ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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Noninvasive brain control: New light-sensitive protein enables simpler, more powerful optogenetics Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:21 AM PDT Engineers have now developed the first light-sensitive molecule that enables neurons to be silenced noninvasively, using a light source outside the skull. This noninvasive approach could pave the way to using optogenetics in human patients to treat epilepsy and other neurological disorders.

How common are cruel comments posted to online news sites? Posted: 27 Jun 2014 10:31 AM PDT Anyone who's ever ventured into the comments section of a news website has likely observed some unfriendly exchanges. Now research has confirmed just how common such behavior is. The study found that more than 1 in 5 comments included some form of incivility, with name-calling as the most prevalent type.

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'Bad' video game behavior increases players' moral sensitivity: May lead to pro-social behavior in real world Posted: 27 Jun 2014 01:37 PM PDT New evidence suggests heinous behavior played out in a virtual environment can lead to players' increased sensitivity toward the moral codes they violated. The current study found such guilt can lead players to be more sensitive to the moral issues they violated during game play. Other studies have established that in real life scenarios, guilt evoked by immoral behavior in the "real-world" elicits pro-social behaviors in most people.

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• Monkeys also believe in winning streaks, study shows
• Astronomers closer to proving gravitational waves with precise measurements of rapidly rotating neutron star
• The science of walking on walls and ceilings
• Synchronised imaging techniques: One more chance for rhinoceroses' foot treatment
• Downside to Disaster Relief: Why Do Photos of Attractive Children Backfire?
• Those with episodic amnesia are not 'stuck in time,' says philosopher
• Crab, other crustacean shells, may hold key to preventing, treating inflammatory bowel disease

Monkeys also believe in winning streaks, study shows Posted: 27 Jun 2014 10:31 AM PDT Humans have a well-documented tendency to see winning and losing streaks in situations that, in fact, are random. But scientists disagree about whether the "hot-hand bias" is a cultural artifact picked up in childhood or a predisposition deeply ingrained in the structure of our cognitive architecture.

Astronomers closer to proving gravitational waves with precise measurements of rapidly rotating neutron star Posted: 27 Jun 2014 08:27 AM PDT When Albert Einstein proposed the existence of gravitational waves as part of his theory of relativity, he set in train a pursuit for knowledge that continues nearly a century later. These ripples in the space-time continuum exert a powerful appeal because it is believed they carry information that will allow us to look back into the very beginnings of the universe. But although the weight of evidence continues to build, undisputed confirmation of their existence still eludes scientists. Researchers have now provided another piece of the puzzle with their precise measurements of a rapidly rotating neutron star: one of the smallest, densest stars in the universe.

The science of walking on walls and ceilings Posted: 26 Jun 2014 06:33 PM PDT Students show Wallace & Gromit 'Wrong Trousers' are scientifically possible for a short period of time. In the classic 1993 Wallace & Gromit film The Wrong Trousers Gromit receives a pair of ex-NASA robotic Techno Trousers from Wallace for his birthday which allows for its wearer to walk on walls -- and physics students have found that scaling walls and ceilings using the technology would indeed be scientifically possible, albeit for a short period of time.

Synchronised imaging techniques: One more chance for rhinoceroses' foot treatment Posted: 26 Jun 2014 06:57 AM PDT A new imaging strategy of synchronizing computed tomography with digital radiography helps to diagnose and initiate appropriate treatment of foot diseases in mega-vertebrates. Despite their long history in captivity, extending at least to Roman times, the fate of some rhinoceros species in zoological collections is still uncertain. Captive rhinos are confronted with chronic foot diseases, a group of severe disorders previously thought to be confined to soft tissues and recently shown to include diverse severe bone pathologies.

Downside to Disaster Relief: Why Do Photos of Attractive Children Backfire? Posted: 25 Jun 2014 10:21 AM PDT When it comes to asking a stranger for help, being young, pretty, and the opposite sex greatly improve your odds. But when it comes to children suffering from the likes of natural disaster, poverty, or homelessness, a new study reveals that less attractive children receive more help than their cuter counterparts.

