Book Recommendations book review Above and Below: Two Communities Come to Blows in Fathomfolk by Eliza Chan A review of Eliza Chan’s debut fantasy novel. By Martin Cahill | Published on March 28‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed In the city of Tiankawi‚ the tide is an ever present threat‚ threatening to sweep all away. As such disaster looms‚ one would hope to see communities coming together‚ putting aside differences‚ and helping keep each other’s heads above water. However‚ in Eliza Chan’s debut novel‚ Fathomfolk‚ while those tides are indeed rising‚ no one can see them for the conflicts of the every day. Humanity is threatened by the rising numbers of those known as fathomfolk‚ doing their best to shove these beings of magic and myth back in the water. There are the fathomfolk‚ forced to breathe the toxic waters of a polluted sea and still forced behind human interest. And there are those in the middle‚ not wanting to pick‚ but to save as many people from either side as possible. This churn and these rising tides‚ both literal and metaphorical‚ are front and center in this energetic debut‚ as the city of Tiankawi and Chan’s multitude of voices each try to navigate political turmoil‚ social injustice‚ and two communities about to come to blows.  From the start‚ we have a bevy of characters giving us insight into the various concerns afflicting Tiankawi. Mira‚ a half-siren woman‚ has been promoted to a position of leadership in the chinthe‚ the border guard of the city who help maintain safety—especially between humans and fathomfolk‚ a bountiful community of water-breathing peoples: mermaids‚ sirens‚ seawitches‚ kappas‚ redcaps‚ and many more. With her partner‚ Kai‚ a water dragon prince and the fathomfolk ambassador‚ she does her best to advocate for their peoples and keep the peace. Meanwhile‚ Kai’s sister Nami‚ a young water dragon of privilege who is exiled to Tiankawi after a busted heist‚ is soon attracted to the Drawbacks‚ a group of revolutionaries dedicated to tearing down the human world and bringing justice for the fathomfolk‚ who are treated like second-class citizens. And all the while Cordelia‚ a scheming seawitch‚ slithers and treads between characters and classes‚ using her shapeshifting and innate magical alchemy to her benefit‚ furthering her own personal agendas. All of these characters and their goals begin to mesh together and intertwine‚ putting not just the city of Tiankawi but all of its citizens‚ human and fathomfolk alike‚ in the gravest of danger.  Buy the Book Fathomfolk Eliza Chan Buy Book icon-close Fathomfolk Eliza Chan Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget You can feel the love author Eliza Chan poured into this book on every page. There’s a lot of great East Asian mythology at play in the various fathomfolk brought to life‚ and the city of Tiankawi feels inspired by a number of Asian cultures from food to fashion to transportation and more. Chan makes the city and the world itself a living and breathing entity‚ adding to works like The City and The City‚ The Lies of Locke Lamora‚ and A Study in Drowning‚ in which the location itself is a character for the reader to love‚ understand‚ and root for. As we come to know Mira‚ Kai‚ Nami‚ and Cordelia‚ we see the city through their eyes‚ and see the beauty and splendor of the fathomfolk as much as we see their suffering under the law of humanity‚ the gill-less too terrified of their magical abilities and mythic forms to see them as people worthy of respect and care. The focus on social issues‚ communal solidarity‚ and navigating two worlds‚ neither of which want you‚ is when Fathomfolk is at its strongest; the movement toward justice can be a thorny one‚ made more complicated by differing perspectives and violence as a means to an end. It’s when Chan balances myth and place with theme and character that Fathomfolk shines as bright as a pearl in the sun. However‚ if you’ve been reading so far and are thinking this is all a lot to balance‚ you would be correct. There is a fine line‚ especially in epic fantasy‚ between worldbuilding and pacing‚ and unfortunately there are moments here when you can feel one beginning to tip over into the other‚ and while the writing can work‚ the flow as a whole slows down. On the other hand‚ there are moments where the story moves along at a quick clip‚ the pace beginning to smooth‚ but in doing so‚ there are bits of characterization or story revelation not quite given the heft and weight they deserve in order for the reader to really invest in either. It doesn’t take away from any of the excellent moments to be found within‚ but it is worth noting that as much as Chan sticks the landing in some places‚ there are others where there can be a bit of a stumble.  But one must ask‚ does one expect perfection from a debut novel? No. In fact‚ expecting perfection from any art‚ in any medium‚ is going to make your life a lot less joyful. I’d argue that Fathomfolk has the heart‚ the beauty‚ and the creativity to make me invested in Chan as a writer‚ making me particularly excited to see what comes next in this series and in her career as a whole. After all‚ you can work on the technical bits and push yourself to continue to grow‚ but you can’t build a heart from nothing‚ or wring blood from a stone. For all that there were some slow moments or some muddy characterization‚ there is so much love‚ energy‚ and passion poured into Fathomfolk to make this a novel worthy of your time and attention. I’m excited to dive back into whatever waters Eliza Chan wades into next. [end-mark] Fathomfolk is published by Orbit. The post Above and Below: Two Communities Come to Blows in <;em>;Fathomfolk<;/em>; by Eliza Chan appeared first on Reactor.

