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Articles by Eliza Middleton
Nature's Ultimate Defences: The Hidden World of Invertebrates
Overview Talks on Tuesdays: Real lectures in your favourite venues. 45-min + Q&A with Entomologist and Ecologist Dr Eliza Middleton SYDNEY LAUNCH Talks on Tuesdays is a live event series bringing big ideas, real experts, and curious minds together - at your favourite local venues. Think thought-provoking lectures, audience questions, and post-talk mingling over drinks and dinner. This isn’t a uni lecture.
Spring air is humming with insects. But we’re blind to what’s happening to them
Spring in Australia has arrived like a celebration. Magpies are warbling in the morning, wildflowers are bursting open across bushland, and the air is humming with life as tiny creatures have stirred back into action after the winter: bees darting between flowers, dragonflies skimming across ponds, and swarms of flying ants mating. But we are largely blind to Australia’s insects, and more specifically, what has happened to them over years and decades.
Why The "Sweet" Sound Of Cicadas Have Fascinated Humans For Millennia
Around Australia, the buzz-saw siren of cicadas heralds the beginning of summer. With 237 recorded species of cicada in Australia, almost no area of the country is untouched by their song. Up to 800 species in Australia are still to be scientifically recognized. Cicadas, however, aren’t unique to Australia: the insects are found all over the world, though they’re most common in tropical regions.
'Phantom decoys' manipulate human shoppers-but bees may be immune to their charms
Have you ever waited in a long queue only to find the ice cream flavor you wanted is gone? What did you choose instead? In the field of behavioral economics, researchers have shown that people make very predictable second choices if the item they want is sold out. So much so, that it is possible to use unavailable items to nudge people into buying certain products.
‘Phantom decoys’ manipulate human shoppers - but bees may be immune to their charms Original
Have you ever waited in a long queue only to find the ice cream flavour you wanted is gone? What did you choose instead? In the field of behavioural economics, researchers have shown that people make very predictable second choices if the item they want is sold out. So much so, that it is possible to use unavailable items to nudge people into buying certain products.
‘Phantom decoys’ manipulate human shoppers - but bees may be immune to their charms
Have you ever waited in a long queue only to find the ice cream flavour you wanted is gone? What did you choose instead? In the field of behavioural economics, researchers have shown that people make very predictable second choices if the item they want is sold out. So much so, that it is possible to use unavailable items to nudge people into buying certain products.
Bees Can Do So Much More than You Think—From Dancing to Being Little Art Critics
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Bees are among the most important insects on Earth—vital pollinators of our crops and significant contributors to human societies for thousands of years. While visiting various plants, bees need to figure out the best flowers so they can be the most efficient foragers possible and communicate this to their hive. But there’s much more these insects’ tiny brains are capable of.
THE CONVERSATION: Bees can do so much more than you think – from dancing to being little art critics
THE CONVERSATION We all know bees are vital pollinators. But they’re also art critics, social learners, dancers and so much more. Bees are among the most important insects on Earth – vital pollinators of our crops and significant contributors to human societies for thousands of years. While visiting various plants, bees need to figure out the best flowers so they can be the most efficient foragers possible, and communicate this to their hive.
Bees can do so much more than you think-from dancing to being little art critics Original
Bees are among the most important insects on Earth—vital pollinators of our crops and significant contributors to human societies for thousands of years. While visiting various plants, bees need to figure out the best flowers so they can be the most efficient foragers possible, and communicate this to their hive. But there's much more these insects' tiny brains are capable of.
Bees can do so much more than you think - from dancing to being little art critics
Bees are among the most important insects on Earth – vital pollinators of our crops and significant contributors to human societies for thousands of years. While visiting various plants, bees need to figure out the best flowers so they can be the most efficient foragers possible, and communicate this to their hive. But there’s much more these insects’ tiny brains are capable of.
Bagaimana cara lebah berpikir?
Pada awal karier di bidang penelitian saya sekitar 15 tahun yang lalu, setiap pendapat bahwa seekor lebah, atau hewan tak bertulang belakang apa pun, memiliki pikirannya sendiri atau bahwa mereka dapat memahami dunia dengan cara yang rumit dan beragam akan pasti disambut dengan ejekan.
Enough with the koala cakes - the government’s annual Threatened Species Bake Off seriously neglects fish, plants and other lesser-loved species
Fri Feb 3 Written by Eliza Middleton, Biodiversity Management Officer, University of Sydney Almost 2,000 native species are officially listed as “threatened” in Australia – but how many have you actually heard of? Each year, the federal government holds the , a social media competition where entrants represent a threatened species in cake form.
Enough with the koala cakes - the government’s annual Threatened Species Bake Off seriously neglects fish, plants and other lesser-loved species
Almost 2,000 native species are officially listed as “threatened” in Australia – but how many have you actually heard of? Each year, the federal government holds the , a social media competition where entrants represent a threatened species in cake form. It aims to build awareness of Australia’s vast diversity of wildlife facing extinction – but our new research found a serious problem with bias towards cute and cuddly animals.
What Constitutes a Mind? Lars Chittka Challenges Our Perception of Sentience With the Smallest of Creatures
At the beginning of my research career around 15 years ago, any suggestion that a bee, or any invertebrate, had a mind of its own or that it could experience the world in an intricate and multifaceted way would be met with ridicule. As Lars Chittka points out in the opening chapters of The Mind of a Bee, the attribution of human emotions and experiences was seen as naivety and ignorance; anthropomorphism was a dirty word.