Those with episodic amnesia are not 'stuck in time,' says philosopher Posted: 24 Jun 2014 02:23 PM PDT It has generally been assumed that people with episodic amnesia experience time much differently than those with more typical memory function. However, recent research disputes this type of claim. 'There are sets of claims that sound empirical, like 'These people are stuck in time.' But if you ask, 'Have you actually tested what they know about time?' the answer is no.'

Crab, other crustacean shells, may hold key to preventing, treating inflammatory bowel disease Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:52 AM PDT Microparticles in crab, shrimp and lobster shells have anti-inflammatory mechanisms that that could lead to the development of novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for those who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease. Since these shells are abundant and a major waste in the seafood industry, they may provide an alternative to costly drugs that don't always work.

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• Not much force: Researchers detect smallest force ever measured
• The shocking truth about electric fish: Genomic basis for the convergent evolution of electric organs
• Foul exhaust fumes derail dinner for hungry moths
• Ask the crowd: Robots learn faster, better with online helpers
• Controlling body movement with light: Neuroscientists inhibit muscle contractions by shining light on spinal cord neurons
• Cheap and enviromentally friendly: Tofu ingredient could revolutionize solar panel manufacture
• LEGO bricks turned into scientific tool to study plant growth
• Chimps like listening to music with a different beat
• We speak as we feel, we feel as we speak
• To avoid interbreeding, monkeys have undergone evolution in facial appearance
• Increased nearsightedness linked to higher education levels and more years spent in school
• 'Nanosubmarine' designed that delivers complementary molecules inside cells
• People with tinnitus process emotions differently from their peers, researchers report
• Automatic cutting of boring parts from long videos
• Music can help neuroscience: Detecting patterns in neuronal dendrite spines by translating them into music
• Some dogs could see a kennel stay as exciting
• Skyscraper Tetris game sets new world record
• New technology: The goose bump sensor
• A new spider species from Mexico uses soil particles for camouflage

Not much force: Researchers detect smallest force ever measured Posted: 26 Jun 2014 12:09 PM PDT Researchers have detected the smallest force ever measured -- approximately 42 yoctonewtons -- using a unique optical trapping system that provides ultracold atoms. A yoctonewton is one septillionth of a newton.

The shocking truth about electric fish: Genomic basis for the convergent evolution of electric organs Posted: 26 Jun 2014 11:16 AM PDT Scientists have found how the electric fish's jolt evolved. Biologists identified the regulatory molecules involved in the genetic and developmental pathways that electric fish have used to convert a simple muscle into an organ capable of generating a potent electrical field.

Foul exhaust fumes derail dinner for hungry moths Posted: 26 Jun 2014 11:10 AM PDT In new research on how pollinators find flowers when background odors are strong, researchers have found that both natural plant odors and human sources of pollution can conceal the scent of sought-after flowers. Car and truck exhaust fumes that foul the air for humans also cause problems for pollinators.

Ask the crowd: Robots learn faster, better with online helpers Posted: 26 Jun 2014 10:20 AM PDT Sometimes it takes a village to teach a robot. Computer scientists have shown that crowdsourcing can be a quick and effective way to teach a robot how to complete tasks. Instead of learning from just one human, robots could one day query the larger online community, asking for instructions or input on the best way to set the table or water the garden.

Controlling body movement with light: Neuroscientists inhibit muscle contractions by shining light on spinal cord neurons Posted: 26 Jun 2014 09:20 AM PDT Neuroscientists report that they can inhibit muscle contractions by shining light on spinal cord neurons. The researchers studied mice in which a light-sensitive protein that promotes neural activity was inserted into a subset of spinal neurons. When the researchers shone blue light on the animals' spinal cords, their hind legs were completely but reversibly immobilized. The findings offer a new approach to studying the complex spinal circuits that coordinate movement and sensory processing, the researchers say.

Cheap and enviromentally friendly: Tofu ingredient could revolutionize solar panel manufacture Posted: 26 Jun 2014 09:18 AM PDT The chemical used to make tofu and bath salts could also replace a highly toxic and expensive substance used to make solar cells, a new study has revealed. Cadmium chloride is currently a key ingredient in solar cell technology used in millions of solar panels around the world. This soluble compound is highly toxic and expensive to produce, requiring elaborate safety measures to protect workers during manufacture and then specialist disposal when panels are no longer needed.

