D Tuesday, August 4, 2009 METRO Dolphins keep language shortDOLPHIN body language follows human rules of communication. The most frequently used words in human languages tend to be the shortest and the same law applies to dolphins slapping their tails, diving, flopping sideways, and performing other movements when surface swimming, according to researchers. Patterns of dolphin behaviour at the surface obey the same law of brevity as human language, with both seeking out the simplest and most efficient codes, said Dr Ramon Ferrer i Cancho, from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia in Spain. The law of brevity proposed by linguists holds that the most frequently used words are also the shortest. Dolphins appear to use the same linguistic economy in their swimming movements. Although they communicate mostly by means of audible clicks and whistles, experts believe they also employ body language when swimming close to one another. Working with European colleague Dr David Lusseau, from the University of Aberdeen, Dr Ferrer i Cancho studied bottlenose dolphins in New Zealand and found that each movement pattern they made could be broken down into one or more of four basic units. Dolphins used many patterns made up of just one unit, and far fewer made up of four units.Smalltalk:Adolphinswims GLOBAL action must be taken to curb the development of military killer robots that think for themselves, a leading expert has said. Terminator-style machines that decide how, when and who to kill are just around the corner, warns Noel Sharkey, Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at the University of Sheffield. They cant distinguish between combatants and civilians, said Prof Sharkey. Army killer robots a civilian danger Six little cygnets cadge a lift off mum after they get tired of swimming Room for swan more? Cygnetwing:ThemotherdoesaheadcountasthelastbabyhopsonboardforacosytriparoundthepondPictures: Rich Meston/BNPS THE burden of keeping your offspring happy during the summer holidays is a heavy one no matter what species you are. This doting mother gave no fewer than six cyg- nets a lift on her back after they tired of paddling around in their watery playground. Without a second thought, she raised a wing and let the mini fluff balls scramble aboard bef- ore tucking them in to keep them from falling off. The mute swan then treated the little ones to a day trip on her, gliding around the pond and showing them the sights. The young family was photographed by Richard Meston during a visit to Bicton Park Botanical Gardens in East Budleigh, Devon, England. It was really beautiful and everyone around the pond stopped what they were doing to watch, said Mr Meston. He said the brood grad- ually began angling for a ride after playing and swimming around their mother. They looked like they were starting to get tired and, one by one, started to scramble up on their mums back, said the 32-year-old. She didnt mind at all and even gave them a nudge up, the father of three added. I could im- agine them like kids in the back of the car say- ing, Are we nearly there yet? and squabbling. ByFredATTewill lowinthewater:Thecygnetscramin index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html