ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Scientists change butterflies wing color in just six generations
• Scientists introduce new cosmic connectivity: Quantum pigeonhole paradox
• Pump up the music -- especially the bass -- to make you feel powerful
• Photo editing tool enables object images to be manipulated in 3-D
• Grizzly research offers surprising insights into diabetes-obesity link
• Planet-like object may have spent its youth as hot as a star
• Smart bacteria help each other survive
• Used cigarette butts offer energy storage solution
• Obesity paradox in survival from sepsis
• Wasp venom used in new therapy for breast cancer

Scientists change butterflies wing color in just six generations Posted: 05 Aug 2014 12:10 PM PDT Scientists have chosen the most fleeting of mediums for their groundbreaking work on biomimicry: They've changed the color of butterfly wings. In so doing, they produced the first structural color change in an animal by influencing evolution. The discovery may have implications for physicists and engineers trying to use evolutionary principles in the design of new materials and devices.

Scientists introduce new cosmic connectivity: Quantum pigeonhole paradox Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:25 AM PDT In the 20th century, two revolutions in physics shook the world. One of them was relativity, discovered by Einstein. It revealed that spacetime is not what we experience in everyday life. For example, if you travel close to the speed of light, then you will age more slowly than somebody who stays on Earth. The second revolution was quantum theory, the microscopic theory of particles, such as electrons, atoms, or photons. Quantum theory showed that nature is not deterministic -- as Einstein put it, "God plays with dice." After a century of careful testing, most physicists believe that the "chanciness" or "capriciousness" of the microscopic world is fundamental.

Pump up the music -- especially the bass -- to make you feel powerful Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:22 AM PDT It's the day of the big game -- before heading out to the field, you put on your headphones and blast some music to pump you up. The music seemingly empowers you to do great things. This effect is not all in your head: according to new research, music truly does make us feel powerful. But not all songs have the same effect, and the levels of bass are a key factor in their effectiveness.

Photo editing tool enables object images to be manipulated in 3-D Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:21 AM PDT Editors of photos routinely resize objects, or move them up, down or sideways, but researchers are adding an extra dimension to photo editing by enabling editors to turn or flip objects any way they want, even exposing surfaces not visible in the original photograph.

Grizzly research offers surprising insights into diabetes-obesity link Posted: 05 Aug 2014 10:19 AM PDT Researchers studying grizzly bears have now discovered a natural state of diabetes that serves a real biological purpose and is also reversible. Investigators note that grizzly bears are obese but not diabetic in the fall, become diabetic only weeks later in hibernation, and then become 'cured' of diabetes in the spring. The research reveals how natural biology can teach us new things about how animals naturally cope with conditions that would cause disease in humans.

Planet-like object may have spent its youth as hot as a star Posted: 05 Aug 2014 07:25 AM PDT Astronomers have discovered an extremely cool object that could have a particularly diverse history - although it is now as cool as a planet, it may have spent much of its youth as hot as a star. The current temperature of the object is 100-150 degrees Celsius, intermediate between that of the Earth and Venus. But the object shows evidence of a possible ancient origin, implying that a large change in temperature has taken place.

Smart bacteria help each other survive Posted: 05 Aug 2014 07:25 AM PDT The body's assailants are cleverer than previously thought. New research shows for the first time how bacteria in the airways can help each other replenish vital iron. The bacteria thereby increase their chances of survival, which can happen at the expense of the person's health.

Used cigarette butts offer energy storage solution Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:11 AM PDT A group of scientists have converted used-cigarette butts into a high-performing material that could be integrated into computers, handheld devices, electrical vehicles and wind turbines to store energy.

Obesity paradox in survival from sepsis Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:11 AM PDT Obesity usually leads to worse health outcomes, but a study shows extra weight increases chances of surviving sepsis. In a study of 1,404 Medicare beneficiaries, heavier patients were more likely to survive sepsis, a life-threatening infection that can lead to a stay in a hospital's intensive care unit.

Wasp venom used in new therapy for breast cancer Posted: 05 Aug 2014 06:09 AM PDT Despite there currently being a wide variety of compounds against cancer, they all have serious side effects. Furthermore, tumors are capable of becoming resistant, limiting this type of treatment. In order to counteract these two disadvantages, scientists have designed a new therapy based on a peptide - the binding of several amino acids - from wasp venom for its potential use against breast cancer.