LEGO bricks turned into scientific tool to study plant growth Posted: 26 Jun 2014 09:17 AM PDT Engineers are using LEGO bricks to build controlled environments to study how variations in climate and soil affect plant growth. They say LEGO bricks "are highly convenient and versatile building blocks" for the studies. While looking for a way to study plant and root growth that was simple, inexpensive and flexible -- something that allowed experiments to be reproduced all over the world, even in labs without the latest technologies or the infrastructure required for plant science or agronomy research -- researchers thought of LEGO bricks. And it worked.

Chimps like listening to music with a different beat Posted: 26 Jun 2014 09:16 AM PDT While preferring silence to music from the West, chimpanzees apparently like to listen to the different rhythms of music from Africa and India, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

We speak as we feel, we feel as we speak Posted: 26 Jun 2014 06:57 AM PDT Ground-breaking experiments have been conduced to uncover the links between language and emotions. Researchers were able to demonstrate that the articulation of vowels systematically influences our feelings and vice versa. The authors concluded that it would seem that language users learn that the articulation of 'i' sounds is associated with positive feelings and thus make use of corresponding words to describe positive circumstances. The opposite applies to the use of 'o' sounds.

To avoid interbreeding, monkeys have undergone evolution in facial appearance Posted: 26 Jun 2014 06:29 AM PDT Old World monkeys have undergone a remarkable evolution in facial appearance as a way of avoiding interbreeding with closely related and geographically proximate species, researchers have found. Their research provides the best evidence to date for the role of visual cues as a barrier to breeding across species.

Increased nearsightedness linked to higher education levels and more years spent in school Posted: 26 Jun 2014 06:29 AM PDT Researchers have found strong evidence that attaining a higher level of education and spending more years in school are two factors associated with a greater prevalence and severity of nearsightedness, or myopia. The research is the first population-based study to demonstrate that environmental factors may outweigh genetics in the development of myopia.

'Nanosubmarine' designed that delivers complementary molecules inside cells Posted: 25 Jun 2014 05:19 PM PDT Nanoparticles that under the right conditions, self-assemble -- trapping complementary guest molecules within their structure -- have been recently created by scientists. Like tiny submarines, these versatile nanocarriers can navigate in the watery environment surrounding cells and transport their guest molecules through the membrane of living cells to sequentially deliver their cargo.

People with tinnitus process emotions differently from their peers, researchers report Posted: 25 Jun 2014 03:49 PM PDT Patients with persistent ringing in the ears -- a condition known as tinnitus -- process emotions differently in the brain from those with normal hearing, researchers report. Tinnitus afflicts 50 million people in the United States, and causes those with the condition to hear noises that aren't really there. These phantom sounds are not speech, but rather whooshing noises, train whistles, cricket noises or whines. Their severity often varies day to day.

Automatic cutting of boring parts from long videos Posted: 25 Jun 2014 10:24 AM PDT Smartphones, GoPro cameras and Google Glass are making it easy for anyone to shoot video anywhere. But, they do not make it any easier to watch the tedious videos that can result. Computer scientists, however, have invented a video highlighting technique that can automatically pick out the good parts.

Music can help neuroscience: Detecting patterns in neuronal dendrite spines by translating them into music Posted: 25 Jun 2014 07:14 AM PDT Scientists have analyzed morphological features extracted from dendritic spines of brain neurons to detect patterns in their distribution. Then a software tool was developed in order to convert these features into musical notes. This new technique will be able to explore new hypothesis to understand how human brain works and also search for new solutions to fight against diseases such as Alzheimer's, epilepsy and Parkinson's.

Some dogs could see a kennel stay as exciting Posted: 25 Jun 2014 07:13 AM PDT New research suggests that dogs who spend a short time in boarding kennels may not find it unduly stressful and could in fact find the change of scenery exciting.

Skyscraper Tetris game sets new world record Posted: 24 Jun 2014 10:57 AM PDT Frank Lee has officially outdone himself. The man behind this spring's giant game of Tetris® --played on the north and south sides of Brandywine Realty Trust's Cira Centre skyscraper-- replaced his own name in the Guinness World Records ledger as the creator of the world's "largest architectural videogame display."

