ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Seeing below the surface: Ultra-thin, high-speed detector captures unprecedented range of light waves
• Dynamic duo takes out cellular trash: Research finds how dead cells are removed from body
• Flour identified as main cause of occupational asthma in France
• Banked blood grows stiffer with age, study finds
• Polyester clothes stink after exercise; cotton, not so much
• Drinking too much water can be fatal to athletes

Seeing below the surface: Ultra-thin, high-speed detector captures unprecedented range of light waves Posted: 07 Sep 2014 03:17 PM PDT Research could lead to light detectors that can see below the surface of bodies, walls, and other objects, with applications in emerging terahertz fields such as mobile communications, medical imaging, chemical sensing, night vision, and security.

Dynamic duo takes out cellular trash: Research finds how dead cells are removed from body Posted: 07 Sep 2014 03:06 PM PDT Scientists have identified how immune cells use two critical receptors to clear dead cells from the body, pointing the way to new autoimmune and cancer therapies. "This basic research focus allowed us to discover a completely new aspect of immune regulation that no one -— including any immunologist—had known about before," said one researcher.

Flour identified as main cause of occupational asthma in France Posted: 07 Sep 2014 05:49 AM PDT Flour has been identified as the main cause of occupational asthma in France, closely followed by cleaning products. The research, which is the largest of its kind to be undertaken in France, aimed to understand who was most affected by the condition and what the main causes were.

Banked blood grows stiffer with age, study finds Posted: 05 Sep 2014 08:39 AM PDT It may look like fresh blood and flow like fresh blood, but the longer blood is stored, the less it can carry oxygen into the tiny microcapillaries of the body, says a new study. Using advanced optical techniques, the researchers measured the stiffness of the membrane surrounding red blood cells over time. They found that, even though the cells retain their shape and hemoglobin content, the membranes get stiffer, which steadily decreases the cells' functionality.

Polyester clothes stink after exercise; cotton, not so much Posted: 03 Sep 2014 01:36 PM PDT Polyester clothes smell worse than cotton, following intensive exercise by their wearers, because bacteria that cause odor grow better on polyester, according to research. Freshly secreted sweat has little odor, because the long-chain fatty acids the axillaries secrete are too big to be volatile, says the first author. Bacteria break these, however, as well as hormones and sulfur compounds, down to waftable sized, odoriferous molecules.

Drinking too much water can be fatal to athletes Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:32 AM PDT The recent deaths of two high school football players illustrate the dangers of drinking too much water. Exercise-associated hyponatremia can cause muscle cramps, vomiting, seizures and unconsciousness.

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• Dietary recommendations may be tied to increased greenhouse gas emissions
• Magnetic nanocubes self-assemble into helical superstructures
• 3-D film no more effective in evoking emotion than 2-D
• Nano-pea pod model widens electronics applications
• Lead and cadmium found in some chocolate bought in Brazil
• Enjoying the possibility of defeat: Suspense, uncertainty predict how much players enjoy a game
• New program to evaluate prominent individuals' personalities

Dietary recommendations may be tied to increased greenhouse gas emissions Posted: 05 Sep 2014 09:27 AM PDT If Americans altered their menus to conform to federal dietary recommendations, emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases tied to agricultural production could increase significantly, according to a new study.

Magnetic nanocubes self-assemble into helical superstructures Posted: 04 Sep 2014 03:36 PM PDT Nanochemists have found that magnetite nanocubes can self-assemble into helical superstructures under certain conditions; theoretical chemists simulated the phenomenon and explained the conditions under which it can occur.

3-D film no more effective in evoking emotion than 2-D Posted: 04 Sep 2014 11:18 AM PDT Researchers have examined whether 3-D film is more effective than 2-D when used as a research method for evoking emotion. Both were effective, and 3-D did not add incremental benefit over 2-D, with implications for emotional research as well as entertainment.

