ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Where are the hoverboards? Professor says not too far off
• Most Earth-like worlds have yet to be born
• You too can learn to farm on Mars

Where are the hoverboards? Professor says not too far off Posted: 20 Oct 2015 04:24 PM PDT Thought you'd celebrate the real Back to the Future Day with a ride on your hoverboard or in your flying car? Sadly, that's not going to happen in time for Wednesday; but the levitating technology Marty McFly encountered in his jaunt through Oct. 21, 2015 during the 1989 film "Back to the Future II" isn't as far-fetched as it might seem.

Most Earth-like worlds have yet to be born Posted: 20 Oct 2015 07:48 AM PDT Earth came early to the party in the evolving universe. According to a new theoretical study, when our solar system was born 4.6 billion years ago only eight percent of the potentially habitable planets that will ever form in the universe existed. And, the party won't be over when the sun burns out in another 6 billion years. The bulk of those planets - 92 percent - have yet to be born.

You too can learn to farm on Mars Posted: 20 Oct 2015 07:37 AM PDT Scientists are helping students figure out how to farm on Mars, much like astronaut Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, attempts in the critically acclaimed movie 'The Martian.'

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ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• The 20 lb. cereal box: Kitchen counter foods that relate to your weight
• Genome-edited plants, without DNA
• Surfing water molecules could hold key to fast, controllable water transport
• To infinity and beyond: Light goes infinitely fast with new on-chip material
• How chickens walk holds clues to how they spread disease
• Would you eat your pet cat?

The 20 lb. cereal box: Kitchen counter foods that relate to your weight Posted: 19 Oct 2015 10:07 AM PDT Over 200 American kitchens were photographed to determine if the food sitting out on counters could predict the weight of the woman living in each home.

Genome-edited plants, without DNA Posted: 19 Oct 2015 09:37 AM PDT The public and scientists are at odds over the safety of genetically modified (GM) food. According to a January 2015 Pew Research Center report, only 37% of the public believe that GM foods are safe,which is in stark contrast to the support from 88% of scientists. There is concern that adding DNA of different species will lead to unintended, undesirable consequences. Scientists have now created a way to genetically modify plants using CRISPR-Cas9 without the addition of DNA. Because no DNA is used in this process, the resulting genome-edited plants could likely be exempt from current GMO regulations and given a warmer reception by the public.

Surfing water molecules could hold key to fast, controllable water transport Posted: 19 Oct 2015 09:29 AM PDT Scientists have identified a new and potentially faster way of moving molecules across the surfaces of certain materials. The team carried out sophisticated computer simulations of tiny droplets of water as they interact with graphene surfaces. These simulations reveal that the molecules can "surf" across the surface whilst being carried by the moving ripples of graphene.

To infinity and beyond: Light goes infinitely fast with new on-chip material Posted: 19 Oct 2015 09:22 AM PDT Researchers have designed the first on-chip metamaterial with a refractive index of zero, meaning that the phase of light can travel infinitely fast.

How chickens walk holds clues to how they spread disease Posted: 19 Oct 2015 08:23 AM PDT Plotting on a grid just how a chicken walks may one day give farmers more insight into how best to protect their flock from non-airborne pathogens that can also hurt their profit.

Would you eat your pet cat? Posted: 19 Oct 2015 04:22 AM PDT In most Western cultures cats are simply feline pet companions eager to greet us at the end of the day.  In continents such as Asia and Africa, the social norms surrounding cats are very different; our furry friends commonly double up as dinner for a number of reasons ranging from food insecurity, simple preference or superstition. It is estimated that 4 million cats are consumed annually in Asia alone. New research on cat consumption reveals motives for, prevalence and methods of cat consumption in Madagascar and resulting public health implications for Malagasy citizens and beyond.

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• Sniffing and gasping can prevent fainting
• Straw-colored fruit bats: Ecosystem service providers and record-breaking flyers
• Expert passport officers better at detecting fraud using face recognition technology
• Have you got the X Factor? Psychologists find that you may be musical and not even know it
• Light emitting diodes from food and beverage waste created
• Long-sought-after 'glueball': Exotic particle may have been discovered
• How hallucinations emerge from trying to make sense of an ambiguous world

Sniffing and gasping can prevent fainting Posted: 17 Oct 2015 12:22 PM PDT Sniffing and gasping can prevent fainting, reveals new research.

Straw-colored fruit bats: Ecosystem service providers and record-breaking flyers Posted: 14 Oct 2015 11:47 AM PDT When searching for food, African straw-colored fruit bats cover greater distances than any other bat species studied to date.

Expert passport officers better at detecting fraud using face recognition technology Posted: 14 Oct 2015 11:47 AM PDT Face-matching experts at the Australian Passport Office are 20 percent more accurate than average people at detecting fraud using automatic face recognition software, new research shows. The study is the first to test how well people perform on this difficult but common operational task carried out by passport officers. Recruiting staff who are naturally good at face recognition can improve accuracy.