Does Rep. Jerry Nadler‚ D-N.Y.‚ really live in New York or an alternate universe? People certainly wondered after a House Judiciary Committee hearing where the 76-year-old declared‚ “Men do not compete in women’s sports.” Is the president’s senility contagious or is Nadler living in complete denial of a global phenomenon that’s plunged communities into chaos? Not only are men competing in women’s sports‚ they’re winning women’s titles—a fact Riley Gaines was more than happy to point out. “Ironic he says this on the EXACT two-year anniversary of this photo being taken‚” Gaines‚ the former University of Kentucky swimmer‚ posted alongside a picture of Lia Thomas holding a trophy he never should have had the chance to race for. “This 6’4” man isn’t fooling anyone with any amount of common sense‚” Gaines fumed. “2 years ago today‚ I had a fire lit under me and communists like Nadler continue to fuel it.” Ironic he says this on the EXACT 2 year anniversary of this photo being taken. This 6'4" man isn't fooling anyone with any amount of common sense. 2 years ago today I had a fire lit under me and communists like Nadler continue to fuel it. https://t.co/D0xnL1kfL9 pic.twitter.com/jqouIQWCxC— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) March 21‚ 2024 And yet‚ Nadler was so determined to suppress reality that he actually moved to have evidence of the debate stricken from the record. Rep. Harriet Hageman‚ R-Wyo.‚ had catalogued a number of times that biological boys had stolen girls’ titles and opportunities in the past several years. The group SheWon puts the number at an eye-popping 292 stolen first-place podiums. “I ask for unanimous consent to submit for the record instances of men hijacking women’s sports and the various examples that we have demonstrating not only injuries that have been suffered by women as men have participated in girls’ sports‚ but also the women—the girls and women who have been affected by this‚ including Riley Gaines‚ when Will Thomas decided to join the … women’s swimming team in Pennsylvania‚” Hageman requested. .@RepJerryNadler: "Men do not compete in women's sports." Who wants to tell him about Lia Thomas — a man‚ who has competed in women's sports.@Riley_Gaines_? pic.twitter.com/LLjUTzD1jJ— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) March 21‚ 2024 Nadler‚ the committee’s ranking member‚ fired back‚ “I object to concluding these mistruths in the record.” Shocked‚ Hageman replied how telling it was that he didn’t want the facts included in the record—to which the New Yorker replied‚ “Men do not compete in women’s sports.” That’s news to the 25 (going on 26) states that have stepped in to stop this madness from overtaking their girls at the pool‚ track‚ court‚ field‚ and gym. If it wasn’t happening‚ then this was sure a monumental waste of legislative time. Slack-jawed‚ conservatives kept up the pressure‚ giving a passionate defense of girls and the opportunities‚ safety‚ and privacy they’re losing by this absurd introduction of men in women’s sports. Rep. Victoria Spartz‚ R-Ind.‚ showed a video montage of girls who’ve been physically injured playing against biological boys in volleyball‚ field hockey‚ and basketball. From Massachusetts to North Carolina‚ members watched as girls screamed in pain‚ lost teeth‚ were carted off with head injuries. One of the victims‚ Payton McNabb‚ still suffers from blurred vision‚ partial paralysis‚ and memory loss. We have examples‚ Spartz insisted‚ of “much stronger guys playing sports against biologically not-as-strong women.” “Girls actually get hurt by biological males playing sports‚” she argued. “I mean‚ it is really unbelievable for me that this is an issue that we cannot stand with women and girls on.” Instead‚ Spartz went on‚ “the other side tries to really deter the conversation in a different direction and divert it. … Let’s talk about how we are going to protect our women and girls.” When the talk turned to privacy rights‚ Rep. Eric Swalwell‚ D-Calif.