New technology: The goose bump sensor Posted: 24 Jun 2014 10:56 AM PDT Imagine a world in which a consumer's real-time physical and emotional response helped to determine his/her experience of music, online ads or the temperature in the room. That may not be so far away -- a team of researchers has developed a flexible, wearable 20mm x 20mm polymer sensor that can directly measure the degree and occurrence of goose bumps, caused by sudden changes in body temperature or emotional states.

A new spider species from Mexico uses soil particles for camouflage Posted: 23 Jun 2014 09:04 AM PDT Scientists discover and describe a new species of spider from Mexico. The new species belongs to the enigmatic family Paratropididae that is distinguished by representatives who possess unique camouflaging abilities.

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• Glimpse into the invisible world of electric asteroids
• 'Cosmic own goal' another clue in hunt for dark matter
• Did Neanderthals eat their vegetables? First direct evidence of plants in Neanderthal diet
• Neural sweet talk: Taste metaphors emotionally engage the brain
• Whale of a target: Harpooning space debris
• Collaborative learning -- for robots: New algorithm
• New device allows brain to bypass spinal cord, move paralyzed limbs
• First year university students struggle to remember basic concepts learned the year before
• Insects as the food of the future: Locusts, grasshoppers, crickets, silk moth pupae, and beetle and moth larvae
• Young researcher discovers source of disco clams' light show
• Hormones affect voting behavior, researchers find
• New 'flight simulator' technology gives neurosurgeons peek inside brain before surgery
• Robot can be programmed by casually talking to it

Glimpse into the invisible world of electric asteroids Posted: 25 Jun 2014 05:19 PM PDT Space may appear empty -- a soundless vacuum, but it's not an absolute void. It flows with electric activity that is not visible to our eyes. NASA is developing plans to send humans to an asteroid, and wants to know more about the electrical environment explorers will encounter there.

'Cosmic own goal' another clue in hunt for dark matter Posted: 25 Jun 2014 05:19 PM PDT The hunt for dark matter has taken another step forward thanks to new supercomputer simulations showing the evolution of our 'local Universe' from the Big Bang to the present day. Physicists say their simulations could improve understanding of dark matter, a mysterious substance believed to make up 85 per cent of the mass of the Universe.

Did Neanderthals eat their vegetables? First direct evidence of plants in Neanderthal diet Posted: 25 Jun 2014 05:19 PM PDT Scientists have identified human fecal remains from El Salt, a known site of Neanderthal occupation in southern Spain that dates back 50,000 years. The researchers analyzed each sample for metabolized versions of animal-derived cholesterol, as well as phytosterol, a cholesterol-like compound found in plants. While all samples contained signs of meat consumption, two samples showed traces of plants -- the first direct evidence that Neanderthals may have enjoyed an omnivorous diet.

Neural sweet talk: Taste metaphors emotionally engage the brain Posted: 25 Jun 2014 11:12 AM PDT Researchers have found that taste-related metaphors such as 'sweet' actually engage the emotional centers of the brain more than literal words such as 'kind' that have the same meaning. If metaphors in general elicit a similar emotional response, that could mean that figurative language presents a 'rhetorical advantage' when communicating with others.

Whale of a target: Harpooning space debris Posted: 25 Jun 2014 10:28 AM PDT Faced with the challenge of capturing tumbling satellites to clear key orbits, the European Space Agency is considering turning to an ancient terrestrial technology: the harpoon.

Collaborative learning -- for robots: New algorithm Posted: 25 Jun 2014 10:24 AM PDT Machine learning, in which computers learn new skills by looking for patterns in training data, is the basis of most recent advances in artificial intelligence, from voice-recognition systems to self-parking cars. It's also the technique that autonomous robots typically use to build models of their environments. A new algorithm lets independent agents collectively produce a machine-learning model without aggregating data.

New device allows brain to bypass spinal cord, move paralyzed limbs Posted: 25 Jun 2014 10:01 AM PDT For the first time ever, a paralyzed man can move his fingers and hand with his own thoughts thanks to a new device. A 23-year-old quadriplegic is the first patient to use Neurobridge, an electronic neural bypass for spinal cord injuries that reconnects the brain directly to muscles, allowing voluntary and functional control of a paralyzed limb.

