Concept of Self Resides in the Eyes. Three experiments published recently in the journal Cognition sought to locate our physical sense of self.
Children and adults viewed several drawings of characters with an object and in each case judged how close the object was to the illustrated person. Results showed that participants tended to measure distance from the character's eyes, even when the object was not in the person's line of sight. The researchers took this to mean that we place the concept of self in the eyes. To make sure that people were not judging distance from the head, researchers included an alien with eyes on its chest in their study. How Ocean Currents Work" If you've ever lost your hat or a pair of sunglasses in the ocean, then you know that the sea doesn't stay still.
If you didn't retrieve the lost item immediately, it was likely well on its way to the other side of the world, carried away by ocean currents. When speaking of water, the word current refers to the motion of the water. Currents are found in rivers, ponds, marshes and even swimming pools. 'Bear Dog,' Big Cats Among Europe's Top Carnivores. Two saber-toothed cats and a part-dog, part-bear were top predators some 9 million years ago.
Three tough mammals -- a huge "bear dog" and two saber-toothed cats -- were among Europe's top predators 9 million years ago, according to a new study. The unusual toothy trio managed to coexist and thrive near what is now Madrid, Spain. The two cat species, lion-sized Machairodus aphanistus and the smaller leopard-sized Promegantereon ogygia, were in the same family Felidae as living big cats and domesticated housekitties. NEWS: Dinosaurs Looking for Love Grew Alluring Feathers The prehistoric cats lived together in a woodland area and likely hunted the same species: horses and wild boar. "The killing technique of these two saber-toothed cats is through a bite to the throat of the immobilized prey that produced a quick death due to the damage inflicted to blood vessels and trachea," study author Soledad Domingo told Discovery News. It likely hunted antelopes. 10 of the Craziest Discoveries of 2012" Believe it or not, there may be a method behind serial killers' madness, according to the findings of two researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles.
The researchers found a strong correlation between the timing of the murders committed by the "Rostov Ripper" -- a serial killer -- and a mathematical distribution called a power law. Power laws are used to predict sporadic events such as earthquakes and stock market crashes. Serial killers act sporadically, often killing people in close succession, then waiting months or years before striking again. Scientists have often wondered why. News - Coral Reef 911: Corals Attacked by Seaweed Use Chemical Signals to Summon Help. Press Release 12-209 Coral Reef 911: Corals Attacked by Seaweed Use Chemical Signals to Summon Help "Bodyguard" fish quickly respond to gobble up marine algae November 8, 2012 Corals under attack by toxic seaweed do what anyone might when threatened--they call for help.
Results reported this week in the journal Science show that threatened corals send signals to fish "bodyguards" that quickly respond to trim back noxious algae, which can kill the coral if not promptly removed. Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology found evidence that these "mutualistic" fish respond to chemical signals from the coral in a matter of minutes, like a 911 emergency call. Croc Jaws More Sensitive Than Human Fingertips. They may be lethal, leathery, and literally armored to the teeth, but crocodiles and alligators, it turns out, are sensitive types.
Their snouts, in fact, are even more touch-sensitive than human fingertips, a new study says. Part of the crocodilian reptile order, alligators have some 4,000 of tiny, raised black spots, or domes, on their heads, particularly along their jaws, inside their mouths, and between their teeth. Crocodiles have a similar setup, plus a liberal sprinkling over the rest of their bodies, bringing their total to about 9,000. Scientists have known about these bumps—called integumentary sensory organs, or ISOs—for more than a century. But for a long time their purpose was a mystery. Undead-End: Fungus That Controls Zombie-Ants Has Own Fungal Stalker. An unsuspecting worker ant in Brazil's rainforest leaves its nest one morning.
But instead of following the well-worn treetop paths of its nest mates, this ant stumbles along clumsily, walking in aimless circles, convulsing from time to time. At high noon, as if programmed, the ant plunges its mandibles into the juicy main vein of a leaf and soon dies. Within days the stem of a fungus sprouts from the dead ant's head. After growing a stalk, the fungus casts spores to the ground below, where they can be picked up by other passing ants. This strange cycle of undead life and death has been well documented and has earned the culprit the moniker: "zombie-ant" fungus—even in the scientific literature. Dusky Pygmy Rattlesnake, Sistrurus miliarius barbouri.