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• Bottling up sound waves: Acoustic bottle beams hold promise for imaging, cloaking, levitation and more
• Flores bones show features of Down syndrome, not a new 'Hobbit' human
• Mathematical equation to predict happiness: Doesn't depend on how well things go, but on whether things are better than expected
• No-power Wi-Fi connectivity could fuel Internet of Things reality
• How amphibians crossed continents: DNA helps piece together 300-million-year journey
• Horses communicate with eyes and mobile ears
• Baby Universe picture brought closer to theory
• Extracting audio from visual information: Algorithm recovers speech from vibrations of a potato-chip bag filmed through soundproof glass
• How 'biological spark plug' in biomolecular motors works
• World's fastest external phone charger goes: Charges in 15 minutes without need for electrical socket
• Kangaroos win when aborigines hunt with fire: Co-evolution benefits Australia's martu people and wildlife

Bottling up sound waves: Acoustic bottle beams hold promise for imaging, cloaking, levitation and more Posted: 04 Aug 2014 12:15 PM PDT Researchers have developed a technique for generating acoustic bottles in open air that can bend the paths of sound waves along prescribed convex trajectories. These self-bending bottle beams hold promise for ultrasonic imaging and therapy, and acoustic cloaking, levitation and particle manipulation.

Flores bones show features of Down syndrome, not a new 'Hobbit' human Posted: 04 Aug 2014 12:15 PM PDT In October 2004, excavation of fragmentary skeletal remains from the island of Flores in Indonesia yielded what was called 'the most important find in human evolution for 100 years.' Its discoverers dubbed the find Homo floresiensis, a name suggesting a previously unknown species of human.

Mathematical equation to predict happiness: Doesn't depend on how well things go, but on whether things are better than expected Posted: 04 Aug 2014 12:14 PM PDT The happiness of over 18,000 people worldwide has been predicted by a mathematical equation, with results showing that moment-to-moment happiness reflects not just how well things are going, but whether things are going better than expected.

No-power Wi-Fi connectivity could fuel Internet of Things reality Posted: 04 Aug 2014 10:42 AM PDT Engineers have designed a new communication system that uses radio frequency signals as a power source and reuses existing Wi-Fi infrastructure to provide Internet connectivity to battery-free devices.

How amphibians crossed continents: DNA helps piece together 300-million-year journey Posted: 04 Aug 2014 09:32 AM PDT A professor has succeeded in constructing a first-of-its-kind comprehensive diagram of the geographic distribution of amphibians, showing the movement of 3,309 species between 12 global ecoregions. Armed with DNA sequence data, he sought to accurately piece together the 300-million-year storyline of their journey.

Horses communicate with eyes and mobile ears Posted: 04 Aug 2014 09:30 AM PDT Horses are sensitive to the facial expressions and attention of other horses, including the direction of the eyes and ears. The findings are a reminder for us humans to look beyond our own limitations and recognize that other species may communicate in ways that we can't, the researchers say. After all, human ears aren't mobile.

Baby Universe picture brought closer to theory Posted: 04 Aug 2014 07:30 AM PDT The Planck Telescope allowed physicists to draw the most detailed map of the first light emitted after the Big Bang. Some of its features do not entirely fit the standard cosmological theory, but scientists have discovered that these anomalies could be explained by how the data was processed.

Extracting audio from visual information: Algorithm recovers speech from vibrations of a potato-chip bag filmed through soundproof glass Posted: 04 Aug 2014 07:05 AM PDT Researchers at MIT, Microsoft, and Adobe have developed an algorithm that can reconstruct an audio signal by analyzing minute vibrations of objects depicted in video. In one set of experiments, they were able to recover intelligible speech from the vibrations of a potato-chip bag photographed from 15 feet away through soundproof glass.

How 'biological spark plug' in biomolecular motors works Posted: 04 Aug 2014 07:01 AM PDT Using high-performance computers and quantum mechanical methods, researchers have simulated processes that reveal how the "biological spark plug" works in the biomolecular motors of cells. The investigations focused on the myosin protein, which, among other things, is responsible for muscle movement. The researchers' extensive simulations show how the release of energy is initiated in this complex motor.

World's fastest external phone charger goes: Charges in 15 minutes without need for electrical socket Posted: 04 Aug 2014 03:59 AM PDT The world's 'fastest' external phone charger is set to be launched. The Petalite Flux battery can charge itself from empty to full in just 15 minutes. The device, small enough to fit in your pocket or bag, eradicates the need to plug your phone into a wall electricity socket or computer usb slot. Instead, if your Smartphone needs charging, you can simply connect it to the Flux battery and continue with your day.

Kangaroos win when aborigines hunt with fire: Co-evolution benefits Australia's martu people and wildlife Posted: 04 Aug 2014 03:57 AM PDT Australia's Martu people hunt kangaroos and set small fires to catch lizards, as they have for at least 2,000 years. A researcher found such human-made disruption boosts kangaroo populations – showing how co-evolution helped marsupials and made Aborigines into unintentional conservationists.