First year university students struggle to remember basic concepts learned the year before Posted: 25 Jun 2014 07:16 AM PDT University freshers struggle to remember basic concepts from their A-level studies according to new U.K. research. A new report shows that even grade-A students could only remember 40 percent of their A-Level syllabus by the first week of term at university.

Insects as the food of the future: Locusts, grasshoppers, crickets, silk moth pupae, and beetle and moth larvae Posted: 25 Jun 2014 07:12 AM PDT As the human population grows, it is critical that the drain on the planet's resources be lessened by decreasing consumption of animal protein. Insects are a promising, economically viable alternative source of high quality protein that leave a substantially smaller environmental footprint.

Young researcher discovers source of disco clams' light show Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:00 PM PDT The disco clam was named for the rhythmic, pulsing light that ripples along the lips of its mantle. A graduate student was fascinated the first time she saw the clam, and set out to investigate the reflective material on its lips and why it flashes. She reports that the mirror is actually a highly reflective, densely packed layer of silica spheres a mere 340 nanometers across never before seen in animals.

Hormones affect voting behavior, researchers find Posted: 24 Jun 2014 02:21 PM PDT Psychology and political science professors finds people with high levels of a stress hormone are less likely to vote. As witnessed by recent voter turnout in primary elections, participation in U.S. national elections is low, relative to other western democracies. In fact, voter turnout in biennial national elections ranges includes only 40 to 60 percent of eligible voters.

New 'flight simulator' technology gives neurosurgeons peek inside brain before surgery Posted: 23 Jun 2014 11:17 AM PDT A novel technology that serves as a "flight simulator" for neurosurgeons is being used before surgery, allowing the physicians to rehearse complicated brain surgeries before making an actual incision on a patient. The new simulator creates an individualized walkthrough based on 3D imaging taken from the patient's CT and MRI scans. Surgeons then plan and rehearse the surgeries using the unique software, which combines life-like tissue reaction with accurate modeling of surgical tools and clamps, to enable them to navigate multiple-angled models of a patient's brain and vasculature.

Robot can be programmed by casually talking to it Posted: 23 Jun 2014 06:18 AM PDT A professor of computer science is teaching robots to understand instructions in natural language from various speakers, account for missing information, and adapt to the environment at hand.

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• Not everyone wants cheering up, new study suggests
• Morphable surfaces cut air resistance: Golf ball-like dimples on cars may improve fuel efficiency
• Bizarre parasite from the Jurassic had mouthparts for sucking blood of salamanders
• Sweet, sweet straw: Scientists learn to produce sweetener from straw and fungi
• Fat of the bone: Exercise, diabetes affect amount of fat inside bones
• Facelock: New password alternative which plays to the strengths of human memory
• Cell phones reflect our personal microbiome
• Should the Higgs boson have caused our universe to collapse? Findings puzzle cosmologists
• When it rains, it pours ... on the sun
• Sound waves harnessed to enable precision micro- and nano-manufacturing
• Emergence of bacterial vortex explained
• Cautionary tales: Mustaches, home oxygen therapy, sparks do not mix

Not everyone wants cheering up, new study suggests Posted: 24 Jun 2014 11:23 AM PDT You may want to rethink cheering up your friends who have low self-esteem because chances are they don't want to hear it. People with low self-esteem have overly negative views of themselves, and often interpret critical feedback, romantic rejections, or unsuccessful job applications as evidence of their general unworthiness. A new study found that they likely don't want you to try to boost their spirits.

Morphable surfaces cut air resistance: Golf ball-like dimples on cars may improve fuel efficiency Posted: 24 Jun 2014 08:07 AM PDT Testing over the years has proved that a golf ball's irregular surface dramatically increases the distance it travels, because it can cut the drag caused by air resistance in half. Now researchers are aiming to harness that same effect to reduce drag on a variety of surfaces -- including domes that sometimes crumple in high winds, or perhaps even vehicles.

