ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Intelligent neuroprostheses mimic natural motor control
• Bacterial genetic pathway involved in body odor production discovered
• 3-D human skin maps aid study of relationships between molecules, microbes and environment
• Stop blaming the moon: Intelligent people can develop strong entirely incorrect beliefs
• Study debunks common misconception that urine is sterile
• As stars form, magnetic fields influence regions big and small
• Cats relax to the sound of music
• Thin transparent flexible screens: Roll up your screen and stow it away?
• Comet dust: Planet Mercury's 'invisible paint'
• 'Exploding head syndrome' common in young people: Nearly one in five startled by loud, non-existent noises
• Earthlike 'Star Wars' Tatooines may be common
• Why good solutions make us oblivious to better ones

Intelligent neuroprostheses mimic natural motor control Posted: 30 Mar 2015 06:43 PM PDT Neuroscientists are taking inspiration from natural motor control to design new prosthetic devices that can better replace limb function. Researchers have tested a range of brain-controlled devices -- from wheelchairs to robots to advanced limbs -- that work with their users to intelligently perform tasks.

Bacterial genetic pathway involved in body odor production discovered Posted: 30 Mar 2015 06:39 PM PDT For many, body odor is an unfortunate side effect of their daily lives. The smell is caused by bacteria on the skin breaking down naturally secreted molecules contained within sweat. Now scientists have studied the underarm microbiome and identified a unique set of enzymes in the bacterium Staphylococcus hominis that is effective at breaking down sweat molecules into compounds known as thioalcohols, an important component of the characteristic body odor smell.

3-D human skin maps aid study of relationships between molecules, microbes and environment Posted: 30 Mar 2015 02:38 PM PDT Researchers have produced 3-D maps of molecular and microbial variations across the body. These maps provide a baseline for studies of the interplay between the molecules that make up our skin, our microbiomes, our personal hygiene routines and other environmental factors. The study may help further our understanding of the skin's role in human health and disease.

Stop blaming the moon: Intelligent people can develop strong entirely incorrect beliefs Posted: 30 Mar 2015 01:30 PM PDT The moon does not influence the timing of human births or hospital admissions, a new study finds, confirming what astronomers have known for decades. The study illustrates how intelligent people develop strong beliefs that are incorrect.

Study debunks common misconception that urine is sterile Posted: 30 Mar 2015 10:45 AM PDT Bacteria have been discovered in the bladders of healthy women, discrediting the common belief that normal urine is sterile. "While traditional urine cultures have been the gold standard to identify urine disorders in the past, they do not detect most bacteria and have limited utility as a result," a researcher said. "They are not as comprehensive as the testing techniques used in this study."

As stars form, magnetic fields influence regions big and small Posted: 30 Mar 2015 09:26 AM PDT Stars form when gravity pulls together material within giant clouds of gas and dust. But gravity isn't the only force at work. Both turbulence and magnetic fields battle gravity, either by stirring things up or by channeling and restricting gas flows, respectively. New research focusing on magnetic fields shows that they influence star formation on a variety of scales, from hundreds of light-years down to a fraction of a light-year.

Cats relax to the sound of music Posted: 30 Mar 2015 09:25 AM PDT It is widely accepted that, in humans, music confers numerous benefits. An extensive body of research indicates that these benefits extend even to patients under general anesthesia, and include reduced perceived pain, anxiety and stress.

Thin transparent flexible screens: Roll up your screen and stow it away? Posted: 30 Mar 2015 09:25 AM PDT As the demand for instant, constant communication grows, so too does the urgency for more convenient portable devices -- especially computer displays that can be easily rolled up and stored or transported. A new study suggests that a novel DNA-peptide structure can be used to produce thin, transparent, and flexible screens. The research harnesses bionanotechnology to emit a full range of colors in a single pliable pixel layer.

Comet dust: Planet Mercury's 'invisible paint' Posted: 30 Mar 2015 09:24 AM PDT Scientists have long puzzled over the planet Mercury's excessively dark surface. New research suggests that carbon from passing comets could be the planet's mystery darkening agent.

'Exploding head syndrome' common in young people: Nearly one in five startled by loud, non-existent noises Posted: 30 Mar 2015 05:42 AM PDT Researchers have found that an unexpectedly high percentage of young people experience 'exploding head syndrome,' a psychological phenomenon in which they are awakened by abrupt loud noises, even the sensation of an explosion in their head.

Earthlike 'Star Wars' Tatooines may be common Posted: 30 Mar 2015 05:25 AM PDT Luke Skywalker's home in "Star Wars" is the desert planet Tatooine, with twin sunsets because it orbits two stars. So far, only uninhabitable gas-giant planets have been identified circling such binary stars, and many researchers believe rocky planets cannot form there. Now, mathematical simulations show that Earthlike, solid planets such as Tatooine likely exist and may be widespread.

Why good solutions make us oblivious to better ones Posted: 26 Mar 2015 05:27 AM PDT Psychologists have known about the so-called Einstellung effect since the 1940s. Now researchers are developing a solid understanding of how the phenomenon works.

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