ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Do dogs of all ages respond equally to dog-directed speech?
• Paleontologists classify mysterious ancient cone-shaped sea creatures
• Our galaxy's black hole is spewing out planet-size 'spitballs'
• Stool samples from the Inuit of Nunavut: Study documents their 'gut microbiome'
• Unlikely couple: Liaison between a Sika deer and a Japanese snow monkey

Do dogs of all ages respond equally to dog-directed speech? Posted: 11 Jan 2017 12:18 PM PST People tend to talk to dogs as though they are human babies. A new study shows that people speak more slowly and with a higher tone to dogs of all ages -- both adults and puppies -- and that puppies respond most readily to this dog-directed speech.

Paleontologists classify mysterious ancient cone-shaped sea creatures Posted: 11 Jan 2017 10:28 AM PST One branch on the tree of life is heavier as a team of scientists has determined what a bizarre group of extinct cone-shaped animals actually are. Known as hyoliths, these marine creatures evolved over 530 million years ago and are among the first known to have external skeletons. Long believed to be molluscs, a new study shows a stronger relationship to brachiopods -- a group with a rich fossil record though few species living today.

Our galaxy's black hole is spewing out planet-size 'spitballs' Posted: 11 Jan 2017 08:08 AM PST Every few thousand years, an unlucky star wanders too close to the black hole at the center of the Milky Way. The black hole's powerful gravity rips the star apart, sending a long streamer of gas whipping outward. That would seem to be the end of the story, but it's not. New research shows that not only can the gas gather itself into planet-size objects, but those objects then are flung throughout the galaxy in a game of cosmic 'spitball.'

Stool samples from the Inuit of Nunavut: Study documents their 'gut microbiome' Posted: 10 Jan 2017 12:13 PM PST Since 2012, doctoral student Catherine Girard has collected stool samples from the Inuit of Nunavut. In a new study, she documents for the first time their 'gut microbiome' -- with surprising results.

Unlikely couple: Liaison between a Sika deer and a Japanese snow monkey Posted: 10 Jan 2017 07:16 AM PST Researchers report on the mating behavior observed between a Japanese macaque male (also known as snow monkey) and a female Sika deer. According to the report, the interaction observed in Japan involved sexual interaction without penetration, and also included mate guarding by the monkey.

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