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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

ScienceDaily: Strange Science News


Mutant champions save imperiled species from almost-certain extinction

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:13 PM PST

Species facing widespread and rapid environmental changes can sometimes evolve quickly enough to dodge the extinction bullet. Scientists consider the genetic underpinnings of such an "evolutionary rescue."

Tool for reading the minds of mice developed

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:12 PM PST

Scientists have developed a system for observing real-time brain activity in a live mouse. The device could prove useful in studying new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's.

Rock-paper-scissors a parable for cycles in finance, fashion, politics and more

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 01:12 PM PST

Using a grown-up version of the rock-paper-scissors game, cognitive scientists offer a new theory of the group dynamics that arise in situations as varied as cycles of fashion, fluctuations of financial markets, eBay bidding wars and political campaign strategies. "People playing this kind of game subtly influence each other, converging on similar ways of reasoning over time. The natural analogy for the process is to a flock of birds veering in concert."

Semiconductor 'nano-shish-kebabs' created with potential for 3-D technologies

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:05 AM PST

Researchers have developed a new type of nanoscale structure that resembles a "nano-shish-kebab," consisting of multiple two-dimensional nanosheets that appear to be impaled upon a one-dimensional nanowire. But looks can be deceiving, as the nanowire and nanosheets are actually a single, three-dimensional structure consisting of a single, seamless series of germanium sulfide crystals. The structure holds promise for use in the creation of new, three-dimensional technologies.

How seals sleep with only half their brain at a time

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 11:02 AM PST

Biologists have identified some of the brain chemicals that allow seals to sleep with half of their brain at a time.

Males' superior spatial ability likely is not an evolutionary adaptation; Testosterone 'side effect'?

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 09:13 AM PST

Males and females differ in a lot of traits (besides the obvious ones) and some evolutionary psychologists have proposed hypotheses to explain why. Some argue, for example, that males' slight, but significant, superiority in spatial navigation over females -- a phenomenon demonstrated repeatedly in many species, including humans -- is probably "adaptive," meaning that over the course of evolutionary history the trait gave males an advantage that led them to have more offspring than their peers. A new analysis found no support for this hypothesis.

'Simplified' brain lets the iCub robot learn language

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:26 AM PST

The iCub humanoid robot will now be able to understand what is being said to it and even anticipate the end of a sentence.

New scorpion discovery near metropolitan Tucson, Arizona

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 07:23 AM PST

Zoologists have discovered a new species of Sky Island scorpion from the Santa Catalina Mountains of Arizona, less than 10 miles from metropolitan Tucson. Amazingly, the discovery was made by a biologist while looking for a completely different animal. The scorpion found "by mistake" adds a fascinating new species to the biodiversity of North America.

Engineering 'ghost' objects: Breakthrough in scattering illusion

Posted: 19 Feb 2013 06:06 AM PST

Researchers have come out with an optical device to "engineer" ghosts. Their research has opened up a completely new avenue for cognitive deception through light-matter behavior control. This would have wide applications in defense and security. The findings also pave the way for the design of new optical and microwave devices such as those for detection and communication.

In tiny Amazon frogs, males observed extracting oocytes from females killed in mating struggles

Posted: 18 Feb 2013 06:25 AM PST

Sex is a risky business for many animals. Those who take part in 'explosive breeding' -- where many males gather and compete for a small number of females over a few days -- have it particularly tough. Males can become exhausted from the competition and search for a scarce mate, or from trying to dislodge other males from receptive females. The females themselves can be unintentionally crushed, drowned or simply exhausted under the weight of their many suitors.

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