ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Crocodiles are cleverer than previously thought: Some crocodiles use lures to hunt their prey
• Glimpsing the infrastructure of a gamma-ray burst jet
• Rising ocean acidification leads to anxiety in fish
• Multi-dog study points to canine brain's reward center
• Fledgling supernova remnant reveals neutron star's secrets
• Early tree-dwelling bipedal human ancestor was similar to ancient apes and 'Lucy' but not living apes
• Oldest hominin DNA sequenced: Mitochondrial genome of a 400,000-year-old hominin from Spain decoded
• First evidence of primates regularly sleeping in caves
• No blue skies for mice: Scientist study differential distribution of photoreceptors in retina of mice
• Turning waste into power with bacteria and loofahs
• Scientists unearth secrets of Périgord truffles, the culinary 'black diamond'
• Explosive growth of young star
• Harlequin ladybugs escape enemies while native species succumb
• Amoeboid swimming: Crawling in a fluid
• Screeners miss the really rare stuff: Commonly found objects may be crowding out identification of the unusual items
• Sounding tall: Listeners can distinguish the voices of tall versus short people

Crocodiles are cleverer than previously thought: Some crocodiles use lures to hunt their prey Posted: 04 Dec 2013 03:24 PM PST Biologists have observed two crocodilian species -- muggers and American alligators -- using twigs and sticks to lure birds, particularly during nest-building time.

Glimpsing the infrastructure of a gamma-ray burst jet Posted: 04 Dec 2013 03:24 PM PST A new study using observations from a novel instrument provides the best look to date at magnetic fields at the heart of gamma-ray bursts, the most energetic explosions in the universe. An international team of astronomers has glimpsed the infrastructure of a burst's high-speed jet.

Rising ocean acidification leads to anxiety in fish Posted: 04 Dec 2013 03:22 PM PST A new research study combining marine physiology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and behavioral psychology has revealed a surprising outcome from increases of carbon dioxide uptake in the oceans: anxious fish. Scientists have shown for the first time that rising acidity levels increase anxiety in juvenile rockfish, an important commercial species in California.

Multi-dog study points to canine brain's reward center Posted: 04 Dec 2013 03:22 PM PST After capturing the first brain images of two alert, unrestrained dogs last year, researchers have confirmed their methods and results by replicating them in an experiment involving 13 dogs. The research showed that most of the dogs had a positive response in the caudate region of the brain when given a hand signal indicating they would receive a food treat, as compared to a different hand signal for "no treat."

Fledgling supernova remnant reveals neutron star's secrets Posted: 04 Dec 2013 03:14 PM PST Astronomers have identified the glowing wreck of a star that exploded a mere 2,500 years ago — the blink of an eye in astronomical terms.

Early tree-dwelling bipedal human ancestor was similar to ancient apes and 'Lucy' but not living apes Posted: 04 Dec 2013 03:12 PM PST An analysis of the femur of one of the oldest human ancestors reveals the six-million-year-old "Millenium Man" was bipedal but lived in the trees. The research could provide additional insight to the origins of human bipedalism.

Oldest hominin DNA sequenced: Mitochondrial genome of a 400,000-year-old hominin from Spain decoded Posted: 04 Dec 2013 10:20 AM PST Using novel techniques to extract and study ancient DNA researchers have determined an almost complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a 400,000-year-old representative of the genus Homo from Sima de los Huesos, a unique cave site in Northern Spain, and found that it is related to the mitochondrial genome of Denisovans, extinct relatives of Neandertals in Asia. DNA this old has until recently been retrieved only from the permafrost.

First evidence of primates regularly sleeping in caves Posted: 04 Dec 2013 09:37 AM PST Scientists have discovered that some ring-tailed lemurs in Madagascar regularly retire to limestone chambers for their nightly snoozes, the first evidence of the consistent, daily use of the same caves and crevices for sleeping among the world's wild primates.

No blue skies for mice: Scientist study differential distribution of photoreceptors in retina of mice Posted: 04 Dec 2013 09:36 AM PST Guppies, hyenas and mice share one particular retinal specialization in their eye: Photoreceptors ("cones") sensitive to 'green' light are largely located in the top half of the eye, whereas cones sensitive to 'blue' light dominate the bottom half. Scientists have investigated this retinal specialization in mice, showing that the apparent match between 'color' and differential cone distribution brings the animals no advantage.

Turning waste into power with bacteria and loofahs Posted: 04 Dec 2013 08:20 AM PST Loofahs, best known for their use in exfoliating skin to soft, radiant perfection, have emerged as a new potential tool to advance sustainability efforts on two fronts at the same time: energy and waste. A new study describes the pairing of loofahs with bacteria to create a power-generating microbial fuel cell.

Scientists unearth secrets of Périgord truffles, the culinary 'black diamond' Posted: 04 Dec 2013 08:20 AM PST Just in time for the holidays when cooks in France and elsewhere will be slipping bits of the coveted black Périgord truffle under their turkeys' skin for a luxurious flavor, scientists are revealing the secrets that give the culinary world's "black diamond" its unique, pungent aroma. Their study could lead to better ways to determine the freshness and authenticity of the pricey delicacy.

Explosive growth of young star Posted: 04 Dec 2013 06:14 AM PST A star is formed when a large cloud of gas and dust condenses and eventually becomes so dense that it collapses into a ball of gas, where the pressure heats the matter, creating a glowing gas ball -- a star is born. New research shows that a young, newly formed star in the Milky Way had such an explosive growth, that it was initially about 100 times brighter than it is now.

Harlequin ladybugs escape enemies while native species succumb Posted: 04 Dec 2013 06:11 AM PST The astonishing success of the alien invasive harlequin ladybird (ladybug) in Britain has given a team of scientists a unique opportunity to investigate a key ecological theory – the Enemy Release Hypothesis.

Amoeboid swimming: Crawling in a fluid Posted: 04 Dec 2013 06:09 AM PST Researchers have developed a particularly simple model that reproduces the swimming mechanism of amoebas. They show that, by changing shape, these single cell organisms propel themselves forward in a viscous fluid at the same speed as when they crawl on a solid substrate. The way microorganisms swim is fundamentally different to that of fish since, at their scale, viscosity effects dominate and make fins totally inefficient.

Screeners miss the really rare stuff: Commonly found objects may be crowding out identification of the unusual items Posted: 03 Dec 2013 01:17 PM PST A smartphone app that turns gamers into airport baggage screeners is showing that finding weapons and other illegal items isn't all that easy, even when you're looking for them.

Sounding tall: Listeners can distinguish the voices of tall versus short people Posted: 03 Dec 2013 01:15 PM PST Our voice can reveal a lot about us: our age, our gender, and now – it seems – our height as well. A new study found that listeners can accurately determine the relative heights of speakers just by listening to them talk. The key clue may be contained in a particular type of sound produced in the lower airways of the lungs, known as a subglottal resonance.

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