‚ joined Nadler’s delusion‚ claiming that men in girls locker rooms “is not a thing.” Tell that to the 16 plaintiffs suing the NCAA. One of them‚ Gaines’ teammate and Southeastern Conference champion Kaitlynn Wheeler‚ describes in agonizing detail how they were put in a “fundamentally unfair situation that no student-athlete‚ let alone a teenage girl‚ should ever have to face.” The collegiate sports body “did not simply make my teammates in the 100-‚ 200-‚ and 500-yard freestyle races face a biological male swimmer in the pool‚” she insisted. “The NCAA also decided that Lia Thomas‚ a 6-foot-4-inch‚ 22-year-old transgender swimmer with a male body and full male genitalia‚ would be undressing with us.” She writes of that traumatizing experience in a new Washington Examiner op-ed: The moment I realized Thomas would be sharing our most private space‚ I was engulfed by a whirlwind of emotions—shock‚ disbelief‚ horror. The sanctity of our locker room‚ a space that should have been ours and ours alone‚ was shattered without warning. The presence of male genitalia in a space that was supposed to be safe‚ where we were vulnerable and exposed‚ was not just uncomfortable. It was a visceral invasion of our privacy and dignity. Feeling my stomach churn as whispers turned to silence‚ I stood there‚ naked and exposed‚ not just physically‚ but also emotionally‚ grappling with a reality I couldn’t comprehend. The NCAA’s decision to transform our sanctuary into a ‘unisex’ locker room without our consent felt like a betrayal of the highest order. It was a stark reminder that our voices‚ our comfort‚ and our boundaries did not matter. And yet‚ the effort to protect these girls is what Swalwell called “creepy”—not forcing innocent teenagers to share a room with a naked man. That’s what really stings‚ the girls say. No one has their backs. As so many female athletes admitted to Senate Republicans‚ they feel helpless. “This is kind of a theme that we got‚” Sen. Bill Cassidy‚ R-La.‚ said of his committee’s investigation on trans inclusion in sports: “‘Why am I even trying? I don’t have any hope whatsoever.’” “Our voices as women were completely silenced‚” another admitted. Fortunately for Wheeler and the thousands of American daughters living this nightmare‚ Republicans do care. Over the objections of Democrats‚ conservatives on the House Judiciary Committee passed the Protection of Women in Olympic &; Amateur Sports Act—authored by Rep. Greg Steube‚ R-Fla.—on March 21. Today‚ @JudiciaryGOP passed the Protection of Women in Olympic &; Amateur Sports Act. As a mother of two girls and someone who has worked in male-dominated professions her entire life‚ Rep. Spartz will stand with women to protect their rights &; opportunities as athletes. pic.twitter.com/CmUnUYJ1zG— Rep. Victoria Spartz (@RepSpartz) March 21‚ 2024 To Wheeler‚ who watched Thomas stand on top of a podium meant for her sport‚ maybe it will mean the end of the silence of the adults in the room. “That silence spoke volumes of the injustice‚ pain‚ and anger brewing in the hearts of not just the competitors‚ but of every woman forced into silence by a system that refuses to listen.” Until then‚ she vowed‚ women will “stand against the erasure of our voices‚” whether or not this president or his party stands with them. “We demand a future where female athletes are respected‚ where our safety and privacy are not just acknowledged‚ but fiercely protected.” Originally published by The Washington Stand The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. The post Democrats Claim Men ‘Don’t Compete in Women’s Sports’ as Stolen Athletic Titles Near 300 appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Some school officials in Mississippi seem determined to keep parents out of their child’s education. But state lawmakers have a chance to join about two dozen other states that have prevented that from happening. Mississippi legislators are considering a proposal that would create a parental bill of rights‚ reinforcing parents’ authority even when a child is on school grounds. The proposal is simple‚ but powerful: Public employees‚ such as teachers and school administrators‚ cannot substantially burden a parent’s right