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Surprise: Biological microstructures light up after heating Posted: 31 Jul 2014 07:25 AM PDT Physicists have investigated tubular biological microstructures that showed unexpected luminescence after heating. Optical properties of bioinspired peptides, like the ones investigated, could be useful for applications in optical fibers, biolasers and future quantum computers.

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• Chili peppers for a healthy gut: Spicy chemical may inhibit gut tumors
• When particles fall left and right at the same time: Physicists develop new method to verify quantum entanglement
• See-through organs and bodies will accelerate biomedical discoveries
• Surgeons report significant migraine relief from cosmetic eyelid surgery technique

Chili peppers for a healthy gut: Spicy chemical may inhibit gut tumors Posted: 01 Aug 2014 06:33 PM PDT Researchers report that dietary capsaicin – the active ingredient in chili peppers – produces chronic activation of a receptor on cells lining the intestines of mice, triggering a reaction that ultimately reduces the risk of colorectal tumors.

When particles fall left and right at the same time: Physicists develop new method to verify quantum entanglement Posted: 01 Aug 2014 06:11 AM PDT It takes only a slight disturbance for a pencil standing on its tip to fall in one direction or another. In the quantum world it is possible in principle for particles of a system to fall both left and right at the same time. Differentiating this "and" state -- the quantum entanglement of particles -- from the classical "or" is an experimental challenge. Scientists have now devised a novel and universal method that enables entanglement verification for states of large atomic systems.

See-through organs and bodies will accelerate biomedical discoveries Posted: 31 Jul 2014 11:57 AM PDT The ability to see through organs and even the entire body has been a long-time dream of biologists. A new study has now made that dream a reality, revealing simple methods for making opaque organs, bodies, and human tissue biopsies transparent, while keeping the cellular structures and connections intact. The protocols could pave the way for a better understanding of brain-body interactions, more accurate clinical diagnoses and disease monitoring, and a new generation of therapies.

Surgeons report significant migraine relief from cosmetic eyelid surgery technique Posted: 31 Jul 2014 06:53 AM PDT Plastic and reconstructive surgeons report a high success rate using a method to screen and select patients for a specific surgical migraine treatment technique. More than 90 percent of the patients who underwent this surgery to decompress the nerves that trigger migraines experienced relief and also got a bonus cosmetic eyelid surgery.

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• Why is the Sun's atmosphere so much hotter than its surface? Nanoflares
• Society bloomed with gentler personalities and more feminine faces: Technology boom 50,000 years ago correlated with less testosterone
• 'Active' surfaces control what's on them: Scientists develop treated surfaces that can actively control how fluids or particles move
• Explaining the fascinating shape of freezing droplets
• Superconductors: Physical link to strange electronic behavior
• Groundbreaking research maps cultural history by mapping mobility of notable intellectuals
• The 'memory' of starvation is in your genes
• A mathematical theory proposed by Alan Turing in 1952 can explain the formation of fingers
• In high-stakes soccer, goalkeepers exhibit 'gambler's fallacy'

Why is the Sun's atmosphere so much hotter than its surface? Nanoflares Posted: 01 Aug 2014 02:11 PM PDT Scientists have recently gathered some of the strongest evidence to date to explain what makes the sun's outer atmosphere so much hotter than its surface. The new observations of the small-scale extremely hot temperatures are consistent with only one current theory: something called nanoflares -- a constant peppering of impulsive bursts of heating, none of which can be individually detected -- provide the mysterious extra heat.

Society bloomed with gentler personalities and more feminine faces: Technology boom 50,000 years ago correlated with less testosterone Posted: 01 Aug 2014 02:11 PM PDT Scientists have shown that human skulls changed in ways that indicate a lowering of testosterone levels at around the same time that culture was blossoming. Heavy brows were out, rounder heads were in. Technological innovation, making art and rapid cultural exchange probably came at the same time that we developed a more cooperative temperament by dialing back aggression with lower testosterone levels.

'Active' surfaces control what's on them: Scientists develop treated surfaces that can actively control how fluids or particles move Posted: 01 Aug 2014 07:50 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new way of making surfaces that can actively control how fluids or particles move across them. The work might enable new kinds of biomedical or microfluidic devices, or solar panels that could automatically clean themselves of dust and grit.

Explaining the fascinating shape of freezing droplets Posted: 01 Aug 2014 07:43 AM PDT A water droplet deposited onto an icecold surface clearly has more effect than a drop in the ocean: the droplet will freeze in a peculiar way, forming a pointy tip. Scientists have found an explanation for this remarkable shape. Insight into this process is also useful for understanding processes like 3-D printing.

