Latest news with #KateLewis
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
More than a long face: horses use ‘rich repertoire' of expressions to interact
They might get asked by bartenders about their long faces, but horses pull a variety of expressions when interacting with each other, researchers have found. While facial movements can help members of the same species communicate emotions or other signals to each other, they can also be important for inter-species understanding – such as helping humans glean insights into the experiences of domesticated animals. In horses, for example, ear movements have long been viewed as important indicators of their internal state. However, the new work suggests there are many more signals to look out for. 'Horses produce a rich and complex repertoire of facial expressions, and we should not overlook the nuances in these if we want to truly understand the subjective experiences of horses,' said Dr Kate Lewis, the first author of the research, from the University of Portsmouth. She said the new work could also be important for improving the care and welfare of horses. Related: Like a Tom Cruise stunt: hawk uses traffic patterns to target prey Writing in the journal Peer J, Lewis and colleagues report how they drew on an existing directory of horse facial movements known as the Equine Facial Action Coding System (EquiFACS) to unpick the combinations of facial expressions and behaviours made by 36 domestic horses during different types of naturally occurring interactions. These were classified by the team as friendly, playful, aggressive or attentional. The team analysed 72 hours of filmed observations to explore which facial movements tended to occur in each context. 'Something of this size has not been attempted before in horses, and it's really exciting to see the subtleties in how animals communicate with each other,' Lewis said. While the researchers found that almost all facial movements occurred in all of the different contexts, some were more specific to certain types of interaction. In particular, they found that during friendly, peaceful interactions with other horses, the animals tended to put their noses forward. By contrast, when paying attention to something, the horses' ears were typically forward and pulled together. During aggressive encounters, the ears tended to be flattened and backward-facing, while the inner brows were raised, the nostrils dilated and the head lowered. During play, the lower lip was often depressed, the chin raised, lips parted, mouth stretched open wide, and the ears rotated and flattened backwards. In addition, the team noted that during play horses often had an increase in visible eye white, the nose was pushed forward, and the head tended to be up or turned to the right, or both. 'These results really highlight the importance of not relying on just one aspect of the face, such as the ears, to understand what the horse is trying to communicate,' Lewis said. 'Instead we need to consider how the individual facial movements work together to create the overall facial expression.' Primates and some carnivores such as bears also open their mouths during play, Lewis added, in order to indicate the interaction is not aggressive, thereby preventing unwanted fighting. 'This face has been anecdotally described in horses previously, but here we were able to show that it definitely exists and, crucially, that it involves the same muscles as it does in primates,' Lewis said, adding that the similarity suggested that the 'play face' evolved in mammals earlier than previously thought, before horses and primates split on the evolutionary tree. She said: 'There are both similarities and differences between the facial expressions made by non-human primates and horses, so if we are to gain a comprehensive understanding of facial expressions and their evolutionary origins, we need to look beyond our closely related primate cousins.'
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
More than a long face: horses use ‘rich repertoire' of expressions to interact
They might get quizzed by bartenders about their long faces, but horses pull a variety of expressions when interacting with each other, researchers have found. While facial movements can help members of the same species communicate emotions or other signals to each other, they can also be important for inter-species understanding – such as helping humans glean insights into the experiences of domesticated animals. In horses, for example, ear movements have long been viewed as important indicators of their internal state. However the new work suggests there are many more signals to look out for. 'Horses produce a rich and complex repertoire of facial expressions, and we should not overlook the nuances in these if we want to truly understand the subjective experiences of horses,' said Dr Kate Lewis, first author of the research from the University of Portsmouth, adding the new work could also be important for improving the care and welfare of horses. Writing in the journal Peer J, Lewis and colleagues report how they drew on an existing directory of horse facial movements known as Equine Facial Action Coding System (EquiFACS) to unpick the combinations of facial expressions and behaviours made by 36 domestic horses during different types of naturally occurring interactions. These were classified by the team as friendly, playful, aggressive or attentional. The team analysed 72 hours of filmed observations to explore which facial movements tended to occur in each context. 'Something of this size has not been attempted before in horses, and it's really exciting to see the subtleties in how animals communicate with each other,' Lewis said. While the researchers found almost all facial movements occurred in all of the different contexts, some were more specific to certain types of interaction. In particular, they found during friendly, peaceful interactions with other horses, the animals tended to put their noses forward. By contrast, when paying attention to something, the horses' ears were typically forward and pulled together. During aggressive encounters the ears tended to be flattened and backward-facing, while the inner brows were raised, the nostrils dilated and the head lowered. However during play the lower lip was often depressed, the chin raised, lips parted, mouth stretched open wide, and the ears rotated and flattened backwards. In addition, the team noted that during play horses often had an increase in visible eye white, while the nose was pushed forward, and the head tended to be up or turned to the right, or both. 'These results really highlight the importance of not relying on just one aspect of the face, such as the ears, to understand what the horse is trying to communicate,' said Lewis. 'Instead we need to consider how the individual facial movements work together to create the overall facial expression.' Primates and some carnivores, such as bears, also open their mouths during play, Lewis added – with the movement used to indicate the interaction is not aggressive, thereby preventing unwanted fighting. 'This face has been anecdotally described in horses previously, but here we were able to show that it definitely exists and, crucially, that it involves the same muscles as it does in primates,' Lewis said, adding the similarity suggested that the 'play face' evolved in mammals earlier than previously thought, before horses and primates split on the evolutionary tree. 'There are both similarities and differences between the facial expressions made by non-human primates and horses, so if we are to gain a comprehensive understanding of facial expressions and their evolutionary origins, we need to look beyond our closely related primate cousins,' she said.
Euronews
27-04-2025
- Euronews
‘I'm glad we didn't fly': How I Interrailed across Europe with my two kids
ADVERTISEMENT 'Why can't we just fly there?' my youngest questions as we stand on the platform waiting for our train to Paris. I'm about to go Interrailing with my husband and two children, aged eight and 11. I have never done this before. My youth was misspent hopping between beach huts in Southeast Asia, not trains in Europe. But long-haul flights for four are expensive, and I'm now more conscious of the environmental impact of flying. Plus, Interrail passes are very cost-effective for families. Kids under 12 travel free, and ticket prices are fixed year-round. 'Train travel will be more fun!' I say. 'No hanging about in the airport, more room to move around, and flexibility to change plans if we want to.' Airports conjure up visions of queues, restrictions and long, uncomfortable journeys, while travelling by train feels far more civilised. It seems others agree. Train travel is experiencing a renaissance, with more people opting to take to the rails . There are more routes than ever to enjoy, too, with the EU's high-speed network nearly doubling in a decade , along with the revival of night trains.** How to plan a cross-European rail journey with kids Our route takes in France, Germany, Croatia and Austria, with most of our holiday centred in Slovenia, a country I've longed to visit for a while. Slovenia is one of the greenest countries in the world, so it's a fitting tribute to venture here by one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transport. Related Coolcations: Why more people are flocking to destinations in Norway, Finland and Iceland this summer New Madrid-Lisbon high-speed train to cut journey time from 10 hours to three Travelling by train instead of flying cuts individual carbon emissions by up to 90 per cent. However, booking cross-border train travel can be more challenging than opting for a flight. Along with a myriad of different country and route options, juggling different operators, navigating which routes need seat reservations and still have availability, plus ensuring the itinerary isn't too intense for kids, becomes rather mind-boggling. The Interrail and Seat61 websites are invaluable in helping smooth out our trip planning woes. For those less inclined to DIY, there's Byway, a company specialising in organising flight-free trips. Spying mountains out of the window. Kate Lewis Plans are also underway to improve European rail travel, and the EU is working towards a unified cross-European booking system to simplify the whole process. Seat reservations open up to three months in advance, so make sure you book early if you want to sit together. When you're planning your itinerary, it's a good idea to space out longer journeys too, to prevent kids from getting overwhelmed. When it comes to accommodation, apartments are also often cheaper and easier for families. And while you are on the train, a bit of preparation can save you a lot of headaches down the line. Download movies or TV shows to watch in advance as WiFi can be patchy and expensive. Many trains lack decent food options as well, so make sure you pack some snacks. Trains are a luxury compared to overnight economy flights Planning now well behind us, we ease into train travel with a short first journey. Eurostar whisks us from London to Paris, where we bed down in a cosy Parisian apartment. In the morning, fuelled by warm flaky croissants, we hop on the metro to Parc de La Villette, a fantastic family-friendly urban park in the northeast of the capital and wander back slowly along Canal St. Martin to Gare de l'Est for our onward journey—first to Stuttgart and then overnight to Zagreb. ADVERTISEMENT Waiting for a train at Zagred Station. Kate Lewis The novelty factor is still high, and my two children love sitting on the upper deck of the German train. 'It travels at 199 miles an hour!' exclaims my eldest, tackling a giant pretzel. Jaws drop when they find out that some Swiss trains have playgrounds on board . Travelling overnight by train is also unique. Our private couchette had six small bunks, a lockable door and a bottle of water and a croissant each. Some of the newer sleeper trains have showers and room service on board, though I'm selective in who I divulge this information to in case the kids feel like they're missing out. Either way, it's luxury compared to flying economy class overnight, and still a fraction of the price. And boarding just 15 minutes before departure? A dream. Cable cars and wacky museums in Zagreb We wake to softly falling snow in Austria before rattling alongside ice-cold rivers towards Zagreb, Croatia's overlooked capital. The city greets us with a blast — quite literally — as the Gric cannon fires its daily noon salute from the Lotrščak Tower, a tradition that's held strong since 1877. ADVERTISEMENT Zagreb's quirks are further unveiled as we admire grand Austro-Hungarian façades rubbing shoulders with Brutalist buildings, a pretty botanical garden adjacent to graffitied walls, and damaged steps patched up with colourful mosaic tiles. There are nearly 50 weird and wonderful museums here too, covering everything from broken relationships to hangovers. We plump for the more kid-appropriate museum of laughter, the Ha Ha House, with its upside-down rooms and distorted mirrors. Our friend Ivo tells us Mount Medvicnica, to the north of the city, is a beloved part of Zagreb, so we board a cable car and ride dizzyingly high up to explore its trails. Related These tracking holidays offer 'total immersion' into the world of Europe's wolves From rising rents to rewilding: How tourists are rethinking their impact on the places they visit 'On Mondays, people will ask if you made it into the hills. If you did, it means you had a good weekend. Good moods are found up there,' he says. ADVERTISEMENT Moods are good back on board the train, too. The rhythmic clickety-clack of old carriages and the ever-changing European landscapes unfolding are soporific and soothing. We settle into the enforced downtime easily with Uno battles, books and a little bit of screen time. A young interrailer remarks that our trip is ''so cool,' and my boys grin, chuffed they have impressed her. The urban sprawl of Zagreb soon gives way to forested hills, wide turquoise rivers, and clusters of houses on the hills. 'Look! A mountain! With snow!' shouts my youngest, as we forge into Slovenia. Fairytale castles and crowd-free skiing in Slovenia Slovenia's enchanting capital, Ljubljana, is instantly likeable. A compact, car-free centre of cobbled streets and café-lined riverbanks, it's made for wandering. Trees are in blossom everywhere when we arrive. We stretch our legs further in Ljubljana's prettiest public space, Tivoli Park, before stomping up to the medieval castle's viewing tower for sweeping views of the winding River Ljubljanica and the red-roofed city. ADVERTISEMENT At Bled, we bike ride around Slovenia's most famous lake, admiring the fairytale cliff-top castle and 15th-century Gothic church marooned on a tiny central island. Lake Bohinj in Slovenia. Kate Lewis But it is Bohinj we truly fall for. It's quieter and wilder. There's no station here, so more effort is needed to reach it. Better for us, I think, as we canoe through water as clear as glass on Lake Bohinj, with only the surrounding mountains for company. Late afternoons bring the fresh mountain air and the kitesurfers, so we head home for thick hot chocolate and Bled cake, a cream and calorie-filled local pastry, which tastes as good as it looks. Central to Bohinj are the mountains, and we are lucky enough to catch the tail end of the ski season at Vogel, 1535m above the lake. My husband takes off to enjoy the crowd-free slopes alone, and a one-to-three ski lesson enables my boys and me to wobble down a blissfully quiet blue run by mid-afternoon. ADVERTISEMENT The boys are hooked. As the cable car carries us silently back up into the peaceful snowy peaks for another slow descent, we plot our return. Alas, it is finally time to leave. Valleys become steeper and mountains loom larger as Slovenia moves aside for Austria. Fluffy clouds scud across the blue sky as we whizz through the dramatic alpine landscape. 'We'd miss seeing all this going by plane,' my husband says. Vogel in Slovenia. Kate Lewis After a fleeting stop in Salzburg, where we eyeball Mozart's birthplace and play at the rather excellent Spielzeug Museum (toy museum), our journey takes us via Stuttgart back home to the UK. Breaking off another bit of Austrian chocolate, just to check it still tastes good, my youngest muses, 'In the end, I'm glad we didn't fly.' High praise indeed. ADVERTISEMENT Train travel was provided by
