Book Recommendations new releases Can’t Miss Indie Press Speculative Fiction for May and June 2024 Spring 2024 titles featuring academic doppelgangers‚ miracle cosmetics‚ interdimensional cults‚ and more… By Tobias Carroll | Published on May 3‚ 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Somehow‚ the halfway point in this year is in sight. This preview of science fiction‚ fantasy‚ horror and speculative fiction released by indie presses takes us all the way to the end of June—and yes‚ that’s left me thinking that I may be unstuck in time‚ myself. Here’s a look at some of the notable books due out on small presses in the next two months. File Under: Technology Will Save and/or Doom Us All Let’s say you’re an academic offered a high-paid residency an ocean away from where you live. You take it and quickly learn that the people operating it have brought together a selection of doppelgangers. That’s the concept at the heart of &;Aacute;ngel Bonomini’s The Novices of Lerna‚ available now in Jordan Landsman’s translation. Things get stranger from there—and a selection of Bonomini’s heady‚ existential short fiction rounds out this collection. (May 1‚ 2024; Transit Books) Dino Buzzati’s 1960 science fiction novel The Singularity—translated by Anne Milano Appel—tells the story of a scientist summoned to a mysterious research outpost. In his review of a collection of Buzzati’s short fiction‚ Lincoln Michel observed that “Buzzati’s work is Kafkaesque in the truest sense.” This is another memorable entry in a stunning bibliography. (June 4‚ 2024; NYRB Classics) Inventions are at the heart of many a science fiction story‚ whether that takes the form of a time machine or brain implant that enhances its user’s mind. In a new edition of Gaston de Pawlowski’s New Inventions and the Latest Innovations‚ translated by Amanda DeMarco‚ contemporary readers can experience de Pawlowski’s satirical take on advanced inventions a century after it was first published. (June 2024; Wakefield Press) Premee Mohamed’s 2021 The Annual Migration of Clouds memorably chronicled what it might be like to live in a future where apocalyptic events left technology even more unevenly distributed than it is now—with different communities adapting in very different ways. Mohamed’s new book We Speak Through the Mountain returns to that setting‚ following protagonist Reid as she leaves home and discovers something unexpected at her destination.(June 2024‚ ECW Press) File Under: All Things Re: Bodies and Desire In the fiction of K-Ming Chang‚ bodies can turn unruly and the stable ground on which one walks can suddenly turn into quicksand. Chang’s new novella Cecilia heads into surrealistic territory‚ and follows two former classmates who reunite in adulthood. Things get weird from there‚ as they tend to do; you can also read an excerpt from it at The Adroit Journal. (May 21‚ 2024; Coffee House Press) Few writers can summon the visceral power that Joe Koch does in their work. Koch’s new collection Invaginies promises to bring more of that quality to the forefront‚ blending apocalyptic imagery with  haunting analysis of social dynamics. “I’m aiming for the reader to have an experience‚ not to just sit back and get comfy with a book‚” Koch said in a 2022 interview—which may give you a sense of what to expect here. (June 25‚ 2024; CLASH Books) You may not be familiar with the work of the long-lived Decadent writer Rachilde‚ though her work is considered to have influenced everyone from Marcel Schwob to Oscar Wilde. Shawn Garrett’s new translation of Rachilde’s The Demon of the Absurd brings these visions of absurdist situations and supernatural beings to Anglophone readers for the first time. (May 7‚ 2024; Snuggly Books) If you’ve ever wanted to get in on a publishing imprint from the ground floor‚ it’s worth noting that E.K. Sathue’s novel Youthjuice is the first book to be published by Hell’s Hundred‚ Soho Press’s new horror imprint. At the heart of this novel is a cosmetics company with a moisturizer that can work miracles—and which has an unsettling secret at its heart. (June 6‚ 2024; Hell’s Hundred) A wish gone awry puts the protagonist of C.J. Spataro’s novel More Strange Than True at odds with the queen of the faeries—and if that summary has you thinking of A Midsummer Night’s Dream‚ you’re in the right place. (Spataro chronicled some of her influences in a recent interview.) Set in Philadelphia and encompassing questions of desire and mortality‚ this debut blends the familiar and the unexpected. (June 24‚ 2024; Sagging Meniscus Press) File Under: Histories Familiar and Otherwise Set in Atlanta in the early years of the 20th century‚ Maggie Nye’s novel The Curators is set in the aftermath of a very real event: namely‚ the murder of Leo Frank. The teenage girls at the center of Nye’s book are haunted by these traumatic events‚ and come up with a very supernatural response—all of which is to say‚ a golem is involved.  (June 2024; Curbstone Books) Late last year‚ I got to hear David Leo Rice read from his novel The Berlin Wall—and what I heard left me dazed‚ in the best possible way. It imagines a world in which fragments of the Berlin Wall come to life‚ where subterranean residences thrive‚ and where the contours of history have turned malleable. It’s a welcome addition to a fascinating bibliography. (May 14‚ 2024; Whisk(e)y Tit) As an editor‚ David Sandner explored the legacy of Mary Shelley in the recent anthology The Afterlife of Frankenstein. With his new novel His Unburned Heart‚ he revisits Shelley’s life in a different way‚ focusing on her search to recover the missing heart of her late husband‚  Percy Shelley. You’ve never seen literary history quite like this before. (May 9‚ 2024; Raw Dog Screaming Press) Literary historian‚ book collector and acclaimed author‚ Mark Valentine has plenty of disparate credits to his name. His new collection Lost Estates offers readers a host of short stories in which Valentine’s interests converge—think one part heady reading‚ one part spine-chilling yarn. (May 2024; Swan River Press) File Under: Reinventing Time and Structure There’s a long science fictional tradition of time being malleable—whether that’s in the form of a place one can travel to or via the blessing/curse of precognition. Alexander Boldizar’s new novel The Man Who Saw Seconds falls into the latter category‚ given that its protagonist can see a few seconds into the future. If you think that sounds like an ability that could go to some unsettling places‚ you likely have a sense of where this book is headed. (May 21‚ 2024; CLASH Books) I don’t usually quote from the publisher’s description here‚ but this passage revealing some of the contents of Steve Gergley’s The Great Atlantic Highway &; Other Stories was too enticing not to share. Specifically‚ there’s a story about a couple whose paths cross with “naked cult members‚ a transatlantic highway‚ the ghost of Robert Oppenheimer‚ and microscopic people in their teeth”—and that certainly got my attention. (June 2024; Malarkey Books) Formally inventive and wholly absorbing‚ John Madera’s stories of alienation and troubled psyches aren’t always easy to summarize. Readers who enjoy a blend of the surreal and the cerebral will likely find plenty to embrace in his collection Nervosities‚ which comes endorsed by the likes of Brian Evenson and Rikki Ducornet. (May 2024; Anti-Oedipus Press)  Next year‚ Tordotcom Publishing is set to release a new book by Eden Royce titled Psychopomp and Circumstance. Readers looking to explore Royce’s own take on Southern Gothic can also take in a new book from her this year‚ the novella Hollow Tongue‚ about a woman who returns to her childhood home and finds herself changed by the experience—literally. (June 21‚ 2024; Raw Dog Screaming Press) File Under: Strange Investigations The protagonist of Michael D. Dennis’ new novel Lonely Riders has something in common with other well-intentioned fictional characters: he gets involved with a cult. Where things get a little stranger in this case is that the cult in Dennis’s novel has an interest in alternate dimensions. (May 1‚ 2024; Ocean Street Press) Upon its release more than a decade ago‚ Jasper Fforde’s Shades of Grey garnered plenty of critical acclaim‚ with Niall Alexander calling it “an exceptional satire of the way the world works today set against a vision of tomorrow so anomalous as to excite” in these very pages. Now‚ its long-awaited sequel Red Side Story is set for release‚ following several characters in the dystopian society of Chromatacia as they contend with arranged marriages‚ murder trials‚ and furtive relationships. (May 7‚ 2024; Soho Press) Boris Vian may not be a household name to most American readers‚ but you may have encountered his work—Michel Gondry’s 2013 film Mood Indigo was an adaptation of one of Vian’s novels. May brings with it Terry Bradford’s translation of his novel Trouble in the Swaths‚ written when the Nazis occupied Paris and featuring Vian’s satires of both fascism and pulp adventuring. It’s a surreal espionage novel like none you’ve seen before. (May 2024‚ Wakefield Press) File Under: Communities Gone Askew At the center of Sydney Hegele’s novel Bird Suit is a seemingly-idyllic tourist town‚ with plenty of scenic options for residents and visitors alike. Also&;#63; Bird women. The protagonist of Bird Suit finds herself with a host of challenges‚ of which a secret community of flying people is just one—and it makes for a memorable juxtaposition of the folkloric and the quotidian. (May 7‚ 2024; Invisible Publishing) Wellness gone awry seems to be a theme in the spring of 2024—see also‚ the entry for Youthjuice above. J. Nicole Jones’ The Witches of Bellinas follows the story of a couple who seek out a health- and wellness-inspired community. As the title might suggest‚ things take an unsettling turn for the Gothic not long afterwards. (May 14‚ 2024; Catapult) Cherie Priest’s wide-ranging fiction often reckons with questions of trauma both personal and historical. Her new book Cinderwich follows two women who return to a small town that’s fallen on hard times in the aftermath of a mysterious murder—and learn that there’s something deeply uncanny at the heart of things there. (June 11‚ 2024; Apex Book Company) The 20 stories featured in Elizabeth Stix’s new collection Things I Want Back From You share a setting: the town of San Encanto. California‚ where the mundane and the fantastical both exist in equal measure. All of which includes‚ among other things‚ a guy turning into a dirigible. As points of intrigue go‚ that one ranks pretty high on the list. (June 2024; Black Lawrence Press) [end-mark] The post Can’t Miss Indie Press Speculative Fiction for May and June 2024 appeared first on Reactor.