to direct a child’s upbringing and health care. What does this look like in practice? When children start the school year‚ moms and dads typically have to sign forms stating a child’s allergies‚ directing the school to administer painkillers if a child is injured at recess‚ and consenting to basic medical treatment if a child is in need. In today’s upside-down culture‚ however‚ school officials are allowing minor-age children to “change” their name and whether they want to be addressed as a boy or girl‚ regardless of his or her sex‚ while at school. In some states‚ teachers do not have to tell parents that a child is making these choices during the school day. What results is “social affirmation‚” in which adults tell a child that yes‚ the child was born in the wrong body and should act as if they are someone they are not. That can foster a child’s desire to seek medical interventions‚ such as puberty blockers and hormone treatments and perhaps even surgeries that will damage their reproductive organs. An exaggeration? Whistleblowers have exposed centers such as the St. Louis Children’s Hospital for prescribing children as young as 11 to take puberty-blocking drugs. The results were horrific in some cases: Young women would return to the hospital bleeding through their clothes because testosterone treatments thin the vaginal wall‚ and the wall can then tear open. Some males experienced liver toxicity after taking drugs to make them appear more feminine. Researchers continue to raise alarms as they find an overlap between mental illness or special needs such as autism and claims of sexual confusion among youth. In the U.K.‚ England’s National Health Service has recommended that doctors not encourage young people to assume a different “gender” because autism and anxiety and depression were often found in children expressing confusion over their sex. And research finds that this confusion resolves on its own as children progress into adulthood in 80% to 95% of cases‚ which means watchful waiting is far healthier for children than social affirmation.  Yet some Mississippi educators are still pushing the dangerous “gender” agenda. Parents Defending Education‚ an advocacy organization‚ uncovered that a school in Jackson received a grant to promote gender ideology. Oxford School District officials surveyed students and asked children if they identified as queer or “trans.” In Tupelo‚ teachers were trained to allow students to change their name and pronouns. Educators were instructed to call the child by his or her given name and pronouns when talking to parents unless the child gave a teacher permission to tell parents that the child had assumed a different gender—a secretive technique that hides information from families. When a child is confused about their sex‚ social affirmation can have lasting consequences. Some medical treatments are irreversible and can lead to sterility and other complications. For at least these reasons‚ school personnel should not be allowed to keep parents in the dark about what is happening to their young children in the classroom. State legislators can help. For more than a decade‚ state lawmakers around the country have been adopting parental bills of rights similar to the proposal before Mississippi lawmakers. Legislators should state plainly that parents are a child’s primary caregivers and that public officials cannot burden‚ or obstruct‚ a parent’s role. Teachers have a responsibility to report abuse or neglect‚ but that does not mean educators should accept a child’s self-diagnosis that he or she needs drugs to alter their body chemistry. The reports from Jackson‚ Tupelo‚ and elsewhere demonstrate why Americans are increasingly skeptical about K-12 education. Mississippi officials should increase academic transparency and strengthen parental rights‚ restoring a civic value in short supply today between local communities and their schools—specifically‚ public trust.  The post Mississippi Schools Push Radical Ideology‚ Often in Secret. A Parental Bill of Rights Would Remedy That. appeared first on The Daily Signal.

