ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Female fiddler crabs want protection not sex
• Amputees' brains remember missing hands even years later
• Cows in glass tanks help to reduce methane emissions
• Planet Nine could spell doom for solar system
• Swarm robots can learn by simply observing
• NASA team probes peculiar age-defying star
• Proxima b is in host star's habitable zone, but could it really be habitable?
• Poof! The weird case of the X-ray that came out blank
• Anti-friction solutions? Very thin layers of water can become ice-like at room temperature
• Special nerve cells cause goose bumps and nipple erection
• Electrons with no mass acquire a mass in the presence of a high magnetic field

Female fiddler crabs want protection not sex Posted: 30 Aug 2016 07:13 AM PDT New research has resolved a mystery over why female fiddler crabs visit and leave many males during mating season, and found the females aren't just being picky.

Amputees' brains remember missing hands even years later Posted: 30 Aug 2016 07:13 AM PDT Our brains have a detailed picture of our hands and fingers, and that persists even decades after an amputation, researchers have found. The finding could have implications for the control of next generation prosthetics.

Cows in glass tanks help to reduce methane emissions Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:43 AM PDT In the future, the breeding of the climate-friendly cow can be sped up by using genetic information. A recent study identifies areas in the cow's genotype which are linked to the amount of methane it produces. Cows subjected to study did not unnecessarily chew their cuds when being placed in glass cases.

Planet Nine could spell doom for solar system Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:43 AM PDT The solar system could be thrown into disaster when the sun dies if the mysterious 'Planet Nine' exists, according to new research.

Swarm robots can learn by simply observing Posted: 30 Aug 2016 05:36 AM PDT It is now possible for machines to learn how natural or artificial systems work by simply observing them, without being told what to look for, according to researchers.

NASA team probes peculiar age-defying star Posted: 29 Aug 2016 01:35 PM PDT For years, astronomers have puzzled over a massive star lodged deep in the Milky Way that shows conflicting signs of being extremely old and extremely young. Researchers initially classified the star as elderly, perhaps a red supergiant. But a new study by a NASA-led team of researchers suggests that the object, labeled IRAS 19312+1950, might be something quite different -- a protostar, a star still in the making.

Proxima b is in host star's habitable zone, but could it really be habitable? Posted: 29 Aug 2016 12:53 PM PDT The world's attention is now on Proxima Centauri b, a possibly Earth-like planet orbiting the closest star, 4.22 light-years away. The planet's orbit is just right to allow liquid water on its surface, needed for life. But could it in fact be habitable? If so, the planet evolved very differently than Earth, say researchers say astronomers, geophysicists, climatologists, evolutionary biologists and others who study how distant planets might host life.

Poof! The weird case of the X-ray that came out blank Posted: 29 Aug 2016 11:13 AM PDT Imagine getting a medical X-ray that comes out blank – as if your bones had vanished. That's what happened when scientists cranked up the intensity of the world's first X-ray laser to get a better look at a sample they were studying: The X-rays seemed to go right through it as if it were not there.

Anti-friction solutions? Very thin layers of water can become ice-like at room temperature Posted: 29 Aug 2016 11:04 AM PDT New research shows that a nanometer-thin layer of water between two charged surfaces exhibits ice-like tendencies that allow it to withstand pressures of hundreds of atmospheres. The discovery could lead to better ways to minimize friction in a variety of settings.

Special nerve cells cause goose bumps and nipple erection Posted: 29 Aug 2016 09:21 AM PDT The sympathetic nerve system has long been thought to respond the same regardless of the physical or emotional stimulus triggering it. However, in a new study, scientists show that the system comprises different neurons that regulate specific physiological functions, such as erectile muscle control.

Electrons with no mass acquire a mass in the presence of a high magnetic field Posted: 29 Aug 2016 08:11 AM PDT An international team of researchers has discovered that in a very high magnetic field an electron with no mass can acquire a mass. Understanding why elementary particles have a mass is a fundamental question in physics and an area of intense debate.

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Milky Way had a blowout bash 6 million years ago Posted: 29 Aug 2016 08:11 AM PDT The center of the Milky Way galaxy is currently a quiet place where a supermassive black hole slumbers, only occasionally slurping small sips of hydrogen gas. But it wasn't always this way. A new study shows that 6 million years ago, when the first human ancestors known as hominins walked the Earth, our galaxy's core blazed forth furiously. The evidence for this active phase came from a search for the galaxy's missing mass.