Are you growing fruit trees at home&;#63; Come learn everything you need to know about thinning fruit trees to grow bigger‚ more flavorful fruit and healthier trees&;#33; It’s admittedly one of the more painful spring gardening tasks; one that many home gardeners avoid or neglect to do completely. But once you understand the significant benefits of thinning‚ I hope you won’t feel so bad doing it. You know what they say: no pain‚ no gain&;#33; This post will explore when‚ why‚ and how to thin fruit trees‚ including the best spacing recommendations for apples‚ peaches‚ apricots and more. We’ll also explore what types of fruit trees require thinning‚ and those don’t need to be thinned at all. RELATED: Learn all about the importance of chill hours for fruit trees‚ including a handy chart and tips on choosing the best varieties for your climate&;#33; Or visit our guide on planting trees for best practices on soil‚ depth‚ spacing and more. What is Thinning&;#63; Thinning fruit trees is the act of physically removing excess fruit from a tree by hand‚ ideally when the fruit is still quite small. The goal is to focus on fruit quality over quantity‚ among other benefits to the tree. Remove unwanted fruit by gently twisting or pinching it off the tree‚ taking care not to break branches or disturb the “keeper” fruit in the process. You can also use small clean pruning snips to trim off extra fruit if needed‚ particularly for tougher stems like apples or pears. Removing extra nectarines from one of our young trees. Disclosure: Homestead and Chill is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site‚ we may earn an affiliate commission.  What types of fruit trees need thinning&;#63; Apples‚ peaches‚ nectarines‚ plums‚ pluots and apricots are the most common types of trees that require thinning. Pears‚ persimmons‚ and loquats also benefit from thinning at times‚ as explored more to follow. On the other hand‚ fruit trees that don’t need to be thinned include: avocado‚ citrus‚ cherry‚ fig‚ pomegranate‚ mulberry‚ papaya‚ mango‚ banana‚ guava‚ or most nut trees. Kiwi vines‚ blueberry bushes‚ and bramble or cane berries (blackberries and raspberries) also do not typically require thinning. In the past‚ we were lazy about thinning our mature Anna apple tree. It still produced many large edible fruit‚ but most of the apples were mealy and bland‚ and it had a ton of early fruit drop too. Why Thin Fruit Trees&;#63; Benefits Explained Trees usually set far more fruit than they can realistically (or healthily) support and develop to full size. They need a healthy leaf-to-fruit ratio to stay strong and produce a good crop. Thinning out extra fruit offers a number of benefits: Removing extra fruit reduces competition. It allows the tree to focus it’s limited energy and resources on growing fewer but higher-quality fruit instead of many smaller‚ subpar fruits. The fruit left to develop on the tree will grow larger‚ juicier‚ and sweeter in turn&;#33; Thinning fruit helps protect trees from damage‚ especially young trees. Crowded‚ fruit-laden branches are likely to bend‚ break‚ or even become permanently misshapen under the weight of too much fruit. This can apply to more mature trees too&;#33; Leaving too much fruit on the tree can lead to alternate bearing or biennial bearing: when a tree produces an especially heavy yield (bumper crop) one year‚ but at the expense of a much smaller crop the following year. Instead‚ thinning fruit leaves energy for the tree to develop flower buds and fruit more evenly each year. Improved spacing between fruit can also limit the spread or prevalence of certain diseases and pests. Finally‚ if left un-thinned‚ fruit trees will often recognize they’re carrying more than they can support and start to naturally drop fruit early – including those you’d hoped to harvest&;#33; Fruit drop from a large apple tree that was left un-thinned. When we moved into our new homestead in the early summer‚ we were stoked to see this old apricot tree absolutely loaded with fruit&;#33; Yet it was too late to thin… and the following year‚ there was hardly any fruit at all – aka biennial bearing. A peach tree branch laying on the ground because it’s so heavy with fruit&;#33; When to Thin Early spring is a good time to start thinking about thinning your fruit trees‚ within about 6 weeks of when the tree is in full bloom. You’ll want to remove fruit shortly after it begins to develop but before it gets too large. Ideally‚ it’s best to wait until the fruit is about the size of a marble (half-inch diameter) so you can clearly see which ones look the most promising. Try to remove the smallest or damaged fruits and keep the largest‚ most healthy-looking ones. Fruit Thinning and Spacing By Tree Type Apples: Thin apples down to just one fruit per cluster‚ leaving the largest and best-looking apple in the cluster. Further thin apples to one fruit every 6 inches on the branch. If the overall crop is fairly small‚ or if the tree is nice and mature‚ it’s acceptable to leave two apples per cluster – but space them 8 inches apart instead of 6. Apricots: Since they’re smaller‚ apricots can be left to grow slightly closer together‚ with one fruit every 3 to 5 inches. Peaches and nectarines are notorious for overbearing‚ and should be thinned down to 6 inches apart on the branch. Focus on removing clusters and “twin” fruit that often develop. Plums and pluots: Thin and space to one fruit every 4 to 6 inches for Japanese plum varieties‚ and every 2 to 3 inches for European plum trees. (If you aren’t sure which type you have‚ check out this list. Popular ‘Santa Rosa’ plums are a Japanese variety.) Pears seldom require thinning since they don’t pack on