Today's selection of science news. Links are normally to press releases on EurekAlert (at the bottom end I may also add a couple of newspaper stories). I include quotes from the summary (using quotation marks) in cases where the title alone doesn't reveal what the story is about. My own thoughts appear without quotation marks, if I have any.
climate
Ice-free Arctic summers could happen on earlier side of predictions
i.e. within the next 20 years
evolution
Oldest frog relative found in North America
A rare assemblage of sharks and rays from nearshore environments of Eocene Madagascar
A real turn on: Evolutionary rotation of fly genitalia tied to mating success
"Osaka University researchers sought evidence that developmental genital rotation of flies in the order Diptera evolved in correlation with a shift to accommodate mating positions; i.e., 'evolutionary cooperation' of morphology and behavior. They found that male flies with properly rotating genitalia had the greatest degree of reproductive success. However, they found no solid correlation with courtship behaviors. The relation between genital alignment and reproductive success reinforces evolutionary theory and offers promise for pest control methods."
environment
'Upcycling' plastic bottles could give them a more useful second life
humans
Thirty years of fast food: Greater variety, but more salt, larger portions, and added calories
Part of the series: Back in 1990 we knew exactly what should be done to make the world a better, healthier, sustainable place etc. and then unchained capitalism went ahead and did the exact opposite. See also: climate ...
First semi-identical twins identified in pregnancy
"Boy and girl twins in Brisbane, Australia, have been identified as only the second set of semi-identical, or sesquizygotic, twins in the world -- and the first to be identified by doctors during pregnancy."
I just love the word sesquizygotic ...
Study reveals the structure of the 2nd human cannabinoid receptor
"There are two cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) in the human body that can be targeted to alleviate certain pathological conditions, including chronic pain. Researchers from managed to obtain the crystal structure of CB2. While the CB1 receptors are responsible for psychoactive effects, the CB2 receptors are predominantly present in the immune system. Studies indicate that CB2 is a promising target for immunotherapy, as well as treating inflammatory and neuropathic pain, and neurodegenerative diseases."
How listening to music 'significantly impairs' creativity
Personally I'd say it doesn't help except as a tool to drown out other things eg ppl talking ...
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From the news media - while I was travelling, I missed this story of horses dressed up as zebras:
Why the zebra got its stripes: to deter flies from landing on it
Pattern seems to confuse flies, researchers who dressed horses up as zebras find
Thursday, February 28, 2019
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