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• Hiding in plain sight: Vast reef found hiding behind Great Barrier Reef
• Scientists discover a ‘dark’ milky way
• More to rainbows than meets the eye
• X-raying the Earth with waves from stormy weather 'bombs'

Hiding in plain sight: Vast reef found hiding behind Great Barrier Reef Posted: 26 Aug 2016 07:48 AM PDT Scientists working with laser data have discovered a vast reef behind the familiar Great Barrier Reef. High-resolution seafloor data provided by LiDAR-equipped aircraft have revealed great fields of unusual donut-shaped circular mounds, each 200-300 meters across and up to 10 meters deep at the center.

Scientists discover a ‘dark’ milky way Posted: 26 Aug 2016 05:42 AM PDT Using the world's most powerful telescopes, an international team of astronomers has found a massive galaxy that consists almost entirely of dark matter.

More to rainbows than meets the eye Posted: 25 Aug 2016 06:43 PM PDT In-depth review charts the scientific understanding of rainbows and highlights the many practical applications of this fascinating interaction between light, liquid and gas.

X-raying the Earth with waves from stormy weather 'bombs' Posted: 25 Aug 2016 12:16 PM PDT Using a detection network based in Japan, scientists have uncovered a rare type of deep-earth tremor that they attribute to a distant North Atlantic storm called a 'weather bomb.' The discovery marks the first time scientists have observed this particular tremor, known as an S wave microseism.

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• A mammoth undertaking: Can de-extinction be ecologically responsible?
• Extending battery life for mobile devices: 'Braidio' tech lets mobile devices share power
• 300 Teeth: Duck-billed dinosaurs would have been dentist’s dream
• Well-wrapped feces allow lobsters to eat jellyfish stingers without injury

A mammoth undertaking: Can de-extinction be ecologically responsible? Posted: 25 Aug 2016 11:17 AM PDT Can the woolly mammoth be brought back from the dead? Scientists say it's only a matter of time. A conservation ecologist and colleagues have examined ecologically responsible de-extinction, and what it means for science.

Extending battery life for mobile devices: 'Braidio' tech lets mobile devices share power Posted: 25 Aug 2016 10:09 AM PDT Computer science researchers have introduced a new radio technology that allows small mobile devices to take advantage of battery power in larger devices nearby for communication.

300 Teeth: Duck-billed dinosaurs would have been dentist’s dream Posted: 25 Aug 2016 09:02 AM PDT Imagine how much dental care you'd need if you had 300 or more teeth packed together on each side of your mouth.

Well-wrapped feces allow lobsters to eat jellyfish stingers without injury Posted: 25 Aug 2016 08:32 AM PDT Lobsters eat jellyfish without harm from the venomous stingers due to a series of physical adaptations. Researchers examined lobster feces to discover that lobsters surround their servings of jellyfish in protective membranes that prevent the stingers from injecting their venom. The results are vial for aquaculture efforts to sustainably farm lobsters for diners around the world.

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• Can one cosmic enigma help solve another?
• Bio-inspired tire design: Where the rubber meets the road
• Mutually helpful species become competitors in benign environments
• Scientists use ultrasound to jump-start a man's brain after coma
• The first autonomous, entirely soft robot
• Endangered Cuban solenodon evolved after the extinction of dinosaurs
• Brief rapamycin therapy in middle-aged mice extends lives
• New tiny species of extinct Australian marsupial lion named after Sir David Attenborough

Can one cosmic enigma help solve another? Posted: 24 Aug 2016 01:02 PM PDT Astrophysicists have proposed a clever new way to shed light on the mystery of dark matter, believed to make up most of the universe. The irony is they want to try to pin down the nature of this unexplained phenomenon by using another, an obscure cosmic emanation known as 'fast radio bursts.'

Bio-inspired tire design: Where the rubber meets the road Posted: 24 Aug 2016 11:40 AM PDT Scientists have recently created new bio-inspired film-terminated structures with unique friction characteristics that could have positive industrial implications for, among other things, tires.