fruit nearly as heavily as other fruit trees. However‚ if crowding‚ fruit drop‚ or biennial bearing becomes an issue with your trees‚ consider thinning as a potential solution. In that case‚ pears should be thinned similarly to apples: reduce clusters down to one (or two) fruits‚ with about 6 inches between each fruit on the branch. Persimmons can sometimes benefit from thinning‚ especially fragile young trees and heavy-bearing varieties like Fuyu. When branches are looking crowded and heavy‚ thin them down to one fruit every 6 inches. Persimmons also seem to do a good job at self-thinning‚ so many gardeners don’t find it necessary. Loquats don’t necessarily need to be thinned‚ though the fruit size and quality will be significantly improved with thinning on heavy fruit set years. Thin loquats by removing about half of the immature fruits‚ either by pruning off individual fruit or entire clusters. Some sources recommend even further spacing than outlined here. Yet in an average home garden or hobby orchard‚ I think we can get away with more modest spacing to maximize yields without compromising the purpose of thinning&;#33; Nicely spaced plums‚ about 4 inches apart. After thinning our young nectarine tree. What to do with thinned fruit&;#63; There aren’t many edible uses for thinned fruit since they’re very underdeveloped and not at all sweet. We typically compost ours‚ or simply toss them out into a wild space in our yard to naturally decompose. You can also drop the thinned fruit right on the ground below the tree‚ letting the nutrients return to the soil. The only culinary use I’ve heard of for thinned fruit is to pickle unripe green plums like olives. Our thinned fruit goes into the compost. See how to build a DIY compost bin. And that concludes this lesson. See‚ I told you thinning was worth it&;#33; I hope you feel motivated and empowered to thin your own fruit trees after reading this post. If you found this useful‚ please consider pinning or sharing this article‚ or leave a comment below to let us know. Also feel free to ask any questions you may have. Otherwise‚ cheers to a beautiful and bountiful fruit harvest&;#33; Thank you so much for tuning in today. Print How to Thin Fruit Trees: Apples‚ Peaches‚ Plums and More Learn when‚ why and how to thin fruit trees to grow bigger and better fruit – including tips for apples‚ peaches‚ nectarines‚ plums‚ pears and more. Keyword thin apple trees‚ thin peach trees‚ thinning fruit trees InstructionsWhenThin fruit tees in early spring‚ within about 6 weeks of when the tree is in full bloom or when the fruit is about the size of a marble (half-inch diameter). HowRemove unwanted fruit by gently twisting or pinching it off the tree‚ taking care not to break branches or disturb the “keeper” fruit in the process. You can also use small clean pruning snips if needed‚ particularly for tougher stems like apples or pears.Remove the smallest or damaged fruits and keep the largest‚ most healthy-looking ones.SpacingThin apples to one (or maybe two) fruit per cluster‚ spaced about 6 inches apart on the branch. Peaches and nectarines should be thinned down to 6 inches apart on the branch. Focus on removing clusters and “twin” fruit that often develop.Apricots can be left to grow slightly closer together‚ with one fruit every 3 to 5 inches.Plums and pluots: Thin to one fruit every 4 to 6 inches for Japanese plum varieties‚ and every 2 to 3 inches for European plum trees.Pears don't always need thinning but if crowding‚ fruit drop‚ or biennial bearing becomes an issue‚ thin pears to one or two fruits per cluster‚ spaced every 6 inches. Persimmons also rarely need thinning‚ but it can be helpful for young trees or heavy-bearing varieties like Fuyu. Thin to one fruit every 6 inches. Loquats don’t need to be thinned‚ though the fruit size and quality will be significantly improved with thinning on heavy fruit set years. Thin loquats by removing about half of the immature fruits‚ either by pruning off individual fruit or entire clusters.Fruit trees that don’t need to be thinned include: avocado‚ citrus‚ cherry‚ fig‚ pomegranate‚ mulberry‚ papaya‚ mango‚ banana‚ guava‚ or most nut trees. Kiwi vines‚ blueberry bushes‚ and bramble or cane berries (blackberries and raspberries) also do not typically require thinning. Don’t miss these related posts: 20 Awesome Avocado Varieties (Type A &; Type B Avocados Explained) What Are Fruit Tree Chill Hours&;#63; Helpful Charts + Area Maps 18 Fantastic Fig Tree Varieties to Grow at Home How to Grow Pineapple Guava (Feijoa): Cold-Hardy Tropical Fruit How to Make a Homemade Gopher Basket for Trees The post How to Thin Fruit Trees: Apples‚ Peaches‚ Plums and More appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders Signs Executive Order Opposing Title IX Changes

Alabama Ensures Biden's Spot on the Ballot

Biden Blow‚ Schumer Setback: Netanyahu Plans to Run Again

