
parcels in
and
35
36
it
(1)
site,
or support
them
at a critical stage in
(6) regularly
the individuals in
species
of watei-fowl;
(7)
significant proportion
fish species;
or
percent ot
population of one
support a
of indigenous
provide
(8)
fish stocks
source of food.
many of
the
plants
and animals
the region;
it is
yellowish flower
heads, and
home
members of the
more than
50 of mammals,
to
attracts well
plants;
and
nettle family:
false nettle
is
Bottomland
the
forest trees
responsibility
Wildlife
offices in Texas. In
often
HABITATS
1999 the
trees
m the area.
cypress are
two other
species
of trees
that
Illinois
and geological
national forests
and
highlights of U.S.
other parklands.
commonly have
gum
are
and pumpkin
buttressed trunks
ash.
Other
swamp
largest
tree,
tupelo
TX 75661
two
in the
species,
shrub
layer.
both bearing
fi-om nurseries
and garden
canopy
in
Common
tall,
forming
grow
a dense
gum, overcup
is
to fifty feet
These
attractive
and
and
red maple.
bush grow
straight
species
For
and
clearweed.
it
biological
two
stingless
with
tights)
available
centers.
tall.
elder, a
is
Among
(903) 679-3351
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/caddo
/caddo.htm
cane
as
well
as
lower-growing
wood
OiAer hM\k^
l\Ae
common species
hickory,
are
and sugarberry
(a
type of
layer
named
among them
are
ratdesnake fern,
and
After a bit
woodland
asters
blue phlox
forest
'J
Upland forest
Here,
it's
grass.
Wildflowers
shorter black
are
of shrubs such
as
possum haw,
its
leaves
thickets
sassafras trees.
during
vine
known
as
some of the
somewhat
vegetation.
large-leaved,
known as the
The brilliant
Mesic forest
tree cover
bottomland
is
not
forest.
as
closed
The most
like
the beach.
beaches stretched
does make
all
visit
and you'll
the difference
mm/.outerbanks.org
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It
Feels Nice To
NH
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devil's walking-stick.
magenta-fruited beautyberry
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shrub. Asters,
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end
ot the
from
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summer
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.
38
CELESTIAL EVENTS
The dark
there,
our
of the
side
done
Moon? Been
Another dark
that.
however,
solar system,
side in
is
much
Moon's did
the
as
an
to
today,
earlier
Mercury's, and
discussions,
on
its
is
always in such
as
The dark
one,
isn't
side
dark
that
is,
at least in
any
some
new Moon
phase,
that side
with
that
it
its
can't see
it.
satellites in
Moon
rotation with
Moon's
the
indeed dark to
is
we
many major
system, the
it's
fully in sunlight.
is
is
us,
As
the solar
The Mysterious
in synchronous
host planet,
meaning
Side of Mercury
termed the
proved to be a
far side,
most tempting
dawn of
target at the
The
now
is
starting
among
By Richard Panek
960s most
cover sHghtly
was
Mercury's surface.
in
Sun and
that
one
side
of the planet
we know
though technically
or from
satellite
The
useful, for
other half
visible
sizes
from Earth
But
in terms
all
practical
had
to
And
1999).
is
the
purposes, hidden.
Mariner
relative to the
overall scale
of the
the
Sun
of the planets
and the
observatories such as
night.
of what
than half of
less
planet's
November
seeming anomaly
of relativity.
But Mercury
when
itself?
Consider:
logged on to Yahoo!
Recently
21,
it.
The photographs
spacecraft sent
that the
served
more
as a
means of gathering
of Mercury
as
observer
and they
an end in
on
itself Transits
been
in the
times:
That's
Sun
system
solar
trail
fewest
found
that
to
planets
weighed
in
with
whopping
143.
THE SKY IN MAY
By Joe Rao
northwestern horizon
at
after night.
of a magnetic
field,
an active interior.
re\'isiting that
Now researchers
Mariner
activity
on
New radar
Sun
was already
in the
(an
works
acronym
it is
at
hill
all.
2004 and
rendezvous with the planet in 2009
day-old crescent
due
spacecraft,
to launch in
Unhke
Mariner 10,
new
to
significance.
MESSENGER
left
Moon
against the
brightening Mars
though
the
for
backdrop of stars.
is
a thrilling,
challenging, planetary
still
target.
toward us
tilted well
pole
spring
this
summer draws
to an end.
Look
as
well
increasingly prominent
as
rapidly
it
sits
two-
off to the
Jupiter
low
in the west-northwest
being
down
its
It is stiU
the brightest
"star" at
is
during twihght.
dimmed by
its
low
Technically
but look
sky
hours
the
after the
first
light
week
Sun.
By
the end of
in June, the
Venus
a dazzling
is
diamond low
reaches
it
its
on May 4 (magnitude
but wiU look about the same all
month. Venus gains only a Uttle
altitude in
in
greatest
brilliance
May, continuing to
-4.5)
rise at
through
dwindhng
in size.
is
thickening.
morning of the
of Venus on the
forgotten.
Believing:
Our
is
How
the Telescope
and
Opened
(Penf^iiin,
1999).
By
on
with
sets
the 24th,
of the Sun.
the
first
Sun
to
be
conjunction occurs on
May
25.
daylight time
is
it
19th.
especially
later
crescent
more be
Jupiter
of twilight
about an hour
its
rises at
end
May
after the
it
minutes
The
it.
is
wash of
will render
behind the
below and
and
altitude
great distance
when
for
surface features.
formation.
as
is
of all
the
1 1
at
It's
will
to the right
will in
it
On May
stars) in brilliance.
motion
from the
not so elusive
13 through August 2,
Mercury
NASA mission
For
(22.5)
seeing
MESSENGER
mid-May
latitudes,
that
midtwUight,
May
is
data have
Mercury
fascination this
month
as its
golden-
The Moon
is
Last quarter
A.M.,
22
at
May
hiU
and the
new Moon
10:46 p.m.
29
at
on May 7
at
9:52 A.M.
comes on May 15
First
at
6:11
on May
quarter is on
falls
6:09 P.M.
magnitude
-1.1
on
May
to a
From
all
Daylight Time.
40
IN THE FIELD
on
Forest
when
puUed
his
team
he gestured toward a
storytelling,
head upward in
object.
motion
of twigs
to a dense tangle
wedged between
of the
Recognizing the
tree.
of porcupines
broom
nesting in trees
wondered
folklore.
if this
Or
was just
local
had missed?
Witches'-brooms are odd
growths of stunted and closely
many
sporadically in
different
come
in
all
sizes
and shapes,
clusters to
result
Many
look
Witches'-brooms
from
prolific, localized
ranging in
to large
size
from microscopic
and luxuriant
that
own
growth hormones.
Among
hundredth of a millimeter
genes found
in diameter,
phloem, or food-
Though
number of
they
wreak
hosts, redirecting
tips,
where
become
concentrated.
architects
witches'-brooms in coniferous
of
trees are
community by
^^'idesp^ead,
niisdetoes.
many
came
downed Engehnann
animals.
known
are
to utilize witches'-brooms
across a
spruce that
species, including
Mexican spotted
especially large
huge,
had pointed
immune
to),
to their attack.
The
are
rusts,
red-squirrel nests.
One broom,
feet
though the
broom
is
itself keeps
year-round. Spruce
infect almost any
cast in the
broom
tall,
growing
rust can
is
found only
available as
parasites
between two
alternate
one of which
species,
different host
it
may
not aflect
tightly
true
firs
but
chickweed,
By
grows.
species of
is
its
limited to areas
where
broom was
nest system
a three-tiered
Incorporated into
considerable
hair,
this
Honduras
Pacific
across
But the
nest
sites.
end
there.
The
list
many
such
hairstreak butterfly,
solely
on
the thicket
larvae feed
and mimic
Add
to this twenty-nine or so
known
different fungi
mass was a
brooms (some
mistletoe
to tap the
parasitizing the
itself),
and the
hst
of species
elk. Fecal
interaction
is
impressive.
to the
New
Porcupines feed
heavily
on
the
nutritious shoots
^.
alternate host,
as
whose
these mistletoes
Northwest and
to
at
insects
from
Canada
of users doesn't
least a
mistletoes, collectively
distributed
raptor,
needles.
One
in eastern
numerous
a veritable squirrel
animal
five
Within
owl
the long-eared
of dwarf
mistletoe,
researcher has
and one
observed
and
one or another of
porcupines in the
them
Pacific
attacks almost
during winter
range.
The
within some of
sticky
seeds of dwarf
tree to
another by exploding
fruits,
birds;
and grows,
is a treat for a
it
adds
its
own
cluster
of
Red
parasites, the
and
nest.
that
it
hosts.
witches'-brooms
host.
were
wagon
porcupine (inset).
as
its
organisms are
(above)
often aided by
wind or
brooms
seems that no end ot
ready to jump on the
the larger
from one
Northwest
seeking shelter
or of the parasites
Marchand
is
aiireiitly a
rats,
i'isitiii{<
Carnegie Museuin of
wood
Peter J.
scientist at the
Bioloi>ical
western Pennsylvania.
42
Alternative
Life Styles
Computer
and biologists
are finding common ground
in the evolution of artificial and
scientists
natural organisms.
