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Reconstructing dinosaur sounds without recordings

A study of Vegavis, a Cretaceous bird, compared a fossil vocal organ with those of living birds. That can constrain possible sounds without recovering an exact voice. The challenge is keeping the preserved structure, the comparison, and the reconstructed sound separate.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • Which part of a reconstructed animal call comes directly from a fossil, and which part is inference?
  • How can living relatives help constrain a sound reconstruction without providing a direct copy?

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Nature and biology

How does a honey bee dance give directions?

A returning honey bee can communicate about food without leading every other bee to it. The direction and duration of its waggle dance carry information that other bees can use beyond the dark hive.

3–5 min

How does a honey bee dance give directions?

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How can an octopus change color so quickly?

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Nature and biology

Finding prey through returning echoes

An echolocating bat uses the delay and character of returning sound to follow a target. Its calls can change as it approaches prey, connecting the sound it sends with the information it needs next.

3–5 min

Finding prey through returning echoes

Nature and biology3–5 minAn echolocating bat uses the delay and character of returning sound to follow a target. Its calls can change as it approaches prey, connecting the sound it sends with the information it needs next.

Reconstructing dinosaur sounds without recordings | Speech Topic | speaking.app