276 results on '"Wexler, Mark"'
Search Results
2. Strategic pivoting: how organizations can shift attention whatever their size.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark N. and Oberlander, Judy
- Subjects
ORGANIZATIONAL aims & objectives ,BUSINESSPEOPLE ,TIME perspective ,ORGANIZATION - Abstract
Purpose: Strategic pivoting, the decision to invest in shifting the attention of an organization, is no longer limited to early-stage organizations and entrepreneurs but has, without a discussion of complications, been applied to large corporations and public agencies. Design/methodology/approach: This conceptual paper defines strategic pivoting, highlights the centrality of pivoting in new and entrepreneurial organizations and critically examines its application as a strategy fostering organizational agility in corporations. Findings: Pivoting in the corporate context complicates the ease of executing an attention shift by introducing a path-dependent momentum that requires modification of the time horizon, stakeholder strategy and the frequency of pivoting. Practical implications: This comparative examination of pivoting highlights the importance of organizational size, complexity, degree of specialization and path-dependent history when deciding to pivot. Originality/value: The present ease with which the strategic pivot is treated as an adaptive strategy to corporate leaders seeking greater flexibility overstates the ease of execution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. The new normal: governance, disruption and the post-truth era.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark N. and Oberlander, Judy
- Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the new normal within a continuum of three types of disruption, each of varying duration. References to the new normal draw attention to the periodic and rising importance of different levels, types, and consequences of game-changing disruption for those in governance roles. Design/methodology/approach: In this conceptual research, given the discussion of a return to normalcy near the expected end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors organize the literature on disruption in governance into a disruption continuum – emergency, crisis and super crisis – to demonstrate the differences in each type of disruption to establish a distinct view of the new normal. Findings: Within the three types of disruption, the first two suit the rational authority model in which disruption is turned over to those in governance roles. However, the rational authority model comes under attack in the super crisis and is increasingly associated with the post-truth era. Social implications: In Type 3 disruptions or super crises, the failure of those in control to set the parameters of the new normal raises concerns that the center no longer holds, and as a result, the assumption of an attentive public splinter into multiple contending publics, each with its version of data, facts and images. Originality/value: The new normal is typically treated after the result of a black swan or rare and surprising long-lived disruption. In this work, the formulation of the recurrence, ubiquity and controversy engendered by super crises suggests that it is one of the features attenuating and giving rise to fractious incivility in the post-truth era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Robo-Advice (RA): implications for the sociology of the professions.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark N. and Oberlander, Judy
- Subjects
KNOWLEDGE management ,PROFESSIONS ,SOCIOLOGY ,DIFFUSION of innovations ,ARTIFICIAL intelligence ,PROFESSIONAL practice ,SUCCESS ,SHARING - Abstract
Purpose: This conceptual paper explores the implications for the sociology of the professions of robo-advice (RA) provided by robo-advisors (RAs) as an early example of successfully programmed algorithmic knowledge managed by artificial intelligence (AI). Design/methodology/approach: The authors examine the drivers of RAs, their success, characteristics, and establish RA as an early precursor of commercialized, programmed professional advice with implications for developments in the sociology of the professions. Findings: Within the lens of the sociology of the professions, the success of RAs suggests that the diffusion of this innovation depends on three factors: the programmed flows of automated professional knowledge are minimally disruptive, they are less costly, and attract attention because of the "on-trend" nature of algorithmic authority guided by AI. The on-trend nature of algorithmic governance and its increasing public acceptance points toward an algorithmic paradox. The contradictions arise in the gap between RA marketed to the public and as a set of professional practices. Practical implications: The incursion of RA-like disembodied advice into other professions is predicted given the emergence of tech-savvy clients, the tie between RA and updatable flows of big data, and an increasing shift to the "maker" or "do-it-yourself" movements. Originality/value: Using the success of RAs in the financial industry, the authors predict that an AI-managed platform, despite the algorithmic paradox, is an avenue for growth with implications for researchers in the sociology of the professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. MIGHTY MOSSES: ‘LIFEBLOOD’ OF ECOSYSTEMS.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
MOSSES ,NOXIOUS weeds ,NUTRIENT cycles - Abstract
A recent global study conducted by over 50 scientists has found that mosses play a crucial role in ecosystems by providing essential services to the environment. The scientists collected samples of mosses from 123 different ecosystems around the world and analyzed how other plants and soils benefit from them. They discovered that moss-covered soil had higher levels of soil health, nutrient cycling, decomposition of organic matter, and control of harmful pathogens compared to soil without mosses. With approximately 12,000 species worldwide, mosses are considered the "lifeblood" of many ecosystems. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