Superconductors: Physical link to strange electronic behavior Posted: 31 Jul 2014 05:16 PM PDT Scientists have new clues this week about one of the baffling electronic properties of the iron-based high-temperature superconductor barium iron nickel arsenide. Scientists have the first evidence, based on sophisticated neutron measurements, of a link between magnetic properties and the material's tendency, at sufficiently low temperatures, to become a better conductor of electricity in some directions than in others.

Groundbreaking research maps cultural history by mapping mobility of notable intellectuals Posted: 31 Jul 2014 12:00 PM PDT New research presents a pioneering approach to understanding European and North American cultural history by mapping out the mobility patterns of notable intellectuals over a 2,000-year span.

The 'memory' of starvation is in your genes Posted: 31 Jul 2014 11:58 AM PDT Epigenetic 'experiments' -- changes resulting from external rather than genetic influences -- suggest that the body's physiological responses to hardship could be inherited, although the underlying mechanism has been a mystery. Now researchers have discovered a genetic mechanism that passes on the body's response to starvation to subsequent generations of worms, with potential implications for humans also exposed to starvation and other physiological challenges.

A mathematical theory proposed by Alan Turing in 1952 can explain the formation of fingers Posted: 31 Jul 2014 11:58 AM PDT Researchers have shown that BMP and WNT proteins are the so-called 'Turing molecules' for creating embryonic fingers. Findings explain why polydactyly -- the development of extra fingers or toes -- is relatively common in humans, affecting up to one in 500 births, and confirms a fundamental theory first proposed by the founding father of computer science, Alan Turing, back in 1952.

In high-stakes soccer, goalkeepers exhibit 'gambler's fallacy' Posted: 31 Jul 2014 11:57 AM PDT When goalkeepers are pitted against multiple kickers in tense penalty shootouts, their attempts to dive for the ball show a predictable pattern that kickers would do well to exploit. After kickers repeatedly kick in one direction, goalkeepers become increasingly likely to dive in the opposite direction, according to an analysis of all 361 kicks from the 37 penalty shootouts that occurred in World Cup and Union of European Football Associations Euro Cup matches over a 36-year period.

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• Chemists create nanofibers using unprecedented new method, reminiscent of fibers found in living cells
• Asteroid attacks significantly altered ancient Earth
• 'Rewired' mice show signs of longer lives with fewer age-related illnesses
• Disease mutations in mosaicism, rare condition where cells within the same person have different genetic makeup
• Lead in teeth can tell a body's tale, study finds
• Hubble shows farthest lensing galaxy yields clues to early universe
• Fossils could be discovered on the moon: Signs of ancient life may be littered across the moon
• Numerous unknown jets from young stars and planetary nebulae discovered
• Comfortable climate indoors with porous glass incorporated into plaster
• Giving emotions to virtual characters
• How black truffles deal with jumpers in their genome
• Classic Lewis Carroll character inspires new ecological model
• Deep-sea octopus broods eggs for over four years -- longer than any known animal
• Scientists reproduce evolutionary changes by manipulating embryonic development of mice
• Superman's solar-powered feats break a fundamental law of physics
• Algae-eating native freshwater snails: 'Little janitor' merits attention in Florida springs health debate

Chemists create nanofibers using unprecedented new method, reminiscent of fibers found in living cells Posted: 31 Jul 2014 12:00 PM PDT Researchers have developed a novel method for creating self-assembled protein/polymer nanostructures that are reminiscent of fibers found in living cells. The work offers a promising new way to fabricate materials for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications.

Asteroid attacks significantly altered ancient Earth Posted: 31 Jul 2014 12:00 PM PDT New research shows that more than four billion years ago, the surface of Earth was heavily reprocessed as a result of giant asteroid impacts. A new model based on existing lunar and terrestrial data sheds light on the role asteroid bombardments played in the geological evolution of the uppermost layers of the Hadean Earth.

'Rewired' mice show signs of longer lives with fewer age-related illnesses Posted: 31 Jul 2014 11:58 AM PDT While developing a new cancer drug, researchers discovered that mice lacking a specific protein live longer lives with fewer age-related illnesses. The mice, which lack the TRAP-1 protein, demonstrated less age related tissue degeneration, obesity, and spontaneous tumor formation when compared to normal mice. Their findings could change how scientists view the metabolic networks within cells.