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore came as quite a shock. After a massive container ship struck one of the bridge’s pillars‚ the entire span quickly fell apart‚ costing several lives. It’s hard to overstate the bridge’s importance‚ particularly for the automobile industry. In addition to handling 11 million vehicles per year‚ it provided a vital way for trucks to access the Port of Baltimore while avoiding the dense city core. The impact on the region will be felt for months‚ if not years. The question is‚ what now? President Joe Biden has said that the federal government would foot the entire bill for rebuilding the bridge and demanded that Congress make it happen. While the collapse came as a surprise‚ nobody should be surprised that Biden’s immediate response was to call for more federal spending. Since taking office‚ Biden has signed trillions of dollars of spending increases into law and imposed more than $700 billion of additional costs through administrative decisions. This reckless approach to budgeting has whipped up inflation and driven the gross national debt to $34.6 trillion—about $265‚000 for every household in the country. Fortunately‚ it’s possible for Washington to help Maryland rebuild the bridge without driving the nation deeper into debt. First‚ all officials must be clear that the cost of rebuilding should mostly or entirely fall on the owners and operators of the ship‚ even if the incident was purely accidental. While litigation on such an important matter could take time to resolve‚ taxpayers shouldn’t be responsible for the cost of a privately caused disaster. Second‚ there’s no need for Congress to authorize new funding to begin the process of clearing the channel and rebuilding the bridge. In 2021‚ Congress passed a five-year‚ $1.2 trillion infrastructure package‚ the largest portion of which is devoted to roads and bridges. Rather than simply adding to the long-term debt‚ Congress has many options to repurpose funds from the 2021 bill‚ including: Canceling the administration’s $3.1 billion grant to California’s wildly dysfunctional high-speed rail project. Reducing federal spending on programs for low-priority‚ local-only infrastructure such as hiking trails‚ bike paths‚ and sidewalks. Pulling forward highway and bridge funds from allocations for 2025 and 2026 so they are available for the project starting in 2024. Then‚ if the federal or state government receive payment once litigation is settled‚ the proceeds could either be used to reduce the federal deficit or put back into infrastructure funds. Congress and the administration can help reconstruction further by cutting burdensome red tape that adds delays and costs to federally funded projects. These include mandates on labor‚ material procurement‚ shipping‚ port dredging‚ environmental reviews‚ and even “diversity and equity.” While reforming or eliminating these outdated and ineffective laws would be preferable‚ a special exemption would be enough for now. Washington has a longstanding bad habit of responding to every piece of bad news by reaching for Uncle Sam’s credit card. However‚ with federal finances quickly approaching a point of no return‚ responsible governance means looking for prudent solutions. Bottom line: It’s possible to rebuild the bridge without breaking the bank. ©2024 Tribune Content Agency‚ LLC. The post How to Repair the Key Bridge Without Breaking the Bank appeared first on The Daily Signal.

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There is a reason some people chase solar eclipses around the world: this is definitely not a phenomenon where if you’ve seen one‚ you’ve seen them all. Instead‚ each solar eclipse is different‚ and the April 8 North American total solar eclipse will likely come with a few extra features‚ including an abundance of red‚ pink‚ and possibly white streamers and loops.The upcoming solar eclipse will be longer than most and will occur when several planets‚ and maybe even a comet‚ are in the sky‚ adding to the show at totality. However‚ perhaps the most distinctive feature of this eclipse is that it is happening so close to solar maximum‚ when the chances of flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are highest.Solar storms are hard to predict‚ certainly more than a week in advance‚ so we don’t yet know if there will be activity while the Sun is blocked by the Moon‚ offering us a chance to see its corona. However‚ we know that‚ statistically‚ the chances are much higher now than during the last total solar eclipse in the US in 2017‚ when solar activity was on the decline from a peak much lower than this one.Red prominences from Chile during the 2019 total eclipse. The prominences can only be seen during eclipses or using hydrogen alpha filters‚ which hide the red color.Image credit: ESA/CESARSolar maximum