ScienceDaily: Quirky - February 12, 2025
Top quirky research news
Alien ocean could hide signs of life from spacecraft
A new study focusing on Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, shows that the physics of alien oceans could prevent evidence of deep-sea life from reaching places where we can detect it.
International Shark Attack File Report: Unprovoked shark bites plummeted in 2024
2024 was an exceptionally calm year for shark bites. Worldwide, there were only 47 unprovoked attacks, down 22 from the previous year and well below the 10-year average of 70.
'Smaller and better': Research uncovers performance sweet spot for relaxor nanomaterial
A new study sheds light on how the extreme miniaturization of thin films affects the behavior of relaxor ferroelectrics -- materials with noteworthy energy-conversion properties used in sensors, actuators and nanoelectronics.
Outokumpu's bedrock reveals a smelly surprise
Volatile organic compounds (VOC), usually associated with poor indoor air, were discovered in Finland in a borehole more than two kilometres deep. Previously, groundwater dating back tens of millions of years was found in the hole.
Is the Metaverse a new frontier for human-centric manufacturing?
The future of manufacturing is not just about machines and AI; it's about re-empowering humans, according to a new study.
When qubits learn the language of fiberoptics
Qubits -- the fundamental units of quantum information -- drive entire tech sectors. Among them, superconducting qubits could be instrumental in building a large-scale quantum computer, but they rely on electrical signals and are difficult to scale. In a breakthrough, a team of physicists has achieved a fully optical readout of superconducting qubits, pushing the technology beyond its current limitations.
Study takes a 'bite' out of shark depredation using citizen science
Shark depredation is a rising issue in recreational fishing, especially in Florida, where sharks steal fish straight off anglers' lines. Researchers harnessed citizen science -- social media, angler surveys, charters -- and genetic analysis, to investigate the problem. Findings reveal that snapper-grouper species are the most targeted, with bull and sandbar sharks as the primary culprits. Nearly half of anglers reported depredation. These insights help shed light on the extent of this human-wildlife conflict and its impact on different fishery sectors.
Evidence of cannibalism 18,000 years ago
An international research team has gained new insights into the burial rituals of Late Ice Age societies in Central Europe. Signs of human remains from the Maszycka Cave in southern Poland being manipulated indicate systematic dissection of the deceased, as well as cannibalism.
From photons to protons: Team makes breakthrough in high-energy particle detection
Researchers have discovered that superconducting nanowire photon detectors can also be used as highly accurate particle detectors, and they have found the optimal nanowire size for high detection efficiency.
Truly autonomous AI is on the horizon
Researchers have developed a new AI algorithm, called Torque Clustering, that significantly improves how AI systems independently learn and uncover patterns in data, without human guidance.
Influenza A viruses adapt shape in response to environmental pressures
Influenza A virus particles strategically adapt their shape -- to become either spheres or larger filaments -- to favor their ability to infect cells depending on environmental conditions, according to a new study. This previously unrecognized response could help explain how influenza A and other viruses persist in populations, evade immune responses, and acquire adaptive mutations, the researchers explain.
Entanglement -- linking distant particles or groups of particles so that one cannot be described without the other -- is at the core of the quantum revolution changing the face of modern technology. While entanglement has been demonstrated in very small particles, new research is thinking big, demonstrating high-fidelity entanglement between two acoustic wave resonators.
Boosting evolution: How humans unintentionally altered the skulls of pigs
Short snouts and a flat profile -- within a span of 100 years, humans have significantly changed the shape of the skulls of German domestic pigs. This is likely down to new breeding practices introduced at the beginning of the 20th century. The researchers analyzed 3D scans of 135 skulls of wild boars and domestic pigs from the early 20th and 21st centuries. Surprisingly, the same effects can even be observed in species that were kept separately.
Euclid discovers a stunning Einstein ring
Euclid, the European Space Agency's dark Universe detective, has made an astonishing discovery -- right in our cosmic backyard.
Beryllium-10, a rare radioactive isotope produced by cosmic rays in the atmosphere, provides valuable insights into the Earth's geological history. A research team has discovered an unexpected accumulation of this isotope in samples taken from the Pacific seabed. Such an anomaly may be attributed to shifts in ocean currents or astrophysical events that occurred approximately 10 million years ago. The findings hold the potential to serve as a global time marker, representing a promising advancement in the dating of geological archives spanning millions of years.
Earth's inner core is undergoing a transformation
Earth's inner core is undergoing structural transformation. Located 3,000 miles below the Earth's surface, the inner core is anchored by gravity within the molten liquid outer core. Until now the inner core was widely thought of as a solid sphere. A new study indicates that the near surface of the inner core may undergo viscous deformation, changing its shape and shifting at the inner core's shallow boundary.
Quantum theory and thermodynamics: Maxwell's demon?
An international collaboration sheds new light on the relationship between quantum theory and thermodynamics. The research group demonstrated that while the laws of quantum theory alone do not inherently prevent violations of the second law of thermodynamics, any quantum process can be implemented without actually violating the law. This surprising result suggests a peaceful coexistence between quantum theory and thermodynamics, despite their logical independence. This discovery could have profound implications for understanding the thermodynamic limits of quantum technologies, such as quantum computing and nanoscale engines.