By
Carl
Zimmer
Do
no big-
ger question
biology,
we
systems,
have to look
tificial
will
at ar-
ones."
In
the
nine
years
since
May-
firom a
common
species storing
in
DNA
case
form of
moon
compare
own and
see
it
the
perhaps
life,
may be
histories have
an opportunity
may be
long way
off.
far,
we
we
can-
ate a
it.
menagerie of
artificial
Hfe-forms,
ligent"
of Jupiter or in
two
their
best to answer
someday
evolution to our
its
done
have
call,
scientists
able to
computer
of some
If scientists
discover another
some
the
in
(or,
lurking on a
genetic information
its
RNA).
viruses,
nard Smith's
we want
to dis-
robots,
and they've
set
off
Some
fifty years,
robots
walking
among
us.
Neuroscientists
comprehend
human
much
fiilly
neurons
billion
com-
that
make up
the
brain.
But not
all is
humble
experts on artificial
open-minded biologists are starting to work together. One
promising collaboration is being led by
Chris Adami, a physicist at the CahforSuitably
now
at
Michigan
who
State University;
a irdcrobiologist at
Building on pioneer-
Michigan
ing
Ofria
grams
sters
years
and the
State.
have
created
at
the
computer pro-
digital creatures
that
behave
And work-
shown that
which they call Digievolve much the way biological
Adami and
have tound
his associates
ways
certain
ways
them
quired to read these numbers and transform them into meaningful outputs.
With the right combinations of com-
line
command
until
whereupon
it
each
executing
it
loops
starts over.
computer
the
program, and
running on
make
to
this
copy of the
duphcate then
starts
Adami and
his colleagues
of the digitaHa
conceive
organisms Uving on a
as
copy
a short
In the 1960s
his colleagues at
the University ot
nois got
the adjoining
reproducing,
starts
Once
cells.
a digitalian
its
mold spreading
They put
After
on
computer
the
there's
evolve.
replicates,
copy
replicate again.
Every time
there's a small
waited
scientists
more than a
switch one
sophisti-
numbers
comphcated ways.
in
Human
you need
With life, we're
tasks,
may copy
command
part
for another.
most mutations
five.
By
viral
The
17 percent of
ceUs.
and
commandeer
host
now
only slowed
down
the
RNA's
by
human
designer.
Someday
produce
this sort ot
new
evolution
may
possibiHties
commercial
artificial
Hfe to biological
lite.
needs
And some
help digi-
Those
so blessed
isms have to
little
or no
the generations.
but
replicate faster.
to
creatures.
come
down
talia
complex conditions,
these
chance the
Mutarandom changes in a
effect,
capable digitaHa.
also write
ing.
they multiply
numbers overwhelm
their
As
less
Under
single case.
may
the
as a result,
'o
The programs of
of
tasks.
a digitalian
talia,
do these
cells.)
new
opposite ("10101"
and
row
screen,
no one-to-one
correspondence between the pixels and
habitat
the
them
let
ity to
Soon
Twenty minutes
transferred some
its
in a
becoming "01010"). The scientists reward the digitaha for evolving the abil-
faster.
of numbers into
faster,
and sup-
numbers
three
to rephcate.
graphic display
all
mine whether
they
the researchers
later,
when
Illi-
RNA viruses.
similar result
can multiply.
it
Each digitahan occupies a single cell, and when it reproduces, its offspring take up residence in
cells.
It
program
one
consistently shrank
own.
its
let
that these
Num-
programs
They found
to eat to survive.
differ-
what
evolve.
them
life-forms do.
require
dominate
tions
were the
Normally,
simplest.
however,
eat,
somehow consume
the
adapted biological
more
lifelike,
all
doesn't
its
or photosynthesize, or
life
with
Adami and
energy and
make
digitalia
his colleagues
tion rate.
a
The
line
on
then rose to
ries
stiH
of sudden
jerks. Lenski
was aston-
44 NATURAL HISTORY 5/01
ished.
served
which
had ob-
bacteria
them
taha colonies.
warded
re-
making
it
of logical
become
had
colonies to the
same
the
Adami
When
faster.
and
efficiently
Lenski
punctuated
pattern
that
and E.
identified. DigitaHa
some profound
common. The two teams of
re-
coli
apparently had
things
scien-
tists
between
more
and biolog-
digitalia
ical
Mike
dent,
ment
to
gauge
importance
the
ot
From
a single E.
coli
which they
2,000
generations,
becoming
evolved,
adapted
of
colonies
Then
diet.
Lenski's
diet
the course of
the
glucose
the
to
Over
all
different
vored
set
of switching
a digital version
to a
Over
in
new
They
a trait that
proved
as
relatively
unimportant to
size
Wagenaar found
bacteria.
Adami and
of
by
history
its
rather than
These
parallel
and biological
sci-
of different
sizes.
Then,
as
the bacteria
adapted to their
changed
again.
from big
to small, others
from
sinall to
little effect
on
Adami and
change.
such
as
the
mechanisms
for find-
may
much of a
the
their
computer
results
traits
tion
erase
such
as
weak
trait's
selec-
computer program
the length of a
directions,
They
created
rise
and
fall
is
Though
tle
on
random
reaUy the
of complexity in different
Hfe.
because
scientists
a definition
of complexity in bi-
its
and
One
is
a picture
Galileo
it's
friend's
voice
Adami and
his associates
complexity
as well.
that they're so
much
easier to
And
command
in the
in every possible
of different
digitalia
is
compHcom-
preserved on a
program
You can
cated journey
mutate each
biological Hfe.
as historical vestiges.
taHa
not unique to
is
creatures.
toward complexity
long time
Hnger for
billions
may
people
tion
create
Daniel Wage-
Human
strains
a student,
Tlie Logic of
change. Complexity
is,
book Nonzero:
his
comes
and rephcation.
naar, recently
size
had
it does; one
Robert Wright, in
to traits
it
is
some of
When
were
recent example
stalled
experiments suggest,
end
identical,
of rising
long line of
entists
was not
of adapting
a steady trend
dominated by
But does
brain.
human
that
'on
once
had.
coli
to food. Lenski
that
and thrive
conditions, just as E.
programs
mean
this
similariries
still
see
func-
lot
of its code,
it
will
still
tlinction.
But
mav
most of
commands
its
Following
in precise
much
ways
Recommended by
tinkering.
this
his
of
plexit\-
evolved through
10,000 generations.
it
is
jagged but
is
digitalia,
at
least,
As
97%
UVB
rays -
-'auVio"^^'
programs, which
ologists
summer
typical
shirt.
For a
Sun Precautions:
isit
our
web page
or
at
vwwv.solumbra.com
akin to bi-
is
more than a
1-800-882-7860
UVA and
of harmful
call
For one
measured the
and comfortable,
caveats.
the
is
meet published
line of clothing to
first
sunscreen or
dermatologists,
no simple equation
There's
complexity to
of the things a
genome
creates.
Medically
Sun
Recommended
Protective Clothing
ADNHSI
Another caveat
mind
to bear in
Solumbra'
that enables
of
is
digitalia in-
environment
that
ADVERTISEMENT
is,
with an end-
less
of
disease,
and
other
H-IIST
life-altering
Is
become
may mutate
The
useless.
obsolete genes
or even dis-
appear,
as
ditions
genome
dwindles.
new con-
of a
plexity'
Only
species'
may complexity
increase again.
arrow of
complexity
may
on
Online!
arrow
an admirable
is
ment, a
start
start.
Indeed,
at the
is,
the start of a
new
.start
mo-
Zimmcr
is
of a
the author of
Parasite
"Natural
Moment" and
Web
"Natural
From
the Past,"
NATURAL HISTORY
for you.
Let us know
Subscribe online.
how we
We want to
are doing.
kind
From
Rex.
A place tofind out more about the world loe live in.
Check
us out at
www.naturalhistory.com
46
UNIVERSE
rarely does the medical
Only
doctor's
vocabulary
v/ith that
of the
cavities
has
two
your
bodies
"lenses"
midof
eyes,
though
our
no quasars and no
contain
galaxies.
eyeballs
in the
sits
and your
chest;
have
course,
"orbits," the
overlap
astrophysicist.
lenses,
the
on
is
the other
common
to
other.
with
Hfe,
puff of smoke
standing.
ubiquity,
their
for
yet
they're
textbooks or in the
press.
call
Writers of
plasmas the
and
from the
gases.
them
but a plasma
ing near
sets
as
well
with magnetic
or through
a plasma have
it.
fields pass-
Atoms within
had some or
electrons stripped
mechanism or
as inter-
all
Cosmic Plasma
There's a lot of it out there but, thankfiilly, not
too
of their
And
another.
the
com-
By
plasma remains
Taken
whole, the
as a
electrically neutral,
number of
be-
electrons
positively charged).
But
plasma can
nothing
about
in
many
ways,
are
we
it
mag-
behaves
aU learned
high-school chemistry
class.
The
effects
forty
is
gravity.
between
electrical attraction
and an electron
of
The
proton
powers of ten
So strong
are
paper
electromagnetic
magnet
easily
lifts
Want a
example? If you man-
a cubic millimeter
of
and
a space shuttle
those
electrons
to
if
you attached
the base
of the
would
would
budge.