Bizarre parasite from the Jurassic had mouthparts for sucking blood of salamanders Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:58 AM PDT Around 165 million years ago, a spectacular parasite was at home in the freshwater lakes of present-day Inner Mongolia (China): A fly larva with a thorax formed entirely like a sucking plate. With it, the animal could adhere to salamanders and suck their blood with its mouthparts formed like a sting. To date no insect is known that is equipped with a similar specialized design.

Sweet, sweet straw: Scientists learn to produce sweetener from straw and fungi Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:58 AM PDT The calorie free sweetener erythritol is widely used in Asia; it is also gaining popularity in Europe and America. Now, a new cheap method has been developed to produce erythritol from straw with the help of mould fungi. Erythritol has many great advantages: it does not make you fat, it does not cause tooth decay, it has no effect on the blood sugar and, unlike other sweeteners, it does not have a laxative effect.

Fat of the bone: Exercise, diabetes affect amount of fat inside bones Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:50 AM PDT A new kind of imaging technique shows how exercise and diabetes drugs affect the amount of fat inside our bones, which could play roles in the health of our bones. Our bones are not stagnant, rock-like things. They change. Marrow -- the tissue inside bones -- is full of various kinds of cells. And marrow is also full of fat. The amounts of these cells and fats can decrease or increase over time. And the production of these marrow cells and fat depend on a specific type of progenitor cell called a mesenchymal stem cell.

Facelock: New password alternative which plays to the strengths of human memory Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Forgotten passwords are a serious problem for both IT managers and users. The root of the problem is a trade-off between memorability and security: simple passwords are easy to remember but easy to crack; complex passwords are hard to crack but hard to remember. A newly proposed alternative based on the psychology of face recognition was announced today. Dubbed 'Facelock', it could put an end to forgotten passwords, and protect users from prying eyes.

Cell phones reflect our personal microbiome Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:33 AM PDT Smartphones are everywhere, and they may be smarter than you think. Our cell phones actually reflect the personal microbial world of their owners, with potential implications for their use as bacterial and environmental sensors, according to new research. New research focused on the personal microbiome -- the collection of microorganisms on items regularly worn or carried by a person -- demonstrates the significant microbiological connection we share with our phones.

Should the Higgs boson have caused our universe to collapse? Findings puzzle cosmologists Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT British cosmologists are puzzled: they predict that the universe should not have lasted for more than a second. This startling conclusion is the result of combining the latest observations of the sky with the recent discovery of the Higgs boson.

When it rains, it pours ... on the sun Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:32 AM PDT Just like on Earth, the sun has spells of bad weather, with high winds and showers of rain. But unlike storms on Earth, rain on the sun is made of electrically charged gas (plasma) and falls at around 200,000 kilometers an hour from the outer solar atmosphere, the corona, to the sun's surface. Now a team of solar physicists has pieced together an explanation for this intriguing phenomenon with imagery that shows a 'waterfall' in the atmosphere of the sun.

Sound waves harnessed to enable precision micro- and nano-manufacturing Posted: 24 Jun 2014 06:25 AM PDT In a breakthrough discovery, researchers have harnessed the power of sound waves to enable precision micro- and nano-manufacturing. The researchers have demonstrated how high-frequency sound waves can be used to precisely control the spread of thin film fluid along a specially designed chip.

Emergence of bacterial vortex explained Posted: 23 Jun 2014 12:47 PM PDT When a bunch of B. subtilis bacteria are confined within a droplet of water, a very strange thing happens. The chaotic motion of individual swimmers spontaneously organizes into a swirling vortex, with bacteria on the outer edge of the droplet moving in one direction while those on the inside move the opposite direction. Researchers have now explained for the first time how that dual-motion vortex is generated.

Cautionary tales: Mustaches, home oxygen therapy, sparks do not mix Posted: 23 Jun 2014 10:08 AM PDT Facial hair and home oxygen therapy can prove a dangerously combustible combination, report finds. To reach that conclusion, researchers reviewed home oxygen therapy-related burn cases and experimented with a mustachioed mannequin, a facial hair-free mannequin, nasal oxygen tubes and sparks. They found that facial hair raises the risk of home oxygen therapy-related burns, and encourage health care providers to counsel patients about the risk.

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