is a product of the 22-year cycle of the Sun’s magnetic field‚ during which two peaks occur around 11 years apart. Right now‚ that magnetic field is tangled‚ producing sunspots‚ flares‚ and the CMEs that cause auroras.Even when solar activity is at a minimum‚ prominences can be seen around the edge of the Sun‚ either using hydrogen alpha filters or when the Moon blocks most of the Sun’s light. This time‚ however‚ they should be much longer and more abundant‚ looking like streamers pointing away from the Sun‚ often appearing red and pink. If a flare times itself well‚ you may see it lifting off the Sun. CMEs are rarer‚ but can be visible for much longer; if any occur before the eclipse‚ they could still be seen.A solar prominence in 2010 compared to the size of the Earth.Image credit: NASA Solar Dynamics ObservatoryThe 2023 solar eclipse that touched the coast of Australia included a fine display of prominences. The Sun was less active at that point than it is today‚ and the eclipse was also a great deal shorter.Prominences are usually longer than the diameter of the Earth‚ and some have been as long as the width of the Sun. Most often one end is tethered to the Sun‚ creating a streamer effect‚ but sometimes occurs as an arch‚ often with both ends anchored to sunspot regions. Although there is some uncertainty about their causes‚ prominences are composed of hydrogen and helium like the Sun itself‚ and are held up against gravity by magnetic fields. Rarer coronal loops can resemble an arched prominence in shape‚ but are much hotter.Prominences emit light in the red part of the spectrum as a result of the hydrogen alpha transition. However‚ combined with white light from ordinary thermal emissions‚ it can produce a pink effect.The diamond ring seen during the 2017 eclipse from Oregon State Fair Grounds.Image credit: Dominic Hart/NASAAll of these are separate from the regular eclipse phenomena of the Diamond Ring effect‚ caused by a thin slither of unblocked Sun‚ and Baily’s Beads‚ visible when valleys between lunar mountains allow pockets of sunlight to stream through.

Animals get a pretty bad rap when it comes to spreading viruses. After all‚ some of the most well-known infectious diseases in humans – think COVID-19‚ Ebola‚ or swine flu – are the result of viruses that naturally circulate in animals. But a new study might just salvage that reputation‚ with researchers having found that viruses jump from humans to animals more than they pass viruses to us.Diseases where viruses have passed from animals to humans‚ known as zoonosis‚ have a pretty big impact on human health‚ as many will have become acutely aware of in the last four years. In an effort to be prepared for future virus outbreaks‚ the study team took to analyzing nearly 12 million viral genomes across 32 viral families‚ pinpointing how they had evolved and mutations they’d acquired when jumping to different hosts.“By surveying and monitoring transmission of viruses between animals and humans‚ in either direction‚ we can better understand viral evolution and hopefully be more prepared for future outbreaks and epidemics of novel illnesses‚ while also aiding conservation efforts‚” explained study co-author Professor Francois Balloux in a statement.What the team discovered in their survey was unexpected. “Surprisingly‚ we find that humans are as much a source as a sink for viral spillover events‚” they write. In fact‚ out of the 599 recent host jumps they examined‚ 64 percent were from human to domestic or wild animals (known as anthroponosis) – that's nearly twice as many than from animals to humans.This finding is significant for both the future of human and animal health‚ the researchers suggest. “When animals catch viruses from humans‚ this can not only harm the animal and potentially pose a conservation threat to the species‚ but it may also cause new problems for humans by impacting food security if large numbers of livestock need to be culled to prevent an epidemic‚ as has been happening over recent years with the H5N1 bird flu strain‚” said lead author Cedric Tan.“Additionally‚ if a virus carried by humans infects a new animal species‚ the virus might continue to thrive even if eradicated among humans‚ or even evolve new adaptations before it winds up infecting humans again.”The study also identified that jumping to different hosts tends to come with an increase in mutations in viruses‚ though viruses that can already infect lots of different animals show weaker signs of this. Having this kind of knowledge in hand could help researchers to pinpoint the next big viral threat.“Understanding how and why viruses evolve to jump into different hosts across the wider tree of life may help us figure out how new viral diseases emerge in humans and animals‚” concluded Tan.The study is published in Nature Ecology &; Evolution.