Soft tissue from a 183 million-year-old Jurassic plesiosaur analyzed
Researchers have analyzed the soft tissue from a fossilized plesiosaur for the first time. The results show that the long-necked marine reptile had both smooth and scaly skin. This was likely so it could both swim rapidly and move along rough seabeds.
Temperamental stars are distorting our view of distant planets
'Temperamental' stars that brighten and dim over a matter of hours or days may be distorting our view of thousands of distant planets, suggests a new study.
Some species of baleen whales avoid attracting killer whales by singing too low to be heard
New research finds some baleen whale species call at such deep frequencies that they're completely undetectable by killer whales, which cannot hear sounds below 100 hertz. These also tend to be the species of baleen whales that flee in the face of attack from killer whales.
Novel 'living' biomaterial aims to advance regenerative medicine
A biomaterial that can mimic certain behaviors within biological tissues could advance regenerative medicine, disease modeling, soft robotics and more, according to researchers.
Mantis shrimp clubs filter sound to mitigate damage
Mantis shrimp withstand repeated high-impact forces without structural damage. Researchers discovered the shrimp's clubs feature a protective pattern that controls how stress waves travel through its body. The patterns resemble herringbone and twisted, corkscrew arrangements. Insights from this discovery could inspire advanced protective materials for reducing blast-related injuries.
Making an invisible electric wire: Guiding electricity with sound
Electric sparks are used for welding, powering electronics, killing germs or for igniting the fuel in some car engines. Despite their usefulness, they are hard to control in open space, they split into chaotic branches that tend to go towards the closest metallic objects. A recent study uncovers a way of transporting electricity through air by ultrasonic waves. The level of control of the electric sparks allows to guide the spark around obstacles, or to make it hit specific spots, even into non-conductive materials.
New technique to detect dark matter using atomic clocks and lasers
A team of international researchers has developed an innovative approach to uncover the secrets of dark matter in the cosmos. They are searching for dark matter using atomic clocks and cavity-stabilized lasers.
Largest radio jet ever seen in the early universe
Astronomers have characterized the largest-ever early-Universe radio jet. Historically, such large radio jets have remained elusive in the distant Universe. With these observations, astronomers have valuable new insights into when the first jets formed in the Universe and how they impacted the evolution of galaxies.
Dusting for stars' magnetic fingerprints
Astronomers have succeeded in observing the magnetic field around a young star where planets are thought to be forming. The team was able to use dust to measure the three-dimensional structure 'fingerprint' of the magnetic field. This will help improve our understanding of planet formation.
Scientists simulate asteroid collision effects on climate and plants
A new climate modeling study presents a new scenario of how climate and life on our planet would change in response to a potential future strike of a medium-sized (~500 m) asteroid.
'Living' electrodes breathe new life into traditional silicon electronics
Researchers have developed advanced terahertz photodetectors containing 'living' microelectrodes. A vanadium dioxide (VO2) layer was precisely deposited on a silicon substrate. Temperature regulation modulated the size of conductive metallic areas in VO2, forming a dynamic microelectrode network that selectively enhanced the response of the silicon substrate to terahertz light. These advanced photodetectors reveal the potential of modifiable metamaterials such as VO2 to overcome the performance limitations of traditional materials.
Male flies sharpened their eyesight to call the females' bluff
With bloated bellies and hairy legs, female flies try to look bigger to get food from courting mates. But male flies, in turn, have sharpened their eyesight to call their bluff. A new study suggests that this is an ongoing evolution where both sexes try to outsmart each other.
By studying neutron 'starquakes', scientists hope to transform their understanding of nuclear matter
The study of 'starquakes' (like earthquakes, but in stars) promises to give us important new insights into the properties of neutron stars, improving our understanding of the universe and advancing the way we live.
Using sugars from peas speeds up sour beer brewing
Sour beers have become a fixture on microbrewery menus and store shelves. They're enjoyed for their tart, complex flavors, but some can require long and complicated brewing processes. Researchers have now brewed new sours in less time using a seemingly strange ingredient: field peas. The experimental beers had fruity -- not 'beany' -- flavors and other attributes comparable to a commercial Belgian-style sour, but with shorter, simpler brewing steps.
Cretaceous fossil from Antarctica reveals earliest modern bird
Sixty-six million years ago, at the end of the Cretaceous Period, an asteroid impact near the Yucat n Peninsula of Mexico triggered the extinction of all known non-bird dinosaurs. But for the early ancestors of today's waterfowl, surviving that mass extinction event was like ... water off a duck's back. Location matters, as Antarctica may have served as a refuge, protected by its distance from the turmoil taking place elsewhere on the planet. Fossil evidence suggests a temperate climate with lush vegetation, possibly serving as an incubator for the earliest members of the group that now includes ducks and geese.
Paving the way to quantum supercomputers
In a milestone that brings quantum computing tangibly closer to large-scale practical use, scientists have demonstrated the first instance of distributed quantum computing. Using a photonic network interface, they successfully linked two separate quantum processors to form a single, fully connected quantum computer, paving the way to tackling computational challenges previously out of reach.