And
all
the elec-
cube of lunar
more
interesting
aged to extricate
all
force of attrac-
.^^^^^^^
classical
^^^h cruises
presents
An
The Natural
Treasures of
Madagascar and the Seychelles
Aboard the 34-Guest
Callisto
^'^
away
in
spread
expanse of sea,
ral paradise,
the
out
lies
Indian
over
vast
an incredible natu-
with
This
winter, Classical Cruises invites you to
plants
strange
filled
it
wildlife.
Seychelles
Lynn Sherr
Departure: December 20 - January 7
Award-winning ABC News correspondent Lynn Sherr has covered a wide
range of stories and investigative reports
in her journalism career, but it was a
1973
Tall Blondes,
conservationists.
Study Leaders
On
we have
F.
Bruning, Curator
noted
Lynn
issues
expert Joan
ABC
Emhery and
News correspondent
Sherr.
discovery to
Maroantsetra, Madagascar
to
science, geography,
its
links
literature,
book
giraffe's
with
art,
and
February 3
Dr.
visit
his discov-
many
years.
Joan Embery
Departure: January 29
Nationally
known
February
Dr. Donald
F.
Bruning
1 2 - March 3
Donald
Bruning
is curator and chairDr.
F.
man of Ornithology at the Wildlife
Departure: February
Other departures
Please inquire
vt'ith
available.
Classical Cruises.
Madagascar
Day 14
Seychelles
Arlde Island
Coco
',
species.
Island
Reserve ^jyiaroantsetra
cream and
Gardenia and the
recently discovered Aride Peponium,
found nowhere else on earth.
life
Felicite
Antipanarivo
/'
j^^j^,^
Ocean
/'
_.
,'
^-~,.,,** Ft.
beautiful
Day 15
Berpnty PriYate
Reserve
the
Wright's
Reunion
includes
magenta
La Digue
Ankofa
the
es,
Nosy Mangabe
Morning
Dauphin
at
uninhabited Cousin,
home
to
Itinerary
Day
DEPART USA
Day
lemurs;
evening
Madagascar.
flight to
arrival
in
life
of a
Day 17
PRASLIN ISLAND
Explore the Vallee de Mai, believed by
Antananarivo.
some
4&5
FT. DAUPHIN
BERENTY PRIVATE RESERVE
On
the morning of
Day
4,
fly
to
LA DIGUE
Noddy Tern; Cousin,
Call
Seychelles
Day 10
MAROANTSETRA ANTANANARIVO
Antananarivo. Transfer to the
Hotel Colbert.
ANTANANARIVO
the
Colbert.
Day
Morning
aboard ship in
to
Maroantsetra. Travel
protect
the
Accommodations
region's
at Reiois
wildlife.
du Mosooia.
Day
13
at
endemic
orchids,
bwa
sandal,
bwa
each departure
MAHE DISEMBARKATION
I
Day 20
EUROPEAN CITY
USA
USA.
Departures
Return
December
A
to the endangered aye-aye lemur.
at
Day 19
Depart
SILHOUETTE ISLAND
AND CURIEUSE BAY
In the evening,
to
Day 8
home
EMBARKATION
the Seychelles.
to
REUNION
Day 12
Morning flight
tour of the
and a swim
ANTANANARIVO MAROANTSETRA
I
MAHE
Day?
for
La Digue
at
flight
the
and
sunbirds;
Day 18
Ft.
Day 6
to
black parrot;
Continue to
Seychelles
River.
of
to be the
the
capital
profu-
for
ANTANANARIVO
Day 16
FELICITE AND COCO ISLANDS
Morning at Felicite, covered with a
Days
Anse
to Praslin's
Day
ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR
Morning
sail
Then
ANKOFA
EUROPEAN CITY
Day
brown
is
800-252-7745 or 212-794-3200
on
rouz,
20,
2001 January
2002
7,
Febmary
March
3,
3,
2002
2002
Other departures
available. Please
inquire with Classical Cruises.
The Madagascar
cruise
on
this departure.
The New
Program Inclusions
Hotel stays
34--Guest Callisto
places. All
daily.
Madagascar.
with accommodations in an
various ports of
vate bathroom.
Three meals
daily
air-
telephone,
two-channel
TV/VCR, and
refrigerator.
accompany-
call.
ship, hosted
panoram-
17 of Caifcto's staterooms
all
The
room
tion.
tours as described,
shore excursions.
for
as
in
which
all
guests are
accommo-
are
alfiresco
and
of 34 guests a rare
and presentations
maximum
yacht's
offers a
Complete program of
including
radio,
The
pristine
Complete pre-departure
ing reading
ment
wallet,
Port dues
ities
list,
and name
tag.
and embarkation
to porters, guides,
Transfers,
materials, includ-
and
taxes; gratudrivers.
traveling
on
flights
arranged through
on indemay have to
pendently booked
arrange their
own
flights
transportation or pur-
\jau.ng&
Dining alfresco
Deck Plan
roJlt-4
Q LOUNGE
^Q
aoocBDaoDaoD
QQQQ ^
"
Qym
Cleo Deck
Typical Cabin
classical
cruises
New York, NY
10021
212-794-3200 or 800-252-7745
Cabin with
full
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or queen-size bed
Rates
Marble-appointed
cabin bathroom
Cabin
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Single Supplement: $2,500 (Categories
C and
B)
with your
would be pleased to
assist
800-252-7745
you
NATURAL HISTORY 47
5/01
going.
By
Earth's
The
would exceed
rion
are lightnmg,
the
of
trail
star,
you
gets denser,
shock
munication
electrons that
when
the air
doorknob. Electri-
of
many
too
it
can no
electrons go
and com-
to their atoms,
relatively rare
tally
Hubble
Telescope's beautiful photo-
happens
the
all
is
(the
australis
lights),
magnetic
all
and strong
fields.
electrons will
down
En
energy
levels within.
emit light
electrons
Earth's
wind
quickly restored.
is
all
This
one
collect in
The
state
as
on Earth, plasmore
than
99.99 percent
mas comprise
While
socks
cal
home
back
on your
vs/ool
longer be sustained.
shooting
electric
down
continues to slow
craft
The
wavelengths.
in
the myriad
route, the
prescribed
auroras
owe
their
lightning, or the
of a shooting
trail
star.
jinks,
as
lights,
The
centimeter-wide
air
lightning travels
is
of
a bolt
gas
pulsars.
The
solar
field into
day's
a tiny particle
is
burns up in the
it
to Earth as harmless
air
cosmic
dust. Al-
to
the
at
its
and
down
must go some-
kinetic energy
its
during reentry.
The
craft
heat
is
rapidly
tive shields.
This
unlike shooting
Earth
as dust.
is
why
stars,
For
the astronauts,
do not descend
several
is
minutes dur-
so intense that
becomes
mous blackout
is
magnetic
This
period,
is
the infa-
when
the craft
its
whims.
is
wind
as
pen
With
magnetic
field
"frozen" into
the Sun's
its
plasma,
Sunspots,
flares,
prominences,
come and go
the
and
magnetic
field
as
punches
solar
Because of aO
flings
charged
this
up
when
it hit.
Severe
at
on
satellites
power
But
stations.
one was
this
and
not to worry
that Earth's
field protects us
magnetic
invited
them
go north and
The
first-ever
that
to civiHzation
would
it.
My
was scared
is
it
forecast.
Everybody
its
though
weather
The
to
the field to
fast
and descends
as
observatories
ing electrons.
shops.
satellite
from
been
gift
days,
fields
that
These
lamps in tacky
density of some
plasma.
during
glowing
that
to a million tons
times
zephyr,
is
particle
some-
more commonly
tails
ter
that
fa-
comet
is
coming or
is
of the Sun's
fit
is
the glare.
48
mosphere where
been
electrons have
violet
of
AM
radio
vi'aves,
dial
miles)
horizon).
FM
broadcast
television,
and those of
signals
however,
pass
out to space
at
eavesdroppmg
know
all
TV
about our
(probably
good
will
know
AM
all
our
thing),
and
baugh (probably
Most plasmas
ganic matter.
the one
wore
always
he
Star Trek
who
planets they
must
a red shirt.)
gets vaporized.
visit.
this
the
me
Born
to a
all
few
Hght
design
it,
fields to
our
whose
nomenon
by the
fro
plasma
phewhat
happens to Hght
as
through
passes
it
rior.
transparent.
below
renders
this
to
electron in the
tells
history,
its
down
is
all
on the uncharted
(My memory
here.
routine
is
treat
Rush Lim-
hope
a safe thing).
television series
No
thing.
programs
FM music
Any
thermonuclear fusion
Every time
plasma blob,
in the
twenty-
plasma
place,
It's
is
it
cross.
that if
tends to
One
make
from
it
of the pesky
confinement of
smaller.
a balloon to
The economic
return
on
in part
on our understanding of
"bottle" and
how
Among
amounts of lithium.
trace
As soon
found
no longer
state
way
would
it
that's
the
hundreds of mil-
on swirhng
it.
And
existed.
stay for
gases. Just
ioniz-
in, it releases
the quark-
cists at
in
twenty-first
enough
to treat
plasma
treat
We
red).
know
century
monitored
at
where plasmas
safe
distance,
we
are
at-
By doing
so,
we
we
need
for electricity.