Mutually helpful species become competitors in benign environments Posted: 24 Aug 2016 11:39 AM PDT Nature abounds with examples of mutualistic relationships. Think of bees pollinating flowers whose nectar nourishes the bees. Each species benefits the other, and together their chances of survival are better than if they lived apart. Now scientists have found that such mutualistic relationships aren't always set in stone. Depending on environmental conditions, once-simpatico species can become competitors, and in extreme cases, one species can even drive the other to complete extinction.

Scientists use ultrasound to jump-start a man's brain after coma Posted: 24 Aug 2016 10:50 AM PDT A 25-year-old man recovering from a coma has made remarkable progress following a treatment to jump-start his brain using ultrasounds, scientists report. This is the first time such an approach to severe brain injury has been tried.

The first autonomous, entirely soft robot Posted: 24 Aug 2016 10:50 AM PDT A team of researchers with expertise in 3-D printing, mechanical engineering, and microfluidics has demonstrated the first autonomous, untethered, entirely soft robot. This small, 3-D-printed robot -- nicknamed the octobot -- could pave the way for a new generation of completely soft, autonomous machines.

Endangered Cuban solenodon evolved after the extinction of dinosaurs Posted: 24 Aug 2016 06:36 AM PDT The Caribbean islands form a natural laboratory for the study of evolution due to their unique biological and geological features. There has been heated discussion since the early 20th century on how species appeared on the islands. The Cuban solenodon is a small, rare, endangered animal, belonging to the mammalian order Eulipotyphla. It is a mole-like nocturnal animal with a long snout that feeds on insects and is found in only a few fragmented locations in Cuba. Its evolutionary origins have been widely contested and have remained relatively elusive because they have been so difficult to capture and examine.

Brief rapamycin therapy in middle-aged mice extends lives Posted: 23 Aug 2016 12:59 PM PDT In mice, the drug rapamycin is known to extend lives and delay some age-related problems. Questions remain about about how it promotes healthy aging, when, how much and how long to administer rapamycin, and how to avoid serious side effects. A new study showed brief therapy during middle age with rapamycin dramatically extended mouse lives. Findings revealed the need to further examine how gender and dose influence side effects and the drug's impact on susceptibility to and protection from different types of cancer.

New tiny species of extinct Australian marsupial lion named after Sir David Attenborough Posted: 23 Aug 2016 07:31 AM PDT The fossil remains of a new tiny species of marsupial lion which prowled the lush rainforests of northern Australia about 18 million years ago have been unearthed in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area of remote north-western Queensland. The discovery team has named the new species Microleo attenboroughi for its small size and to honor the famous broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough.

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• Plumbing the secrets of tissue paper
• African bird shows signs of evil stepdad behavior
• BPA can disrupt painted turtles' brain development could be a population health concern
• '4-D printing' a new dimension for additive manufacturing
• Silicon nanoparticles trained to juggle light
• Analog DNA circuit does math in a test tube
• Battery you can swallow could enable future ingestible medical devices

Plumbing the secrets of tissue paper Posted: 24 Aug 2016 08:09 AM PDT Tissue manufacturers are now much closer to producing the perfect paper, thanks to new research.

African bird shows signs of evil stepdad behavior Posted: 24 Aug 2016 05:43 AM PDT An African desert-dwelling male bird favors his biological sons and alienates his stepsons, suggests new research. The species is the southern pied babbler, a black and white bird found in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Previous work on the southern pied babbler has shown negative outcomes for birds who live alone for longer periods, including a decreased likelihood of attaining dominance in another group and increased weight loss.

BPA can disrupt painted turtles' brain development could be a population health concern Posted: 23 Aug 2016 01:56 PM PDT Often, aquatic environments such as rivers and streams become reservoirs for BPA, affecting turtle habitats. Last year, a team of researchers determined that BPA can disrupt sexual function in painted turtles. Now, the team has shown that BPA also can induce behavioral changes in turtles, reprogramming male turtle brains to show behavior common in females. Researchers worry this could lead to population declines in painted turtles.

'4-D printing' a new dimension for additive manufacturing Posted: 23 Aug 2016 11:18 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated the 3-D printing of shape-shifting structures that can fold or unfold to reshape themselves when exposed to heat or electricity, an approach also known as '4-D printing.' The micro-architected structures, including boxes, conductive devices, and a stent, were fabricated from a conductive, environmentally responsive 'smart' ink.

