CATALOGUES OF FUN AT MANN
D
igital age gaming fun with old-time seed catalogues? A recent grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Services is putting money on it. It will fund a project to encourage public participation in improving the accuracy of digitized text in the online Biodiversity Heritage Library, including some gorgeously illustrated and whimsical materials uploaded by Mann Library from Bailey Hortorium’s worldrenowned Ethel Z. Bailey Horticultural Catalogue Collection. The seed catalogues will then be featured in an online game that involves the public in correcting mistakes in the computergenerated optical character recognition of historical printed texts digitized for the collection.
LAB OF O RELEASES WIZARD OF AN APP
I
nformation overload is the bane of the beginning bird watcher—as anyone who has ever flipped through 40 species of sparrows in a field guide knows. What if an app could quickly tell you which birds are most likely based on your location, date and a brief description–and not just theoretically, but based on reports by other birders? That’s what Merlin Bird ID does. The free tool helps users identify 285 of the most common birds of North America (with more on the way), and contains expert tips, photos and sounds for each species.
MELTING STARS
M
ore than 10 species of sea stars are dying en masse at an “unprecedented” rate and geographic spread, and microbiologist Ian Hewson is trying to find out what organisms—bacteria, viruses, parasites— might be to blame. Ecology and evolutionary biology professor Drew Harvell is working with him to track whether environmental stressors might affect outbreak patterns.
BACTERIA BY ANY OTHER NAME
F
ood scientists have identified five new species of Listeria–and named one of them after Cornell. L. cornellensis and four others—L. floridensis, L. aquatica, L. riparia and L. grandensis— join the list of 10 previously described species of the bacteria, which can cause food-borne illness. Luckily, L. cornellensis does not seem to be pathogenic, according to researcher Henk den Bakker.
12%
of Americans will, at some point in their working lives, be part of the
TOP 1% OF INCOME EARNERS for one year.
------------------------------------------
40%
Regardless
of who you are, there’s a rhythm to the weight you lose. You’re going to weigh the most on Sunday night and the least on Friday morning.
will live at least a year
UNDER THE POVERTY LINE between ages 25 and 60
According to studies by development sociology professor Tom Hirschl, some of which are featured in the new book “Chasing the American Dream: Understanding What Shapes Our Fortunes”
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