ecological sciences
Bird diversity is anti-viral

Greater bird diversity protects humans from a deadly virus known to cause meningitis. The West Nile Virus, usually maintained in a bird-mosquito cycle in nature, can be transmitted to humans through a mosquito bite. Biologists from Washington University recently said most birds are bad reservoirs for the virus and so it fails to further infect other birds. Where many bird species exist, very few mosquitoes get infected, reducing the risk for humans. But this does not hold true for crows and sparrows found in large numbers around human settlements. Thus chances become high of the mosquitoes biting a bird and then transmitting the virus directly to a human host.
physical sciences
A clue to walk on water

Could Jesus have taken a tip or two from the humble snail to walk across the sea of Galilee? A group of scientists from San Diego, us , found a mode of propulsion based on how snails create ripples while crawling on water. The finding can be used to create devices to walk on water. The scientists said that some freshwater and marine snails crawl on the surface of water by secreting a trail of mucus. The snail