6. CORONAVIRUS EVOLVES IN DEER.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
COVID-19 ,CORONAVIRUSES ,WHITE-tailed deer ,SARS-CoV-2 ,VETERINARY medicine ,DEER populations ,DEER - Abstract
According to an article in National Wildlife, researchers at The Ohio State University have found that white-tailed deer in Ohio are being infected with the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The virus is evolving about three times faster in deer than in humans. The researchers collected nasal swabs from wild deer and found that over 10 percent of the animals carried the virus, with many of the infections being passed from humans. This discovery suggests that humans can potentially contract COVID-19 from deer, and understanding how the virus is mutating in deer populations is important for human health. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
7. microscope.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
AMPHIBIANS ,FROGS - Abstract
DEPARTMENTSVANISHING AMPHIBIANSA team of international scientists reports in Nature that two in five of the planet’s amphibian species are now threatened with extinction (including the webbed harlequin frog, left), making them among Earth’s most imperiled animal groups.PHOTO (COLOR)PHOTO (COLOR) [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
8. WILDLIFE HELP FORESTS STORE CARBON.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
ATMOSPHERIC carbon dioxide ,CARBON sequestration in forests ,WILDLIFE conservation - Abstract
A recent study by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) suggests that cracking down on poaching in tropical forests could help combat climate change. The research found that many of the mammals and birds frequently targeted by hunters play important roles in maintaining the carbon storage capacity of forests. Animals such as elephants, apes, hornbills, and toucans help disperse seeds from big trees with high carbon storage capacity and thin the underbrush, allowing these trees to thrive. As hunters reduce the populations of these animals, smaller-seeded or wind-dispersed trees with lower carbon storage capacity may become more prevalent. The study emphasizes the importance of maintaining intact faunas in order to conserve forests and address climate change. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
9. COVID-19 as a super crisis: implications for place management.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark N. and Oberlander, Judy
- Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate COVID-19 as a super crisis in the design and management of places. Design/methodology/approach: This theory-driven work outlines why and how, by treating COVID-19 as a super crisis, the immunological view rises in priority and swiftly ushers in short- and long-term implications for space design and place management. Findings: First, this paper looks at the short-term impact of COVID-19 upon space and place management in addressing how porous bubbling, stippling and flexible curtaining respond to immediate retrofitting needs during the pandemic. Using the concept of COVID-19-induced collective trauma, this paper draws attention to health-care facilities, schools, workplaces, commercial buildings and public outdoor spaces. These sites require short-term improvisation in place and space design and will, where the collective trauma of COVID-19 leaves strong traces, require long-term redesign and rethinking. Social implications: As a super crisis, COVID-19 generates contradictions in the existing trend in space and place studies from the notion of space and place as a container to one focusing on "flow." A focus on flow highlights a focus on space and place as adaptable to changes in flow, especially as augmented and mediated by technology. Originality/value: This treatment of COVID-19 as a super crisis is intended to stimulate the design and management of spaces and places in the post-COVID-19 period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. SONGBIRDS CAN'T KEEP PACE.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
SONGBIRDS ,SPRING ,LEAF springs - Published
- 2024
11. WHY CITIES NEED MOTHS.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
CITIES & towns ,MOTHS ,PLANT communities - Abstract
A recent study conducted in the city of Leeds by scientists from the University of Sheffield has found that nectar-feeding moths play a crucial role in pollinating urban flowering plants, including crops and trees. These moths carry more pollen and visit more plant species than previously thought. The study also revealed that moths feed on different plant communities, including night-blooming species, compared to bees. The scientists recommend including plants that benefit both moths and native bees, such as borage and comfrey, in residential gardens and green spaces to support the health of urban ecosystems. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
12. HITTING THE RIGHT SPOTS.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
MONARCH butterfly - Published
- 2024
13. WATER FEATURES BOOST BIODIVERSITY.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
URBAN ecology ,WATER gardens ,URBAN animals ,INSECT diversity ,RESEARCH personnel - Abstract
A team of British and Australian researchers have found that backyard ponds and other water features can be just as beneficial for urban wildlife as lakes. In a survey conducted in England's Hertfordshire county, the researchers discovered that 70% of respondents had water sources in their yards. They compared the wildlife visiting these sources with the wildlife in community lakes and found few differences in terms of quantity and variety. The researchers concluded that garden water sources can supplement water-dependent biodiversity in urban areas, especially during hot and dry weather. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
14. Robo-advisors (RAs): the programmed self-service market for professional advice.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark N. and Oberlander, Judy
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. Bifurcation in brain dynamics reveals a signature of conscious processing independent of report.