Thought tsunamis only happened in the ocean&;#63; Think again. Turns out lake tsunamis are a thing too‚ and they can be just as devastating – here’s everything you need to know about them.What is a lake tsunami&;#63;As you may well have guessed‚ a lake tsunami is a tsunami that occurs in a lake. They happen when the sudden displacement of large volumes of water causes waves to form.The phenomenon is becoming increasingly common in places like Alaska and British Columbia‚ as well as other regions with mountain glaciers.What causes lake tsunamis&;#63;Lake tsunamis can be generated in a number of ways. Like ocean tsunamis‚ which are usually caused by an earthquake below or near the sea floor‚ lake tsunamis can also result from seismic activity. When lakes lie on or near a fault line‚ earthquakes can disrupt the lake bed and displace large amounts of water as a tsunami.They can also be caused by landslides‚ avalanches‚ or glacier calving‚ which can send large amounts of debris into comparatively small bodies of water‚ forcing the water level to rise dramatically‚ potentially as a tsunami.Delta collapse is known to cause lake tsunamis too. This is when the sand and gravel at the head of a lake (where it meets its river delta) give way.Lake tsunamis can also be triggered by atmospheric changes – these are known as meteotsunamis – and volcanic processes.How dangerous are lake tsunamis&;#63;Although most lake tsunamis currently occur in remote locations‚ and so represent little threat to people‚ properties‚ and infrastructure‚ it seems the tide may be turning. According to geologist Bretwood Higman of Ground Truth Alaska‚ lake tsunamis in populated areas might become more frequent‚ thanks largely to climate change. Higman discussed the subject recently at the Seismological Society of America (SSA)’s 2024 Annual Meeting.As temperatures spike and glaciers and permafrost melt‚ landslides will become more and more common‚ making lake tsunamis all the more likely‚ Higman said in a statement.  In Alaska‚ the geologist estimates the risk of a lake tsunami is high in Portage Lake – it’s &;quot;pretty much at the top of my list‚” said Higman. Regardless of where they occur‚ lake tsunamis can be catastrophic.In November 2020‚ a huge landslide triggered a 100-meter (328-foot) tall lake tsunami in British Columbia. Around 18 million cubic meters (636 million cubic feet) of rock plummeted into a glacier lake‚ sending a vast torrent of water into Elliot Creek and the surrounding area‚ devastating the landscape.&;quot;Imagine a landslide with a mass equal to all of the automobiles in Canada‚ traveling with a velocity of about 140 kilometers [87 miles] an hour when it runs into a large lake‚&;quot; geomorphologist Marten Geertsema told CBC in 2022.Forest and salmon spawning grounds were the main casualties in this instance‚ but such an event in built-up areas could have the potential to wipe out properties and infrastructure – and‚ in the presence of humans‚ could be deadly. A tsunami in Lake Michigan in 1938‚ for example‚ killed five people and endangered 27 others‚ as waves reached 3 meters (10 feet) high‚ reportedly appearing to come out of nowhere.“There are places where we see the same kinds of geologic instability that preceded these other events‚ but there are a lot of people exposed‚” Higman said‚ adding that lake tsunamis are “an emerging‚ climate-linked hazard”.So there you have it‚ tsunamis are not confined to the open ocean. In fact‚ the tallest one on record‚ which hit Alaska in 1958 with waves up to 524 meters (1‚720 feet) high‚ happened in a fjord.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current. 

Taking turns to communicate isn’t just a thing that humans do in polite conversation – plenty of other animals also avoid overlapping each other. But not every animal “talks” – so how do those that still appear to take turns know when to do so&;#63; A new study examining the aggressive back and forth of Siamese fighting fish holds some potential answers about the role of visual cues.The study‚ which is a preprint and so is yet to be peer-reviewed‚ analyzed the very beginning of aggressive encounters between Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens)‚ commonly called bettas. Known as the display phase‚ the fish take turns flaring their gills – it’s like a dance where one tries to intimidate the other‚ causing someone to either scarper or start a fight.A grumpy‚ gill-flaring betta.Image credit: I Putu Krisna Wiranata/Shutterstock.comTo figure out which elements of this display might give cues for turn-taking‚ the researchers observed bettas exposed to either other real bettas‚ or natural-looking animations set up on a screen next to the tank‚ developed using photographs and motion tracking of a real male betta.Though analysis revealed that sometimes the riled-up bettas don’t always wait for their turn to flare – not entirely dissimilar to humans when they start talking over each other in an argument – they usually do and the cues to do so involve speed and orientation. The team found that the betta preferred to flare at an animated fish when the virtual recreation was close to the water’s surface and turned broadside‚ suggesting orientation acts as a cue. It could also be assumed that one fish would need to see the other fish flare in order to know to wait for its turn‚ but surprisingly‚ this seems not to matter. IFLScience is not responsible for content shared from external sites.“We found that the virtual (stimulus) fish does not need to flare for the real opponent to wait for its turn. Instead‚ changes in orientation and speed are sufficient‚” wrote one of the study’s authors‚ Andres Bendesky‚ on X.That’s not to say gill flaring isn’t important to the conversation as a whole‚ though; the study instead proposes that it helps to keep the fish engaged in the aggressive communication for longer. The researchers also identified the part of a betta’s brain that appears to play a role in this engagement‚ a region called the dorsomedial telencephalon that’s homologous to our own amygdala.There are a multitude of other animals that also show turn-taking behavior. A 2018 review covered a wide range of them‚ including insects that alternate vibrations – cicadas being one – and bioluminescence‚ to great apes that use sound and gesture. Scientists hope that such research into turn-taking might help in understanding how communication evolved – even when it comes to human language.The preprint is posted to bioRxiv.

