60-Second Science

Zebra Stripes Clash with Insect Interest

Thu, 9 Feb 2012 12:14:08 -0500

Biting insects prefer a plain brown hide to the zebra's stripes, implying that the stripes are an anti-insect adaptation. Cynthia Graber reports

Champagne Glass Shape Affects Gas Level

Wed, 8 Feb 2012 19:17:08 -0500

When gas bubbles out of champagne, a higher concentration of carbon dioxide collects in a slim flute versus a wide coupe. Sophie Bushwick reports

Visual Cues Encourage Vegetable Consumption

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 18:48:08 -0500

Pictures of green beans and carrots on cafeteria trays resulted in more kids eating more veggies. Cynthia Graber reports

Close Super Bowl Boosts Ad at End

Fri, 3 Feb 2012 14:43:08 -0500

An ad right after a suspenseful game made a bigger impression on viewers than ads during the game. Christopher Intagliata reports

Signs Boost Stair Climbing

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 16:15:08 -0500

Putting up signs can increase stair use versus elevator riding by more than 40 percent. Cynthia Graber reports

Scorpion Armor Inspires Sand-Resistant Surfaces

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 22:20:08 -0500

Textured surfaces based on the patterns found on scorpion exoskeletons could help equipment avoid erosion damage. Sophie Bushwick reports

Spider Parting Gift Makes Him Sterile Father

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:11:08 -0500

Male orb web spiders will detach their sex organs and leave them in the female to become a father without becoming dinner. Katherine Harmon reports

Have Your Cake and Eat Its Package

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:56:08 -0500

Materials scientists are developing edible packaging for processed foods. Cynthia Graber reports

Micro-Bubbles Cut Cost of Algae-Derived Biofuel

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:47:08 -0500

Tiny bubbles float algae to the water's surface for harvest and processing. Sophie Bushwick reports

Bosses Who Work Out Are Nicer

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:25:08 -0500

Employees rated supervisors who worked out as less abusive than their sedentary counterparts. Christopher Intagliata reports

People in Power Feel Taller

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:49:08 -0500

A person in a position of power will overestimate their height. Cynthia Graber reports

Dark-Dwelling Fish Converge on Blindness

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:43:08 -0500

DNA analysis revealed that 11 populations of blind cave fish did not all descend from a single blind ancestor, but had five separate evolutionary origins. Sophie Bushwick reports

Worm Turns Alcohol into Longevity

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:50:08 -0500

A very dilute alcohol solution doubles the life span of the ubiquitous lab organism C. elegans. Christopher Intagliata reports

Schoolkids Name Moon Orbiters

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:51:08 -0500

GRAIL A and B, the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory lunar moon satellites, are now Ebb and Flow, courtesy of Montana students. Cynthia Graber reports

Where You Vote May Affect How You Vote

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:03:08 -0500

Subjects randomly surveyed within view of a church gave more conservative responses than those surveyed within view of a secular school. Katherine Harmon reports

Boa Constrictors Listen to Loosen

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:32:08 -0500

Boa constrictors kept tightening their grips on dead rats with faked heartbeats for 20 minutes, but let go when the pulse stopped. Christopher Intagliata reports

1,300-Year-Old Flask Holds Mayan Tobacco Remains

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:37:08 -0500

A chemical analysis found evidence of nicotine in a Mayan flask dating back to A.D. 700. Sophie Bushwick reports

Tiny Frog Makes Big Claim

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:44:08 -0500

Researchers say a newly discovered species is the world's smallest frog--and more. Cynthia Graber reports

Underground Nukes Leave Traceable Uplift

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:18:08 -0500

Surface rock above a nuclear test will expand enough to be trackable by radar satellites. Christopher Intagliata reports

Salt Boosts Blood Pressure, but via Adrenalin

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:38:08 -0500

Rather than increase fluid volume, salt's real role in high blood pressure may be to induce the nervous system to produce excess adrenalin. Steve Mirsky reports

Female Trailblazer Inspires New Species Name

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:29:08 -0500

Jeanne Baret disguised herself as a man to do botanical fieldwork in the 18th century. She has has been honored with a namesake species. Cynthia Graber reports