Have you got the X Factor? Psychologists find that you may be musical and not even know it Posted: 13 Oct 2015 10:58 AM PDT The old adage says practice makes perfect, but new research shows that personality also plays a key role in musical ability, even for those who do not play an instrument. In a new study, a team of psychologists identified that the personality trait 'Openness' predicts musical ability and sophistication.

Light emitting diodes from food and beverage waste created Posted: 13 Oct 2015 10:55 AM PDT Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are widely used for a variety of applications and have been a popular, more efficient alternative to fluorescent and incandescent bulbs for the past few decades. Two University of Utah researchers have now found a way to create LEDs from food and beverage waste. In addition to utilizing food and beverage waste that would otherwise decompose and be of no use, this development can also reduce potentially harmful waste from LEDs generally made from toxic elements.

Long-sought-after 'glueball': Exotic particle may have been discovered Posted: 13 Oct 2015 07:32 AM PDT Scientists have calculated that the meson f0(1710) could be a very special particle: the long-sought-after 'glueball', made up entirely of gluons -- the "sticky" particles that keep nuclear particles together.

How hallucinations emerge from trying to make sense of an ambiguous world Posted: 12 Oct 2015 02:45 PM PDT Scientists explore the idea that hallucinations arise due to an enhancement of our normal tendency to interpret the world around us by making use of prior knowledge and predictions.

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ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Describing the indescribable: Underlying features of reported mystical experiences
• Chemical microdroplet computers are easier to teach than to design
• Belief in God and prejudice reduced by directing magnetic energy into the brain
• Cultural blunders make people better thinkers
• Lifetime of atoms extended using a mirror

Describing the indescribable: Underlying features of reported mystical experiences Posted: 15 Oct 2015 11:15 AM PDT Mystical experiences are frequently labeled as indescribable or ineffable. However, new research suggests that when prompted, people who have had a mystical, spiritual or religious experience can describe the event.

Chemical microdroplet computers are easier to teach than to design Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:39 PM PDT Scientists have developed the concept of a simple chemical computer made of microdroplets capable of searching databases. Computer simulations, carried out on databases of malignant tumors, have confirmed the validity of the adopted new design strategy, which opens the door to the popularization of chemical methods of processing information.

Belief in God and prejudice reduced by directing magnetic energy into the brain Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:49 AM PDT New research has revealed for the first time that both belief in God and prejudice towards immigrants can be reduced by directing magnetic energy into the brain.

Cultural blunders make people better thinkers Posted: 13 Oct 2015 02:59 PM PDT Psychology researchers find people in predictable cultural situations behave mindlessly, consuming more and buying more. But when faced with the unexpected, they shift to higher-level thinking, are less likely to buy things and perform better on cognitive reasoning tests.

Lifetime of atoms extended using a mirror Posted: 13 Oct 2015 07:31 AM PDT Researchers have succeeded in an experiment where they get an artificial atom to survive ten times longer than normal by positioning the atom in front of a mirror.

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ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Affordable camera reveals hidden details invisible to the naked eye
• Artificial whisker reveals source of harbor seal's uncanny prey-sensing ability
• Mound near lunar south pole formed by unique volcanic process
• Buzzing bees can't resist caffeinated nectar
• How to fall gracefully, if you're a robot
• Quantum physics meets genetic engineering
• Chocolate smells pink and stripy: Exploring how synesthetes see smells
• 3-D-printed ‘soft’ robotic tentacle displays new level of agility
• Artificial foam heart created
• Spider man science: Tunable web glue and smart adhesives

Affordable camera reveals hidden details invisible to the naked eye Posted: 15 Oct 2015 01:03 PM PDT Peering into a grocery store bin, it's hard to tell if a peach or tomato or avocado is starting to go bad underneath its skin. A new affordable hyperspectral camera technology uses both visible and invisible near-infrared light to 'see' beneath surfaces and capture hidden details.

Artificial whisker reveals source of harbor seal's uncanny prey-sensing ability Posted: 15 Oct 2015 01:03 PM PDT Engineers have fabricated and tested a large-scale model of a harbor seal's whisker, and identified a mechanism that may explain how seals sense their environment and track their prey.

Mound near lunar south pole formed by unique volcanic process Posted: 15 Oct 2015 10:21 AM PDT Within a giant impact basin near the moon's south pole, there sits a large mound of mysterious origin. Research by geologists suggests that the mound was formed by unique volcanic processes set in motion by the impact that formed the basin.

Buzzing bees can't resist caffeinated nectar Posted: 15 Oct 2015 10:18 AM PDT For many people, the best start to the day is a nice, fresh cup of joe. Now, researchers find that honey bees find caffeinated beverages -- er, nectar -- irresistible too.

