Author Archives: invasivehunter

A Peek at Dr. Chris Kirk’s Hot Science – Cool Talks Presentation

Find out why depth perception and detailed vision give humans the best eyesight out of any living mammal. (But what about extinct mammals and other living vertebrates?  You”ll find out!) Learn more about Dr. Chris Kirk’s specialty in primate evolution and the evolution of senses.

Dr. Kirk is an Associate Professor with the Department of Anthropology at the University of Texas – Austin. His talk, Your Eye, My Eye, and the Eye of the Aye-Aye, is part of the awesome Hot Science – Cool Talks series, presented by the Environmental Science Institute.  Don’t miss his Hot Science – Cool Talks presentation on Friday, December 2, 7pm at Welch Hall, Room 2.224.  And if you can come early, there be lots of fun pre-lecture activities beginning at 5:30.

This is part one of my interview with Dr. Kirk.

For more great information from Dr. Kirk, be sure to visit the other videos in this series:

#2 Visiting Zoo Monkeys: What NOT to Do

Find out the interesting and unusual feature that human eyes have and that anthropoids do not. Oh, and also learn what NOT to do when you visit monkeys at the zoo!

#3 Battle Plan for Vertebrate Eye Evolution

Find out what mammal has the best combination of sensory adaptation and learn about the problem with compound eyes.  Then  discover how what you inherit from your ancestors has a profound affect on what your anatomy can do. Dr. Chris Kirk also describes how his love of anthropology growing up helped him find his niche as a physical anthropologist.

#4 44 million Year Old Invasive Species Revealed

Commander Ben holds a 44 million year old invasive species fossil in his hand. Learn more about the new species of primate, Mescalerolemur horneri, that Dr. Chris Kirk helped discover in West Texas.

Enjoy!

Commander Ben signing off…

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Filed under Department of Anthropology at The University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Chris Kirk, Environmental Science Institute, Hot Science - Cool Talks, Mescalerolemur Horneri, My Eye Your Eye and the Eye of the Aye-Aye, University of Texas, Video

iPhone Apps and Google Maps Team Up to Battle Invasive Species

In part two of his interview, Mr. Chuck Bargeron talks about his work on EDDMapS to make invasive species mapping easy; IveGot1, the iPhone app to help citizen scientists report invasives in Florida; and his eagerly anticipated iPhone app to help with the reporting of invasives in Texas. He also brings out the important role that herbariums play to documenting the location of species. Mr. Bargeron is the technology director for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.

Watch part one of Commander Ben’s interview with Mr. Bargeron, “Invasive species watch: Nile Monitor lizards and feral hogs”.

This video is part of Commander Ben’s “Invasive Species: Secrets Revealed” series of interviews from the 2011 Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Conference.

Commander Ben signing off…

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Filed under 2011 Texas Invasive Plant Conference, Chuck Bargeron, Invasive Species: Secrets Revealed, iPhone

Invasive Species Watch: Nile Monitor Lizards and Feral Hogs

In part one of his interview, Mr. Chuck Bargeron talks about the tools available to help make early detection and rapid response easier for citizen scientists. He also reveals his interest in the Nile Monitor lizards and the threat of feral hogs as invasive species. Mr. Bargeron is the technology director for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.

Watch part two of Commander Ben’s interview with Mr. Bargeron, “iPhone apps and Google maps team up to battle invasive species”.

This video is part of Commander Ben’s “Invasive Species: Secrets Revealed” series of interviews from the 2011 Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Conference.

Commander Ben signing off…

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Filed under 2011 Texas Invasive Plant Conference, Chuck Bargeron, Invasive Species: Secrets Revealed, Nile Monitor lizard

Why humans developed the best eyesight: Hot Science – Cool Talks!

Your Eye, My Eye, and the Eye of the Aye-Aye”, the next Hot Science-Cool Talks presentation on Friday, December 2, 2011, is a visual treat.  Dr. Chris Kirk will talk about why humans developed the best eyesight out of any living mammal.

Dr. Kirk is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at The University of Texas at Austin.  He has been studying primate evolution for many years and found a new fossil species, similar to a small, modern day lemur, in West Texas.

If you haven’t been to a Hot Science – Cool Talks presentation before, they’re great! Be sure to come early to Dr. Kirk’s talk in Welch Hall at UT Austin.  You’ll want to have fun with the great activities before the talk!

Commander Ben signing off…

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Filed under Department of Anthropology at The University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Chris Kirk, Environmental Science Institute, Hot Science - Cool Talks, University of Texas

New Institute for the Study of Invasive Species: Early Detection, Rapid Response

Dr. Jerry Cook talks about the new announcement that Sam Houston State University was named the location of the new Institute for the Study of Invasive Species (ISIS), with a focus on early detection and rapid response. He also reveals his interest and research on the Rasberry Crazy ant as an invasive species. Dr. Cook is the Associate Vice President of Sam Houston State University.

This video is part of Commander Ben’s “Invasive Species: Secrets Revealed” series of interviews from the 2011 Texas Invasive Plant and Pest Conference.

Commander Ben signing off…

Update: Oh no! The Rasberry crazy ant is now in Central Texas!

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Filed under Institute for the Study of Invasive Species (ISIS), Jerry Cook, Rasberry Crazy ant, Sam Houston State University