- Author
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Sergent, Claire, Corazzol, Martina, Labouret, Ghislaine, Stockart, François, Wexler, Mark, King, Jean-Rémi, Meyniel, Florent, and Pressnitzer, Daniel
- Subjects
AUDITORY perception ,ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY ,CONSCIOUSNESS - Abstract
An outstanding challenge for consciousness research is to characterize the neural signature of conscious access independently of any decisional processes. Here we present a model-based approach that uses inter-trial variability to identify the brain dynamics associated with stimulus processing. We demonstrate that, even in the absence of any task or behavior, the electroencephalographic response to auditory stimuli shows bifurcation dynamics around 250–300 milliseconds post-stimulus. Namely, the same stimulus gives rise to late sustained activity on some trials, and not on others. This late neural activity is predictive of task-related reports, and also of reports of conscious contents that are randomly sampled during task-free listening. Source localization further suggests that task-free conscious access recruits the same neural networks as those associated with explicit report, except for frontal executive components. Studying brain dynamics through variability could thus play a key role for identifying the core signatures of conscious access, independent of report. Current knowledge on the neural basis of consciousness mostly relies on situations where people report their perception. Here, the authors provide evidence for the idea that bifurcation in brain dynamics reflects conscious perception independent of report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Public leadership and the wicked problem continuum.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark N. and Oberlander, Judy
- Subjects
LEADERSHIP ,SOCIAL impact ,GOVERNMENT policy ,CLIMATE change - Abstract
Purpose: This paper examines the relevance of the wicked problem continuum, particularly the emergence of super wicked challenges for public leadership researchers. Contemporary theorizing on public leadership adequately deals with tame challenges, struggles with wicked problems and remains in the dark with regards to the implications of super wicked problems Design/methodology/approach: The wicked problem continuum provides a typology or set of dilemmas running from tame to wicked through to super wicked problems. These different problem types are treated as if they were on a three-zone continuum in which the difficulty of solving or substantially reducing the problem varies from relatively low to very high. Findings: We delineate the three-problem contexts in the wicked problem continuum and discuss the ideal type of organization thriving in each zone. We then posit two opposing wicked problem interpretations-taming and wilding- for those interested in public leadership. Taming calls for prudent, results-oriented leaders employing tried and tested practices. Wilding demands leaders who test the status quo by seeking alternatives. Social implications: On the global leadership agenda, wilding problems—those calling attention to the super wicked zone—are escalating. Despite this, public leaders' training lacks a framework for making sense of these urgent and publicly contentious super wicked problems. Originality/value: Public policy researchers are beginning to direct attention to super wicked problems such as climate change, and pandemics. This work introduces the wicked problem continuum and demonstrates its pertinence for researchers of public leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. BEEKEEPING STINGS NATIVE BEES.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
HONEYBEES ,BEEKEEPING ,BEES - Abstract
A study published in the journal National Wildlife reports that the increase in European honey bee populations in Montreal, Canada may be harming native North American bees. Researchers compared data collected on 180 wild bee species in 2013 with data from the same sites in 2020, during which honey bee colonies in the city increased significantly. The study found that sites with the largest increase in honey bee populations had the fewest wild bee species. The researchers suggest that urban beekeeping, often marketed as a solution to biodiversity loss, may be more detrimental to native bees than beneficial. They recommend planting pollinator gardens instead of adding more hives of nonnative honey bees. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
18. FEEDING BIRDS FOR FEWER FEVERS.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
HYPOTHERMIA ,FEVER ,GREAT tit ,ANIMAL ecology ,BODY temperature - Abstract
A study conducted by Swedish scientists and published in the Journal of Animal Ecology has found that providing seeds, nuts, and other bird-feeder foods to small birds during winter can help them survive the cold months. The researchers monitored the health of two groups of wild great tits and found that the birds with regular access to feeder food were able to maintain lower body temperatures, which helped them fight off infection and conserve energy. The scientists suggest that winter feeding not only supports the health of small birds but also provides people, especially in urban areas, with more opportunities to engage with nature. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
19. HUNTING BELOW THE SNOW.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
HUNTING ,AUDIO frequency ,FOWLING - Abstract
A recent study conducted by Christopher Clark, a biologist at the University of California, Riverside, has found that great gray owls have the ability to locate and capture voles hidden beneath up to 2 feet of snow with remarkable accuracy. The owls use sound to pinpoint their prey, with lower-frequency sounds being able to penetrate deep snow. Great gray owls have large "facial discs" that are sensitive to these low-frequency sounds, and they use their faces to funnel the sounds of buried voles towards their ears before using their talons to punch through the snow and catch their prey. This hunting technique is unique to great gray owls and makes them the most extreme birds in terms of hunting beneath the snow cover. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
20. CLIMATE AND BIG-BODIED BIRDS.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
MIGRATORY birds - Abstract
microscope Rising global temperatures have reduced offspring production in migratory and large-bodied birds (such as Adeliepenguins, left) but not in small and sedentary species, scientists report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.PHOTO (COLOR) [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