The skulls of two baby predators found littered among a nest containing the near-complete embryo of an Oviraptor puzzled scientists when they described the find back in 1994. Why were these Velociraptor-like animals in such close association with what appeared to be the nest of its prey? The juiciest among several explanations is that it could’ve been an example of brood parasitism. Snarling‚ toothy jaws‚ and killer hooked claws‚ the mental image the word “Velociraptor” brings to mind is a frightening one‚ but the more we learn‚ the more relatable they become. They were feathered theropod dinosaurs‚ about half the size they were depicted in Jurassic Park‚ closer to that of a turkey than the Deinonychus the original JP raptors were based on.There are two known species: Velociraptor mongoliensis and Velociraptor osmolskae‚ and they both join the Dromaeosauridae as feathered carnivores. As for what they were like as parents? Well‚ that’s where some dromaeosaurid remains become very interesting.It centers around Oviraptors‚ and whether or not they were the egg thieves their name suggests. Fossils of Oviraptors incubating and brooding their eggs tell us that‚ actually‚ they were caring for eggs rather than trying to steal them‚ but one such nest led to a very curious discovery.The Flaming Cliffs site in Mongolia‚ where the curious weathered nest was found.Image credit: travelmag.com via Flickr‚ CC BY 2.0Among the eggshell remnants found in the same heavily weathered nest that contained the nearly complete skeleton of an embryonic oviraptorid dinosaur (aka‚ baby Louie) were the partial skulls of two tiny dromaeosaurids. Their size indicated they were either embryos or hatchlings when they died‚ with one “preserved with eggshell adhering to it‚” so what on Earth were they doing next to an Oviraptor egg?Brood parasitism is perhaps the most alluring explanation. The parenting approach is adopted by cuckoos today‚ who will lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and leave them to it. The creator of the nest will lovingly tend to its invader until it hatches and shoves the native eggs out of the nest. The murderous invader ensures it gets all the resources from its adopted parent‚ who will carry on feeding the chick even after it grows bigger than the bird itself. It's a savage approach to parenting‚ but you can’t knock the results. The cuckoo gets to continue its bloodline without lifting a finger after the egg-laying is over. Brood parasitism is seen in several bird species alive today‚ suggesting it’s a successful reproductive strategy that’s also an example of convergent evolution‚ with the trait appearing in unrelated birds. So‚ if birds evolved from dinosaurs‚ could some of their ancient ancestors have done the same thing?Unfortunately‚ when it comes to dromaeosaurids‚ we have very little evidence to work from. Without well-preserved nests of dinosaurs like Velociraptor‚ it’s difficult to infer nesting behavior. That’s what makes the appearance of two dromaeosaurids next to an Oviraptor egg so exciting‚ but there are several explanations as to how they could have got there.  “Skulls of non-avian theropods this small are rare‚” wrote Norell et al in their 1994 paper on the Oviraptor embryo and the two dromaeosaurid skulls‚ “and the close association of two specimens with the egg of another taxon is unlikely to be due to chance alone.”“Although they are certainly from animals close to hatchling age‚ it is unclear whether they are embryos or neonates; the possibility that the dromaeosaurids are from an adjacent nest‚ were prey items of adult oviraptorids‚ were predators on the oviraptorid eggs‚ or even that one of the two taxa was a nest parasite‚ cannot be discounted. In any case‚ their intimate association with the oviraptorid eggs provides another reason for caution in identifying eggs on the basis of their associations with embryos not actually enclosed within them.”What is it they say about not counting your Oviraptors until they’ve hatched? Another curious clue as to whether or not brood parasitism was a trait that evolved before birds is egg coloration‚ especially among theropods like Velociraptor that are thought to have open nests. Dinosaurs known to bury their eggs were found not to have any pigment‚ while open-nesting eggs had the same pigments we find on bird eggs today. It's possible‚ then‚ that egg coloration served a function for above-ground nesting dinosaurs. Whether that function was camouflage‚ temperature regulation‚ or an attempt to hoodwink other parents into thinking your egg is their egg? We don’t yet know‚ but it’s just another reminder that the birds living today aren’t so far from extinct dinosaurs as we might think.