Seals playing computer games for science reveal how they navigate in murky water
The task was straightforward. While viewing a simulation of moving through the ocean, the subjects would touch a red target on the left if they thought they were moving left, and a red target on the right if they thought they were moving right — an action these creatures learned by being rewarded with fish.
Using a series of dots streaming across a black screen that mimicked particles in murky water, researchers observed whether harbor seals used optic flow, or the movement of objects across one's field of vision, to determine the direction in which they are moving, according to a May 29 study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
Harbor seals are especially adept at navigating open water, which can be 'a strangely claustrophobic experience' for humans as our view drops to just a few centimeters, according to an article published in the Journal of Experimental Biology about the study.
Seals are known to use their highly sensitive and dexterous whiskers to navigate and hunt, but the role of visual perception is less studied.
The team designed three computer simulations. The first simulated a seal moving through the open sea with dots coming at them; the second simulated the sea floor passing beneath the seal; and the last simulated the sea surface above the seal's head, according to the article.
Three humans participated in the simulation for skill comparison, according to the study.
The seals' heading accuracy was 'comparable, but slightly inferior to the heading accuracy of humans and Rhesus macaques (a species of monkey),' according to the study.
'The (seals) were perfectly capable of determining which direction they were traveling in based simply on the dots streaming in their view; exactly as the cloudy water, seabed or water surface would appear to move when they are swimming,' the article said.
___
© 2025 The Charlotte Observer.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
2 hours ago
- Medscape
Predictors and Therapies in Primary CNS Angiitis Outcomes
TOPLINE: Long-term outcomes in primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) were influenced by patient/disease factors; compared with no treatment, treatment with cyclophosphamide (alone or with steroids) was associated with a reduction in relapse rates. METHODOLOGY: This retrospective observational cohort study included 163 adults (median age, 48 years; 45% women) diagnosed with PACNS at 13 German tertiary care centres from 2004 to 2018. Patients met Calabrese and Mallek (1988) and Birnbaum and Hellmann (2009) diagnostic criteria and were classified as biopsy- and angiogram-confirmed. Researchers assessed the risk for relapse across six immunotherapy regimens (no treatment, steroids, cyclophosphamide ± steroids, and others). Outcomes — survival, relapse-free survival (median follow-up, 42 months), and disability (measured using the modified Rankin scale) — were assessed through telephone interviews/registry data. TAKEAWAY: Overall, 18% of patients with PACNS died during follow-up, with each 10-year increase in age significantly increasing the risk for mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.96; 95% CI, 1.41-2.74; P < .001). Over half of patients (52%) developed moderate-to-severe disability, defined as a modified Rankin scale score of 3-6, that was strongly associated with older age (odds ratio, 1.40 per 10 years). Relapses occurred in 50% of patients, typically occurring at a median of 18 months (interquartile range, 4-55 months), indicating a high rate of PACNS recurrence over time. Cyclophosphamide monotherapy (HR, 0.44) and steroid combinations (HR, 0.47) significantly lower the risk for relapse than no treatment. IN PRACTICE: "Our findings further support the treatment of patients with PACNS with cyclophosphamide alone or in combination with steroids to reduce the frequency of relapse," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study, led by Anna Lena Fisse, Department of Neurology, Ruhr University Bochum, St. Josef Hospital, Bochum, Germany, was published online on June 23, 2025, in Annals of Neurology. LIMITATIONS: The non-randomised observational design introduced potential confounding as treatment intensity correlated with disease severity. Variable follow-up durations and non-treatment in some cases could bias outcome interpretation. DISCLOSURES: This study reported open access funding enabled and organised by Projekt DEAL. Some authors reported receiving speaking fees, honoraria, travel support, and research funding; serving as paid consultants; and having other financial ties with several pharmaceutical companies. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Yahoo
In Berlin's new zoo of sorts, you watch archaeologists, not animals
What was life in Berlin like centuries ago? And what traces did people leave behind? Visitors can watch these questions being answered in real time at Germany's new zoo-like lab where you can watch archaeologists at work behind glass. Petri Berlin is designed as a workshop and laboratory building, aiming to give visitors insights into the work of archaeologists. Through large windows, visitors can observe them at work on various floors. "Here, visitors can trace the journey of a find — from excavation, through cleaning, restoration and cataloguing, to its display as an exhibit," said director Anne Sklebitz at a press conference launching the Petri Berlin exhibition. The detective work behind the research often remains hidden, but can now be seen as it happens, the archaeologist said. "Petri Berlin is not a museum, but a workshop and laboratory building that offers visitors insights into the work of archaeologists," commented state archaeologist Matthias Wemhoff. The seven-storey building is divided thematically: Finds are cleaned on the first floor and restored on the second. There are also interactive stations where visitors can get hands-on experience. A highlight of the new centre is the remains of a medieval Latin school from the 14th century. The entire archaeology lab was built on the foundations of this school. In the basement, visitors can admire parts of the walls. The school stood on central Berlin's Petriplatz, one of the oldest parts of the city and the site of the former Petri Church, then centre of the city of Cölln, one of the two nuclei of Berlin. Foundation remains of the church are also on display in the exhibition. Initially, the museum is officially only German-language, but tours and workshops are on offer and most Berlin museum workers can easily switch into English.
Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
Plays based on little-known history populate Phoenix Theatre's 2025-26 season
The Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre will have a big start to its 2025-26 season: It will produce "The Rocket Men" by Crystal Skillman. Based on a true story, the play explores the German engineers and scientists who worked for Nazi Germany before moving to North Alabama to work on NASA's rocketry program, helping U.S. astronauts fly to the moon. Performed by an all-female cast, "The Rocket Men" will offer a fresh perspective on scientific exploration and moral responsibility. The work is set to be a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere, and its run will begin in September at the Phoenix. The network is a group of professional theaters that collaborate to support development and sustainability of new plays. "We've been working with Crystal for the past year to launch The Rocket Men: Zoom readings with local actors, live readings in New York, workshopping, lots of rewriting, reshaping to land on target," Phoenix Artistic Director Constance Macy said in a news release. "I love it because it exposes hidden history told through women's voices, resonates in a profoundly modern way, and is grandly theatrical." The rest of the Phoenix Theater's season will include more plays produced by the theater itself as well as those presented by American Lives Theatre, Indianapolis Shakespeare Co. and Summit Performance Indianapolis. A Halloween storytelling event and dance concerts also will grace the stage. Here's the season schedule. Find tickets and more information at This Indy newsletter has the best shows, art and eats