21. The Tactile Quartet: Comparing Ambiguous Apparent Motion in Tactile and Visual Stimuli.
- Author
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Haladjian, Harry H., Anstis, Stuart, Wexler, Mark, and Cavanagh, Patrick
- Abstract
In the visual quartet, alternating diagonal pairs of dots produce apparent motion horizontally or vertically, depending on proximity. Here, we studied a tactile quartet where vibrating tactors were attached to the thumbs and index fingers of both hands. Apparent motion was felt either within hands (from index finger to thumb) or between hands. Participants adjusted the distance between their hands to find the point where motion changed directions. Surprisingly, switchovers occurred when between-hand distances were as much as twice that of within-hand distances—a general bias that was also found for tactile judgments of static distances. This expansion of within-hand felt distances was again seen when lights were placed on the hands rather than vibrating tactors. Importantly, switchover points were similar when the hands were placed at different depths, indicating that representations governing tactile motion were in perceptual three-dimensional space, not retinal two-dimensional space. This was true whether the quartets were visual stimuli on the hands or were purely visual on a monitor, suggesting that proximity is generally determined in three-dimensional coordinates for motion perception. Finally, the similarity of visual and tactile results suggests a common computation for apparent motion, albeit with different built-in distance biases for separate modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Humming Along.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
ANIMALS ,FLOWERING of plants ,NATIVE plants - Abstract
How to help hummers Of the more than 350 hummingbird species, 16 breed in the United States, with just one, the ruby-throated hummingbird, nesting regularly east of the Mississippi River. Because species such as rufous and ruby-throated hummingbirds are highly territorial - and will fight to protect a feeder - add additional sugar-water feeders in different parts of your property for other hummers to enjoy. For bathing, hummers, such as this Anna's hummingbird in Arizona, are particularly attracted to moving water. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2020
23. RESTORING A RAVAGED COAST.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
DEEPWATER Horizon (Drilling rig) ,OYSTERS ,DELTAS ,SEA birds ,COASTS - Abstract
Caminada Headland is the largest project completed to date using money from the $16.5 billion damage settlement between British Petroleum (BP), its drilling partners and the U.S. government as a result of the 2010 Gulf oil spill. "There were oil spills in the Gulf before, during and after the BP spill", says Amanda Fuller, deputy director of NWF's Gulf Restoration Program. "If there was one thing good that came out of the disaster, it was Louisiana's decision to use its BP penalty funds on restoring and protecting coastal areas", says Rebecca Triche, executive director of NWF affiliate Louisiana Wildlife Federation. In the weeks following the Gulf oil spill, the National Wildlife Federation trained volunteers to conduct on-theground surveys to help authorities locate oiled wildlife. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2020
24. Putting "Context Collapse" into Context.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark, Yunzhijun Yu, and Bridson, Shannon
- Subjects
ONLINE social networks ,SOCIAL exchange ,SOCIAL sciences education ,SOCIAL networks ,INFORMATION services ,SOCIAL media ,DATA privacy ,FOREST landowners - Abstract
In this paper, we examine and place "context collapse," as employed in social media studies, into context. In the hands of social media researchers, context collapse demonstrates how users lose track of the context in which they are operating when they enter into exchanges on social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Examples that users lose their way include oversharing, failure to recognize privacy issues, and a belief that the imagined audience on these sites is much more trustworthy than further scrutiny warrants. In this paper, we praise context collapse researchers for drawing attention to users' difficulty in early stage navigation on social networking sites. However, we argue that the focus on users' early stage navigational difficulty can be limited in several aspects. It fails to examine social networking platforms as the basis for understanding context on social media sites; it restricts the idea of concept collapse to a narrow conception of the user; and finally, it does not distinguish variations among these platforms. Putting social networking into context requires considering how multiple users on social networking platforms--sponsors, entrepreneurs, information