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Saturday, June 16, 2012

ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

ScienceDaily: Strange Science News


Nanotechnology used to harness power of fireflies

Posted: 15 Jun 2012 08:41 AM PDT

Scientists have found a new way to harness the natural light produced by fireflies using nanoscience. Their breakthrough produces a system that is 20 to 30 times more efficient than those produced during previous experiments.

The boys are bad: Older male ants single out younger rivals for death squad

Posted: 15 Jun 2012 07:45 AM PDT

Male Cardiocondyla obscurior ants are diphenic (either winged or wingless). New research demonstrates that the dominant wingless (ergatoid) male is able to identify potential rivals before they emerge from their pupae. Constant patrolling of the nest ensures that this male is able to bite or chemically tag rivals as soon as they emerge from their pupae. Chemically tagged ants are quickly destroyed by workers.

Neutrons escaping to a parallel world?

Posted: 15 Jun 2012 07:43 AM PDT

In a new paper, researchers hypothesize the existence of mirror particles to explain the anomalous loss of neutrons observed experimentally. The existence of such mirror matter had been suggested in various scientific contexts some time ago, including the search for suitable dark matter candidates.

Studying soil to predict the future of Earth's atmosphere

Posted: 15 Jun 2012 07:39 AM PDT

Soil plays an important role in controlling the planet's atmospheric future according to new research. Researchers found that the interaction between plants and soils controls how ecosystems respond to rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Physicists predict success of movies at the box office based solely on advertising costs

Posted: 15 Jun 2012 07:37 AM PDT

A group of Japanese scientists have surprised themselves by being able to predict the success or failure of blockbuster movies at the box office using a set of mathematical models. The researchers used the effects of advertising and word-of-mouth communication to create a model that turned out to be successful in predicting how each movie fared once it hit the silver screen. The only data the researchers needed to put into the model were the daily advertisement costs of 25 movies that appeared in Japanese cinemas.

Breast milk kills HIV and blocks its oral transmission in humanized mouse

Posted: 14 Jun 2012 03:27 PM PDT

Although breastfeeding is attributed to a significant number of HIV infections in infants, most breastfed babies are not infected with HIV, despite prolonged and repeated exposure. HIV researchers have been left with a conundrum: does breast milk transmit the virus or protect against it? New research explores this paradox in a humanized mouse model, demonstrating that breast milk has a strong virus killing effect and protects against oral transmission of HIV.

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