Nano-pea pod model widens electronics applications Posted: 04 Sep 2014 06:27 AM PDT A new theoretical model explains how a nanostructure, such as the nano-pea pod, can exhibit localized electrons. Periodic chain-like nanostructures are widely used in nanoelectronics. Typically, chain elements include the likes of quantum rings, quantum dots, or quantum graphs. Such a structure enables electrons to move along the chain, in theory, indefinitely. The trouble is that some applications require localized electrons —- these are no longer in a continuous energy spectrum but in a discrete energy spectrum, instead.

Lead and cadmium found in some chocolate bought in Brazil Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:58 AM PDT Scientists have found that commercial samples of chocolate purchased in Brazil contain varying levels of lead and cadmium, which can cause health problems, and that those levels are linked to how much cocoa a product contains.

Enjoying the possibility of defeat: Suspense, uncertainty predict how much players enjoy a game Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:54 AM PDT Winning isn't everything, and in fact can even be a bit boring. Some people actually enjoy a game of tennis or poker more if their mettle is tested by a strong opponent -- regardless of the outcome. It's the suspense and uncertainty of a close game that often brings them back for more, says a research team.

New program to evaluate prominent individuals' personalities Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:11 PM PDT A new program has been developed that automates classification of personality traits of prominent individuals -- both friend and foe. The new computer-supported methodology for personality profiling uses "vector semantics." This involves constructing a number of vectors representing personality dimensions and disorders and measuring the similarity with texts written by the human subject.

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• Scientists prove ground, tree salamanders have same diets
• Archerfish target shoot with 'skillfully thrown' water
• Atomically thin material opens door for integrated nanophotonic circuits
• A new model for a cosmological enigma -- dark matter: Solving long-standing and troublesome puzzles
• Bats change strategy when food is scarce
• Dreadnoughtus: Gigantic, exceptionally complete sauropod dinosaur
• First Neanderthal rock engraving found in Gibraltar: Abstract art older than thought?
• A smart fluorescent antenna for Wi-Fi applications
• Burnt out birds suggest hard work could be bad for your health
• Salamander skin peptide promotes quick, effective wound healing in mice

Scientists prove ground, tree salamanders have same diets Posted: 04 Sep 2014 10:16 AM PDT Salamanders spend the majority of their lives below ground and surface only for short periods of time. When they do emerge, salamanders can be spotted not only on forest floors but also in trees, often climbing as high as 8 feet. However, it has never been clear to biologists why salamanders take time to climb vegetation. Now, researchers tested a long-standing hypothesis that salamanders might climb vegetation for food.

Archerfish target shoot with 'skillfully thrown' water Posted: 04 Sep 2014 10:15 AM PDT Archerfish hunt by shooting jets of water at unsuspecting prey on leaves or twigs above, knocking them into the water below before gobbling them up. Now, a study finds that those fish are much more adaptable and skillful target-shooters than anyone had given them credit for. The fish really do use water as a tool making them the first known tool-using animal to adaptively change the hydrodynamic properties of a free jet of water.

Atomically thin material opens door for integrated nanophotonic circuits Posted: 04 Sep 2014 09:12 AM PDT Researchers have described a new combination of materials that could be a step towards building computer chips capable of transporting digital information at the speed of light.

A new model for a cosmological enigma -- dark matter: Solving long-standing and troublesome puzzles Posted: 04 Sep 2014 09:12 AM PDT Astrophysicists believe that about 80 percent of the substance of our universe is made up of mysterious "dark matter" that can't be perceived by human senses or scientific instruments.

Bats change strategy when food is scarce Posted: 04 Sep 2014 08:12 AM PDT Bats could be more flexible in their echolocation behavior than previously thought, according to a new study into the foraging techniques of the desert long-eared bat. Gleaning bats usually have long ears for the detection of faint sound cues and low wing loading to allow them to carry heavy loads -- features that increase drag and are linked to slower flight. So why would bats adapted to one foraging mode (gleaning), adopt another (hawking)?