Silicon nanoparticles trained to juggle light Posted: 23 Aug 2016 09:54 AM PDT Silicon nanoparticles based devices would allow to transmit, reflect, or scatter incident light in a specified direction, depending on its intensity. They could be integrated into microchips that would enable ultrafast all-optical signal processing in optical communication lines and the next generation optical computers.

Analog DNA circuit does math in a test tube Posted: 23 Aug 2016 09:53 AM PDT Researchers have created strands of synthetic DNA that, when mixed together in a test tube in the right concentrations, form an analog circuit that can add, subtract and multiply as the molecules form and break bonds. While most DNA circuits are digital, their device performs calculations in an analog fashion by measuring the varying concentrations of specific DNA molecules directly, without requiring special circuitry to convert them to zeroes and ones first.

Battery you can swallow could enable future ingestible medical devices Posted: 23 Aug 2016 05:32 AM PDT Non-toxic, edible batteries could one day power ingestible devices for diagnosing and treating disease. One team reports new progress toward that goal with their batteries made with melanin pigments, naturally found in the skin, hair and eyes.

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• 'Cyclops' beetles hint at solution to 'chicken-and-egg' problem in novel trait evolution
• Ancient air pockets changing the history of Earth’s oxygen
• Single-celled fungi multiply, alien-like, by fusing cells in host
• Bubble-wrapped sponge creates steam using sunlight
• New flexible material can make any window 'smart'
• Hibernating pygmy-possums can sense danger even while dormant

'Cyclops' beetles hint at solution to 'chicken-and-egg' problem in novel trait evolution Posted: 22 Aug 2016 03:18 PM PDT Beetles with cyclops eyes have given scientists insight into how new traits may evolve through the recruitment of existing genes -- even if these genes are already carrying out critical functions.

Ancient air pockets changing the history of Earth’s oxygen Posted: 22 Aug 2016 02:42 PM PDT Geologists are using new direct methods to measure the Earth's oxygenation. They identified, for the first time, exactly how much oxygen was in Earth's atmosphere 813 million years ago -- 10.9 percent. This finding, they say, demonstrates that oxygenation on Earth occurred 300 million years earlier than previously concluded from indirect measurements.

Single-celled fungi multiply, alien-like, by fusing cells in host Posted: 22 Aug 2016 09:49 AM PDT Biologists report that microsporidia fuse the cells of their animal hosts together so they can multiply and quickly spread, alien-like, within their hosts' uninfected cells.

Bubble-wrapped sponge creates steam using sunlight Posted: 22 Aug 2016 09:49 AM PDT How do you boil water? Eschewing the traditional kettle and flame, engineers have invented a bubble-wrapped, sponge-like device that soaks up natural sunlight and heats water to boiling temperatures, generating steam through its pores. The design, which the researchers call a 'solar vapor generator,' requires no expensive mirrors or lenses to concentrate the sunlight, but instead relies on a combination of relatively low-tech materials to capture ambient sunlight and concentrate it as heat.

New flexible material can make any window 'smart' Posted: 22 Aug 2016 09:49 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new low-temperature process for coating a new smart material on plastic. At the heart of the team's study is their rare insight into the atomic-scale structure of the amorphous materials.

Hibernating pygmy-possums can sense danger even while dormant Posted: 22 Aug 2016 08:18 AM PDT What happens to hibernating or torpid animals when a bushfire rages? Are they able to sense danger and wake up from their energy-saving sleep to move to safety? Yes, says a biologist about the reaction of pygmy-possums in such instances. The study is the first to investigate in detail the physical response of hibernating animals to smoke and fire.

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'Artificial atom' created in graphene Posted: 22 Aug 2016 07:07 AM PDT When they are confined to a small space, the behavior of electrons can only be explained by quantum physics. Much like electrons in an atom, they are forced into discrete quantum states. These states can be used for quantum information technologies.

Young heavyweight star discovered in the Milky Way Posted: 21 Aug 2016 07:05 PM PDT A young star over 30 times more massive than the sun could help us understand how the most extreme stars in the universe are born.

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Edible food packaging made from milk proteins Posted: 21 Aug 2016 06:30 AM PDT Most foods at the grocery store come wrapped in plastic packaging. Not only does this create a lot of non-recyclable, non-biodegradable waste, but thin plastic films are not great at preventing spoilage. Scientists are now developing a packaging film made of milk proteins that addresses these issues -- and it is even edible.