brokers, data analysts, platform owners, platform regulators--create a workable assemblage in which the interactions of participants create a discernible context. To derive this, we unpack three binaries used to establish the existence of context collapse: 1) leap/lag; 2) collusion/collision; and 3) publicity/privacy. First, aligned with the existent research on context collapse, we apply these binaries to social network sites with a narrow conception of the user. Then, we employ the same three binaries under two conditions: firstly, using a multi-stakeholder model of social networking platform participation; and secondly, using these binaries with three different variations on the social networking platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
25. POLLUTION-CATCHING POWER.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
ENVIRONMENTAL research ,HABITATS ,ENVIRONMENTAL sciences ,REMOTE-sensing images ,ENVIRONMENTAL engineering ,WETLANDS - Abstract
Often isolated from larger waterways, seasonal wetlands such as prairie potholes (left) are frequently drained for agriculture or development. "Being disconnected can be better because the wetlands are catching the pollutants and retaining them as opposed to leaking them back into streams", says lead author Frederick Cheng, now at Colorado State University. Draining wetlands also destroys wildlife habitat and increases the risk of floods, drought and other impacts of climate change. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
26. MAPPING HOTSPOTS TO HELP MIGRANTS.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
BIRD migration ,IMMIGRANTS ,RADAR meteorology ,BIRD habitats ,DECIDUOUS forests - Abstract
Microscope WIDE-OPEN SPECTRUM After analyzing vision research on nearly 450 species, University of Arkansas biologists report in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B that wildlife adapted to open habitats (such as prairie dogs, left) see a wider range of colors than forest animals. Unfortunately, these "small pockets of deciduous forest are often neglected in conservation planning", says Princeton ecologist and lead author Fengyi Guo, who hopes the new migration stopover map will help to change that. The map, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, "gives us a powerful new tool for identifying the key habitats these birds are using during their epic migrations", says Princeton ecologist and co-author David Wilcove. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
27. TINY ANTS PLAY BIG ROLE IN FOREST HEALTH.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
FOREST health ,ANTS ,GRANIVORES ,SECONDARY forests ,LIFE sciences ,DECIDUOUS forests - Abstract
In newer secondary forests, such spring ephemerals tend to be scarce - and in recent research published in Ecology, scientists say one explanation may be a lack of woodland ants. The scientists say low numbers of woodland ants in regenerated forests stems from several factors, including competition with invasive slugs that thrive on former agricultural lands. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
28. Many Songs Lifting Spirits.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
MENTAL health ,PREVENTIVE medicine - Abstract
Published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Ferraro's paper is far from the only study finding that the presence of wild birds - particularly multiple bird species - can lift people's spirits. NATURE AND HEALTH For as long as she can remember, Danielle Ferraro has been captivated by birds. In a subsequent analysis of medical data provided by German authorities for 30,000 residents, Methorst and his colleagues confirmed that the larger the number of bird and plant species in a region, the more content people are. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
29. Crowd Appeal.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
WILDLIFE conservation - Abstract
The article focuses on the most spectacular wildlife gatherings sights sure to inspire awe and a passion for conservation including two dozen northern elephant seals hauled out of the Pacific Ocean to start a breeding colony at Piedras Blancas, California coast; hundreds of thousands of geese, ducks and other migratory birds heading north on the Pacific Flyway; and hungry elk set off every autumn on a 50-mile trek to the valley of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
- Published
- 2019
30. Welcome to the NEW LAS VEGAS.
- Author
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Serwer, Andrew E. and Wexler, Mark S.
- Subjects
INDUSTRIES - Abstract
Looks at some of the changes taking place in the image of Las Vegas. Role of people like Stephen Wynn, CEO of Mirage Resorts; The need to attract people who didn't want to gamble 24 hours a day; Services for children; Luxor, Wynn's Treasure Island and the MGM Grand; More.
