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Friday, June 8, 2012

ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

ScienceDaily: Strange Science News


Floating dock from Japan carries potential invasive species

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 03:01 PM PDT

When debris from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan began making its way toward the West Coast of the United States, there were fears of possible radiation and chemical contamination as well as costly cleanup. But a floating dock that unexpectedly washed ashore in Newport this week and has been traced back to the Japanese disaster has brought with it a completely different threat -- invasive species.

A super tiny giraffe

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 12:48 PM PDT

An engineering graduate student wins first place in 'Science as Art' competition for magnified image of nickel, aluminum and carbon that resembles a super tiny giraffe.

Armored caterpillar could inspire new body armor

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 11:23 AM PDT

Military body armor and vehicle and aircraft frames could be transformed by incorporating the unique structure of the club-like arm of a crustacean that looks like an armored caterpillar, according to new findings.

New twist on old chemical process could boost energy efficiency significantly

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 11:22 AM PDT

An unappreciated aspect of chemical reactions on the surface of metal oxides could be key in developing more efficient energy systems, including more productive solar cells or hydrogen fuel cells efficient enough for automobiles.

Skin cells reprogrammed into brain cells

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 09:23 AM PDT

Scientists have for the first time transformed skin cells -- with a single genetic factor -- into cells that develop on their own into an interconnected, functional network of brain cells. The research offers new hope in the fight against many neurological conditions because scientists expect that such a transformation -- or reprogramming -- of cells may lead to better models for testing drugs for devastating neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

Breaking the limits of classical physics: Light's quantum mechanical properties demonstrated

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 07:58 AM PDT

With simple arguments, researchers show that nature is complicated! Researchers have made a simple experiment that demonstrates that nature violates common sense. The experiment illustrates that light does not behave according to the principles of classical physics, but that light has quantum mechanical properties. The new method could be used to study whether other systems behave quantum mechanically.

Vampire jumping spiders identify victims by their antennae

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 06:27 AM PDT

Ravenous Evarcha culicivora jumping spiders -- vampire spiders -- have very specific tastes: they prefer to dine on blood-engorged female Anopheles mosquitoes. So how do they pick out female Anopheles from all other insects? Biologists have discovered that the spiders identify their victims by their antennae alone, even though the details of the antennae are too tiny to be seen by humans.

Slime moulds work on computer games

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 06:26 AM PDT

British computer scientists are taking inspiration from slime to help them find ways to calculate the shape of a polygon linking points on a surface. Such calculations are fundamental to creating realistic computer graphics for gaming and animated movies. The quicker the calculations can be done, the smoother and more realistic the graphics.

Virgin male moths think they're hot when they're not

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 06:24 AM PDT

When a virgin male moth gets a whiff of female sex attractant, he's quicker to start shivering to warm up his flight muscles, and then takes off prematurely when he's still too cool for powerful flight. So his headlong rush to reach the female first may cost him the race.

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