abstract

Ducklings are rather well-known for their ability to imprint on someone (usually their mother) or something shortly after hatching. Researchers at the University of Oxford were interested in understanding more about learning and memory in ducklings. Specifically, they wanted to know if a duckling simply remembered what they saw or if they were capable of more complex cognition involving determining whether objects had the same or different qualities. After hatching, they placed ducklings in an enclosed space that contained either identical or different red shapes attached to a string that…
I am already starting to get excited about the 2014 Experimental Biology conference in San Diego next April. The program for comparative physiology is expected to be very good! If you are a graduate student or postdoc submitting an abstract on comparative physiology for the meeting, don't forget to apply for the new Dr. Dolittle travel award. For more information, visit the Comparative and Evolutionary Physiology Section's webpage. All materials for the travel award including your abstract and blog are due by December 6th!