- Published
- 1994
31. URBAN GREENERY SURPRISES.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
COMMUNITIES ,CARBON emissions ,VEGETATION mapping - Abstract
Scientists at Columbia University used high-resolution imagery to map urban vegetation and calculate the daily and seasonal changes, or "flux", in carbon the plants capture during photosynthesis. They found that on some summer afternoons, carbon absorbed by vegetation may temporarily equal up to 40 percent of the area's carbon emissions from all sources, or almost all carbon dioxide generated at those times by motor vehicles. During summer, trees, grasses and other vegetation in New York City (left) and nearby communities may play a larger than expected role counteracting human-caused carbon emissions. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
32. NESTLINGS TUNED TO LOCAL DIALECTS.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
DIALECTS ,FLYCATCHERS ,BABY birds ,BIRDSONGS - Abstract
To make this discovery, Swedish zoologists broadcast a variety of songs to some 2,000 wild flycatcher nestlings from seven populations - each with its own distinct dialect - then observed the baby birds' responses. Because flycatcher hatchlings hear surprisingly few songs, Wheatcroft says the results also raise the intriguing possibility that the birds innately recognize their own dialects. When they are as young as 12 days old, nestling pied flycatchers (right) will respond - by begging for food - to songs from adult males that live in their own population, scientists have found. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
33. BISON BOOST BIODIVERSITY.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
PLANT species diversity ,BISON - Published
- 2023
34. LIVING LONGER, TOGETHER.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
GOLDEN snub-nosed monkey ,NAKED mole rat - Abstract
By analyzing brain tissue from 94 species - including solitary, pair-living and group-living mammals - the researchers also identified 31 genes linked both to longevity and a species' social system. The finding, published in Nature Communications, held true for a wide array of species, from group-dwelling and long-lived golden snub-nosed monkeys (above), naked mole rats and horseshoe bats to solitary and shorter-lived giant armadillos and short-tailed shrews. In an analysis of scientific papers on the body masses, life spans and lifestyles of 974 species, Chinese zoologists found that mammals living in groups generally outlive solitary mammals. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
35. The Shifting Discourse on Third Places: Ideological Implications.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark N. and Oberlander, Judy
- Subjects
MASS society ,COMMUNITARIANISM ,NONPROFIT organizations - Abstract
Within the social sciences, literature on third places attempts to assist in the construction of a social concept of "place". This notion of a place is an idealization of the bridging space with home and family on one side, and work with the rule-based impersonality of life in mass society, on the other. Like the idea of work-life balance--as seen through the vocabulary of placemaking--third places provide people with a place in which there is a balance between the emotive attachments of home and family and the challenge striving for merit and reward in the marketplace. To date, third places have been treated as a unified construct. This paper makes the case that both the discourse and design models used to make sense of third places are significantly different. After reviewing and placing third-place literature in its historical context, we distinguish communitarian, commercial and digital third places. These three types of places--in both their physical and virtual forms--are important parts of the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Subsequently employing a cui bono approach or who benefits framework, we highlight the ways in which ideological points of view imbedded in the varying versions of third places have implications for practice and theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
36. The Slow Food Movement: A 'Big Tent' Ideology.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark N., Oberlander, Judy, and Shankar, Arjun
- Subjects
SLOW food movement ,COMMERCIALIZATION - Abstract
The Slow Food Movement (SFM) has been characterized as a reminder of the centrality of the kitchen in the "good old days". It has also been referred to as a poor use of science posing as a rallying point for the beleaguered middle class trying to reclaim psychological territory lost to the fast-paced commercialization of what was once private or leisure time. This paper argues that both these criticisms contain more than a kernel of truth. However, each misses the mark when it comes to explaining the relative successes of SFM. In this paper, we explore SFM's basic ideological premises. It is neither a simple return to a traditional society nor a poorly formulated anticonsumerist position. Rather, from an ideological framing, SFM employs a "big tent" strategy drawing upon the positions of other lifestyle movements such as voluntary simplicity, localism, green consumption and communitarian social capital movements. This "big tent" of overlapping ideological positions is helpful in creating a credible set of alliances and a mass following. Moreover, SFMinsists that a small but basic lifestyle change, namely, investing more quality time in the acquisition, preparation and sharing of fresh food - can ripple outwards and offer benefits to individuals, but also via selective consumption, put pressure on transnational firms, agri-business and banks to heed the demands of those in the "movement". This paper concludes with a discussion of both the costs and complications of the "big tent" ideology and how SFM has attempted to keep each of these within its reach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
37. Celebrating America’s “Great Land”.
- Author
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Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
ALASKA Purchase, 1867 ,WILDLIFE conservation ,BALD eagle ,HARBOR seal ,MOOSE - Abstract
The article discusses the success of the U.S. wildlife conservation in Alaska, the history of the state and its wealth of natural and wildlife resources. Topics include how the U.S. purchased Alaska from Russia, the many species of wildlife that reside in Alaska including the Bald Eagle, harbor seals and the Alaskan bull moose, and the international agreement the U.S. made with other countries to protect the Pribilof seals.
