Science Friday

Researchers are connecting two ecological problems in the Northeast in hopes of reducing the risk of tick-borne illnesses. Also, a “one-of-a-kind” fossil of Navaornis hestiae helps fill a giant gap in scientists’ understanding of how bird brains evolved.Managing Some Invasive Plants Might Reduce Blacklegged TicksIn much of the eastern US, October and November usher in an autumn peak of the blacklegged tick season.For years, researchers have noticed that these ticks, also called deer ticks, are more abundant on certain invasive plant species, like Japanese barberry, that create dense thickets in the forest understory. Now, a group of scientists in Vermont and Maine is investigating how managing these plants might decrease the number of blacklegged ticks—and the risk of people developing tick-borne illnesses, like Lyme disease and Babesiosis. After getting a $1.8 million grant from the National Science Foundation, they’re hoping to come up with guidance for landowners.Read the rest at sciencefriday.com.Ancient