Prof. Ronald Hoy, neurobiology and behavior, has an ear for fine music, and he uses it to study the sounds of life.  From Beethoven and Vivaldi to mosquitoes and birds, Hoy listens to the sounds of life, and connects animal movement to communication.

A new exhibition at Mann Library, "The Sweet-Voiced Bird has Flown: Portraits of Common Birds in Decline," combines the aritistic talents of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators with the confounding research in the science community. It illustrates threatened birds, facing the possible perils of climate change and human development.

Although extinct for 65 million years, dinosaurs find themselves deeply imbedded in popular culture. Dinosaurs project strong imagery, along the lines of a Jurassic Park chase scene. Audiences rarely think of dinosaurs with bright feathers.

It’s almost impossible to think of evolution without thinking about birds. Since Charles Darwin traveled to the Galapagos Islands, where he studied the diversity of island finches, birds have fascinated scientists with their ability to adapt to surroundings.

While most students were packing up in preparation for Fall Break, 1,000 ticket-holders joined National Public Radio’s Ira Flatow in Bailey auditorium for a live broadcast of Science Friday to millions of listeners across hundreds of NPR affiliate stations. Science Friday is a weekly science talk radio program entering its 19th year of hosting expert panel discussions and listener call-ins on current issues in science, nature and technology.