Taxpayer-supported National Public Radio has picked sides in the Israel-Hamas war‚ supporting the students/terrorist supporters camping on the quads of progressive colleges campuses. This is how NPR’s Up First newsletter (a summary of what NPR considers the must-know stories of the day) on Wednesday morning described the illegal occupation by pro-Hamas agitators at Columbia University: NPR's Brian Mann tells Up First that Columbia students were shocked‚ dismayed‚ and stunned by the overwhelming force used by police. Columbia spokesman Ben Chang said in a press conference that protesters were frightening other students. Mann adds that despite this‚ there’s been a lot of community support for these encampments. Lena Whitney‚ a City College graduate who witnessed the police action last night‚ told NPR‚ “These students are putting their lives at risk; they’re putting their jobs‚ their diplomas at risk because they’re fighting for something bigger -- the right to life for Palestinians.” One would have to dig up the online transcript of Mann’s report‚ which aired first on Wednesday’s Morning Edition --“NYC police used force to clear a pro-Palestinian student encampment at Columbia” -- to confirm the campus disruptors at Columbia heard on the report's background tape were in fact chanting “intifada‚” support for the killing of Jews. A Martinez‚ Host: ….Across the country‚ the pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University is gone this morning‚ and the campus building that protesters had seized is empty. Police forced their way into the building and arrested and zip-tied the hands of dozens of students who began their demonstration two weeks ago…. NPR’s reporter Mann committed bias by omission‚ reporting only that “Hundreds of students were defiant at first‚ A. They were chanting anti-Israel slogans and calling for divestment from doing business with Israel.” Calling for Israel’s destruction via “intifada” -- which Mann didn’t even acknowledge directly -- isn’t just an “anti-Israel slogan” and certainly isn’t a mere call for divestment. It calls up memories of the Second Intifada and the suicide bombers who murdered hundreds of Israeli civilians on buses and in cafes. Unidentified Protester: (Chanting) Intifada‚ intifada. Unidentified Protesters: (Chanting) Intifada‚ intifada. Unidentified Protester: (Chanting) Long live the intifada. Unidentified Protesters: (Chanting) Long live the intifada. Still‚ NPR stuck up for the terrorist supporters and their (illegal) occupation of a campus building. Mann: At one point‚ A‚ a student appeared on top of Hamilton Hall. That's the building they occupied Monday night. That student waved a Palestinian flag. But then around 9:30 p.m. last night‚ a huge number of NYPD officers in riot gear charged the campus. And the student crowd fell back. They were clearly frightened. The NYPD used a massive armored vehicle to push a bridge into a window of Hamilton Hall…. Martinez: Wow‚ what a scene. How did students react to all this&;#63; Mann: Yeah‚ with shock and dismay. I spoke to one student who was stunned by the overwhelming force. She wouldn't give her name because she fears reprisal by Columbia University. Unidentified Student: Myself and many other students have just felt horror seeing the swiftness with which the NYPD came and deploy themselves onto our campus. Mann ran a bite from a Columbia spokesman who said protesters had “created a threatening environment for many‚ including our Jewish students and faculty.” Still‚ the reporter located “a lot of community support” for the agitators‚ including the bystander Up First found interesting. Mann: You know‚ many politicians in New York City‚ including bipartisan members of Congress have condemned these protests‚ describing them as unlawful and antisemitic. That's a charge many students reject. There's also been a lot of community support for these encampments. NPR spoke last night with Leena Widdi‚ who watched this police action. She's a graduate of City College. Leena Widdi: Students are putting their lives at risk. They're putting their jobs‚ their diplomas at risk 'cause they know that they're fighting for something bigger‚ which is the right to life for Palestinians.