Disease mutations in mosaicism, rare condition where cells within the same person have different genetic makeup Posted: 31 Jul 2014 11:57 AM PDT Scientists have long speculated that mosaicism -- a biological phenomenon, in which cells within the same person have a different genetic makeup -- plays a bigger role in the transmission of rare disease mutations than is currently known. A study sheds new light on the frequency of mosaicism in genomic disorders and its influence on recurrence risk.

Lead in teeth can tell a body's tale, study finds Posted: 31 Jul 2014 08:09 AM PDT Your teeth can tell stories about you, and not just that you always forget to floss. The discovery could help police solve cold cases, an investigator has said. For instance, if an unidentified decomposed body is found, testing the lead in the teeth could immediately help focus the investigation on a certain geographic area. That way, law enforcement can avoid wasting resources checking for missing persons in the wrong places.

Hubble shows farthest lensing galaxy yields clues to early universe Posted: 31 Jul 2014 08:09 AM PDT Astronomers have unexpectedly discovered the most distant galaxy that acts as a cosmic magnifying glass. Seen in a new image as it looked 9.6 billion years ago, this monster elliptical galaxy breaks the previous record holder by 200 million years.

Fossils could be discovered on the moon: Signs of ancient life may be littered across the moon Posted: 31 Jul 2014 07:10 AM PDT Physicists have tested what would happen if a piece of rock containing microscopic fossils from Earth was launched into space and hit the surface of the moon. The team turned fossil-filled rock into powder which was mixed with water and frozen to replicate a meteoroid.

Numerous unknown jets from young stars and planetary nebulae discovered Posted: 31 Jul 2014 06:51 AM PDT Preliminary research findings have identified hundreds of so far unknown jets from young stars, as well as numerous new planetary nebulae in the Galactic Plane.

Comfortable climate indoors with porous glass incorporated into plaster Posted: 31 Jul 2014 06:47 AM PDT Proper humidity and temperature play a key role in indoor climate. In the future, establishing a comfortable indoor environment may rely on porous glass incorporated into plaster, as this regulates moisture particularly well and keeps mold at bay.

Giving emotions to virtual characters Posted: 31 Jul 2014 06:46 AM PDT Researchers were able to simulate human facial expressions in virtual characters and use them in order to create better environments within a virtual communication.

How black truffles deal with jumpers in their genome Posted: 30 Jul 2014 05:37 PM PDT Black truffles, also known as Périgord truffles, have a syrupy sweet flavor and are highly prized in haute cuisine. They are fungi that grow on the roots of oak and hazelnut trees, and are the second most expensive truffle species. The black truffle uses reversible epigenetic processes to regulate its genes, and adapt to changes in its surroundings. The 'methylome' illustrates how the truffle deals with its complex genome's repeating elements and 'jumping genes.' The authors say this may shed light on how traits like aroma and color are controlled.

Classic Lewis Carroll character inspires new ecological model Posted: 30 Jul 2014 01:16 PM PDT Inspired by the Red Queen in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass, researchers have improved a 35-year-old ecology model to better understand how species evolve over decades to millions of years. The new model, called a mean field model for competition, incorporates the "Red Queen Effect," an evolutionary hypothesis introduced by Lee Van Valen in the 1970s, which suggests that organisms must constantly increase their fitness (or ability to survive and reproduce) in order to compete with other ever-evolving organisms in an ever-changing environment.

Deep-sea octopus broods eggs for over four years -- longer than any known animal Posted: 30 Jul 2014 11:09 AM PDT Researchers have observed a deep-sea octopus brooding its eggs for four-and-a-half years -- longer than any other known animal. Throughout this time, the female kept the eggs clean and guarded them from predators.

Scientists reproduce evolutionary changes by manipulating embryonic development of mice Posted: 30 Jul 2014 10:32 AM PDT By modifying the embryonic development of mice, scientists have reproduced in the laboratory the changes in teeth shape which, in mammals, took millions of years of evolution to take place.

Superman's solar-powered feats break a fundamental law of physics Posted: 30 Jul 2014 06:38 AM PDT It goes without saying that Superman can accomplish some pretty spectacular feats. But according to students, the Man of Steel actually achieves the impossible--by breaking the fundamental physics law of conservation of energy.

Algae-eating native freshwater snails: 'Little janitor' merits attention in Florida springs health debate Posted: 29 Jul 2014 08:51 AM PDT For decades, crystal-clear water bubbling from the ground has driven Florida tourism, via scuba divers, canoeists, boaters and swimmers, but today, many of those springs aren't healthy. Although the blame for algae-choked springs is often pinned on excess nitrate, scientists say the absence of algae-eating native freshwater snails known as Elimia may be a key to restoring the springs' health.

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