Social Media Tracks Disease Spread

Mon, 9 Jan 2012 17:28:08 -0500

Analysis of social media and Internet news reports can enable researchers to track a disease outbreak faster than conventional medical notifications. Cynthia Graber reports

Dogs Gauge Intention by Human Communication Style

Thu, 5 Jan 2012 11:57:08 -0500

Dogs are similar to babies in their ability to discern an intent by a human to communicate meaningful information. Rose Eveleth reports

Stradivarius Fails Sound Test versus Newbie Violins

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 19:36:08 -0500

Experienced violinists were unable to tell the difference between rare, old instruments and new ones. Sophie Bushwick reports

Microbes Make Some People Smell Delicious to Mosquitoes

Tue, 3 Jan 2012 20:08:08 -0500

Mosquitoes prefer the smell of skin with more abundant--but less diverse--bacterial communities. Sophie Bushwick reports

Another Ellipse around the Sun

Mon, 2 Jan 2012 20:04:08 -0500

The last year took you far--hundreds of millions of miles, in fact. Steve Mirsky reports

Solar Paint Converts Light to Electricity

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:41:08 -0500

A paint containing titanium dioxide and semiconducting cadmium nanocrystals can convert sunlight to electricity. Christopher Intagliata reports

Silky Micro-Needles Could Make Shots Pain-Free

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:33:08 -0500

Researchers have created a potentially pain-free drug delivery system that uses an array of micro-needles made of silk protein to get under the skin. Sophie Bushwick reports

Is the Shift-Worker Diet an Occupational Hazard?

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:04:08 -0500

An editorial in PLoS Medicine makes the case for considering the poor eating habits of shift workers, and the associated health risk, as a legally defined occupational hazard. Sophie Bushwick reports

Deep Frog Voice Signals His Chromosome Number

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:33:08 -0500

Two related frog species differ by chromosome number, which deepened one species's calls and tells the females who's who. Steve Mirsky reports

Perceived Gift Values Get Averaged, Not Added

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:38:08 -0500

Adding a small, additional gift can, counterintuitively, detract from, rather than add to, the perceived value of a first, big gift. Cynthia Graber reports

Pigeons Can Follow Abstract Number-Counting Rules

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:57:08 -0500

Trained pigeons demonstrate an ability to use abstract number-counting rules on par with primates and to recognize which groups of items contain more of those items. Sophie Bushwick reports

It's Plain the Rain Ups Chili Peppers' Pain

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:25:08 -0500

Chili peppers in wet areas are spicier than their dry counterparts, due to higher capsaicin levels needed to fight seed-attacking fungi. Christopher Intagliata reports

Insect Cuticle Inspires New Material

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:02:08 -0500

Researchers created a tough, light, flexible material, called shrilk, based on the proteins and structure of the surface covering of insects. Cynthia Graber reports

DNA in a Cup of Water Reveals Lake Denizens

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:03:08 -0500

Freshwater habitat dwellers can be detected and quantified based on DNA obtained directly from small water samples. Sophie Bushwick reports

Mosquitos Use Drop of Blood to Keep Cool

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:53:08 -0500

When sucking down hot blood, a mosquito exudes a small bead of the meal for evaporative cooling. Karen Hopkin reports

Some Terrestrial Exoplanets May Be Half Diamond

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:06:08 -0500

When rocky planets form that have more carbon than does Earth, vast quantities of diamond may be a natural result. Karen Hopkin reports

Body Hair Senses Parasites While Slowing Their Blood Quest

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:57:08 -0500

Volunteers detected bedbugs more quickly on unshaven versus shaved arms. And the bugs took longer to find a feeding spot in the forest of hair. Christopher Intagliata reports

U.S. Teen Births Hit Record Low

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:23:08 -0500

2010 saw the lowest birth rate among teen girls since records started being kept 70 years ago. Cynthia Graber reports