Squid, jellyfish and wrinkled skin inspire materials for anti-glare screens and encryption Posted: 21 Aug 2016 06:30 AM PDT What do squid and jellyfish skin have in common with human skin? All three have inspired a team of chemists to create materials that change color or texture in response to variations in their surroundings. These materials could be used for encrypting secret messages, creating anti-glare surfaces, or detecting moisture or damage.

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Modifying a living genome with genetic equivalent of 'search and replace' Posted: 18 Aug 2016 11:59 AM PDT Researchers have made further progress on the path to fully rewriting the genome of living bacteria. Such a recoded organism, once available, could feature functionality not seen in nature. It could also make the bacteria cultivated in pharmaceutical and other industries immune to viruses, saving billions of dollars of losses due to viral contamination.

Born prepared for global warming... thanks to their parents' songs Posted: 18 Aug 2016 11:59 AM PDT By calling to their eggs, zebra finch parents may be helping their young prepare for a hotter world brought on by climate change.

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• Natural scale caterpillar soft robot is powered and controlled with light
• Venus-like exoplanet might have oxygen atmosphere, but not life
• Pre-Hispanic Mexican civilization may have bred and managed rabbits and hares
• For sensation-seekers, the color red can elicit rebelliousness, study finds
• How we escaped the Big Bang: New theory on moving through time

Natural scale caterpillar soft robot is powered and controlled with light Posted: 18 Aug 2016 07:26 AM PDT Researchers, using the liquid crystal elastomer technology have demonstrated a bioinspired micro-robot capable of mimicking caterpillar gaits in natural scale. The 15-millimeter long soft robot harvests energy from green light and is controlled by spatially modulated laser beam. Apart from traveling on flat surfaces, it can also climb slopes, squeeze through narrow slits and transport loads.

Venus-like exoplanet might have oxygen atmosphere, but not life Posted: 18 Aug 2016 07:26 AM PDT The distant planet GJ 1132b intrigued astronomers when it was discovered last year. Located just 39 light-years from Earth, it might have an atmosphere despite being baked to a temperature of around 450 degrees Fahrenheit. But would that atmosphere be thick and soupy or thin and wispy? New research suggests the latter is much more likely.

Pre-Hispanic Mexican civilization may have bred and managed rabbits and hares Posted: 17 Aug 2016 11:25 AM PDT Humans living in the pre-Hispanic Mexican city of Teotihuacan may have bred rabbits and hares for food, fur and bone tools, according to a new study.

For sensation-seekers, the color red can elicit rebelliousness, study finds Posted: 17 Aug 2016 10:17 AM PDT The widespread use of the color red to signal danger can actually be counterproductive for certain people, says new research. Under certain conditions, say investigators, the color red can arouse "noncompliant behavior" - basically, a rebellious streak - for a certain sensation-seeking segment of the population.

How we escaped the Big Bang: New theory on moving through time Posted: 17 Aug 2016 07:15 AM PDT A physicist is challenging the conventional view of space and time to show how the world advances through time. In her new research, she argues that T violation, or a violation of time reversal (T) symmetry, is forcing the universe and us in it, into the future.

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• Genetically modified soil bacteria works as electrical wires
• Study casts doubt on claim that people are over-optimistic
• Big fish, and their urine, are key parts of coral reef ecosystems
• Transparent wood windows are cooler than glass: Study
• An ancient Mayan Copernicus
• Female fish can favor sperm from preferred males despite external fertilization
• On the prowl for an elusive rodent called 'the ultimate Pokémon'
• Hey, tall guy! What's the politics like up there?
• Don't scan so close to me: Sting's musical brain scanned

Genetically modified soil bacteria works as electrical wires Posted: 16 Aug 2016 03:26 PM PDT Scientists have genetically modified a common soil bacteria to create electrical wires that not only conduct electricity, but are thousands of times thinner than a human hair.

Study casts doubt on claim that people are over-optimistic Posted: 16 Aug 2016 03:26 PM PDT For many decades scientists have believed that people have an 'irrational optimism bias' -- a tendency to underestimate their chances of negative experiences, while overestimating their chances of positive events. A new study casts doubt over claims that people are inherently over-optimistic or 'optimistically biased' about the future.

