MICE WHISTLE LIKE A JET ENGINE TO ATTRACT A MATE

Mice make whistling noises to seek sex by using a mechanism similar to that of a jet engine inside their throats, research has found.

It was previously thought that these ‘Clangers’-style songs were either the result of a mechanism similar to that of a tea kettle, or of the resonance caused by the vibration of the vocal cords.

But a study co-authored at the University of Cambridge and published in the journal Current Biology has found that when mice ‘sing’, they use a mechanism similar to that seen in the engines of supersonic jets.

The high frequency whistles are used by mice to attract mates and for territorial defence.

“Mice make ultrasound in a way never found before in any animal,” said the study’s lead author Elena Mahrt, from Washington State University.

The researchers found that mice do not use vibrating vocal folds in their larynx to make their ultrasonic sounds.

Instead, they point a small air jet coming from the windpipe against the inner wall of the larynx, causing a resonance and producing an ultrasonic whistle.

Using ultra-high-speed video of 100,000 frames per second the researchers showed that the vocal folds remain completely still while ultrasound was coming from the mouse’s larynx.

“This mechanism is known only to produce sound in supersonic flow applications, such as -read more

devils link to south west.

devils limekiln-this is a rock on lundy island which is said to have been put their by the devil himself .the devil is said to dumped the surplus rock offshore in shutter rock to trap mariners .the chasm is 370 ft deep ,250 ft wide at the top dropping into the sea. devils boulder -this is the name of a stone dropped by the devil in an act of temper as flying through the air.every year on the 5th November the local man of the village of shebbear  perform a ceremony of turning the boulder.first church bells  are rung ,men with crowbars do the formidable task of turning the stone over.it is believed if this ceremony is not performed a calamity will fall on shebbear. during ww 1 when discontinued the following year was a disaster for village and neighbouring farms.in ww 2 the church bells were forbidden and all harvests during this time were  bad.

Osprey nesting tower erected in Yelland

AN OSPREY nesting platform is to be put up overlooking the Yelland estuary so the rare birds can be spotted during their bi-annual migrations.

There are only thought to be around 200 breeding pairs in the UK and it is hoped that the new nesting platform will give people in North Devon the chance to observe them during their trips between the North of the UK and West Africa.

Read more at http://www.northdevonjournal.co.uk/osprey-nesting-tower-erected-in-yelland/story-29776098-detail/story.html#L8PS1IYiVtjmDzWk.99

i ran away at school due to my name .

at primary school in the 70,s i was asked to be in a play about Cleopatra not for my acting skills but because of my first and middle name - mark antony  and i had to kiss a girl,yuk.i as you can guess did not do this request but runaway from school instead.for years i would refuse to use my middle name due to this memory and if you are wandering where it came from my mum was a fan of richard burton in the film cleoparta.

horizon--the-lost-tribes-of-humanity

possible credible u.f.o in Devon .

back in march 31 st 1993 ,2 policeman -clifford  waycott and robert wiley whilst driving along a 3072 on petrol spotted something strange when near okhampton  ,their saw a bright light in the sky and as neared holsworthy the light was behaving as if waiting for an reaction ,sailing a little ahead of them above treetops ,low silent and did not believe was an aircraft.the officers radioed hq stating going to investigate but did not get near object not even doing 90 mph and  decided to slow down as did not wish to report crashing a police car whilst chasing u.f.o.the local then r.a.f station at chivenor was contacted but their stated no aircraft in the air fitting description of hovering and changing to supersonic speed.later that day other reliable witnesses had seen object including bbc engineers manning transmitter in dartmoor,also police from plymouth  docks had seen an extraordinary cfat between 1.00 am to 1.30 am.

my childhood friend peter.

no peter was not a human or an animal but a bear glove puppet  i spent time with during childhood similar to a invisible friend or comfort blanket .many an hour taking to him ,took him to bed and he knew all my secrets and worries and even went on holiday with me .