science news 4.4.2019

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.


life on the edge

Otherworldly mirror pools and mesmerizing landscapes discovered on ocean floor
"Scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor recently discovered and explored a hydrothermal field at 2,000 meters depth in the Gulf of California where towering mineral structures serve as biological hotspots for life. These newly discovered geological formations feature upside down 'mirror-like flanges' that act as pooling sites for discharged fluids."


ecology

Wild bees flock to forested areas affected by severe fire



Triepeolus on Canada thistle.
Credit: Jim Rivers, OSU


behaviour

Gorillas gather around and groom their dead
Intriguing - might this undermine some of the conclusions that anthropologists derive from prehistoric burial evidence?

How understanding animal behavior can support wildlife conservation


agriculture

Insect-deterring sorghum compounds may be eco-friendly pesticide


humans

The Lancet: Globally, 1 in 5 deaths are associated with poor diet
and here's a different take on the same data:
New study finds poor diet kills more people globally than tobacco and high blood pressure

The brain's auto-complete function

The whisper room: Moderates on Twitter are losing their voice