How to fall gracefully, if you're a robot Posted: 15 Oct 2015 09:01 AM PDT Researchers have identified a way to teach robots how to fall with grace and without serious damage. The new algorithm tells a robot how to react to a wide variety of falls -- from a single step to recover from a gentle nudge, to a rolling motion that breaks a high-speed fall.

Quantum physics meets genetic engineering Posted: 15 Oct 2015 08:59 AM PDT A team of researchers has used engineered viruses to provide quantum-based enhancement of energy transport. The work points the way toward inexpensive and efficient solar cells or light-driven catalysis.

Chocolate smells pink and stripy: Exploring how synesthetes see smells Posted: 15 Oct 2015 05:44 AM PDT Being able to identify a smell or flavor appears to be the most important factor in how some synesthetes 'see' them, according to a new study.

3-D-printed ‘soft’ robotic tentacle displays new level of agility Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:45 PM PDT Engineers have developed a method to re-create the arrangement of muscles of an octopus tentacle, using an elastomer and 3D printer.

Artificial foam heart created Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:45 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new lightweight and stretchable material with the consistency of memory foam that has potential for use in prosthetic body parts, artificial organs and soft robotics. The foam is unique because it can be formed and has connected pores that allow fluids to be pumped through it.

Spider man science: Tunable web glue and smart adhesives Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:45 PM PDT Scientists have explored the properties underlying spider glue's humidity-responsive adhesion. Their work might lead to much-sought-after "smart adhesives," with the ability to function even in high-humidity conditions.

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ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• 125-million-year-old mammal fossil reveals the early evolution of hair and spines
• Mathematicians find 'magic key' to drive Ramanujan's taxi-cab number
• Larger brains do not lead to high IQs, new meta-analysis finds
• What smacks into Ceres stays on Ceres, research suggests
• Shedding light on the growth of stars and black holes
• Exoskeleton to ensure an active old age
• How perfect is too perfect? Research reveals robot flaws are key to interacting with humans
• What does it take to escape the water? Plankton have clues
• Spectacular 'halos' of spiral galaxies

125-million-year-old mammal fossil reveals the early evolution of hair and spines Posted: 14 Oct 2015 10:45 AM PDT Discovered in Spain, the fossil of the newly described, 125-million-year old Spinolestes xenarthrosus is remarkably well-preserved, containing fur, hair follicles, hedgehog-like spines, organs and even a fungal skin infection. It pushes back the record of preserved mammalian hair and soft tissue by more than 60 million years.

Mathematicians find 'magic key' to drive Ramanujan's taxi-cab number Posted: 14 Oct 2015 10:24 AM PDT Taxi-cab numbers, among the most beloved integers in math, trace their origins to 1918 and what seemed like a casual insight by the Indian genius Srinivasa Ramanujan. Now mathematicians have discovered that Ramanujan did not just identify the first taxi-cab number -- 1729 -- and its quirky properties. He showed how the number relates to elliptic curves and K3 surfaces -- objects important today in string theory and quantum physics.

Larger brains do not lead to high IQs, new meta-analysis finds Posted: 14 Oct 2015 09:11 AM PDT Is brain size related to cognitive ability of humans? This question has captured the attention of scientists for more than a century. An international team of researchers provides no evidence for a causal role of brain size for IQ test performance. In a meta-analysis of data from more than 8000 participants, they show that associations between in vivo brain volume and IQ are small.

What smacks into Ceres stays on Ceres, research suggests Posted: 14 Oct 2015 07:59 AM PDT A new set of high-velocity impact experiments suggests that the dwarf planet Ceres may be something of a cosmic dartboard: projectiles that slam into it tend to stick. The findings could help explain characteristics of Ceres' surface.

Shedding light on the growth of stars and black holes Posted: 14 Oct 2015 06:03 AM PDT Astronomers have revealed a surprising similarity between the way in which astronomical objects grow including black holes, white dwarfs and young stars.

Exoskeleton to ensure an active old age Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:54 AM PDT Researchers are creating portable robot skeletons for the elderly so they can continue to be active longer. Think of it as a tool, not as a robot, says researcher.

How perfect is too perfect? Research reveals robot flaws are key to interacting with humans Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:51 AM PDT Humans are less likely to form successful working relationships with interactive robots if they are programmed to be too perfect, new research reveals.

What does it take to escape the water? Plankton have clues Posted: 14 Oct 2015 05:48 AM PDT Dolphins and whales may attract a lot of attention when they leap dramatically out of the water. But aquatic animals thousands of times smaller are accomplished jumpers, too.Their acrobatics often go unnoticed, but understanding them could help improve engineering processes, like oil refining and wastewater treatment, that rely on controlling the interaction of small particles with air-water interfaces.

Spectacular 'halos' of spiral galaxies Posted: 13 Oct 2015 10:55 AM PDT Astronomers have found the true extent of 'halos' consisting of cosmic rays and magnetic fields surrounding spiral galaxies.

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