Problem
is,
in.
To
hot
of millions of degrees
as
New
at least
where
Long
York's
Island.
on
Rather than
fusion
the
is
prises a
basic constituents
of matter: fractionally
to
form protons and neutrons. This unusual form of plasma greatly resembles
the state of our trillion-degree cosmos
a few microseconds after the big
bang about the time the observable
much
the
or
since)
nowhere
to
when
be found.
time
when
upon
it
visibly
was
as a
first
the
gen-
eration of stars.
the Frederick P.
York City's
Hayden Planetarium. He
zons:
Astronomy
Edge, a
collection
to,
at
of,
is
as
Cosmic Horithe
Cutting
trophysicists
cosuiological research.
elapsed.
plasma
We
by Echo,
$17.50.
Also available
SELECTION OF
in
100%
silk
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turquoise/purple or black/tan. Flower glass pins with crystals. Blue, pink or green, $50.
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ttta-
ml^'
AMEKtCAH
Natural
History
*:4-i
a
50
Mothers
and Others
bees to elephant matriarchs, many animal
mothers are assisted by others in rearing offspring.
Anthropologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy maintains that our
human ancestors, too, were "cooperative breeders"
From queen
MODE OF
LIFE
OUR EVOLUTIONARY
HERITAGE.
Mother
cases, suckle
it
apes
chimpanzees,
humans dote
goril-
orangutans,
las,
all
may
late.
mother
in a forag-
so,
back, a mother
after
fishes with a
foragers,
basket in the
for eighteen or
Okavango River
Botswana.
as
would
manage
to
conditions
and her
in
on and
first
each
cestresses
on.
Unlike
new baby
arrives;
among nomadic
more
years.
to children
needed
to rear a
are
may
men who
a significant degree
of help
from
mm
.mKi\
"^^J
m^-
52
fathers,
to
Hewlett,
as
the Efe
them
tight-knit
about. In these
much
women, and
humans
with
nets,
tens
cles, fathers,
as
are
children
hunt
stiU
siblings, aunts,
day of Hfe.
When
University of
New Mex-
the
breeding allows
many members
"Who
"We
to rear large
Below: An
arctic wolf
and
her puppies.
first
all
do!"
un-
Cooperative
litters.
Washington
older children.
By
three
woman,
are in
By
more time
gestational moth-
most of whom
caretakers,
According
naturalness
as
weU
as
which
the
we
Westerners
But
to sociobiologists,
faiTdhar ring.
It's
sociobiologists started to
this
helping has a
all
as
but
among
notes,
how much
one of the
aUomater-
human
on cooperative
broad look
so-
On
Dur-
anthropologists and
compare
been
as
stock in trade
Aka
whose
care,
mother
ers.
Barry
at
cominced me
duce
costly,
was the
ancestors to pro-
slow-maturing infants
at shorter inter-
vals, to
mixed savanna-woodland of
tropical Africa,
and
to spread
swiftly than
know
own
permitted our
strateg)- that
that animal
who
mothers
We
delegate
already
some of
monkeys
ican
among primates
this
a fe-
year and a
several.
the
to the
to regurgitate
Moehlman, of
fre-
jackals.
World Conservation
the
ing back food, jackal parents rear one extra pup per
Htter.
cies
Cooperative breeding
expand into
habitats in
exposed land-
subordinate female
may
swells,
undergoing
young of another
siblings help
erative
naked mole
move
as diflierent as
of the maimnal
new
into
habitats
and
call
an adaptive
ment
species
When
mothers
animal
delegate some infant-care
costs to others, they can
produce more or larger
own
in
does
it
take to
tated
as
lifestyle
of living
is
young
Florida scrub-jays)
is
it
But
in the environ-
when
born
an option only
is
to the
According to the
late
dominant female.
W D.
Hamilton, evolu-
be predisposed to
that at least
petuated.
assist
on
his
or her
Among
faciU-
individuals (such
number of
own
should
be per-
will
pack are
a cooperative
in groups. It
fainily's
likely to
and
less-than-ideal habitats.
What
neighbors' Jack
cat and
To suckle the
hardly what Darwinians
survival).
in
tendency to respond
them
become
Ves-
vast areas.
pjvise
pair.
well in do-
kittens.
(because
trait
to the surrogate's
young and
my
pseudopregnancy,
snakes usually precludes the fledging of young; surpossible only because older
as
is
her belly
flexibility,
undergo hormonal
actually
on
be ge-
good
to have
their
own:
in
dwarf mongooses,
female
threat
is
try,
The
who must
own and
cation.
sal
instead remain
among
disper-
real
shift to
will
be on hand to help
young. Flexibility
In
breeding
mode
is
another criterion
the
little
arise.
South Amer-
territory.
which help
Charles
rear
her young.
Snowdon
all
of
As primatologist
genera of Callitrichidae
{Callithrix,
Saj^uinus,
and
The meerkats
of southwestern
Africa's Kalahari
Desert are
cooperative
breeders par
excellence.
Here, a
subordinate
"baby-sits" for
another female's
litter.
54
NATURAL HISTORY
5/0
"primary" father
available to help,
sui-vival for
around
surprisingly, as
hormonal changes
(the
man
"secondary" father
Not
soon
as a
Bari
woman
suspects she
is
more
successful fishermen or hunters in her group. BeUef
that fatherhood can be shared draws more men into
the web of possible paternity, which effectively
translates into more food and more protection.
But for human mothers, extra mates aren't the
that prepare
them
Among
birth.)
in the
same
Human
of
as
Utter can
be
by
sired
different fathers.
Two African
spring with
elephant females
tend a newborn
The larger
had both
those
many of these
calf.
who
Leoiitopitheais), the
ineans. In
some
genetic father
mothers
cultures,
rely
on
time.
at a
pecuUar
social group
fadlitates the
is
up by contributions
built
men
whom women
mother's task of
of semen from
rearing a single,
Among
all
the
with
large, slow-
birth.
maturing
offspring.
many
years
by WiUiam Crocker
and
men
other
HER YOUNG.
is
among
in the Kalahari
a significant correlation
between
men
lead
disaster
to
else-
helpers of
all.
University of
Utah anthropologists
broad
Kristen
their
swath of South
Amer-
UCLA
who
ica
Across
from Paraguay
up
role
ers in
human
life
Venezuela
mothers
rely
of older
spans
menopause, older
to
for
and
to
younger
of the world where food sources are unpreand where husbands are
as
Hkely
as
not to
hunter-gather-
folk
The
RAISE
HER
nity.
who
Desert, there
ceremonies.
dictable
lagewide
to
MARMOSETS,
marital
a part
SPECIES OF
What might
on this convenient
honorary fathers
SOME
is
extra "fathers." In
LINE UP
Raymond Hames
men
sometimes many
~'.
primate strategy
~^"
One
between
intercourse
women
children born
crectiis,
among
those
and according
to
well. In
tu-
bers
carry, or provision
if they're
babies.
this
the
moti-
manip-
coming from
pealing signals
spond
many
in a
all,
other
mammals
nurmring way
primates and
all
fants' signals,
levels
to in-
of ex-
Twenty
going.
levels
were
years ago,
when
reported in
first
elevated prolactin
common marmoset
many
when the
it.
Later,
in fathers.
But based on
ex-
it
is,
mean
sponse thresholds.
been
non known
A mouse or
priming.
Adult
encoun-
are adapted to
pup
recognize and
tering a strange
is
respond by
likely to
mammals
as
rat
respond to infant
ei-
pup or
But presented
signals,
earing
sometimes even
across species.
it.
wth pup
Left:
to
become
sensitized
baby and
the
caring for
it.
with twin
start
Even
daughters.
Below: A house
A male
pygmy marmoset
cat nurses an
and Hck or
orphaned eastern
though nurturing
gray squirrel.
a routine part
repertoire,
is
not
of a male's
when
sufficiently
primed he behaves
is
as a
an obvious
Con-
of Memphis. Prolactin,
versity'
mals,
is
also present in
of both
lactin
sexes.
go up
their nest
a protein
of milk in female
Schoech showed
that levels
when
it
happens, male,
don,
Lucille
Snow-
Roberts,
with
work
a variety
of species of marmosets
and tamarins
of pro-
know
that
we
all
now
sorts
hormonal changes
of
are
More-
nonbreeding
when
they
assist
feeding nesdings.
As
Jeffrey
French, Charles
in
mam-
Scott Nunes,
Fite,
in birds
reach a peak
Uni-
hormone
work by
Jeffrey
as well as
immature and
gaged
went down
as
they en-
of an
infant.
56
proposed that
The
Yoruba
girls in
Benin: In
human
many
something
cies.