Dreadnoughtus: Gigantic, exceptionally complete sauropod dinosaur Posted: 04 Sep 2014 06:30 AM PDT The new 65-ton (59,300 kg) dinosaur species Dreadnoughtus schrani is the largest land animal for which body mass can be accurately calculated. Its skeleton is the most complete ever found of its type, with over 70 percent of the bones, excluding the head, represented. Because all previously discovered supermassive dinosaurs are known from relatively fragmentary remains, Dreadnoughtus offers an unprecedented window into the anatomy and biomechanics of the largest animals to ever walk the Earth.

First Neanderthal rock engraving found in Gibraltar: Abstract art older than thought? Posted: 04 Sep 2014 05:45 AM PDT The first example of a rock engraving attributed to Neanderthals has been discovered in Gorham's Cave, Gibraltar. Dated at over 39,000 years old, it consists of a deeply impressed cross-hatching carved into rock. Its analysis calls into question the view that the production of representational and abstract depictions on cave walls was a cultural innovation introduced into Europe by modern humans. On the contrary, the findings support the hypothesis that Neanderthals had a symbolic material culture.

A smart fluorescent antenna for Wi-Fi applications Posted: 03 Sep 2014 10:31 AM PDT A new invention uses ionized gas in fluorescent light tubes to transmit Internet wireless frequency signals throughout a building with the aid of already existing electrical wiring.

Burnt out birds suggest hard work could be bad for your health Posted: 02 Sep 2014 05:52 PM PDT Unequal sharing of workloads in societies could leave the most industrious individuals at higher risk of poor health and prone to accelerated ageing, according to a new study of a cooperative bird in the Kalahari Desert.

Salamander skin peptide promotes quick, effective wound healing in mice Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:12 PM PDT Move over antibiotic ointment, there might be a new salve to dominate medicine cabinets of the future, and it comes from an unlikely place -- the lowly salamander.

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• How much gravity is enough?
• Newly identified galactic supercluster is home to the Milky Way
• Tree frogs speed up their life cycle when becoming lunch
• 'Clear' choice for clearing 3-D cell cultures
• Direct brain-to-brain communication demonstrated in human subjects
• How much may German beers be contaminated by microplastics?
• Allergic reaction to antibiotic residues in foods? You may have to watch what your fruits and veggies eat
• Cockatoos go to carpentry school
• Oceans apart: Study reveals insights into evolution of languages
• Carbon emissions of downloaded PlayStation 3 games revealed
• Nano-forests to reveal secrets of cells
• Scientists call for investigation of mysterious cloud-like collections in cells
• Neurons in human skin perform advanced calculations
• Real tremors, or drug-seeking patient? New app can tell

How much gravity is enough? Posted: 03 Sep 2014 01:35 PM PDT Keeping upright in a low-gravity environment is not easy, and NASA documents abound with examples of astronauts falling on the lunar surface. Now, a new study suggests that the reason for all these moon mishaps might be because its gravity isn't sufficient to provide astronauts with unambiguous information on which way is 'up'.

Newly identified galactic supercluster is home to the Milky Way Posted: 03 Sep 2014 10:33 AM PDT Astronomers using the Green Bank Telescope -- among other telescopes -- have determined that our own Milky Way galaxy is part of a newly identified ginormous supercluster of galaxies, which they have dubbed 'Laniakea,' which means 'immense heaven' in Hawaiian.

Tree frogs speed up their life cycle when becoming lunch Posted: 03 Sep 2014 09:19 AM PDT Think again if you've always believed that events in the life cycle of animals happen consistently, almost rigidly, as part of the natural rhythm of nature. Studies show that Mother Nature is much more flexible than you might think.

'Clear' choice for clearing 3-D cell cultures Posted: 03 Sep 2014 09:18 AM PDT Scientists have hailed recent demonstrations of chemical technologies for making animal tissues see-through, but a new study is the first to evaluate three such technologies side-by-side for use with engineered 3-D tissue cultures.

