ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Young children form first impressions from faces
• 'Dimer Molecules' Aid Study of Exoplanet Pressure, Hunt for Life
• Silk-based surgical implants could offer a better way to repair broken bones
• Spiral galaxy spills blood and guts
• Muscle-controlling neurons know when they mess up, according to research
• Rats, frosting helping find genetic causes of binge-eating
• Transparent, color solar cells fuse energy, beauty
• Physics in 3-D? That's nothing: Try 0-D
• IVF the next step in live-donor uterus transplant project
• Solution to planet-clogging plastics? Fully compostable bioplastic made from shrimp shells used to make objects
• What makes flying snakes such gifted gliders?
• Fish bioluminescence: Distinctive flashing patterns might facilitate fish mating
• Native American city on the Mississippi was America's first 'melting pot'
• Virtual bees help to unravel complex causes of colony decline
• 30,000 year-old giant virus found in Siberia
• Not even freezing cold stops invasive species in high altitudes
• Complex plant behavior? In fight against parasites, Barberry sacrifices seeds depending on survival chance
• Do bedroom televisions contribute to youth obesity?
• Greater music dynamics in shoebox-shaped concert halls
• How ancient Greek plays allow us to reconstruct Europe's climate
• Black hawks downed: Bird threat to U.S. military helicopters revealed
• Relativity shakes a magnet: New principle for magnetic recording
• Peat soils as gigantic batteries
• Study reveals how dogs detect explosives, offers new training recommendations

Young children form first impressions from faces Posted: 04 Mar 2014 12:46 PM PST Just like adults, children as young as 3 tend to judge an individual's character traits, such as trustworthiness and competence, simply by looking at the person's face, new research shows. And they show remarkable consensus in the judgments they make, the findings suggest. Overall, children seemed to be most consistent in judging trustworthiness. This suggests that children may tend to pay particular attention to the demeanor of a face -- that is, whether it is broadly positive or negative.

'Dimer Molecules' Aid Study of Exoplanet Pressure, Hunt for Life Posted: 04 Mar 2014 12:45 PM PST Astronomers have developed a new method of gauging the atmospheric pressure of exoplanets, or worlds beyond the solar system, by looking for a certain type of molecule. And if there is life out in space, scientists may one day use this same technique to detect its biosignature — the telltale chemical signs of its presence — in the atmosphere of an alien world.

Silk-based surgical implants could offer a better way to repair broken bones Posted: 04 Mar 2014 11:19 AM PST Using pure silk protein derived from silkworm cocoons, investigators have developed surgical plates and screws that offer improved remodeling following injury and can be absorbed by the body over time. When a person suffers a broken bone, current treatment calls for the surgeon to insert screws and plates to help bond the broken sections and enable the fracture to heal. These "fixation devices" are usually made of metal alloys. But metal devices may have disadvantages: Because they are stiff and unyielding, they can cause stress to underlying bone, among other problems.

Spiral galaxy spills blood and guts Posted: 04 Mar 2014 11:17 AM PST A new Hubble image shows spiral galaxy ESO 137-001, framed against a bright background as it moves through the heart of galaxy cluster Abell 3627. This cluster is violently ripping the spiral's entrails out into space, leaving bright blue streaks as telltale clues to this cosmic crime.

Muscle-controlling neurons know when they mess up, according to research Posted: 04 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PST Whether it is playing a piano sonata or acing a tennis serve, the brain needs to orchestrate precise, coordinated control over the body's many muscles. Moreover, there needs to be some kind of feedback from the senses should any of those movements go wrong. A team of researchers has now begun to unravel the decades-spanning paradox concerning how this feedback system works.

Rats, frosting helping find genetic causes of binge-eating Posted: 04 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PST Two strains of rats, cans of vanilla frosting and a theory have brought science a step closer to finding the genetic causes of binge eating and eventually a treatment. Females are primarily effected by eating disorders with a ratio of only one male for every ten women. These disorders can last for years. During this timeframe, effective treatment is critical since eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. And if it doesn't kill, the damage it wreaks can be irreversible. By using different types of female rats, the scientists have effectively reduced the high number of genes that could be implicated in a binge eating disorder, and dramatically narrowed the areas for further research.

Transparent, color solar cells fuse energy, beauty Posted: 04 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PST Colorful, see-through solar cells could one day be used to make stained-glass windows, decorations and even shades that turn the sun's energy into electricity.

Physics in 3-D? That's nothing: Try 0-D Posted: 04 Mar 2014 09:58 AM PST Zero-dimensional quantum dots could someday have a big effect on a variety of technologies, such as solar energy, lasers and medical diagnostics. This latest discovery is all about going small, but its significance is anything but. The research team's ability to control the confinement energy by varying the size of the quantum dot opens up a world of possibilities.

IVF the next step in live-donor uterus transplant project Posted: 04 Mar 2014 09:55 AM PST In the spring of 2013, a team of researchers and doctors performed the last of nine planned uterus transplants. The six-month follow up shows that live-donor uterus transplantation has a low risk despite extended surgery duration. In the next phase of the world-unique research project researchers will help seven of the women become pregnant through IVF treatment. The project is the world's first systematic and research-based attempt to find a treatment for women with uterine infertility. Several medical, psychological and quality of life-related parameters are monitored among the women, which will be of great help for further progress in the field.

Solution to planet-clogging plastics? Fully compostable bioplastic made from shrimp shells used to make objects Posted: 04 Mar 2014 08:35 AM PST Researchers have developed a method to carry out large-scale manufacturing of everyday objects using a fully degradable bioplastic isolated from shrimp shells. The objects exhibit many of the same properties as those created with synthetic plastics, but without the environmental threat. It also trumps most bioplastics on the market today in posing absolutely no threat to trees or competition with the food supply.