Anne
similar goes
on
in males
of our
this
drop in testosterone
that
own
spe-
females.)
more pronounced
are,
Hving
putably
with pregnant
ot the
men
that
male consorts
as mothers'
helpers.
birth.
men
(Some endocrinologicaUy
Hterate
wags have
due to
of course, indis-
older siblings
societies,
is
marmoset males
Hormonal changes
been
levels
in
is
suggesting
nals
explaining
why
But
sig-
wet
predictor of love.
matters are cues
what
from
nurses,
hooked
The
how
fact, is a surpris-
who
is
What
becoming emotion-
also explains
creep
From
motivated to
fuUy
to the infant's
will.
fully
how
But we
matters are
capacity for
or primed
engaged father
infant can
for.
ally
infants
newborns
birth,
stay close,
are
to root
of
this
power-
even
to
first
in.
on her
keep
foragers, having
as
human
and make
Newborn
babies,
when
may reward
child from
infancy to
this attention
other's eyes.
To the extent
cians have
us
that psychiatrists
thought about
human mental
and pediatri-
this difference
between
it
to
as
face stimulation
talk.
even babies
who
lack face-to-
learn to
mates to engage
in the
of vocalization
known
as
babbling. Interestingly,
calories required
to bring each
can see
by looking back or even imitating facial expressions. Orang and chimp babies, too, are strongly
supply enough of
the millions of
put their
alert,
When people
mothers to
also babble. It
may be
is
independence.
58
in a day care
center:
A major
babbling
first
predisposition to
no
among
ill
which came
study showed
effects
is
evolve into
talker
because
anywhere near
as
among primates
as
mothers in our
ative breeders.
in the wild. In
which mothers
own
at
are
birth
New
of high quality
degree of a
and infants
fant should
social support
had a secure
relationship with
doned
better tended
If
and more
humans evolved
human
as
mother's
be Hnked to
parents to
begin with.
help
as
the
likely to survive.
commitment
how much
they do only
if
to her in-
they have
are
This
history,
new way
with
its
of birth.
made
me
future.
So
most West-
tar,
presumed
is
the normal
temporary research on
velopment
(mom
with
is
as
always
mothers are
show
how
available
But
know
with
less
responsive
and
first
who
and foremost,
how committed
its
senses
mother
is.
humans evolved
possibiUty that
as
cooperative
showed
home and
the
that
six
months of giving
five
Because
birth.
this
new
was an entirely
so-
phenomenon, no
one really knew what
cial
NICHD's
the
at greater risk.
the baby,
It is
that children
would
research
reveal.
The
main
study's
cooperative breeders,
the degree of a mother's
In
how much
she pierself
social support
can
development
sequent
traits as social
"compliance," re-
good
ports.
variable
that
baby
is
but
in relation to
all
securely or
developmental
trained to measure
how
is
psychologists
rather
how
the
are
secure the
him
how nonmaternal
is
compatible
as
clusively
Institute
human
(NICHD)
Human Development
spans,
be uniquely able
how
secure infants
else.
People
of day care
felt
Not
at
to
We
all.
results,
vindicated.
mean
something we need
while advo-
is
the
the study
showed no
care only
when
detectable
infants
had
quality.
And
scenarios,
effects
ill
from day
secure relationship
take to
when
caretakers
all
staff
needs
in
possible to find.
Waiting
equate care.
high
sive.
it
sensitive to infants'
day care
mean
better
was of high
The
if
not
life
we humans may
happens to be
long
someone
Because of our
rather
expect.
was a better
fant needs
lists
The
Where
it
are long,
exists at
is
all,
almost imit's
expen-
the child-rearing
efforts of
younger
kin.
60
30 percent per
is
For
year, primarily
developing
baby and
child, the
mum
practical
way
wage
attendants).
age-graded, so even
move
where
centers
at
is
staff
new
annually to
mem-
teachers.
relationships.
most
to behave
is
who
help,
ter
parents
meaning or
These
well-
are
exploitative.
however
factors,
unconsciously perceived
by the
im-
child, affect
portant developmental
Being
decisions.
ex-
tremely self-centered or
being oblivious
selfish,
to others or lacking in
conscience
psychologists and
development
may view
cal
that
traits
child-
theorists
pathologi-
as
adaptive
traits
dividual
who
for an in-
short
is
from
support
on
other
group members.
If I
Children at a
garment-industry
New
York City:
For a developing
child, the
practical
most
way to
What
conclusion can
we need
care,"
make day
to
this?
hi-
And
care better.
this
is
have something to
say.
how
human
Impressed by just
all
where
we draw from
several anthropologists
be
in
(in-
Henry
depending upon
and sensitivity
to
the
These researchers
of its earliest
caretakers.
into.
Babies ask, in
people
who
survive?
are
Can
effect, Is this
me
to care
is
me
and help
about me?
If
they begin to
yes,
compassion would be
no, they
may
a great idea.
then be asking.
what
need, however
Can
It
I
the answer
is
not afford to
more
tocene
whose
babies
mothers lacked
social
up
soci-
and psychologists
hu-
coop-
behave might
commitment
that
as
vari-
vary drastically,
the
am right
mans evolved
ot a
infant care
less
would have
10,000
or
down
20,000
or
increased.
ehminated predators,
not
food
to
in
one
place,
as
rub-
infant survival
caregiver.
some
death.
Some
certain
world
Is
this
with people
who are going to provide
for me and help me survive?
Can COUNT on them to
CARE ABOUT ME?
I
filled
A boy and
younger sister
mother would
tional societies,
alone
at
no decent mother
leaves her
baby
shocked to learn
fants
!Kung
unattended
that
in a crib
all
night.
this sit-
his
62
uation:
be lov-
child, to
are
else's
this
is
why
our
icle
will
to
gins,
someone
perspective.
And
worrying about
eases,
Hfe,
genes in our
genome
we
that
is
about
ori-
its
no reason
assume that
to
with
how
we want
readily
And
to.
At
we
made
us
rudmientary
good
tures are
at
when
good
at
doing
of course,
level,
one of
that.
sorts
all
of crea-
movements
is
going to do.
are
Woman
and grandchild
in
Himachal
to anticipate
and
gorillas
where
know
likely to
Pradesh, India.
of humans,
Opposite:
cal perspective
The
Pregnant mother
oped
United States.
(including
is
this
our
in
Chimps
of other individuals
empathy
species, so
me)
is
much
is
crude.
many people
and
griefs
AIDS orphans
Psychologists know that
than 12 miUion
We
puts
we
have never
of more
there
is
and
heritable
more
who
alike in
how
even
if
reared in sunlight.
and
if
an increasing propor-
developing compassion,
how
become
No
from
it
like sight in
cave-dwelling
now
wiU stUl be
Most Ukely they
at
stiU
be
human
in the
are fraternal
Tliis article
and
the
Needs of tinman
Infants," a
It is
more
Human
skills.
which
During the
has
first
wiU
It
wiU be adept
by
ancestors.
fish.
do with
If
to
time,
they
pretends to painfully
chpboard than
all,
If human
in Africa.
to emotional capacity
Through evolutionary
sight at
and
novelist
as
to develop
genes) are
the small,
fail
people
all
as are
and
"fears
share
of Mexico
it.
(who
ot understanding other
Edmund White
react to an experimenter
No
from being
pable of compassion,
vanities,"
By
As gene frequen-
cave-dwelling characin
ings
viduals.
to a standstill.
symboHc thought, it
is
what makes us
human. We are ca-
fects the
come
cies
people's
component
to
capacity tor
with child.
years of
Sah Like
Vahies, a
City.
Cor-
^^r^
'''v-yi^^,i:
's^*
%*.*!
i\^i
:f
V
* \'*j
New Zealand
Sweet Stakes
Sugar was a shared resource in a forest
community until a greedy newcomer
moved
in.
By Laura Sessions
i^iologist E. O. Wilson has called invertebrates
m^^
New
larger organisms
home
and even
entire ecosystems.
Most of the
scale's
honey-
enormous
as
Zealand
is
beech
forests.
Known
as
sects
own
tiny sap-
that
of other
The
survival
from fungi
forest dwellers,
and the
trees
and
to
to birds.
is
an an-
cient one,
sucking
Sooty beech
invertebrate, the
sooty beech
and
scale insect
grow
in the
homopterans, that
New
Zealand. Dur-
(in early
developmental
ing
a big
impact on
millions of acres
of
New
Zealand's
complex Ufe
its
beech
cycle, the
scale insect
stars.
The
males
five.
Second- and
their
and suck up
cells
of
a beech's
beech trees,
phloem
opposite.
the tree
through
waxy
anal tube.
and wastes
at a
time
at
the tip
Homopterans
are
common
and widespread.
austral
with
a thick coat
some
forests,
shimmer
the
air.
c^^
66
forests,
New
ing insects.
species; here
on
avidly feed
Zealand
dew
it is
from
The fungus
the honeydew.
and beetles do
caterpillars
rectly
more
with lodging in
its
fissured sur-
honeydew-rich
then rings
sites,
Aptly
named
the sooty
mold
A drop of
Right:
honeydew
as
many
as
2,000 scale
insects.
may
table)
More
than 40
sugary liquid
excreted through
photosynthesis
a threadlike
tube
to
fall.
is
lost to
by a scale
insect
sects.
may be
poised
Drops are
less
than 40
how
the
avidly eaten by
forest dwellers
such as the
introduced
by beech
honeybee, above,
ars to
promote
and thence to
trees,
may
recycle sug-
or the insects
may
Researchers have
native parrot,
opposite page.
the
more
a better
understanding of hon-
forests.
many
Because these
forests
many
fruits
rely
on honeydew
for
from honeydew
eydew
feeders;
itself benefits
sect's digestive
have
ants in particular
in-
been
falling
from the
insects'
may
anal
tubes
tree
forest
new honeydew
with
brates find a
home
in sooty
source of protein for foraging birds, but the honeyprovides the birds with essential energy. Bell-
de\\'
and
birds
tuis
them to lap
They hop up the beech
that enable
have
brushlike tongues
up honeydew drops
easily.
