Latest Inventions on Science & Technology ▪ A year-long study by (Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History ) SACON, Coimbatore, indicates an exponential rise in the peafowl population in Tamil Nadu. The study estimated a mean population size of about 61 lakh peafowl and a minimum of about 38 lakh. ▪ A total of 1,025 peafowl were sighted in 32 of the 38 districts, but data revealed their presence in all 38 districts. ▪ The study addressed crop damage caused by peafowl, with 78.70% of farmers reporting damage and 82.88% saying it was a daily occurrence. ▪ From 2011 to 2023, 1,345 peafowl deaths were reported due to pesticide poisoning, electrocution, and vehicular accidents, with the highest mortality in March. ▪ The disappearance of mesocarnivores like jackals and foxes from Tamil Nadu's plains is linked to the rise in peafowl population. ▪ The increasing peafowl population poses a significant concern for farmers, damaging crops like maize, tomato, chilli, millets, and paddy. Farmers use plastic tape and dogs to keep peafowl away due to the ineffectiveness of fencing. ▪ Indian peafowl : scientifically known as Pavo cristatus, is currently classified as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), indicating that its population is stable. This species is primarily found across the Indian subcontinent, including India and Sri Lanka, and has been introduced to various other regions worldwide Aphantasia ▪ A study by Roberto S. Luciani and colleagues at the University of Glasgow examines the relationship between auditory and visual senses in people with aphantasia. ▪ Individuals without aphantasia show strong neural activity in the visual cortex in response to auditory stimuli, while those with aphantasia show significantly weaker neural activity. ▪ The study supports the idea that mental visualization exists on a…
