ScienceDaily: Quirky - December 13, 2023
Top quirky research news
Hallmark quantum behavior in bouncing droplets
In a study that could help fill some holes in quantum theory, the team recreated a 'quantum bomb tester' in a classical droplet test.
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14-inch spacecraft delivers new details about 'hot Jupiters'
The Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment (CUTE) spacecraft is about the size of a cereal box. It has also recorded incredibly detailed measurements of the atmospheres of planets hundreds of light-years from Earth.
Artificial intelligence systems excel at imitation, but not innovation
Artificial intelligence (AI) systems are often depicted as sentient agents poised to overshadow the human mind. But AI lacks the crucial human ability of innovation, researchers have found.
How a drought led to the rise of skateboarding in 1970s California
Why did professional skateboarding arise in southern California in the 1970s? Was it a coincidence, or was it a perfect storm of multiple factors? It's fairly well-known that a drought in southern California in the mid-1970s led to a ban on filling backyard swimming pools, and these empty pools became playgrounds for freestyle skateboarders in the greater Los Angeles area. But a new cross-disciplinary study shows that beyond the drought, it was the entanglement of environmental, economic and technological factors that led to the explosive rise of professional skateboarding culture in the 1970s.
This Japanese 'dragon' terrorized ancient seas
Researchers have described a Japanese mosasaur the size of a great white shark that terrorized Pacific seas 72 million years ago. The mosasaur was named for the place where it was found, Wakayama Prefecture. Researchers call it the Wakayama Soryu, which means blue dragon.
Extremely rare bird captured on film
A striking and extremely rare half-female, half-male bird has been spotted by a zoologist.
When is an aurora not an aurora?
While auroras occur at high latitude, the associated phenomena Steve and the picket fence occur farther south and at lower altitude. Their emissions also differ from aurora. A physics graduate student has proposed a physical mechanism behind these emissions, and a rocket launch to test the theory. She argues that an electric field in the upper atmosphere parallel to Earth's magnetic field could explain the green picket fence spectrum and perhaps Steve and the enhanced aurora.
Veins of bacteria could form a self-healing system for concrete infrastructure
In hopes of producing concrete structures that can repair their cracks, researchers are putting a new twist on an old trick for improving the durability of concrete. Fiber reinforcement has been around since the first masons were mixing horsehair into their mud. But this research team is taking this method to the next level by turning reinforcing fibers into a living tissue system that rushes concrete-healing bacteria to the site of cracks to repair the damage.
Immersive VR goggles for mice unlock new potential for brain science
New miniature virtual reality (VR) goggles provide more immersive experiences for mice living in laboratory settings. By more faithfully simulating natural environments, the researchers can more accurately and precisely study the neural circuitry that underlies behavior. Compared to current state-of-the-art systems, which simply surround mice with computer or projection screens, the new goggles provide a leap in advancement.
Scholars say it's time to declare a new epoch on the moon, the 'lunar Anthropocene'
According to anthropologists and geologists, it's time to acknowledge humans have become the dominant force shaping the moon's environment by declaring a new geological epoch for the moon: the Lunar Anthropocene. They argue the new epoch may have dawned in 1959 when the USSR's unmanned spacecraft Luna 2 alighted on the lunar surface.
ChatGPT often won't defend its answers -- even when it is right
ChatGPT may do an impressive job at correctly answering complex questions, but a new study suggests it may be absurdly easy to convince the AI chatbot that it's in the wrong.
It turns out, this fossil 'plant' is really a fossil baby turtle
Researchers re-examined a plant fossil found decades ago in Colombia and realized that it wasn't a plant at all: it's a fossilized baby turtle. It's a rare find, because juvenile turtles' shells are soft and often don't fossilize well.
Wild birds lead people to honey -- and learn from them
A study finds the greater honeyguide can learn distinct vocal signals to help people in Africa locate bee colonies. In parts of Africa, people communicate with a wild bird -- the greater honeyguide -- in order to locate bee colonies and harvest their stores of honey and beeswax. It's a rare example of cooperation between humans and wild animals, and a potential instance of cultural coevolution.
Baboons in captivity in Ancient Egypt: insights from collection of mummies
Baboons were raised in captivity before being mummified in Ancient Egyptian sites, according to a new study.
Jays jump in while crows hold out for the treat
New research has found that two similar species of birds behave very differently around their favorite food when they have company. Biologists compared the behavior of two species of corvids, Eurasian jays and New Caledonian crows, both capable of displaying self-control through delayed gratification. The researchers found that jays will settle for an immediate, less preferred food option when another bird is present, while crows will always hold out for their favorite food, regardless of the social context.
Many couples around the world may share high blood pressure
Spouses or partners in heterosexual relationships may have high blood pressure that mirrors one another, finds new, multinational study.
