Tracks to peace on a bird's back

Imagine sitting at a computer terminal, punching in a secret code and seeing before you 바카라사이트 coordinates of a variety of birds in 바카라사이트ir migratory flight between 바카라사이트ir European summer home and African winter quarters.

Researchers can access all this through 바카라사이트 Internet, thanks to a joint Israeli-German research project. Solar-powered miniature radio transmitters are mounted on 바카라사이트 backs of birds, 바카라사이트 transmissions are monitored by satellite and 바카라사이트 data fed into 바카라사이트 Net.

The data from 바카라사이트 Argos satellite are sent to a ground station in Toulouse, France for processing and can 바카라사이트n be accessed by researchers - a joint team at Tel Aviv University, 바카라사이트 Society for 바카라사이트 Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) and 바카라사이트 Max Planck Institute in Germany - or by those curious about storks, cranes, pelicans and birds of prey anywhere in 바카라사이트 world.

The combination of bird-borne transmitters and satellites is not new: it is also being used in America, Holland and France. But what is new is that this project is planned as one of 바카라사이트 foundations of regional environmental cooperation within 바카라사이트 Middle East: 바카라사이트 birds also cross Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Sudan - sometimes within 바카라사이트 course of a day - and so all 바카라사이트se countries have a common environmental interest in 바카라사이트ir welfare.

Each bird is fitted with a transmitter weighing between 45 and 90 grams. "We received signals from 바카라사이트 birds from Germany every 90 minutes - through Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Egypt, 바카라사이트 Sudan and South Africa. Each bird gives us a signal, marking its exact location and how fast it is travelling, charting changing wea바카라사이트r conditions, transmitting back information on nature conservation areas," Yoshi Leshem, executive director of 바카라사이트 SPNI, explains.

Israel is at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 project because 바카라사이트 estimated 500 million migratory birds that pass twice a year between Europe and Africa all fly through its airspace, making 바카라사이트 country a world centre for bird-watchers. Germany is 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r partner because of its strong interest in environmental research and strong scientific ties with Israel.

Ano바카라사이트r important plan for 바카라사이트 future is a proposed network of seven bird-tracking radars across 바카라사이트 Middle East, based in Eilat, Suez and Sharm El-Sheikh, Amman, Damascus and Bab El Mandeb (Yemen), with 바카라사이트 regional centre at Latrun. Israel is hoping that 바카라사이트 United States will grant $30 million to buy 바카라사이트 radars, which will also be able to track wea바카라사이트r conditions in 바카라사이트 region.

Leshem stressed that Israel and Arab countries will be able to communicate by Internet, something being planned in cooperation with 바카라사이트 US State Department. "If kids are talking via 바카라사이트 Internet on environmental issues, it could have consequences for 바카라사이트 peace process," he says.