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It's the last night of Pint of Science, but don't get in a flap - flock to this evening of bird science for fun facts about our flying friends.
Sleeping wild: how and why animals sleep
Anne Aulsebrook
(PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne)
Sleep plays a huge role in our daily lives, but have you ever wondered why we need it? When did sleep begin, and can any animal cope without it? By studying sleep in other (non-human) animals, scientists have made some surprising discoveries.
The life and adventures of a virus
Dr Shandiya Balasubramaniam
(Ian Potter Biodiversity Research Fellow, Museums Victoria)
I will give an overview of the ecology of beak and feather disease virus, an Australian virus that affects parrots, cockatoos, and lorikeets, and will discuss my current research on the transmission dynamics of this virus across different species.
The heat is on for bird bills
Dr Matthew Symonds
(Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Deakin University)
The evolution of bird bills is famously linked to diet. But, surprisingly, bills also help control body temperature. I will show how this function has played a major role in the way birds adapt to climate, and climate change.
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