- Published
- 2017
38. BENEFITS OF BULL’S-EYES.
- Author
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WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
COMMON sunflower ,SUNFLOWER growing - Abstract
Writing in eLife, the scientists explain that larger bull's-eyes contain more UV-absorbing compounds called flavonols that prevent excessive water loss. Scientists have long known that sunflower petals produce ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing pigments that create bull's-eye patterns invisible to humans but not to insects such as bees (longhorn bee, left). Now, in a study of nearly 2,000 wild sunflowers, researchers at the University of British Columbia find that sunflower UV patterns also help the plants survive by regulating water loss. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
39. FRESHWATER RICHES.
- Author
-
WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
FRESH water ,SURFACE of the earth ,FRESHWATER habitats ,ANIMAL species ,SPECIES diversity ,BIOLOGISTS - Published
- 2023
40. SIMPLE NESTS BREED SUCCESS.
- Author
-
WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
BIRD nests ,BIOLOGICAL extinction ,BIRD eggs ,BIOLOGICAL fitness - Abstract
"Our results support the idea that nest types can be important factors in the ecological success of birds", writes lead author Iliana Medina in Ecology Letters. A bout a third of the planet's roughly 11,000 bird species build elaborate domed nests with roofs that would appear to provide better protection for eggs and hatchlings than open nests. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
41. HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT.
- Author
-
WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
LIFE sciences ,CAMOUFLAGE (Biology) - Abstract
"There was a big gap in the literature on this topic", says João Vitor de Alcantara Viana, a behavioral ecologist at the State University of Campinas in Brazil, who led an investigation into which strategies work best. Though scientists have spent more than a century observing and studying the camouflage tactics animals use to deter detection by predators, few of those efforts have compared the effectiveness of different concealment strategies. In general, the ecologists report in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, predators must spend about 60 percent more time finding camouflaged prey than noncamou-flaged prey. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
42. Persistent states in vision break universality and time invariance.
- Author
-
Wexler, Mark, Duyck, Marianne, and Mamassian, Pascal
- Subjects
VISION research ,STATISTICAL bias ,POPULATION research ,VISUAL perception - Abstract
Studies of perception usually emphasize processes that are largely universal across observers and--except for short-term fluctuations--stationary over time. Here we test the universality and stationarity assumptions with two families of ambiguous visual stimuli. Each stimulus can be perceived in two different ways, parameterized by two opposite directions from a continuous circular variable. A large-sample study showed that almost all observers have preferred directions or biases, with directions lying within 90 degrees of the bias direction nearly always perceived and opposite directions almost never perceived. The biases differ dramatically from one observer to the next, and although nearly every bias direction occurs in the population, the population distributions of the biases are nonuniform, featuring asymmetric peaks in the cardinal directions. The biases for the two families of stimuli are independent and have distinct population distributions. Following external perturbations and spontaneous fluctuations, the biases decay over tens of seconds toward their initial values. Persistent changes in the biases are found on time scales of several minutes to 1 hour. On scales of days to months, the biases undergo a variety of dynamical processes such as drifts, jumps, and oscillations. The global statistics of a majority of these long-term time series are well modeled as random walk processes. The measurable fluctuations of these hitherto unknown degrees of freedom show that the assumptions of universality and stationarity in perception may be unwarranted and that models of perception must include both directly observable variables as well as covert, persistent states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Coping with Chronic Clamor.
- Author
-
Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
NOISE pollution ,BIRD behavior ,OWLS ,MATING calls - Abstract
The article reports that a growing body of research shows how noise pollution alters bird behavior. Topics include a research by Boise State University ecologist Jesse Barber and colleagues, which shows that the northern saw-whet owl has an exceptional sense of hearing and can hear sounds as low as negative 20 decibels, and finding of Dutch researchers that male great tits near communities have changed their mating calls to a higher pitch.
- Published
- 2017
44. HAMMER HEADS.
- Author
-
WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
HAMMERS ,TREE trunks ,WOODPECKERS - Abstract
In analyses of high-speed videos of black (right), pileated and great spotted woodpeckers, the researchers found that the birds do not absorb the shock of the impact with a tree. Even the strongest shocks from dozens of pecks the team analyzed appeared to be safe for woodpecker brains. Building three-dimensional, biomechanical models of the birds, the scientists also concluded that shock absorbance by the skulls would severely hinder the birds' pecking abilities. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
45. WEATHERMEN?
- Author
-
WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
GROUNDHOG Day ,SPRING - Published
- 2023
46. CULTURAL EXCHANGE.
- Author
-
WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
CULTURAL relations ,HUMPBACK whale ,TECHNICAL reports - Abstract
In their investigation, published recently in Scientific Reports, the researchers measured the number of sounds and the length of sound patterns produced by humpback populations off the coasts of both east Australia and New Caledonia. "By listening to the Australian humpbacks, we were able to see if the songs changed in any way when sung by the New Caledonian whales", says lead author Jenny Allen, a University of Queensland research fellow. After analyzing several years of high-quality underwater recordings, scientists report that humpback whales (above) from one region of the South Pacific can learn incredibly complicated melodies sung by humpbacks from another region nearly 2,000 miles away. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
