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Wednesday, November 27, 2013

ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

ScienceDaily: Strange Science News


A whirling dervish puts physicists in a spin

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 04:16 PM PST

A force that intricately links the rotation of the Earth with the direction of weather patterns in the atmosphere has been shown to play a crucial role in the creation of the hypnotic patterns created by the skirts of the Whirling Dervishes.

Inexpensive 'nano-camera' can operate at the speed of light

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 12:59 PM PST

A newly developed device could be used in medical imaging, collision-avoidance detectors for cars, and interactive gaming.

Gratitude or guilt? People spend more when they 'pay it forward'

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 10:47 AM PST

As shoppers across the nation prepare to pounce on Black Friday sales, researchers are looking at what happens to commerce when there's no set price tag. In an exhaustive study of consumer behavior, they found that shoppers spend more money when engaged in a chain of goodwill known as "pay-it-forward" than when they can name their own price.

Flexible, stretchable fire-ant rafts

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 10:46 AM PST

Fire-ant rafts aren't just unusual in that they're "viscoelastic," like Jell-O and toothpaste, according to a new study. Researchers found the rafts actively reorganize their structure, a feat that allows them to more effectively cushion themselves against applied forces, such as the battering of raindrops or the surges of waves.

Polymer gel, heal thyself: Engineering team proposes new composites that can regenerate when damaged

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 09:41 AM PST

Researchers have developed models to design a new polymer gel that would enable complex materials to regenerate themselves.

A robot turtle will help underwater archaeologists to inspect shipwrecks

Posted: 26 Nov 2013 06:24 AM PST

A new highly maneuverable robot turtle has been designed to penetrate shipwrecks.

Contented males fare better with the 'ladies'

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 02:21 PM PST

A first-ever study reveals that relaxed, content male mink raised in enriched environments -- cages complete with pools, toys and swings -- are more successful in the mating season. The findings may help improve mating among captive animals, especially those with breeding problems such as giant pandas and Canada's rare black-footed ferrets.

Oxytocin leads to monogamy

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 01:43 PM PST

How is the bond between people in love maintained? Scientists have discovered a biological mechanism that could explain the attraction between loving couples: If oxytocin is administered to men and if they are shown pictures of their partner, the bonding hormone stimulates the reward center in the brain, increasing the attractiveness of the partner, and strengthening monogamy.

Online shoppers favor white sellers in classified ads, study finds

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:13 AM PST

Online classified ad shoppers respond less often and offer lower prices when a seller is black rather than white, finds a newly published study based on a field experiment.

Engineers design spacesuit tools, biomedical sensors to keep astronauts healthy

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:13 AM PST

By working with a model spacesuit, a group of engineering professors and students are exploring how wearable medical sensors can be used in future space missions to keep astronauts healthy.

The mushrooms, my friend, are blowing in the wind…

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:11 AM PST

Biologists have long thought that the spores produced by a mushroom's cap simply drop into the wind and blow away. The problem with that notion, scientists say, is that spores can be dispersed even when the air is still. So how do the mushrooms do it? A team of researchers believe they have found the answer: mushrooms make their own wind.

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