New Mexico
Zombie birds? New Mexico researchers develop wildlife observation drones from dead birds
The research team at New Mexico Tech has constructed and tested pheasant, mallard duck and pigeon drones and robots. The lead researcher wants them for wildlife monitoring but uses could vary.
Zombie duck drones monitor fellow wildlife
New Mexico Tech are fitting bird carcasses with drone technology to monitor wildlife and bird populations.
Zombie birds are no longer part of post-apocalyptic fiction; they may soon be among us. But in their newfound life, the birds aren’t looking for brains. They’re being used to further wildlife research.
Researchers at the New Mexico Tech Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro have spent the past two years developing drones and robots from the bodies of dead birds. Still in testing, the animatronic birds may be used to study avian formations, coloration and communication, in addition to other natural ecosystems.
These bird-like drones could solve some issues that wildlife researchers have experienced with traditional drones, said Mostafa Hassanalian, lead researcher and mechanical engineering professor at New Mexico Tech.
“Sometimes, you get a bird strike. The birds attack your drone. Your drone gets damaged and at the same time, the birds get hurt or they might be killed,” Hassanalian said. “Drones carry lots of noise. For example, if you are monitoring a herd of elephants in Africa for wildlife monitoring, they carry lots of noise and the animals would be scared and scatter.”
By creating “nature-inspired robotic systems,” Hassanalian hopes researchers can find more success in studying wildlife.
Here’s what you need to know, including whether the bird drones could be used outside of the animal kingdom.
Different birds for different purposes
Hassanalian and his students have worked with the bodies of three different types of birds throughout their research.
The first is a pheasant. Using a real taxidermy pheasant head and pheasant wings, the research team tested the creation of a drone with flapping wings. The purpose was to create a drone that could more naturally blend in with other pheasants for wildlife monitoring.
The team studied the wings of pheasants, flapping patterns, thrust and lift forces, among other characteristics to create a realistic drone.
The research team has also worked with dead mallard ducks to create two different types of robots − a swimming robot and a flying drone. The latter was designed and tested similarly to the pheasant, while the former required some new research and testing.
Rather than focusing on recreating flapping wings, the focus of the swimming duck robot was recreating feet that accurately replicated a duck’s that can glide through the water and dive down. Similar to airborne birds, the swimming duck robot could be used to monitor aquatic wildlife.
The latest of the research team’s work centers around stationary pigeons.
“They have a camera in the neck and this can basically do real-time video or broadcasting,” Hassanalian told USA TODAY. “Say you go in a national park and you want to study the wildlife and you want to have a stationary platform − there are some drones probably being used for that … You can put one of (these) there (in a tree) with the camera. It’s not distracting to the other birds that are around and then you can basically record the wildlife.”
Ultimately, Hassanalian said he would like to create a bird robot that can fly, swim and perch.
How do other birds react to the drones, robots?
While the research team has conducted meticulous research in order to accurately recreate different birds, in actuality, they don’t yet know how other birds would react to them. So far, the research team has only tested the drones and robots in controlled environments on New Mexico Tech’s campus, Hassanalian said.
“We know there’s a challenge that they might be attacked by other birds, but I mean, that’s a part of nature,” Hassanalian said with a laugh.
Hassanalian said his research team is looking at obtaining permission to fly the drones among real birds in non-simulated environments.
Where do the dead birds come from?
All of the birds that Hassanalian and his team use are naturally dead.
“They have all been ‘taxidermied’ by certified taxidermists. We purchase them and try to play with them,” he said. “We’re not asking a taxidermist to kill a bird and then do the taxidermy and give it to us.”
Surveillance potential
Hassanalian and his research team are only interested in studying the use of their bird-like drones to aid wildlife observation right now, but he recognizes that the technology could be used for surveillance, too.
“For future direction … types of taxidermy bird drones can be integrated for protecting the border,” Hassanalian said. “That’s another potential application. We have not been looking at that, but I’m just talking about the potential application.”
Throughout work on this project, Hassanalian has been made aware of concerns related to security and how the bird-like drones could be used for spying.
Several bird-centric conspiracy theories, like Birds Aren’t Real, have grown in popularity over the years, but Hassanalian said his research isn’t associated with any of them. Gaining traction around the COVID-19 pandemic, Birds Aren’t Real claimed that all real-life birds were replaced with “surveillance drones” in the 20th century. Despite its large following, Birds Aren’t Real was not a real conspiracy, but rather an online joke.
“I wasn’t aware of that conspiracy theory until I did this project,” Hassanalian said. “The possibility of any technology being repurposed in unintended ways is a valid concern. While our research aims to support scientific and environmental initiatives, we recognize that any technology could be misused if it falls into the wrong hands. This is why it is always crucial to have appropriate regulations, ethical guidelines and public dialogue around the development and use of drones.”
When it comes to the bird drones being used for spying, Hassanalian said it is not something he or his research team supports.
What’s next?
In addition to his work with bird drones, Hassanalian is researching the creation and implementation of dandelion-inspired drones to assist in seed dispersal.