Most
their feathers.
on
more
honeydew
is
time in
out
The
it.
level.
forests \vith
the vwnter,
honeydew than
when
fruit
tree
beech
and nectar
forests
during
time harvesting
honeydew when
plentiful.
is
it
If
new seeds.
(See
"A
Floral
Also reUant on
New
honeydew
known
Zealand parrots
as
and spend
hon-
eydew when
it
enough energy
is
whole day
for a
fiael
a vital source
bark. Larvae of
tree
are har-
during the
tary
when
at
day,
dusk
at
Often
trees.
honeydew-rich
sites,
They
soli-
social
often gather
and the
forest
then
rings
Now
congregate
also
at the
as
weak
reflection
when
In the late
of their
970s
tally
introduced into
(Vespula vulgaris)
may be only
sociability a
new
an
they interact.
century ago,
hundred could be
seen.
New
Zealand,
common
perfect.
wasps
With
68
the
warm
climate,
such
as
German wasps
aircraft parts at
rogues' gallery
ished
of introduced
honeydew suppHes
of their
creatures
erage, thirty
be found per
on native
honeybees reach
clump of
Vespula germanica,
acre.
to a degree, but
hives,
And
common
efficient.
On
av-
whereas
densities
War
wreaking havoc
are in a
forest,
where, thanks to
among the
juveniles below
honeydew beech
The
social insects,
wildlife.
trated
of 22
insects
such
as feral
and
speargrass on
low-and-black, bee-sized
found
in other types
common
wasps are
also
many
one were
all
common
to collect
German
scale,
all
they
common
the
would outweigh
numbers
of
trees
that prevented
have
shown
wasps
that the
forests are
dew
and
fully
99 percent of
austral
summer, honey-
thermore, because
soil
common
trees.
wasps constantly
Furrevisit
the
same
areas
to
fiilly
size
must
eat
Ii11l11
their
many more of
of them.
scarce, birds
tn,-
to search out
sugar sources
A
New
If the drops
whatever
may be
fitiit,
and other
nectar,
available.
scientist at
of wasps in honeydew
that the
wasp-induced shortage
She believes
forests.
of honeydew could contribute to a decline of naover the long term. Beggs has
tive birds
when
below a
certain level
shown
that
size ot
drops
a threshold reached
when
Otago
Dunedin,
in
New
at the
more
University of
sensitive. It
all
shown
wasps
that
hondrops
visit
the
introduced
them on a
scale,
The common
-fi wasp,
outweigh
they would
appeared
in
first
New
Zealand in the
of a honeydew beech
alt
above,
and
numbers have
since exploded.
Left:
at a rate
will
tuis will
such
as
by spending
less
time on
vital activities
when
the
birds
ants, bees,
eradicated in areas
and
flies.
where wasps
are
common.
know precisely
no one
spiders,
Populations of
fully
long run,
New
but a
raft
also a
and
major problem.
terrestrial
mammals,
in the
A beech
tree infested
with honeydew-
hungry wasps.
70
harm than
serious
many of
as
either
honeydew
deplete the
Other
stores.
when
effects
wasps
of immi-
During
Island of
New
wasps
honeydew drops at a
rate of
With nectar in
short supply in
the southern
honeydew
bellbirds
native species of
will
and
be so depleted that
tuis will
to other sources
honeyeaters (the
have to switch
of energy.
bellbird, right,
also
how
from honeydew.
and
tui,
below)
tists
on
could not
test
more than 70
more dire, four
nests, killing
of one to
about twenty-
Dur-
high risk of
on
females
a stoat attack.
the population;
many breeding-aged
imbalance in
the kaka population they studied for ten years suffered 7 percent mortaUty, a rate that could cause this
less
No
forests to
last
100 to 150
ferrets
effects
on
bird species,
many of which
few defenses
ficult to separate
possums, and
native plants
are flightless
It is
and have
therefore dif-
"top-down"
and
effects
from the
interact to cause
more
in eradicating
restore the
honeydew
this little
to natural levels
beech
forests
90 percent
and
to pro-
invader and
its
mammaUan
If,
at
counter-
honeydew-coUecting
of larger predators.
as
invading wasps.
drone of
72
The Rewards
of Chance
By Mark Denny
Sometimes
the
in bi-
predators.
When
no
gether, leaving
senting a daunting
gain entry.
shells to-
living material
task for
strong
its
armorlike
its
open
its
or
"clam up"
but useless
feed.
The muscles
when
it
up, the
material
forms
on
open. To open
shell
As the
hinge.
shell's
shell closes,
(a
the species
much as
when this
chanical energy,
energy. Later,
garage-door
energy
is
found
materials are
besides clams.
The wing
depending
stores
in
me-
spring stores
released,
Rubbery
it
it
pro-
shell.
many
animals
man-made rubber
in automobile tires
GIANT CLAM
A rubber protein
in the hinges of
its shell
enables
a clam to open
up; muscles help
it
shut tight
again.
pulsatile
pump:
during contractions,
arteries,
but
arteries
A mammahan heart
it
is
squirts
it
to re-
fill
amount of blood
walls
of the large
cal energy.
some of
its
rubber called
arteries,
As the heart
power
elastin,
is
used to
found
in the
refills,
74
we
For example,
effi-
The circulatory systems of other verteas weU as those of squids and octopuses, em-
The
as
ciently.
brates,
What
swer
randomness.
is
Biologists
just a bit
easier
more
orderly, they
time understanding
how plants
how
tell
bemoan
often
were
if
the world
would have an
randomized by
pressure
ual gas
is
domness. At
room
know
how gases
exactly
we
random,
long
as
shifts
store. In
amount of energy
very
of proteins.
of force
(it
is
The
storing energy.
is
but
bone
is
relatively
as that
very extensible
it)
storing energy.
snail)
stiffness
required to deform
is
of a
of material
that a bit
extensibility.
its
lot
at
how much
mathematical
is
multiplied by
poor
the aver-
through time.
the
stifli'(a
individ-
aU motion
as
how
terms, the
Again,
difiiase.
where any
can store
is
is
impossible to
it is
By
we
collisions,
Physicists long
tainer's walls.
pressure
at all
(it
can
stiff".
So
by
easily stretch
it,
too,
is
poor
at
both reasonably
stiff
much
energy
as
Their secret?
high-tensUe-strength
network of protein
tein
steel.
complex, three-dimensional
chains. In
many
for
respects, a pro-
for
is
such
chain
is
set
The
overall length
is
move
BEETLE
In
many
flying
at
high speeds
quently and
at
(a
random
thousand
as
other.
materials
vigor of
provide the
us,
elasticity that
known
makes it
where any individual molecule
flap
and
fold.
motion being,
fl-e-
as physicists
would
teU
is
ecular billiards
per sec-
insects, rubbery
this
feet or so
it
will
be
at a
given
is
they
a result, the
flexible. Similarly,
tein chain
HARLEQUIN
As
apart,
of
al-
combines
a frxed
flexibility
and
number of amino
acids).
one
in each hand,
the chain
ffilly
is
in
taut.
With
Hne with
its
as a
whole
is,
in fact,
stretched to
bead-Unk chain,
fuU length.
Now,
be
to
move
together a
and
tions,
if
With
bit.
is firee
you shake
its
to take
it
at
the chain
is
shape will be
this
cause the
motion
at
is
what
we
random,
can use
statistics
to
ular configuration.
we somehow knew how many arrangements the chain could take, we could infer how
the
are,
\\'eU:
if
close together
It
its
you were
length,
its frdl
straight line,
reality,
however,
this
kind of order
is
At the temperatures
earth,
amino-acid molecules,
is
sequently, as individual
chain
And
just as
more disordered
amino
life
occurs
on
Con-
acids in a protein
becomes
the chain
dis-
which
constantly occurring.
ordered.
to
at
its
ends
are.
a disordered shape.
cule. In
these probabihties,
we
is
cal
number of its
Links.
For example,
ural,
links,
if a
hypotheti-
then in
its
nat-
What
un-
Hkely.
in a partic-
the
the
all
dered. In
Knowing
is
does
all this
jump? Everything,
cal
as
it
fly,
and
fleas
it
is
pulled
The
stiffness
of biological rubbers
in part of
of huge ligament
to
100-hnk amino-acid
ability
Made
rubber protein, a
AMERICAN BISON
in
the neck of a
bison (or a cow,
horse, or
wildebeest)
provides most of
the force
necessary to
hold up the
animal's massive
head.