The 2024 election is shaping up to be yet another critical one for the American family. Over the last few months‚ Joe Biden has made it clear that promoting the sexual mutilation of gender-confused children is one of the main priorities of his administration. While Kennedy’s message may seem appealing on the surface‚ the truth is that his record of elusiveness makes it impossible to trust him. Biden’s Department of Education two weeks ago announced that it had reinterpreted Title IX to require schools to allow boys into girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms. Shortly before that‚ his administration also “reinterpreted” federal law to require doctors and hospitals to provide sex-change drugs and surgeries on demand to everyone‚ including children‚ regardless of their best medical judgment. And‚ of course‚ during his State of the Union address‚ the president called on Congress to permanently implement all these policies through federal legislation. Although Biden’s dash to the far left may have solidified his support among the “Queers for Palestine‚” it has left many families desperately searching for saner alternatives. This has created an opening for third-party candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‚ who has sought to style himself as a moderate on the campaign trail. But that’s simply not the case. While Kennedy’s message may seem appealing on the surface‚ the truth is that his record of elusiveness makes it impossible to trust him. His comments on transgender issues provide a perfect case in point. For his entire campaign‚ Kennedy has refused to answer any serious question about what he would do as president to protect kids from the predatory transgender industry. Instead‚ he obfuscates‚ trying to con voters into thinking he’s on their side while taking no firm position. For example‚ when asked in December by Patrick Bet-David what he would do to prevent children under the age of 18 from falling victim to castration and mutilation at the hands of so-called “gender-affirming” doctors‚ Kennedy hemmed and hawed for minute after minute‚ during which it became clear that the answer is absolutely nothing. “I don’t know enough about it‚ Patrick‚ to — to say that it should be completely illegal [under 18]‚” Kennedy stammered uncomfortably. Over the next two minutes‚ he would repeat “I don’t know” seven more times. Amid the word salad‚ Kennedy even suggested that mutilating children was an example of the type of “freedom” he wants to defend. In the end‚ Kennedy just gave up — “I’m just telling you the truth‚ I don’t have a position on this” — and pivoted to a long‚ unrelated speech about food allergies. One would think that Kennedy‚ whose entire public persona is centered around fighting corporate and medical malpractice‚ would be up in arms about the multimillion-dollar industry deliberately sterilizing an entire generation of children. But disturbingly‚ it appears that he’s not. His terrible non-answer also puts his previous response to related questions in a much different and more troubling light. Kennedy has said that he thinks allowing men in women’s sports is unfair. But he has never said what he specifically wants to do to stop it. He has said that parents should have a say in their children’s education‚ but has never opined one way or the other on whether he would allow federally funded transgender indoctrination in schools to continue to take place. This also calls to mind Kennedy’s now-infamous decision to publicly withdraw from a Moms for Liberty event where he had agreed to speak. That episode ended with him slandering the group as somehow against “gay rights‚” as if there was something wrong with not wanting to make graphic obscenity freely available to children in an elementary school library. Kennedy’s record looks especially bad once one contrasts it to the outside challenger he is trying unsuccessfully to mimic: Donald Trump. Unlike Kennedy‚ Trump has made absolutely clear where he stands on these issues. He has laid out the most extensive and detailed plan for protecting children from the transgender industry of any politician in the country. Trump has promised to investigate‚ defund‚ and ultimately ban the mutilation of children in all 50 states. That’s about as strong a position as you get on this issue. He has also promised to task his Department of Education with going after federally funded schools that teach children they could be trapped in the wrong body. And he wants Congress to not only pass legislation to keep men from participating in women’s sports but also declare outright that there are only two genders — and that all of our laws should reflect that. For pro-family voters‚ there’s only one choice in November. It’s not Joe Biden‚ obviously. But it’s not RFK Jr.‚ either. Nobody should fall for the con. However much Kennedy tries to sound reasonable‚ anyone incapable of answering whether doctors should be allowed to cut off a confused child’s body parts is a coward at best and a moral monster at worst. Either way‚ such a person belongs nowhere close to the White House.

“War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” George Orwell’s “1984” was supposed to serve as a warning‚ not a how-to guide for journalists protecting the radical left. Unlike many 2016 media postmortems‚ the biased coverage of Donald Trump isn’t a result of cultural differences. It is by design. In April‚ NPR editor Uri Berliner — no Trump fan — wrote a scathing op-ed outlining his outlet’s intentional anti-Trump bias. He was subsequently fired‚ his warnings unheeded. This week‚ Time magazine pulled an NPR and published an issue devoted to what happens‚ “If He Wins.” Eric Cortellessa implies Trump will be a dictator even though he’s run cover for Joe Biden’s unconstitutional executive actions. “He‚” of course‚ is the Bad Orange Man himself. As part of the special issue‚ Time’s Eric Cortellessa provided analysis of the magazine’s two interviews with the 45th president and multiple interviews with his former advisers. The analysis reads more like a fever dream of a dystopian future under Trump than anything rooted in reality. Cortellessa’s entire piece paints a distorted narrative. But the fifth paragraph is especially instructive to show how the media ratchets up the fear. Let’s take it point by point. Cortellessa starts: What emerged in two interviews with Trump‚ and conversations with more than a dozen of his closest advisers and confidants‚ were the outlines of an imperial presidency that would reshape America and its role in the world. An “imperial presidency‚” that would “reshape America and its role in the world.” How sinister&;#33; Cortellessa is obviously trying to evoke images of absolute rulers in the mold of a Caesar‚ Putin‚ Hitler‚ or maybe even Sheev Palpatine rising to power from his humble beginnings on Coruscant. Every presidency of the modern era has bordered on imperial as the executive branch has gained more power and as the legislative branch has abrogated its responsibility as a check