Animal electoral systems
In human society we vote in elections to choose our leaders. In nature, social hierarchies are built on a basis of dominant and submissive members of the group. Those on top will usually glean some benefit in the form of exclusive mating rights or first dibs
on food. It's a coveted spot and worth hanging onto. IFL Science explains how it works: "In chickens, a process called the pecking order does exactly what it says on the tin as a means of establishing dominance. Dominant members can peck at will, free from retribution, while submissive members must put up with the pecking or protest at their peril. The process isn't always as simple as the biggest bird comes out on top, as other factors such as natural aggression can alter who's the biggest pain in the foot. While a government built on ankle kicking would make for an entertaining election, the pecking order reveals a sliding scale of leadership rather than a solo leader and their flock. Perhaps something to consider if you want to topple capitalism?"
Screaming as a job
The image of vocal terror is among our most universal — from Edvard Munch to Janet Leigh. But translating that into sound on film involves more than a microphone on set. Bloodcurdling noise from an A-lister is uncommon: Often, the screams we hear in movies and TV are created by voice actors. It's physically taxing and emotionally draining. And bizarro thing to do as a job. "Usually, I'll just type in 'death scream,'" Trevor Gates, a sound designer, said of his effects database. One stock scream is so well-used it's got a name, the Wilhelm. What makes a good scream? "It's the visceralness, it's the reality of hearing someone who could potentially be in pain. It's a scary thing, and it's a hard thing to recreate." Read more here.
Seats go walkabout