Direct brain-to-brain communication demonstrated in human subjects Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:56 AM PDT In a first-of-its-kind study, an international team of neuroscientists and robotics engineers has demonstrated the viability of direct brain-to-brain communication in humans.

How much may German beers be contaminated by microplastics? Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:19 AM PDT If you're going to Oktoberfest next month to enjoy the delights of German beer, you might get more than you bargained for. New research has revealed the extent to which German beers may be contaminated by foreign substances, most notably, microplastics.

Allergic reaction to antibiotic residues in foods? You may have to watch what your fruits and veggies eat Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:14 AM PDT People with food allergies always have to watch what they eat. Now, they may have to watch what their fruits and vegetables eat, as it seems it's possible to have an allergic reaction to antibiotic residues in food.

Cockatoos go to carpentry school Posted: 02 Sep 2014 05:53 PM PDT Goffin's cockatoos can learn how to make and use wooden tools from each other, a new study has found. The discovery is thought to be the first controlled experimental evidence for the social transmission of tool use in any bird species.

Oceans apart: Study reveals insights into evolution of languages Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:42 AM PDT A new study provides evidence that physical barriers formed by oceans can influence language diversification. "Charles Darwin would have been amused by a study like this, because it confirms his hypothesis that languages, like species, are the product of evolution," said the study's lead author.

Carbon emissions of downloaded PlayStation 3 games revealed Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:42 AM PDT It's not always true that digital distribution of media will have lower carbon emissions than distribution by physical means, at least when file sizes are large.

Nano-forests to reveal secrets of cells Posted: 02 Sep 2014 06:42 AM PDT Vertical nanowires could be used for detailed studies of what happens on the surface of cells. The findings are important for pharmaceuticals research, among other applications. A group of researchers have now managed to make artificial cell membranes form across a large number of vertical nanowires, known as a 'nano-forest'.

Scientists call for investigation of mysterious cloud-like collections in cells Posted: 01 Sep 2014 07:23 AM PDT About 50 years ago, electron microscopy revealed the presence of tiny blob-like structures that form inside cells, move around and disappear. But scientists still don't know what they do -- even though these shifting cloud-like collections of proteins are believed to be crucial to the cell, and therefore could offer a new approach to disease treatment. Now, researchers are issuing a call to investigators to focus their attention on the role of these formations.

Neurons in human skin perform advanced calculations Posted: 01 Sep 2014 06:03 AM PDT Neurons in human skin perform advanced calculations, previously believed that only the brain could perform. A characteristic of neurons that extend into the skin and record touch, is that they branch in the skin so that each neuron reports touch from many highly-sensitive zones on the skin. According to researchers, this branching allows first-order tactile neurons not only to send signals to the brain that something has touched the skin, but also process geometric data about the object touching the skin.

Real tremors, or drug-seeking patient? New app can tell Posted: 29 Aug 2014 05:42 AM PDT A new smartphone uses data from built-in accelerometer to measure the frequency of alcohol withdrawal tremors. Withdrawal is a potentially fatal condition that is easily treated with benzodiazepine drugs, a class of sedatives used to treat alcohol withdrawal, anxiety, seizures, insomnia and more. But physicians are often reluctant to prescribe them because they're frequently abused and can be dangerous when mixed with other drugs, especially alcohol and opiates.

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• Rainfall monitoring: Mobile phones are taking over
• Growing mushrooms in diapers
• Viewers eat more while watching Hollywood action flick on TV
• Nature's tiny engineers: Corals control their environment, stirring up water eddies to bring nutrients
• Mom's hormones could make female magpie chicks more adventurous
• Sniffing-out smell of disease in feces: 'Electronic nose' for rapid detection of clostridum difficile infection

Rainfall monitoring: Mobile phones are taking over Posted: 02 Sep 2014 06:32 AM PDT Agriculture, water resource management, drought and flood warnings, etc.: rainfall monitoring is vital in many areas. But the observation networks remain insufficient. This is not the case for antennas for mobile telephones, which cover 90% of the world's inhabited areas. Besides transmitting radio signals, they record signal disturbances, which are partly due to precipitation, in order to monitor the quality of networks.