47. BIRDS, BEES MAKE A GOOD BREW.
- Author
-
WEXLER, MARK
- Subjects
BEES ,COFFEE growing ,COFFEE beans ,BEEKEEPERS - Abstract
Say "thank you" to the birds and the bees that team up on farms where coffee is grown. Conducting field work on 30 Costa Rican coffee farms, researchers discovered that coffee beans grow larger and more plentiful when birds and bees join forces - with the bees pollinating the plants (Scaptotrigona pectoralis on coffee flower, left) and the birds protecting them from pests. Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists report that without the combined efforts of these winged helpers - many of which have migrated from thousands of miles away - the $24 billion coffee industry would suffer nearly a 25 percent decrease in crop yields. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
48. Re-thinking queue culture: the commodification of thick time.
- Author
-
Wexler, Mark N.
- Subjects
QUEUING theory ,SOCIOLOGY of time ,MANAGEMENT science ,PRODUCTION scheduling ,SOCIAL policy - Abstract
Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to highlight both the contribution and the present need to reconfigure the literature on "queue culture" as a precursor of the sociology of waiting. Design/methodology/approach -- The study employs a legal-structural lens in comparing the initial conceptual treatment of the archetypal "waiting line" with the "line" modifying sociology of waiting that results in waiting rooms, number and telephone queues and in the experience of online waiting. Findings -- The initial conception of the culture of the queue understates the importance of three factors: first, the role of third parties in the design, management and inculcation of rules binding those experiencing thick time; second the degree to which communication technology and its attachment to the "mobilities" paradigm has thinned the experience of thick time and lastly the degree to which the increasing commodification of the wait has resulted in the creation of waiting time as a form of pay as you go flexitime. Social implications -- The social construction of waiting and the experience of thick time are shown to be increasingly part of the privatized market experience where queue management innovations not only are commercialized but have strong implications for the egalitarian social assumptions imbedded in the initial queue culture based sociology of waiting. Policy implications support the present pay for use philosophy increasingly applied in the transition from public to private management of space. Originality/value -- The self-policing "fairness" of the waiting line is now open to scrutiny given the proliferation of the newly shaped distributional logics imbedded in the management, design and use of waiting spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Direct coupling of haptic signals between hands.
- Author
-
Dupin, Lucile, Hayward, Vincent, and Wexler, Mark
- Subjects
COUPLING reactions (Chemistry) ,KINESTHETIC aftereffects ,HAND abnormalities ,NEURAL stimulation ,DETECTORS - Abstract
Although motor actions can profoundly affect the perceptual interpretation of sensory inputs, it is not known whether the combination of sensory and movement signals occurs only for sensory surfaces undergoing movement or whether it is a more general phenomenon. In the haptic modality, the independent movement of multiple sensory surfaces poses a challenge to the nervous system when combining the tactile and kinesthetic signals into a coherent percept. When exploring a stationary object, the tactile and kinesthetic signals come from the same hand. Here we probe the internal structure of haptic combination by directing the two signal streams to separate hands: one hand moves but receives no tactile stimulation, while the other hand feels the consequences of the first hand's movement but remains still. We find that both discrete and continuous tactile and kinesthetic signals are combined as if they came from the same hand. This combination proceeds by direct coupling or transfer of the kinesthetic signal from the moving to the feeling hand, rather than assuming the displacement of a mediating object. The combination of signals is due to perception rather than inference, because a small temporal offset between the signals significantly degrades performance. These results suggest that the brain simplifies the complex coordinate transformation task of remapping sensory inputs to take into account the movements of multiple body parts in haptic perception, and they show that the effects of action are not limited to moving sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Bayesian Modelling of Perception of Structure from Motion.
- Author
-
Colas, Francis, Bessière, Pierre, Droulez, Jacques, and Wexler, Mark
- Abstract
We use multiple sensory modalities to perceive our environment. One of these is optic flow, the displacement and deformation of the image on the retina. It is generally caused by a relative motion between an observer and the objects in the visual scene. As optic flow depends largely on three-dimensional (3D ) shapes and motions, it can be used to extract structure from motion (the sfm problem). Motion parallax and the kinetic depth effect are special cases of this phenomenon, noticed by Von Helmholtz (1867), and experimentally quantified by Wallach and O΄Connell (1953). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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