What makes flying snakes such gifted gliders? Posted: 04 Mar 2014 08:31 AM PST They slither, they hiss, they… fly? Don't let their wingless bodies fool you —- some snakes can glide as far as 100 feet through the air, jumping off tree branches and rotating their ribs to flatten their bodies and move from side to side. New research investigates the workings behind the flight and whether they can be applied to mechanical issues.

Fish bioluminescence: Distinctive flashing patterns might facilitate fish mating Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:51 AM PST Scientists have shown for the first time that deep-sea fishes that use bioluminescence for communication are diversifying into different species faster than other glowing fishes that use light for camouflage. The new research indicates that bioluminescence -- a phenomenon in which animals generate visible light through a chemical reaction -- could promote communication and mating in the open ocean, an environment with few barriers to reproduction.

Native American city on the Mississippi was America's first 'melting pot' Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:50 AM PST New evidence establishes for the first time that Cahokia, a sprawling, pre-Columbian city situated at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, hosted a sizable population of immigrants. Cahokia was an early experiment in urban life, researchers say.

Virtual bees help to unravel complex causes of colony decline Posted: 04 Mar 2014 06:48 AM PST Scientists have created an ingenious computer model that simulates a honey bee colony over the course of several years. The model was created to investigate the losses of honeybee colonies that have been reported in recent years and to identify the best course of action for improving honeybee health.

30,000 year-old giant virus found in Siberia Posted: 04 Mar 2014 04:14 AM PST A new type of giant virus called "Pithovirus" has been discovered in the frozen ground of extreme north-eastern Siberia. Buried underground, this giant virus, which is harmless to humans and animals, has survived being frozen for more than 30,000 years. Although its size and amphora shape are reminiscent of Pandoravirus, analysis of its genome and replication mechanism proves that Pithovirus is very different. This work brings to three the number of distinct families of giant viruses.

Not even freezing cold stops invasive species in high altitudes Posted: 04 Mar 2014 04:14 AM PST They hitchhike with us under the soles of our shoes and muddy car tires. Harsh and cold climates don't seem to stop alien plants from establishing themselves in high altitudes, where they now successfully penetrate the alpine vegetation. Mountains have so far been seen as the last natural ports of refuge, where alien species should have difficulties to establish themselves due to the harsh climate. They have been thought to be outnumbered by alpine plants adapted to survive cold, wind and short summers.

Complex plant behavior? In fight against parasites, Barberry sacrifices seeds depending on survival chance Posted: 04 Mar 2014 04:12 AM PST Plants appear to be able to make complex decisions. At least this is what scientists have concluded from their investigations on Barberry (Berberis vulgaris), which is able to abort its own seeds to prevent parasite infestation. The results are the first ecological evidence of complex behavior in plants. They indicate that this species has a structural memory, is able to differentiate between inner and outer conditions as well as anticipate future risks, scientists say.

Do bedroom televisions contribute to youth obesity? Posted: 03 Mar 2014 01:31 PM PST Does having a television in the bedroom contribute to youth weight gain? In a recent American national study, researchers found that having a bedroom television was a significant predictor of adolescent weight gain. "This study suggests that removing bedroom TVs is an important step in our nation's fight against child obesity. We found that adolescents with a TV in their bedroom gained about 1 extra pound a year, compared to those without one, even after accounting for hours of TV watched each day and socioeconomic factors," said study's first author.

Greater music dynamics in shoebox-shaped concert halls Posted: 03 Mar 2014 11:34 AM PST Researchers in Finland have found that music is perceived to have greater dynamic range in rectangular, shoebox shaped concert halls than in other types of halls.

How ancient Greek plays allow us to reconstruct Europe's climate Posted: 03 Mar 2014 05:39 AM PST The open air plays of the ancient Greeks may offer us a valuable insight into the Mediterranean climate of the time, reports new research. Using historical observations from artwork and plays, scientists identified 'halcyon days', of theater friendly weather in mid-winter.

Black hawks downed: Bird threat to U.S. military helicopters revealed Posted: 03 Mar 2014 05:39 AM PST Rotary-wing aircraft, such as Apache and Chinook helicopters, play vital combat and logistical roles across the U.S. military services, but new research reveals how vulnerable these aircraft are to wildlife strikes. Many types of aircraft are vulnerable to strikes, estimated to cost the aviation industry $1.2 billion worldwide per year; however, to date no assessment of strikes to military rotary-wing aircraft has been conducted.

Relativity shakes a magnet: New principle for magnetic recording Posted: 03 Mar 2014 05:35 AM PST Scientists have predicted and discovered a new physical phenomenon that allows to manipulate the state of a magnet by electric signals. Current technologies for writing, storing, and reading information are either charge-based or spin-based. Semiconductor flash or random access memories are prime examples among the large variety of charge-based devices. They utilize the possibility offered by semiconductors to easily electrically manipulate and detect their electronic charge states representing the "zeros" and "ones". The downside is that weak perturbations such as impurities, temperature change, or radiation can lead to uncontrolled charge redistributions and, as a consequence, to data loss. Spin-based devices operate on an entirely distinct principle.

Peat soils as gigantic batteries Posted: 28 Feb 2014 09:13 AM PST Researchers have described a process that suppresses the formation of methane in soils that are rich in humic substances. For this process to work, the soils need to switch between having no oxygen and having oxygen.

Study reveals how dogs detect explosives, offers new training recommendations Posted: 27 Feb 2014 10:48 AM PST Researchers have helped determine the science behind how canines locate explosives such as Composition C-4 (a plastic explosive used by the US military). The study found the dogs react best to the actual explosive, calling into question the use of products designed to mimic the odor of C-4 for training purposes.

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