Durban Deal May Bring Climate Change Action into 21st Century

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 11:25:08 -0500

As time ran out on the latest international climate change negotiations, an agreement was reached that includes all significant countries in the effort to reduce greenhouse gases. David Biello reports

High-Tech Bartending Makes New Drinks

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 18:05:08 -0500

An article in Physics World discusses how scientific instruments are being used to make state-of-the-art alcoholic beverages. Cynthia Graber reports

Tiger Woods Made Other Golfers Worse

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 23:00:08 -0500

An analysis of 10 years of PGA events found that if Tiger Woods was present, his intimidated opponents averaged almost a full stroke worse than they otherwise would have scored. Christopher Intagliata reports

Fast Climate Change Moves Slow Species

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 20:55:08 -0500

Species attempt to remain in their thermometric comfort zone, but climate change is far outpacing the rate at which they can adapt. Karen Hopkin reports

Hoopsters Believe In Hot-or-Not Hand

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 12:36:08 -0500

Pro basketball players were much more likely to try another three-point shot after making one than after missing one. John Matson reports

Creativity Linked to Rule Bending

Mon, 5 Dec 2011 20:42:08 -0500

People who scored high on standard tests for creativity were also more likely to be willing to cheat for personal gain. Sophie Bushwick reports

Bat Ears Deform for Better Ping Pickups

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 19:17:08 -0500

Slow-motion video and high-resolution imaging show that horseshoe bats can deform the shape of their outer ears for superior echolocation. Cynthia Graber reports

Conservators Keep Last Supper Fresh

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 19:30:08 -0500

A sophisticated air purification system protects The Last Supper from Milan's dirty air. Cynthia Graber reports

Doorway to Blame for Room Amnesia

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:25:08 -0500

Ever walk into the kitchen and forgot why you went there? Of course you have. Good news: it's the doorway's fault. Sophie Bushwick reports

Sex Keeps Elderly Happier in Marriage

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:15:08 -0500

Elderly married people still having sex were happier in life and marriage than their celibate compatriots. Cynthia Graber reports

Mind-Body Mindblower: Posture Affects Estimates

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:53:08 -0500

Leaning to one side may affect your estimates about anything from the height of an object to the frequency of an event. Sophie Bushwick reports

Have a Food-Safe Thanksgiving

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:00:08 -0500

Safety tips for handling your bird from North Carolina State University food expert Ben Chapman. Steve Mirsky reports

False Confessions Confuse Forensics

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 06:48:08 -0500

Forensic investigators tended to find more evidence supporting a guilty verdict following a confession, even if it was forced or coerced. Christopher Intagliata reports

High-IQ Kids Later Try Drugs More

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:18:08 -0500

A British study found significantly higher drug experimentation among people who performed well on IQ tests as kids. Sophie Bushwick reports

Male Spiders Scam Females with Gift-Wrapped Garbage

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:51:08 -0500

Male nursery web spiders lure mates with silk-wrapped offerings, only some of which contain tasty treats. Cynthia Graber reports

Glucose Test Swaps Tears for Blood

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 11:05:08 -0500

Tears have much lower glucose levels than blood but, as the ratio is consistent, they could serve for diabetes glucose monitoring. Sophie Bushwick reports

Clock Ticks for Phobos-Grunt Mars Mission

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:31:08 -0500

The Phobos-Grunt spacecraft is stuck in Earth orbit and has only until December to break free for Mars. John Matson reports

Clever Cooler Cases Could Conserve Current

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:25:08 -0500

Better design of supermarket fridge cases could save $100 million in electricity annually. Cynthia Graber reports

Fever Increases Numbers of Immune Cells

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:16:08 -0500

Fever can play a variety of roles, such as inhibiting pathogen replication. It also apparently increases the population of killer T cells of the immune system. Christopher Intagliata reports

Project Seeks Your Tiny Squatters

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:33:08 -0500

The Wildlife of Your Home project seeks samples of your microscopic living companions. Cynthia Graber reports

Belief in Relic Putter Helped Golf Scores

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 23:03:08 -0500

Subjects who thought their putter had been owned by a pro golfer putted better than others using the same putter without being told its pedigree. Amy Kraft reports