76
NATURAL HISTORY
5/0
ity,
teins to store
is a
powerful force in
rubbers
the physical, as
tion
well as the
gins to lose
biological, world.
that
is
is
of rubber
easy. If a bit
of its molecules
cooled, the
For example,
its elasticity.
resilient at
is
mo-
is
rubber band
leath-
As waves
when
converge at sea,
in large part,
doomed
troughs combine
randomly,
rubber
determining the
glass; it is
energy.
is,
cooled in a
what
day,
stiff
to
much Hke
rubber
sence of heat
that
is,
in the ab-
And
nor human
is
beings
amino
acids. In addition,
is
^connected
i
randomness
Paradoxically,
FLEA
Fleas are great
jumpers, some
leaping 200
enables scientists to
predict much about how
nature works.
own
As important
bodies. This
impressive
ability is
due to
as
The same
of random behavior
statistics that
to
that
from
compressed
ena
when the
cocks
insect
its
allows us
rubbery material
is
utility
type of
the force
at a cocktail party.
by the noise
ampHtude of
"knees" (the
joints between
of protein chains,
its
the same.
its
body).
far
The
from being
ture
is
is
flexibility
BREAKING WAVE
Chance
mechanical energy.
is
is
clear:
chance in na-
>?>;
**^:'
'
^.^y^^-.^t;,,^^^^^ ,
^at'A.;rf.*>-fc> -./I
78
MUSEUM
AT THE
The Genome
Writ Large
A new exhibition unravels the wonder, the promise,
and the
By Henry
S. F.
Cooper Jr.
two
human
versions of the
one
pro-
Human Genome
ternational
DNA research.
of human
potential dangers
Sequenc-
of
a quarter
the struc-
DNAon twenty-
three pairs of
chromosomes
are
human
a private
viUe,
Museum
May
26, the
on models
lies
largely
under
spotlights
that
gleam
like jewels
cell.
end
laid
mol-
to end, the
would form an
ecules
feet long.
The informa-
and
books
while
LED
displays spell
genome
the
direct
screens,
out news ot
is
stallation
ary
structure of the
straight
ahead
is
DNA
a
And
molecule.
brand-new, floor-to-
an organic, undulating,
slightly
It's
as
metal-
long way
in
DNA
a small in-
nearby,
number of them.
that
and
If teased apart
model
a five-minute
is
anima-
both to
treat dis-
and to prolong
human
Hte.
nomics
ease
hope
that in decades to
is
identified
and
fected,
many
ways of removing
as
them or spHcing
in
new
illnesses will
be treated
diseases,
vial, is a
sample of the
a single strand of
DNA
real
repli-
white mush.
DNA
material ap-
as
affair.
The
come,
from
sickle-cell
many
anemia
to
still
issues,
plays reflect
and
how
itself,
not
unlike the
according to
codirector of the
as
Rob
well
Museum's Molecu-
of Invertebrates.
sorts
in their infancy.
of ethical
double helix
them
treating
all
number of
closely science
dis-
and
haps?
is,
my
child to be a Uttle
Or 'Gosh,
I'd like
know
Before you
ball.'
you're into
it,
It
able disease,
for an incur-
mation made
available to
that infor-
you? To insur-
enthusiastic
less
about
its
history
"We
the gene.
and sponsor
all
been
have
thousand through
says.
a decade,"
"We wanted
ot us
sta-
how
opinions.
Genome
see
with those of
Poll.
on
same
as
ria,
is
Salle.
"The
De-
difference between,
say,
of the coin
side
is
small but
is
it
variation
groups.
alike
99.9
is
more
percent
and
that
is
human genome.
This
number
initial
projection;
earlier estimate
140,000. Fruit
flies,
uni-
the tips ot
we needed
knowledge
26
in Gallery 3
of more than
by comparison,
branches,
of
biology
ecular
Novacek
Museum,
the
among them
rators,
Niles Eldredge,
seum opened
its
1990 the
Mu-
Molecular Systematics
A second molecular
Ward C. Wheeler.
man-
search
a repository that
wiU eventu-
begins operations.
Now, drawing on
Ten
ries,
Museum might
and
its
the breadth of
its
collections, the
molecular biology.
It
its
laborato-
Museum
ative
is
has, in fact,
new
provost of science.
is
ships.
by comparing genomes
and using
as yardsticks
and mutations
the similarities
whether
in different species
traits
are a
legs.
as
backbone, two
traditional
scientists
same
traits
the
eyes, or four
morphology.
well
as
Museum
evidence.
genomics:
the
primitive
comparison of
fly.
supial
and
would make
placental
now
the
mar-
the
mammals
field ot
nectedness with
says
where
is
in."
other organisms,"
going to happen in
Museum comes
think the
diffi-
is
where the
it's
is
says.
genes, and
work
process
but
nomics
DeSalle,
into
really neat
the evo-
have
"The
2002.
1,
the
is
DeSaUe
same,"
cult,
who
and runs
through January
chances are
According
it
its
human genome
understand the
locate
identify
many
its
we
brate department. In
There
are
all
felt
all
in
and evolution ot
and
function,
we
that
at a
worm, a
of whose
a fruit fly a
so. If
DNA we
within
Humans
when
mouse,
in a
it
sequenced or nearly
so
DNA se-
wondered why we
exists: for
is
versity
are associated
take a
either completely
versity.
"We
work might
ot
readUy be done
life
kind
traits.
all
museum,
No-
to protect
What
with which
for
about cloning?
human genome
in the
hundred expeditions
eat genetically
to identify
vacek
Some
One
is
year, a
that.
later
monotremes branched
off
much
of
Novacek
calls
it
'
AUVthllbtlVltlNI
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82
NATURAL HISTORY
mammals,
5/01
particularly of placentals,
proving a
is
have
hands-on experience
to learn
forensics or
the
last
Today molecular
dents.
Museum
For any
who
studies at the
know more
wants to
nitty-gritty
of
about the
on the way
small
own
genes.
And
out,
gallery
The
cule.
idea
Henry
S. F.
for the
New
ex-
formed of pixels,
it's
made of the
mole-
is
DNA
produce one's
to
is
a small
letters
Museum
since he
him
sat
his fatlier
visiting the
in
old,
cavity
when
of the
Willamette meteorite.
MUSEUM EVENTS
MAY
1, 8,
Four
MAY 14
AND 22
15,
and
"Genetics
lectures:
Richard
neuropsychiatrist
Brain,"
Mayeux,
May
1;
"Learning and
May
(Nobelist, 2000),
8;
the
Mem-
R. Kandel
"Develop-
Lecture:
Astronomy
15;
tionizing
Medicine
May
MAY 29
Planetarium.
Lecture:
turns
'^sm^^Z
May
to
7:00
Two
lectures:
including
"Making of Precious
weekend programs,
instructor.
May
Caught
and
a Prayer:
the
Monarch
3;
Mystery of
at the
aters.
schedule,
Butterfly," entomologist
May 10
Museum
to the
tory
American
Ecological History of
and
Its
Frontier:
An
North America
mound by
sculptor
Museum grounds
Tim
Flannery, director of
Museum. 7:00
MAY 10
Young
"Uncovering the Origins of
7:30
7:00
at
the
Museum
P.M.,
Kaufoiann Theater.
by the Museum's
Naturalist
is
and 79th
Awards ceremony
listings
hours,
is
Lecture:
of Natural His-
MAY 18
Concert:
Museum
leontologist
series).
Web
ucators,
"The Eternal
(212) 769-5315.
(www.amnh.org/learn/musings/),
a free
MAYS
Lecture:
call
series).
1:00
workshops.
Mu-
in the
(Thursday Afternoons
and
mances,
perfor-
lectures,
films,
"Four Wings
seum
Kaufcnann
DURING MAY
Cen-
IMAX Theater.
AND 10
p.m.,
Theater.
Perceptions." Free
MAY
Science writer
City."
Anne Matthews.
22 (Revolu-
in the 21st
J.
Space The-
Hayden Planetarium.
ater,
David Silbersweig,
p.m.,
ries).
Astronomer
series).
located
Street in
(212)
MAY 21
"Time
Travel in Einstein's
in
New York
of events,
call
City.
exhibitions,
769-5100 or
visit
For
and
the
Lecture:
at
available online.
With
your subscription
to
Museum
magazine vividly
the
reflects the
Museum.
Yet visiting
you'll
want
AMNH
is
to repeat
many
the
times
statc-of-thc-art
And one
particularly in the
whenever you
As
On
like,
visit as
the
same
fee.
privilege to a spouse or
at
AMNH,
with a mass of
attractions. There's so
admission.
As a
special gift to
free
IMAX
starts at
new Members, we
tickets (an
$45 for a
full
$18
value).
will
AMNH
Membership
year.
friend or child.
American Museum
of Natural History
much
Call: 212-769-5606
to
84
ing, cichlids
may
or just
about.
among them
it
takes
printed page.
cichlids break
all
records.
In his introduction.
clear that cichlid
By Les Kaufman
hype.
Up
to
Barlow makes
hyperbole
is
not mere
Almost
all
scure
and
their
human
distinctly
have
and
Fleas
their Barlow.
colorful,
and
Never mind
that
pronounce
their
name
way than
book
large part
("sick-
as a
brand
who
reads
due
of
most other
to anybody watching
more than a few seconds),
occupy a place among fish
for
or
among
how
cichlids' biggest
to
fame
ually
is
and
But
claim
that, individ-
collectively,
fit
in
The
Cichlid
ture's
first
chap-
Fishes: Na-
Grand Experiment
cichlids are
and
scheme of
evolution.