“Bees, they are in edangered … they have a very important role in seed dispersals,” he said. “The dandelion drone we are developing, they also can be used for dispersing the seeds and bird drones can actually carry the dandelion drones in much more nature-friendly ways for seed dispersals.”
Though this implementation is still a ways out from being a reality, this research could have an impact on bee endangerment and pollination in the natural world.
Hassanalian said he also has an interest in creating and testing reptile and amphibian drones, such as lizards, frogs and snakes.
This story was updated to correct a spelling error.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
New Mexico
New Mexico’s Free Child-Care Plan Has a Feasibility Gap
Last month, New Mexico’s governor announced that the state would soon become the first in the country to offer universal free child care. This was a momentous development for child-care proponents such as myself, who have long argued that wide-reaching free programs are crucial for parents and for a healthy democracy. Notably, the policy frames child care not as a private service but as necessary social infrastructure—the kind that, like schools and roads and libraries, should be publicly funded and available to everyone, regardless of their income.
Since the announcement, advocates and pundits have been unreserved in their excitement: An article in Bloomberg declared this was proof that “Universal Child Care Doesn’t Have to Be a Fantasy.” A writer for The Nation made the case that other states should establish similar programs. But this victory lap may be premature. New Mexico has many hurdles to overcome before anyone can declare the policy a success—and the state could, after all of this attention, fail to fully deliver on its promise.
Although the universal policy will not take effect until Saturday, New Mexico already has, at least in name, one of the most comprehensive child-care funding programs in the United States. Its current system, which offers free care to families with children ages six weeks to 13 years, does have an income-based cutoff, but it’s a generous one, in effect meaning about 85 percent of children in the state are covered. Within that income band, any family with all parents working or in school part- or full-time qualifies. Those families are then guaranteed what is essentially a voucher, which fully covers fees at any child-care provider participating in the state system.
In practice, though, the state-covered care has been hard for many families to access. Of the roughly 137,000 children under age 5 (the group with the most acute care needs), only about 21,000 actually receive benefits under the current program. Among the remaining kids, some are not eligible; other families take advantage of different care options, such as Head Start or free pre-K, which are run separately and not counted as part of the child-care-voucher program. But plenty of families do qualify, and many of them want free care—yet have been unable to find open slots at participating providers. Roughly two-thirds of kids who currently meet program requirements in the state don’t receive any help.
The obstacles to higher uptake are multifold and stubborn. Among them are a shortage of child-care educators, trouble creating care options that meet families’ needs, some providers’ reluctance to accept state vouchers, and uneven care availability in rural areas. These aren’t the type of problems that can typically be resolved quickly—and they are highly unlikely to be addressed before the new policy kicks off. At least in the immediate term, then, New Mexico stands to remain one of the many states falling short of a pledge to provide free or subsidized care.
Ambitious policies, even those whose aims aren’t fully met, have real value; despite the relatively low uptake, New Mexico’s current plan has been a boon to many families. But scarcity acquires a different symbolic tenor in the context of a commitment to be available for everyone. An unmet promise, particularly one announced with great fanfare, can make people feel duped. Because New Mexico is the only state with a program like this, the stakes are high: The new policy’s rollout, and its successes or stumbles, may shape views on the viability of universal child care across the country.
New Mexico’s new child-care proposal is bold. It will use the same voucher system as the current plan, along with the same age cutoffs for kids and many of the same eligibility requirements, but it will open coverage to families at any income level. In its idealized form, parents across the state (excepting stay-at-home parents) will be able to easily sign up for benefits and access the care they need.
Seeing this vision through, however, will involve a herculean effort: New Mexico will need to hire an estimated 5,000 new educators to work in the system, while maintaining its current labor force, which a representative for the state’s Early Childhood Education and Care Department estimates is roughly 13,000 educators. The state has succeeded at similar child-care recruitment efforts in the past. When Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham was elected, she and other legislative leaders funneled money into the field, and from 2019 to 2024, the number of child-care practitioners in the state grew by 64 percent, department representatives told me. But attracting and training thousands more could take years.
Carrying out this recruitment in the places with the most need may be particularly difficult. New Mexico’s current child-care offerings are geographically lopsided. For example, in many regions the state is low on slots for children under 2 (an average of 32 spaces exist for every 100 children in that age group), but the sparsely populated Union County has no licensed infant slots at all.
For years, New Mexico had a way to address rural child-care needs: by relying on informal providers known as “registered homes,” in which neighbors (or sometimes grandparents and other family members) care for a few children living nearby and are compensated by the government for their labor. In addition to making it easier for families in rural areas to access care close to where they live, registered homes tend to have more flexible hours—a necessity for parents who aren’t working a traditional 9-to-5. Other parents turn to these homes to find providers who share their language or culture.
Yet the number of slots in registered homes has been falling for more than a decade; from 2019 to this year, it plummeted from nearly 13,000 to just over 3,000. The exact reasons for the decline are unclear, but the drop-off may be related to how “confusing” one provider said the process of registering a home was.