Big fish, and their urine, are key parts of coral reef ecosystems Posted: 16 Aug 2016 12:29 PM PDT Large, carnivorous fish excrete almost half of the key nutrients, phosphorus and nitrogen, that are essential for the survival of coral reefs, report scientists, making them a key part of a coral reef ecosystem.

Transparent wood windows are cooler than glass: Study Posted: 16 Aug 2016 11:07 AM PDT Engineers demonstrate in a new study that windows made of transparent wood could provide more even and consistent natural lighting and better energy efficiency than glass.

An ancient Mayan Copernicus Posted: 16 Aug 2016 10:40 AM PDT Ancient hieroglyphic texts reveal Mayans made major discovery in math and astronomy, a researcher suggests. This study blends the study of Mayan hieroglyphics (epigraphy), archaeology and astronomy to present a new interpretation of the Venus Table, which tracks the observable phases of the second planet from the Sun.

Female fish can favor sperm from preferred males despite external fertilization Posted: 16 Aug 2016 09:06 AM PDT Biologists studying a small, colorful fish in the Mediterranean Sea have discovered a new way in which a female can choose the best father for her offspring. During spawning of the ocellated wrasse, ovarian fluid released with eggs favors sperm from the nest-tending males preferred by the females, limiting fertilization by 'sneaker' males.

On the prowl for an elusive rodent called 'the ultimate Pokémon' Posted: 16 Aug 2016 08:07 AM PDT Researchers are on a real-life search for what one calls 'the ultimate Pokémon': Zenkerella, an elusive scaly-tailed squirrel that has never been spotted alive by scientists. However, biologists recently found three newly dead specimens that hint at how the 'living fossil' has evolved over the past 49 million years. Based on DNA results, the researchers determined that Zenkerella is a very distant cousin of two scaly-tailed squirrels that glide from tree to tree.

Hey, tall guy! What's the politics like up there? Posted: 16 Aug 2016 05:47 AM PDT If you want to predict which political party someone will support, take note of the person's height. The taller a person is, the more likely he or she is to support conservative political positions, support a conservative party and actually vote for conservative politicians, according to a new study using data from Britain.

Don't scan so close to me: Sting's musical brain scanned Posted: 15 Aug 2016 10:48 AM PDT What does the 1960s Beatles hit 'Girl' have in common with Astor Piazolla's evocative tango composition 'Libertango'? Probably not much, to the casual listener. But in the mind of one famously eclectic singer-songwriter, the two songs are highly similar. That's one of the surprising findings of an unusual neuroscience study based on brain scans of the musician Sting.

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• Cognitive offloading: How the Internet is increasingly taking over human memory
• Luna moth's long tail could confuse bat sonar through its twist
• Fifth force of nature? Light particle may be key to understanding dark matter in universe
• Legions of nanorobots target cancerous tumors with precision
• Sewage sludge could make great sustainable fertilizer

Cognitive offloading: How the Internet is increasingly taking over human memory Posted: 16 Aug 2016 05:50 AM PDT Our increasing reliance on the Internet and the ease of access to the vast resource available online is affecting our thought processes for problem solving, recall and learning. In a new article, researchers have found that 'cognitive offloading', or the tendency to rely on things like the Internet as an aide-mémoire, increases after each use.

Luna moth's long tail could confuse bat sonar through its twist Posted: 15 Aug 2016 04:01 PM PDT A detailed look at how sound waves bounce off a flying moth's body offers new clues for how its long, twisted tail might help it evade predatory bats.

Fifth force of nature? Light particle may be key to understanding dark matter in universe Posted: 15 Aug 2016 03:58 PM PDT Recent findings indicating the possible discovery of a previously unknown subatomic particle may be evidence of a fifth fundamental force of nature, according to new research by theoretical physicists.

Legions of nanorobots target cancerous tumors with precision Posted: 15 Aug 2016 10:49 AM PDT Researchers have just achieved a spectacular breakthrough in cancer research. They have developed new nanorobotic agents capable of navigating through the bloodstream to administer a drug with precision by specifically targeting the active cancerous cells of tumors.

Sewage sludge could make great sustainable fertilizer Posted: 15 Aug 2016 10:48 AM PDT Ever thought of putting sewage on your plants? Scientists say thermally conditioned sewage sludge serves as an excellent fertilizer to improve soil properties. The major advantage over commercial fertilizers? Sustainable re-use of essential and finite phosphorus resources.

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