Filmmaker Victor Rault set sail from Plymouth on the Captain Darwin in 2021, following in the steps of Darwins HMS Beagle. Credit: Victor Rault/ Captain Darwin
Victor Rault, 30, set sail from Plymouth on the Captain Darwin in 2021, following in the footsteps of Darwins HMS Beagle. Eduardo Sampaio invested ten days on the Captain Darwin. Credit: Victor Rault/ Captain Darwin.
Dr. Eduardo Sampaio from the Cluster of Excellence “Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour” and researcher at limit Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. Credit: Victor Rault/ Captain Darwin
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What do octopuses see in a mirror image?
Eduardo Sampaio spent ten days on the Captain Darwin. The focus was on the dives: The biologist, who deals with limit Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, really wished to observe the joint searching behavior of octopuses and fish. Nevertheless, as it was mating season, the animals rarely showed themselves. They wanted to interact with other octopuses and did not hunt at all if they came out.
He spontaneously altered his research job and performed a mirror test rather: “We desired to identify whether the octopuses could realize that they were seeing another person in the mirror.” In the evening on board, the crew enjoyed the video footage: “When the octopus approached the mirror, it altered color– but only the side facing the mirror altered. That was really interesting to enjoy,” says Eduardo Sampaio. In a more experiment, the scientist now wants to test whether the octopuses can even acknowledge themselves.
What do octopuses see in a mirror image? “When the octopus approached the mirror, it changed color– however just the side dealing with the mirror altered,” says Eduardo Sampaio. Credit: Victor Rault/ Captain Darwin.
Bringing Darwins research study design up to date.
At nights, Eduardo Sampaio checked out Darwins The Origin of Species, due to the fact that “it inspired me.” Typically, he wondered: “How can we upgrade Darwins type of scientific deal with the new methods we have today, like machine learning and computer system vision, to better understand how animals move in their natural habitats or utilize various methods to exploit social information?” He does not have a response yet but may discover it the next time he sails on the Captain Darwin.
Great support for scientists who do not have the required resources.
Eduardo Sampaio will be back on board the Captain Darwin: “This trip, introduced as a Citizen Science job, is an excellent assistance for scientists who do not have the methods to do this kind of field research, especially for researchers from disadvantaged areas and in nations where research study structures are not so well equipped.” Much of the work that scientists generally need to manage themselves was taken control of, such as getting permits, acquiring equipment, and raising funds.
” I likewise understood that citizens can play a far more active role in science than simply collecting data,” states Eduardo Sampaio, who hopes that this sailing trip will be a prelude to more exciting Citizen Science expeditions..
Recommendation: “Citizen-led explorations can create clinical knowledge and potential customers for scientists” by Eduardo Sampaio and Victor Rault, 15 November 2022, PLOS Biology.DOI: 10.1371/ journal.pbio.3001872.
Filmmaker Victor Rault set sail from Plymouth on the Captain Darwin in 2021, following in the footsteps of Darwins HMS Beagle. He wishes to check out how the environment has changed because Darwins trip in 1832. Credit: Victor Rault/ Captain Darwin
If he had the opportunity to explore the underwater world of the Cape Verde Islands, Eduardo Sampaio is certain that Charles Darwin would have been overjoyed. The species-rich landscape would have left a long lasting impression on Darwin, who, due to absence of diving equipment, had actually described the islands as barren in his well-known journal The Voyage of the Beagle.
Eduardo Sampaio, an affiliate member of the Cluster of Excellence “Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour” (CASCB) at the University of Konstanz, had quite the opposite experience. He was welcomed on board the ship Captain Darwin by filmmaker Victor Rault to continue his octopus research.
Victor Rault, 30, set sail from Plymouth on the Captain Darwin in 2021, following in the steps of Darwins HMS Beagle. He wishes to explore how the ecosystem has actually changed given that Darwins voyage on the HMS Beagle in 1832. Citizens and researchers have actually been invited to take a trip along and carry out experiments in the spirit of Darwin. “When Victor told me about his project, I was baffled”, remembers biologist Eduardo Sampaio from Portugal. He says: “It was right away clear to me that its an excellent concept to retrace the path of Charles Darwin. I was more than keen to get on board!”
