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Monday, August 9th, 2021
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8:57a
Squatting or Kneeling May Be Beneficial for Health
"To better understand the evolution of sedentary behaviors, the scientists studied inactivity in a group of Tanzanian hunter-gatherers, the Hadza, who have a lifestyle that is similar in some ways with how humans lived in the past.
.. the Hadza are sedentary for about as much time — around 9 to 10 hours per day — as humans in more developed countries. However, they appear to lack the markers of chronic diseases that are associated, in industrialized societies, with long periods of sitting. The reason for this disconnect may lie in how they rest.
'Even though there were long periods of inactivity, one of the key differences we noticed is that the Hadza are often resting in postures that require their muscles to maintain light levels of activity — either in a squat or kneeling.'"
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9:01a
Massive Bird Nests on Telephone Poles
"In the Kalahari Desert, South Africa, a native bird called the sociable weaver bird constructs massive nests that, from a distance, looks like a giant haystack that's fallen into a tree. The foundation of these nests are often trees or a utility pole such as the ones that carry telephone wires. Over these the birds create a frame with larger sticks and then build walls from dry grasses to form individual rooms, and line each chamber of the nest with softer grasses and fibers. Sharp spikes of straw protect the entrance tunnels from predators. These nests are the largest built by any bird, and are large enough to house over a hundred pairs of birds. Some sociable weaver nests have remained occupied for several generations spanning over 100 years."
"The birds acquired the name “sociable” not because they live in large colonies, but because they are known to share their nests with several other species including owls, vultures, eagles, red-headed finches, ashy tits, familiar chats, and many more. .. More residents mean more eyes keeping a watch for danger. And the weavers often learn from the other birds where new sources of food can be found."
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