RefBan

Referral Banners

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

ScienceDaily: Strange Science News


Neanderthal viruses found in modern humans

Posted: 19 Nov 2013 08:04 PM PST

Ancient viruses from Neanderthals have been found in modern human DNA. Researchers compared genetic data from fossils of Neanderthals and another group of ancient human ancestors called Denisovans to data from modern-day cancer patients. They found evidence of Neanderthal and Denisovan viruses in the modern human DNA, suggesting that the viruses originated in our common ancestors more than half a million years ago.

Synesthesia is more common in autism

Posted: 19 Nov 2013 04:39 PM PST

People with autism are more likely to also have synaesthesia, suggests new research in the journal Molecular Autism.

Evidence of ancient human history encoded in music's complex patterns

Posted: 19 Nov 2013 12:28 PM PST

Just as fragments of ancient pottery and bones offer valuable information about human history, music can also reveal clues about the past, according to new research.

Monkeys can point to objects they do not report seeing

Posted: 19 Nov 2013 10:14 AM PST

Are monkeys, like humans, able to ascertain where objects are located without much more than a sideways glance? Quite likely, says the lead author of a new study. The study finds that monkeys are able to localize stimuli they do not perceive.

People with highly superior powers of recall also vulnerable to false memories

Posted: 19 Nov 2013 10:14 AM PST

People who can accurately remember details of their daily lives going back decades are as susceptible as everyone else to forming fake memories, psychologists and neurobiologists have found.

Asteroids' close encounters with Mars: Mars, not Earth, shakes up some near-Earth asteroids

Posted: 19 Nov 2013 08:28 AM PST

For nearly as long as astronomers have been able to observe asteroids, a question has gone unanswered: Why do the surfaces of most asteroids appear redder than meteorites -- the remnants of asteroids that have crashed to Earth?

The fashion scout and the cop: Scanning the streets with similar methods for different targets

Posted: 19 Nov 2013 08:28 AM PST

University of Cincinnati research compares practices used by fashion industry casting directors to the New York City Police Department's controversial stop-and-frisk program.

Could saving the traditional pub be the answer to Britain's binge drinking problem?

Posted: 19 Nov 2013 07:09 AM PST

A research study finds evidence for the traditional pub as a site for restrained and responsible social interaction for young adults. The UK government wants further controls to restrict high street bars but on the other hand is concerned about the decline in the number of traditional public houses or pubs. A recent article discusses whether the English Planning System should distinguish between pubs for the 'public good' and licensed premises associated with 'social ills'?

Biologists find an evolutionary Facebook for monkeys and apes

Posted: 18 Nov 2013 04:32 PM PST

Why do the faces of primates contain so many different colors, including black, blue, red, orange and white, mixed in all kinds of combinations, and often striking patterns? Biologists report on the faces of 139 African and Asian primate species that have been diversifying over some 25 million years.

Texting your way to weight loss

Posted: 18 Nov 2013 09:01 AM PST

Tracking information on diet and exercise habits through text messages could save time and improve the likelihood of people sticking with their get-healthy routine, say researchers.

Poultry probiotic's coat clues to ability to battle bugs

Posted: 18 Nov 2013 09:01 AM PST

Researchers have characterized the coat of potential poultry probiotic bacteria, giving the first clues of how this may be used to exclude pathogenic bacteria from chickens, and so reduce the use of antibiotics to control food poisoning bacteria.

People new to power more likely to be vengeful

Posted: 18 Nov 2013 08:20 AM PST

New research has shown that people who are not accustomed to holding power are more likely to be vengeful when placed in charge. Experienced power-holders, on the other hand, were found to be more tolerant of perceived wrongdoing. The research explored for the first time the relationship between power and revenge.

Control malaria by segmenting sleeping arrangements

Posted: 18 Nov 2013 08:19 AM PST

Better malaria control might come from segregating household sleeping arrangements, according to a new study. The researchers found malaria eradication related more to household size than to a country's wealth or temperature. They found that when average household size drops below four persons, malaria extermination is much more likely. "When we controlled for all the variables, the factor that had the most explanatory power on malaria control was household size," said Prof. Ross McKitrick.

Boredom research has now become more interesting

Posted: 18 Nov 2013 07:39 AM PST

Being bored has just become a little more nuanced, with the addition of a fifth type of boredom by which to describe this emotion. Researchers provide insight into how boredom is experienced in everyday life. The study is among the first to quantifiably investigate different types of boredom.

More than skin deep: New layer to the body's fight against infection

Posted: 18 Nov 2013 07:26 AM PST

The layers of skin that form the first line of defense in the body's fight against infection have revealed a unanticipated secret. The single cell type that was thought to be behind the skin's immune defense has been found to have a doppelganger, with researchers showing the cells, despite appearing identical, are actually two different types.

Preschoolers can learn lasting heart-healthy lessons from Sesame Street

Posted: 18 Nov 2013 07:22 AM PST

Preschoolers can learn about healthy eating and exercise through Sesame Street. In a study, preschoolers in Bogotá, Colombia participating in a structured curriculum that used Sesame Street's Healthy Habits for Life materials improved their knowledge, attitudes and habits related to a heart-healthy lifestyle. Also, the percentage of children at a healthy weight improved by 13 percent.

No comments: