[extropy-chat] A sad day

[Robert J. Bradbury]

Stuart, I'm unaware of the phenomena you mention with
birds but do not put it outside of their realm of sensing
possibilities.  It could perhaps be ultrasonic sensing,
perhaps somehow sensing the high pressure build-up, or
maybe biomagnetic detection of some type.

As the advance detection of an earthquake would have
clear survival advantages I would not find it at all
unreasonable to have evolved and been incorporated.
Human sensing capabilities had (I believe) different
evolutionary priorities (unfortunately).

If I had to speculate I would tend to link it to birds
ability to sense changes in the weather.  That would tend
to be tied to air pressure which would suggest they are
sensing very subtle sudden pressure changes.

Robert