ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Research reveals what your sleeping position says about your relationship
• Repeated self-healing now possible in composite materials
• Astronomers: 'Tilt-a-worlds' could harbor life
• Tiger beetle's chase highlights mechanical law
• Hair from infants gives clues about life in womb
• Bizarre parasite may provide cuttlefish clues
• Exams in cold auditoriums? Better memory at ideal temperature

Research reveals what your sleeping position says about your relationship Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:37 PM PDT Scientists have discovered what people's preferred sleeping position reveals about their relationships and personality. The research revealed the most popular sleep positions for couples, with 42% sleeping back to back, 31% sleeping facing the same direction and just 4% spending the night facing one another. In addition, 12% of couples spend the night less than an inch apart whilst 2% sleep over 30 inches apart.

Repeated self-healing now possible in composite materials Posted: 15 Apr 2014 03:14 PM PDT Internal damage in fiber-reinforced composites, materials used in structures of modern airplanes and automobiles, is difficult to detect and nearly impossible to repair by conventional methods. A small, internal crack can quickly develop into irreversible damage from delamination, a process in which the layers separate. This remains one of the most significant factors limiting more widespread use of composite materials. Scientists have now created fiber-composite materials that can heal autonomously through a new self-healing system.

Astronomers: 'Tilt-a-worlds' could harbor life Posted: 15 Apr 2014 12:37 PM PDT A fluctuating tilt in a planet's orbit does not preclude the possibility of life, according to new research. In fact, sometimes it may help. That's because such "tilt-a-worlds," as astronomers sometimes call them -- turned from their orbital plane by the influence of companion planets -- are less likely than fixed-spin planets to freeze over, as heat from their host star is more evenly distributed.

Tiger beetle's chase highlights mechanical law Posted: 15 Apr 2014 10:38 AM PDT If an insect drew a line as it chased its next meal, the resulting pattern would be a tangled mess. But there's method to that mess: It turns out the tiger beetle, known for its speed and agility, does an optimal reorientation dance as it chases its prey at blinding speeds.

Hair from infants gives clues about life in womb Posted: 15 Apr 2014 08:13 AM PDT Like rings of a tree, hair can reveal a lot of information about the past. And, as a team of researchers show in a study of rhesus monkeys, it can also reveal the womb environment in which an infant formed. It's the first time researchers have used infant hair to examine the hormonal environment to which the fetus was exposed during development and it promises to yield a wealth of new information. The findings have significant implications for several fields, from neonatology to psychology, social science to neurology.

Bizarre parasite may provide cuttlefish clues Posted: 15 Apr 2014 06:40 AM PDT New research into parasites of cuttlefish, squid and octopus has uncovered details of the parasites' astonishing life cycles, and shown how they may help in investigating populations of their hosts.

Exams in cold auditoriums? Better memory at ideal temperature Posted: 15 Apr 2014 05:41 AM PDT People's working memory functions better if they are working in an ambient temperature where they feel most comfortable. The conjecture is that working in one's preferred temperature counteracts 'ego depletion': sources of energy necessary to be able to carry out mental tasks get used up less quickly.

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