and balance. Cortellessa implies Trump will be a dictator even though he’s run cover for Joe Biden’s unconstitutional executive actions. When it came to absolving borrowers of their student loan responsibilities‚ Biden acted in a dictatorial fashion. That’s when Cortellessa fell in line behind Biden and “fact-checked” criticisms of the plan later deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. When the tyrannical undemocratic powers are used for things regime stenographers like‚ “journalists” such as Cortellessa write: “It is easier to take a gamble when there’s reason to believe you can still win by losing.” Here’s his next point: To carry out a deportation operation designed to remove more than 11 million people from the country‚ Trump told me‚ he would be willing to build migrant detention camps and deploy the U.S. military‚ both at the border and inland. The media elite push the narrative that securing the border is somehow tyrannical. Most Americans are not on their side. An exclusive poll released last month by Axios showed that a majority of Americans support the mass deportation of illegal aliens. Axios writes‚ “Americans are open to former President Trump’s harshest immigration plans‚ spurred on by a record surge of illegal border crossings and a relentless messaging war waged by Republicans.” The nation is being invaded by a wave of illegal immigration never seen before in American history. It is funded by left-wing groups and carried out by cartels that act as human smugglers and traffickers. There is precedent in military action to stem trans-border incursions by paramilitary and criminal groups. Pancho Villa would like to enter the chat. Cortellessa continues: He would let red states monitor women’s pregnancies and prosecute those who violate abortion bans. The Supreme Court said loudly in the Dobbs decision that absent a law passed by Congress and signed by the president‚ the issue of abortion is left to the states. If Cortellessa were playing it straight‚ he would simply acknowledge that Trump said he would uphold the law. To many Americans‚ even some who are pro-choice‚ abortion is the killing of a baby. Cortellessa also has some scary things to say about perfectly constitutional actions that presidents have taken since the early 1800s: He would‚ at his personal discretion‚ withhold funds appropriated by Congress‚ according to top advisers. This is all perfectly normal. Trump‚ like many presidents from Thomas Jefferson through the modern age‚ would impound appropriated funds. Loaded phrases like “personal discretion” play to the hatred of Trump the media is trying to bolster. What’s laughable is yes‚ the president is a person and can use “discretion” exactly as his predecessors have. What about Trump’s plans for the Justice Department&;#63; Cortellessa wants you to be very afraid: He would be willing to fire a U.S. Attorney who doesn’t carry out his order to prosecute someone‚ breaking with a tradition of independent law enforcement that dates from America’s founding. The feigned shock here is brilliant in its effect. As Cortellessa no doubt knows‚ there is not and never has been “independent law enforcement” in this country. The notion is a myth. The Constitution gives the president sole executive power. Whether Cortellessa likes it or not‚ the president is the chief law enforcement officer of the country. But never mind that. Trump is going to pardon “domestic terrorists”&;#33; He is weighing pardons for every one of his supporters accused of attacking the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6‚ 2021‚ more than 800 of whom have pleaded guilty or been convicted by a jury. Notwithstanding that many of the convictions of the Jan. 6 defendants may be overturned by the Supreme Court‚ there is precedent of presidents pardoning FALN Puerto Rican nationalists who were convicted of crimes ranging from bomb-making to sedition. FALN was suspected in the bombings of multiple federal office buildings in New York. As Blaze Media’s Steve Baker has reported at length‚ there is much wrong with the mainstream media narrative surrounding the events of January 6‚ 2021. He won’t be a good ally&;#33; He might not come to the aid of an attacked ally in Europe or Asia if he felt that country wasn’t paying enough for its own defense. In 2014‚ when Barack Obama was president‚ NATO allies agreed to spend 2% of GDP for defense. NATO itself says‚ “The 2% of GDP guideline is an important indicator of the political resolve of individual Allies to contribute to NATO’s common defense efforts.” At that time only three of the members of NATO spent that much. The United States disproportionately bears the heaviest burden of funding the alliance. Trump has been a long-standing critic of our allies not spending enough on their own defense. Back in the 1980s he took out a full-page ad imploring countries to pay their fair share for defense. This is neither a new nor especially controversial stance by the former president. Even the current front-runner to head NATO agrees with Trump. Former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte‚ the front-runner to replace the current NATO secretary-general‚ told Bloomberg at Davos earlier this year‚ “This was exactly Trump’s main issue‚ that we were not spending enough‚ and he was right. He was right.” But never mind that. Trump will change the entire nature of government&;#33; He would gut the U.S. civil service‚ deploy the National Guard to American cities as he sees fit‚ close the White House pandemic-preparedness office‚ and staff his Administration with acolytes who back his false assertion that the 2020 election was stolen. The civil service today is synonymous with the administrative state‚ the unelected shadow government that actually runs the country. The permanent bureaucracy is the unholy child of the Progressive Era‚ brought into being by Woodrow Wilson to “professionalize the government.” What it has done has shifted responsibility of governing from elected officials to career bureaucrats. Each year elected officials have less and less control over government. “Democracy dies in darkness‚” indeed&;#33; As the chief executive officer of the United States‚ the president has the sole executive authority to fire government employees. The Supreme Court in Myers v. United States sided with the president’s power to do just that when it sided with Wilson in his decision to fire a postmaster in Portland‚ Oregon. Returning control of the government to elected officials is something to be celebrated‚ not denigrated as tyrannical. “Freedom is slavery.” The left and its mainstream media acolytes have added to that more Newspeak: “Less government is tyranny.” As for the claim that Trump would “staff his administration with acolytes who back” his 2020 election claims‚ the chief propagandist of the Biden regime‚ Karine Jean-Pierre‚ is a noted 2016 election denier. Cortellessa’s analysis conclusively proves that distortion to fit narratives isn’t the result of some cultural disconnect. It is by design.