In the
next
chapter,
"Jaws
Two,"
Barlow
tackles
in Evolution, by Geoige IV
with
gusto
Barhiw
palate
of cichlid feeding
(Perseus
Publishing,
2001; 28)
habits,
They
are,
for
the
which
mined by
both be-
all
they
cephalopods
mollusks.
The
Eu-
rope,
them
(which
across as sensitive
and emotive
cichlids
215 in
fishes)
CaUfornia, Berkeley.
inquisitive
Dar-
tasty,
diners worldwide.
more
intelligent than
cichlids,
large,
far
and
enthusiasts.
now
Cichhds are
unromantic, have
win; and
ob-
rich
are deter-
the
varied
and
teeth.
leaves
Chapter
3,
"Plastic
behind morphological
sions to
Sex,"
oral obses-
of the parsimonious
warm
is
because
its
outline"
thirty years
last
ing about
it)
to the
anybody
as
The
cichlids
life
is
devoted to
term
Monog-
mouth brood-
will
wine than
become
many
intriguing, however,
treatment
among
plained, illustrated,
more
fry) are
Barlow's
is
of long-standing
myths
Do
cles
maudHn
as
genre unto
all
line art
throughout
is
its
that
clear,
appeahng
nonpareil.
context.
Bar-
off the
I
how
Barlow
discusses
species
all
these cichlid
to be.
His
Barlow
is
is
as
good
as
anything
clearly an adherent
two
to as
has
stories
we
ele-
Hum-
P.
work
in the 1960s
But
that nomenclature.
taxonomy can
chlid
biologist.
lid
this
how
other illustration of
derful
just an-
confusing
and has
ci-
even to a cich-
be,
The
is
book
itself
is
old-fashioned
a nice,
won-
And
the
many of
book
as
is
us)
bound
well
indicated by
my
on
its
at-
is
mar-
of the behaviors
fertile
syn-
that
make
temperate-zone
Most of us
Westerners,
living
means to hop
month or two to
about them, so
ture
shows
we
and
find out
more
996 National
cichlids in
Lake
account
is
Hutchinson's
famous
essay
to the Tropics
lack the
for a
the
amazing
and there
it-
In
self.
are a
well
where
in
At
arti-
may
There
end books,
it
and newspaper
variantsillustrated by
of cich-
complete
chapter, but
as
chapter, "Fish
so formulaic to
in closing" as a
the
issue
about
television shows,
last
book
folks'
is
from
whole
It's
be observed
far
attractive
judge "words
for
now
book's
homosexuality before),
that
don't
wonderful introduction
who
those
(for
the
we
sity
the events in a
my
window
comprehend
introduction, but
"may own
be
one of
refers to
human
cichlids in
the evils of
An
mentions the
sexual domination,
He
and here he
ratios,
tuiii),
waters.
in
ation that
minarion, sex
model
allopatric
(differentiation
Ill
his
man
include cichlids,
and for
the past
His
which
dozen years
86
Sam M. Gon
tained by
nature.net
with
Trilobitophilia
fossils
By Robert Anderson
where,
state
(a
bites).
An
a biologist
Conservancy
Nature
the
Hawaii
III,
in
alone trilo-
Gon
"enthusiastic amateur,"
It
took
was drawn
to trilobites
by
their
bers:
and
num-
fossil
mammals
record.
Gon's
are
on
ings
bites to sections
on what the
animals were
Animations
Recently
renewed
my
childhood
Web
the
visit to
site
Guide
to the
how
like.
term used
illustrate
section
is
most
interesting
Evolution's Workshop:
God and
Sci-
The Biodiversity
Counts,
edited
Crisis:
by
Losing What
Michael
J.
Not'acek.
and Out,
edited by
Edward J. Larson
Museum
Press /American
Museum's
halls
how
as
all
time
to
hope of either
come," wrote
visit
sity),
mountain ranges
ot Planet Earth),
(the
in
Herman
Gottesman Hall
and cosmological
dis-
.html).
tronome nor
a paleontologist, says
So do
Robert Anderson
he
I.
is
Los Angeles.
living in
real-life inspiration
how
a "passionate
shows
single-minded rnan
mad dream
of unlocking
phant
scientific quest,"
says
Museum
to the Galapagos in
of evolu-
by E. c. Pielou
2001; $25)
a sys-
a curse."
earth and
dren,
by Meredith
Small (Doublcday,
its
its
inhabitants.
2001; $24.95)
Darwin,
Publishing,
determine the
(the
(www.
Hart
georgehart.com/trilobites/trilobite
Rose
and hypotheses
W.
George
sculptor
coveries
site, this
to pre-
another
Three books of
"An
Melville after a
to another.
converted his
Edge,
$24.95 (New
by
(Basic
inhabitant, history, or
edited by Stei'eii
$27.50)
(a
to
/~smgon/ordersoftrilobites.htm) main-
BOOKSHELF
trilo-
living
in-
left a
their transformation
try
site is
the
and
species,
no
ironically,
let
under
fate
of our children.
by Christopher
Way
McGowan
for
(Perseus
2001; $26)
The word
Owen in
anatomist Richard
"firsts"
are
context of
chronicled in an engaging
book by
the
by
Band
Heuiricli {HarperCollins,
"For millions of
years,
Life,
2001; $23)
our ultimate
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servations of her
own
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lively
ob-
daughter.
Dragon Hunter: Roy Chapman Andrews and the Central Asiatic Expe-
and behavior
own
2001; $29.95)
www.amnh.org.
long-distance running.
human
1842. This
able
the
Museum
Web
site,
EXPLORER GUIDE
Madrid,
Rome $200.
So.
GALAPAGOS
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will
expedition.
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AFRICA
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E N T
of
Circle
hemlock-hardwood forest
in Pennsylvania's
was treated to
delight, he
a rare glimpse of
common
in
the
what appears to be
is really
make
to
it less
vulnerable to enemies.
it
he deposits a
web on
tiny,
weeks
later,
curls herself
it
_i
r*
<-
them with
a fungicidal
Richard Milner
90
ENDPAPER
squeezed into seconds
photography
tendrils
of a
movement of the
little
no mere amoebic sHthering or crawHng about, but a deHcate, precise, silvery motion invested with intelligence.
The star of the film made by Diane Hof&nan-Kim, a
cell biologist then at Harvard
was no mollusk but the
amoeba-Hke growth cone at the tip of an axon, a slender
fiber that extends from a nerve cell
this one isolated from
The
Hofirnan-Kim
cell
membrane
me, dynamic
told
"feet"
Httle extensions
thrusting out
leading edge of a
cells.
cells
other to create the netted wiring of the brain, not just during embryonic development but
learns
the
where
fall,
doomed blood
"Oh,
cells:
sony" The
part of him,
were dying
beached
like
with
cells,
wit and
cule of
HjO
when
my
as creatures
wisdom ot their own. Just as a single molemake water, a single cell from the brain
doesn't
its
up with
no thought;
irdUions of others in an
on the
Still,
Eiseley was
One
looked for
all
little
Then
watched
a film
twitching
searcliing
Hke
But
nor
all
scale
the small
one
as it
real. It
made
out in
large
new
foot.
This thin,
appeared in the
body
quarry, telling
its
it
hook up
Somehow
itself altered
by
its
Hnk
with, a
accomplishment.
If a skiU
is
used
may
explain forgetting.
seemed
to act as
its
own
complexity, a single
and the
teins
creature.
cell
On the
said to
is
occupy
of biological
a spot
roughly
visible v/orld
of the organism.
My
cells
which
cell itself
scale
stiU
has
if simpler,
may
a larger
its
talk,
adept
sufficiently fuU
at
of zip
doubHng and
its
own
life,
redou-
Hfe?
Jennifer Ackermau's
Chance
History of Heredity
flin.
ii'ill
is
in the
House of Fate:
be published in June by
Natural
Houghton Mif-
guin, 1995).
film.
Neither time
is
the
as
di-
tongue or antenna.
was not
was
of what
and
it
formed.
when
is
and
link
through Hfe
all
as it
and sophisticated
right track.
go
midway between
care,
summon
could
not sure
fish
his
to
Once
that.
high-power
lens,
and hours
From
Simon and
at
distribution of Little
Golden
way
into the
exposure to children's
hands
who
little
literature."
Museum
in their wills.
of
Then,
annuities.
gift
support
lifetime
When
55 or older.
is
Here are sample rates and benefits for one person with a $io,ooo
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Ace
Rate
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Annuity
Payment
7.0%
$3-721
$700
Annuity
gift:
65
70
7-5%
$4,080
$750
75
8.2%
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$820
80
9.2%
$4,884
$920
85
10.5%
iP$5.334
$1,050
90
12.0%
$5,807
$1,200
we can
this
is
now
give
an
and
ideal
part of the
seum
have
to
like gift
receive
way for
in
gift
Income for
life,
us to provide
annuities so much,
we plan
we
to
imm^
or reply by mail
to:
QAbequesttothe Museum
Museum of Natural
History,
York,
New York
mywill.
for THE
New
in
Museum
in
American
Museums
Natural
History
my estate plans.
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Name:
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My
Office:
Your reply
is
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