ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• 'Map Of Life' predicts ET. (So where is he?)
• Astronomers predict fireworks from rare stellar encounter in 2018
• Infection with Wolbachia bacteria curbs fighting among fruit flies
• Soundproofing with quantum physics
• Why the seahorse's tail is square
• To conduct, or to insulate? That is the question
• Can autism be measured in a sniff?
• Encryption made easier: Just talk like a parent
• First comprehensive analysis of the woolly mammoth genome completed
• Freezing single atoms to absolute zero with microwaves brings quantum technology closer
• How our sense of smell evolved, including in early humans
• Traders' hormones' may destabilize financial markets
• Nanospiked bacteria are the brightest hard X-ray emitters
• Deepest cave-dwelling centipede discovered

'Map Of Life' predicts ET. (So where is he?) Posted: 02 Jul 2015 01:39 PM PDT The author of a new study of evolutionary convergence argues that the development of life on Earth is predictable, meaning that similar organisms should therefore have appeared on other, Earth-like planets by now. So why do we appear to be all alone in the universe?

Astronomers predict fireworks from rare stellar encounter in 2018 Posted: 02 Jul 2015 01:11 PM PDT Astronomers are gearing up for high-energy fireworks coming in early 2018, when a stellar remnant the size of a city meets one of the brightest stars in our galaxy.

Infection with Wolbachia bacteria curbs fighting among fruit flies Posted: 02 Jul 2015 01:11 PM PDT Male fruit flies infected with the bacterium, Wolbachia, are less aggressive than those not infected, according to research. This is the first time bacteria have been shown to influence aggression.

Soundproofing with quantum physics Posted: 02 Jul 2015 12:15 PM PDT Scientists have shown that the road from abstract theory to practical applications needn't always be very long. Their mechanical implementation of a quantum mechanical phenomenon could soon be used for soundproofing purposes.

Why the seahorse's tail is square Posted: 02 Jul 2015 12:13 PM PDT Why is the seahorse's tail square? An international team of researchers has found the answer and it could lead to building better robots and medical devices. In a nutshell, a tail made of square, overlapping segments makes for better armor than a cylindrical tail. It's also better at gripping and grasping.

To conduct, or to insulate? That is the question Posted: 02 Jul 2015 11:22 AM PDT Researchers have identified a material that behaves as a conductor and an insulator at the same time, challenging current understanding of how materials behave, and pointing to a new type of insulating state.

Can autism be measured in a sniff? Posted: 02 Jul 2015 10:22 AM PDT Imagine the way you might smell a rose. You'd take a nice big sniff to breathe in the sweet but subtle floral scent. Upon walking into a public restroom, you'd likely do just the opposite -- abruptly limiting the flow of air through your nose. Now, researchers have found that people with autism spectrum disorder don't make this natural adjustment like other people do.

Encryption made easier: Just talk like a parent Posted: 02 Jul 2015 10:18 AM PDT A researcher has created an easier email encryption method – one that sounds familiar to parents who try to outsmart their 8-year-old child. The new technique gets rid of the complicated, mathematically generated messages that are typical of encryption software. Instead, the method transforms specific emails into ones that are vague by leaving out key words.

First comprehensive analysis of the woolly mammoth genome completed Posted: 02 Jul 2015 10:17 AM PDT The first comprehensive analysis of the woolly mammoth genome reveals extensive genetic changes that allowed mammoths to adapt Arctic life, including skin and hair development, insulin signaling, fat biology, and even traits such as small ears and short tails. A mammoth gene for temperature sensation was resurrected in the lab as a functional test.

Freezing single atoms to absolute zero with microwaves brings quantum technology closer Posted: 02 Jul 2015 10:15 AM PDT Physicists have found a way of using everyday technology found in kitchen microwaves and mobile telephones to bring quantum technology closer.

How our sense of smell evolved, including in early humans Posted: 02 Jul 2015 08:21 AM PDT A group of scientists has studied how our sense of smell has evolved, and has even reconstructed how a long-extinct human relative would have been able to smell.

Traders' hormones' may destabilize financial markets Posted: 02 Jul 2015 06:49 AM PDT The hormones testosterone and cortisol may destabilize financial markets by making traders take more risks, according to a study.

Nanospiked bacteria are the brightest hard X-ray emitters Posted: 02 Jul 2015 04:36 AM PDT In a scientific breakthrough, researchers have fashioned bacteria to emit intense, hard X-ray radiation. They show that irradiating a glass slide coated with nanoparticle doped bacteria, turns the cellular material into hot, dense plasma, making this a useful table top X-ray source with several potential applications.

Deepest cave-dwelling centipede discovered Posted: 30 Jun 2015 09:17 AM PDT Scientists have discovered the deepest underground dwelling centipede. The animal was found in three caves in the Velebit Mountains, Croatia. Recorded as deep as 1,100 meters, the new species was named after Hades, the god of the underworld in Greek mythology.

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