The state is aware of these supply limitations. Elizabeth Groginsky, the secretary of New Mexico’s Early Childhood Education and Care Department, told me that her team is launching a campaign to recruit 1,000 new registered homes, working to make the registration process easier, and creating a support network for registered homes’ providers. The department also plans to offer low-interest loans to encourage the construction of new child-care centers and licensed family child-care businesses, and the expansion of existing ones. And it will be increasing the baseline rate at which child-care programs are reimbursed for the children they serve, as well as offering even more to programs that commit to a $16-an-hour wage floor for educators, compared with the state’s minimum wage of $12 an hour.
All of this, though, costs more than the state has set aside. The department will be asking the state legislature for $120 million in additional funding, but the money is not guaranteed to be approved, particularly in the face of budget uncertainty after Congress passed a bill in July that puts new financial burdens on states. Groginsky told me that, no matter what, New Mexico expects to be able to pay for its child-care program through 2026. After that, it’s up to the legislature. This uncertainty has prompted some child-care-center owners—who don’t have to accept state vouchers—to express wariness about participating.
Any major foundering in New Mexico could have long-lasting consequences. Take the case of Quebec, which in 1997 launched a universal, $5-a-day child-care program, whose failures continue to reverberate today. At the time the policy was announced, the province had the capacity to serve only 15 percent of its children. Parent demand for the universal program was much higher, so, to meet it, the province took shortcuts, such as lowering educator qualifications and relying on for-profit providers of questionable quality. Although many kids got great care, others ended up in overcrowded, unclean centers. Evidence suggests that some of the kids in substandard settings may have grown more anxious and less social.
More than a quarter century later, Quebec’s stumbles are still used to argue against expansions of publicly funded child care. In 2021, J. D. Vance co-authored a Wall Street Journal op-ed opposing President Joe Biden’s proposed investments in child care. It took only three paragraphs for Vance to bring up Quebec, asserting that “it was, to put it bluntly, a disaster for Quebec’s children.”
New Mexico doesn’t seem likely to let quality slide in the way Quebec did. The problem, rather, is that the state may not be able to ensure that all families have access to the care they desire. This is where the messaging becomes so important: New Mexico has pledged universal free child care, but it has left itself little wiggle room to explain the time it may take to reach that goal or the challenges that could stand in its way.
Success, then, will depend on whether the state can recruit educators quickly enough, on whether the legislature will continually approve the needed funds, on how many providers opt into the state system, and on how soon families can expect access to the child care they were promised. The state’s program is an admirable gamble—but it is still very much a gamble.
New Mexico
NM legislators want ‘truth commission’ to investigate late sex offender Epstein
New Mexico
This Uncrowded New Mexico Beach Is A Hidden Gem Nestled In An Underrated City – Islands
New Mexico’s famous Carlsbad Caverns National Park draws about 400,000 visitors each year, and is home to the largest accessible cave chamber in North America. Before or after a visit to the caves, the underrated city of Carlsbad makes a perfect base to recharge. With a peaceful setting along the Pecos River, Carlsbad entices visitors with river walks and wildlife. In the center of this metropolitan city is a rare gem: a riverfront beach park with soft sand, swimming areas, and even a small waterpark.
Formed by a dam on a portion of the Pecos River, the unique public space has an array of activities for park goers, ranging from beach volleyball to kayaking and boating. Spanning 125.6 miles, the Lake Carlsbad Recreation Area provides an urban oasis for residents and visitors alike, just steps away from all the attractions and dining options in Carlsbad. For a perfect combination adventure, visitors can spend time at Lake Carlsbad, or explore a nearby golf course, zoo, and both state and national parks.
Attractions in and around the Carlsbad Recreation Area
The Carlsbad Recreation Area has something for everyone, including five miles of walking paths lined with pecan trees for a relaxing stroll while soaking in the river views. Families can gather in picnic areas with barbecue pits, or take in a game of racquetball or mini golf. There’s also a beach and pavilion, swimming areas, and boat launches for a full day spent on the water. Kids will love the playgrounds, hockey rink, and skatepark. The city-run waterpark within the recreation area has six different small waterslides, a lazy river, children’s play areas, and lounge areas for a nominal entry fee of $5.
Less than five miles from the lake park is the Living Gardens Desert Zoo and State Park, which features hiking trails with amazing views of the valley, wildlife viewing, and educational tours. There are several lodging options for visitors, including tent and RV sites or rustic cabins at the Carlsbad RV Park or camping at Brantley Lake State Park. Right in the city, the Trinity Hotel offers an elegant stay in a historic building that dates back to 1892, or the highly-rated Fiddler’s Inn provides charming accommodations and a cozy atmosphere.
To get to Carlsbad, the Cavern City Air Terminal has a small number of commercial flights to Albuquerque and Phoenix. Or, for more flight options, the El Paso International Airport is the next best option, and is about a 2.5-hour drive from Carlsbad. For further exploration of under-the-radar attractions, about 50 miles outside of Carlsbad is the breathtaking Guadalupe Mountains, which is somehow one of the least-crowded national parks.
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