Gadling

Whether you’re an amateur blogger or a professional news hound, it’s hard to resist the temptation to write so-called ‘human interest pieces,’ namely random anecdotes and stories that make you feel happy to be alive. Considering the bleak and depressing nature of the international news climate as of recent, human interest pieces are an important part of injecting a bit of optimism into your day.

With that said, perhaps you can understand why the Japanese news outlets are going crazy over the miraculous story of Yousuke, the pet African grey parrot who flew out of his cage two weeks ago in the city of Nagareyama near Tokyo. Although the worried owner contacted police, in the end it was Yousuke the parrot who found his owner, not the other way around!

After being found by a local woman, the parrot was brought to a veterinary clinic to be properly cared for. Like all African grey parrots, Yousuke is extremely chatty, and began performing popular children’s songs in fornt of the staff. However, everyone was surprised beyond belief when the parrot began speaking its full name and home address!!

According to the veterinarian, the bird chirped “I’m Yosuke Nakamura,” prior to stating clearly his full home address down, right down to the specific house number! Soon after, the bird was reunited with his worried owner, who rewarded the bird with a snack of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Mr. Nakamura, the owner, not the bird, was jubilant: “I’m glad I had taught him his name and address and name!” He went on to describe to police how he spent two years teaching the bird to properly recite his contact information in case he ever escaped.

So, just exactly how smart are African grey parrots?

The African grey parrot is considered to be one of the most intelligent birds, and wildlife experts hypothesize that it has the cognitive ability of a six-year-old human child. In the rainforests of central Africa, grey parrots have a long history of cooperative feeding, which may have preempted their impressive cognitive abilities, and enabled them to survive the feast and famine cycles that are common in this habitat.

According to Dr. Irene Pepperberg, a scientist that has conducted extensive research with captive African greys, parrots are actually capable of associating human words with specific meanings. Based on studies with an African grey named N’kisi, who learned around one thousand vocabulary words, and could actually string together complete sentences, Dr. Pepperberg has suggested that parrots may actually have their own language.

Sadly, while this story is a touching tale of a beloved pet finding his way back to his caring owner’s arms, it’s worth noting that African grey parrots are endangered, and are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

This means that exports must be accompanied by a permit issued by a national authority, which declares that the particular animal’s finding was non-detrimental to the species in the wild. Sadly, their demand in the pet market means that African grey parrots are one of the most heavily-trafficked CITES-listed bird species.

Moral of the story: Grey parrots are the smartest pets you can own (sorry Rover!), but please do make sure that they were obtained via legitimate pathways. Thanks!

** All images courtesy of the WikiCommons Media Project **

This may be one of the coolest things you’ll see today…

Unless you’re a science and nature dork like me, you might not be aware that flying fish are real creatures, and they actually do fly (well, sort of). You might also be surprised to hear that their roe tastes great when sprinkled on top of California rolls, and that their flesh is divine with a dab of wasabi and splash of soy sauce!

Anyway, back to the lecture at hand – earlier this week, a Japanese television crew captured some seriously kick-ass footage of a flying fish off the southern coast of Kyushu island in Japan. As you can see in the video below, the fish spends an astounding 45 seconds out of the water, which is now being regarded as the longest ever recorded flight by this species.

As I said before, I’m a bit of a science and nature dork despite my father’s best attempts at teaching me sports – sorry Dad, I did try! – though I think you’ll all agree that flying fish are pretty freakin’ cool creatures. After all, how many fish out there have the power to soar through the air at speeds up to 30 miles per hour, and can escape hungry predators with aerial acrobatics?

First question: What is a flying fish?

The Exocoetidae or flying fish are found the world over, though they’re especially common in the warm tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Even if you’re not a marine biologist, their distinguishing features are pretty obvious, namely the huge pectoral fins that look like they were taken straight from a F-22 Raptor!

Second question: How do flying fish fly?

Actually, they don’t fly, but rather use their tail fins to accelerate rapidly towards the surface of the water to achieve lift-off, thus escaping the mouths of hungry predators. Once airborne, they spread their wings, er…fins, and glide along the thermals with the type of grace and elegance that is only found in nature. While gliding, flying fish can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, and can cover about 50 yards in a single bound.

In this particular record-breaking jump, the fish was able to stay aloft by occasionally beating the surface of the water with its tail fin. This produces the additional thrust needed for multiple jumps, which enables flying fish to cover distances equal to several football fields

Awesome.

Third and final question: How do flying fish taste?

Delicious. Flying fish roe is known in Japanese as tobiko (とびこ), though it most commonly appears in Californian style sushi as those bright orange eggs on your roll. They’re salty, have a unique tang not unlike caviar, and pop in the mouth like little seaweed-scented bubbles. And, while the flesh of the fish itself is an expensive delicacy that is hard to find outside Japan, it has a soft and refined texture that justifies the high price tag.

On that note, I think it’s time to head out for a sushi lunch…

** All images courtesy of the WikiCommons Media Project **

Unless you’re built like Naomi Campbell, you can go ahead and forget about Victoria’s Secret. After all, anybody with an eco-conscious knows that lingerie is about to go green…

This week here in Tokyo, the famous lingerie maker Triumph International Japan unveiled its environmentally friendly Solar Power Bra.

As demonstrated by the striking models of Triumph, the new bra features a solar panel worn around the stomach, which can produce enough electricity to charge your iPod. It is also made of high quality organic cotton that has met the international textile safety standard “Eco-Tex,” and comes in a lovely Earth-friendly shade of green.

Of course, the best part is that that the bra is equipped with two refillable pouches, which can store drinking water, and alleviate the need to carry around environmentally unfriendly plastic bags. And, if you’re feeling a bit insecure about the size of your bust, fret not as the pouches happen to be located right where you need them!

But, don’t take my word for it, but rather the testimony of the oh-so adorable model Yuko Ishida: “It is very comfortable and I can really feel involved in eco-friendly efforts as well.”

Saving the environment never felt so sexy (^_^)

The release of Triumph’s solar-powered bra couldn’t be timelier, especially since the Hokkaido Toyoko Summit is scheduled to take place from July 7-9 on the northernmost island of Japan. Dubbed the ‘environment summit,’ Hokkaido Toyoko will host the ministers from the Group of 8 developed nations, and will address environmental issues that were raised at their previous summit in Bali.

And, in a country where trends and fads can make or break a product, it’s encouraging to note that being eco-friendly is now the height of fashion in Japan. Indeed, Triumph has already released several other green-themed bits of lingerie including include a bra that turns into a reusable shopping bag, and a bra that uses removable metal chopsticks for under-wire.

Although it should go without saying, let’s be clear on one thing: like the concept cars that make the rounds at international auto shows, Triumph’s line of eco-bras is not actually available for purchase in stores. Quite simply, the problem with the Solar Power Bra is that “people usually cannot go outside without wearing clothes over it,” at least according to Triumph spokeswoman Yoshiko Masuda. She also added that you can’t wash the bra, or get it wet in the rain as it does have exposed circuitry.

But, the point is that the Solar Power Bra, regardless of how user-unfriendly it might be, can help reshape consumer demands for products that are more environmentally sound. It can also help launch a mainstream dialog over the importance of highlighting climate change at the individual level by demonstrating how we can all play a small role in protecting Mother Earth.

So ladies, what are you waiting for? Ditch those obsolete sports bras and get ready to go green!

(Special thanks to Emily Loos for uncovering this sultry little news item!)

** Photos taken by Katsumi Kasahara (AP), Junko Kimura (Getty Images) and Yoshikazu Tsuno (AFP/Getty Images) **