What Constitutes a Mind? Lars Chittka Challenges Our Perception of Sentience With the Smallest of Creatures
Article Details Author / Journalist: Eliza Middleton Category: Technology Markets: Topics: Source Website Secure: Yes (HTTPS) News Sentiment: Neutral Fact Checked: Legitimate Article Type: News Report Published On: 2022-12-06 @ 17:00:03 (8 hours ago) News Timezone: GMT +8:00 Ranking: #1847 (out of 2049 stories this day) News Source URL: singularityhub.com Language: English Article Length: 1195 words Reading Time: 7 minutes read Sentences: 59 lines Sentence Length: 21 words per sentence...
What constitutes a mind? Researcher challenges perceptions of sentience with the smallest of creatures
At the beginning of my research career around 15 years ago, any suggestion that a bee, or any invertebrate, had a mind of its own or that it could experience the world in an intricate and multifaceted way would be met with ridicule. As Lars Chittka points out in the opening chapters of "The Mind of a Bee," the attribution of human emotions and experiences was seen as naivety and ignorance; anthropomorphism was a dirty word.
What constitutes a mind? Lars Chittka challenges our perception of sentience with the smallest of creatures
At the beginning of my research career around 15 years ago, any suggestion that a bee, or any invertebrate, had a mind of its own or that it could experience the world in an intricate and multifaceted way would be met with ridicule. As Lars Chittka points out in the opening chapters of The Mind of a Bee, the attribution of human emotions and experiences was seen as naivety and ignorance; anthropomorphism was a dirty word.
A new $2 coin features the introduced honeybee. Is this really the species we should celebrate?
The Royal Australian Mint has released a $2 collectors’ coin to celebrate 200 years since the introduction of the European honeybee. At the time of writing, one of the 60,000 uncirculated coins was selling for as high as A$36 – but that’s not the only sting in the tail of this commemorative release. The coin celebrates an invasive alien species, and continues a long tradition in Australia of romanticising introduced fauna.
How do Olympic athletes stack up against invertebrates? Not very well
Wildlife & Biodiversity Once you take the relative sizes into account, it’s clear invertebrates have the winning edge By Caitlyn Forster, Eliza Middleton Published: Tuesday 27 July 2021 Olympians spend years training to be the best of the best. Scientists and sportspeople have spent decades researching the mechanics of the human body to ensure our elite athletes are always reaching higher, faster and stronger. But how do human athletic skills compare with those of insects and arachnids?
How do Olympic athletes stack up against invertebrates? Not very well
Olympians spend years training to be the best of the best. Scientists and sportspeople have spent decades researching the mechanics of the human body to ensure our elite athletes are always reaching higher, faster and stronger. But how do human athletic skills compare with those of insects and arachnids? Once you take the relative sizes into account, it’s clear invertebrates have the winning edge. Strength Weightlifting is a common measure for human strength.
backlash against TikTok's bee lady not justified, say bee experts
Beekeeping has become hugely popular in recent years, and a new world of beekeeping influencers has recently emerged on TikTok. But it’s not without drama. Erika Thompson — the bee lady from Texas Bee Works — has gained a following of 6.4 million on TikTok by posting videos of rescuing bee colonies from odd places, including trucks, toilets, and umbrellas.
Cicadas' shrieks have annoyed — and delighted — humans for thousands of years
Around Australia, the buzz-saw siren of cicadas heralds the beginning of summer. With 237 recorded species of cicada in Australia, almost no area of the country is untouched by their song. Up to 800 species in Australia are still to be scientifically recognized. Cicadas, however, aren’t unique to Australia: the insects are found all over the world, though they’re most common in tropical regions.
After the floods, stand by for spiders, slugs and millipedes - but think twice before reaching for the bug spray
Record-breaking rain has destroyed properties across New South Wales, forcing thousands of people to evacuate and leaving hundreds homeless. Humans aren’t the only ones in trouble. Many of the animals that live with and around us are also heading for higher ground as the floodwaters rise. Often small creatures — especially invertebrates like spiders, cockroaches and millipedes — will seek refuge in the relatively dry and safe environments of people’s houses.
The cicada's deafening shriek is the sound of summer, and humans have been drawn to it for thousands of years
Around Australia, the buzz-saw siren of cicadas heralds the beginning of summer. With 237 recorded species of cicada in Australia, almost no area of the country is untouched by their song. Up to 800 species in Australia are still to be scientifically recognised. Cicadas, however, aren’t unique to Australia: the insects are found all over the world, though they’re most common in tropical regions.
The cicada's deafening shriek is the sound of summer, and humans have been drawn to it for thousands of years
Credit: Shutterstock Around Australia, the buzz-saw siren of cicadas heralds the beginning of summer. With 237 recorded species of cicada in Australia, almost no area of the country is untouched by their song. Up to 800 species in Australia are still to be scientifically recognized. Cicadas, however, aren't unique to Australia: the insects are found all over the world, though they're most common in tropical regions.
The cicada's deafening shriek is the sound of summer, and humans have been drawn to it for thousands of years
Around Australia, the buzz-saw siren of cicadas heralds the beginning of summer. With 237 recorded species of cicada in Australia, almost no area of the country is untouched by their song. Up to 800 species in Australia are still to be scientifically recognised. Cicadas, however, aren’t unique to Australia: the insects are found all over the world, though they’re most common in tropical regions.
Nature detectives in the backyard: 3 science activities for curious kids this summer
During lockdowns, millions of homes were transformed into mini schools as parents and teachers joined forces to facilitate remote learning. The experience proved education doesn’t only happen in classrooms. The green spaces around our homes can be stimulating learning environments. Backyard activities get kids outdoors, benefiting both their health and well-being and their education. Instead of experiencing learning loss over summer, curious kids can discover wildlife right on their doorstep.
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