Growing mushrooms in diapers Posted: 02 Sep 2014 06:29 AM PDT Mexico is the third largest consumer of disposable diapers globally, which led to a Mexican scientist to design a technology capable of degrading the product materials by the mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus.

Viewers eat more while watching Hollywood action flick on TV Posted: 01 Sep 2014 06:15 PM PDT Television shows filled with action and sound may be bad for your waistline. TV viewers ate more M&Ms, cookies, carrots and grapes while watching an excerpt from a Hollywood action film than those watching an interview program.

Nature's tiny engineers: Corals control their environment, stirring up water eddies to bring nutrients Posted: 01 Sep 2014 06:14 PM PDT Conventional wisdom has long held that corals -- whose calcium-carbonate skeletons form the foundation of coral reefs -- are passive organisms that rely entirely on ocean currents to deliver dissolved substances, such as nutrients and oxygen. But now scientists have found that they are far from passive, engineering their environment to sweep water into turbulent patterns that greatly enhance their ability to exchange nutrients and dissolved gases with their environment.

Mom's hormones could make female magpie chicks more adventurous Posted: 01 Sep 2014 09:35 AM PDT Female magpies have been shown to be more adventurous than their male siblings, according to new research. "The fact that observable differences between the first hatched and last hatched magpie's behaviors exist indicates that mothers may be able to produce variable traits, possibly through adjustable transmission of maternal hormones or creating the conditions for sibling rivalry. Mothers could potentially produce a variety of personalities perhaps as an adaptive strategy in unpredictable environmental conditions," researchers say.

Sniffing-out smell of disease in feces: 'Electronic nose' for rapid detection of clostridum difficile infection Posted: 01 Sep 2014 06:03 AM PDT A fast-sensitive "electronic-nose" for sniffing the highly infectious bacteria C-diff, that causes diarrhea, temperature and stomach cramps, has been developed.

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• Preventing cancer from forming 'tentacles' stops dangerous spread
• Cellphone addiction harming academic performance is 'an increasingly realistic possibility'
• Zombie bacteria are nothing to be afraid of

Preventing cancer from forming 'tentacles' stops dangerous spread Posted: 29 Aug 2014 02:54 PM PDT 'Invadopodia' play a key role in the spread of cancer, a team of researchers reports. The study shows preventing these tentacle-like structures from forming can stop the spread of cancer entirely.

Cellphone addiction harming academic performance is 'an increasingly realistic possibility' Posted: 28 Aug 2014 03:47 PM PDT Women college students spend an average of 10 hours a day on their cellphones, with men college students spending nearly eight hours, according to a study on cellphone activity. "As cellphone functions increase, addictions to this seemingly indispensable piece of technology become an increasingly realistic possibility," researchers noted.

Zombie bacteria are nothing to be afraid of Posted: 28 Aug 2014 10:52 AM PDT The first experimental evidence has been obtained that there are at least two fail-safe points in the bacterial cell cycle. If the fail-safes are activated, the cell is forced to exit the cell cycle forever. It then enters a zombie-like state and is unable to reproduce even under the most favorable of conditions. Drugs that trigger the fail-safes are already under development.

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Factor in naked mole rat's cells enhances protein integrity Posted: 29 Aug 2014 02:54 PM PDT A factor in naked mole rat cells could be one of the secrets to how the rodent defies aging, researchers say. Naked mole rats, which burrow through underground tunnels in their native East Africa, are nearly hairless rodents. They live as long as 32 years. Naked mole rats maintain cancer-free good health and reproductive potential well into their third decade of life.

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