ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

---

• 'Free choice' in primates altered through brain stimulation
• New laser sensing technology for self-driving cars, smartphones and 3-D video games
• Brain's reaction to male odor shifts at puberty in children with gender dysphoria
• Sight for sore eyes: Augmented reality without the discomfort
• Wastewater reveals drug consumption picture

'Free choice' in primates altered through brain stimulation Posted: 29 May 2014 11:24 AM PDT When electrical pulses are applied to the ventral tegmental area of their brain, macaques presented with two images change their preference from one image to the other. The study is the first to confirm a causal link between activity in the ventral tegmental area and choice behavior in primates.

New laser sensing technology for self-driving cars, smartphones and 3-D video games Posted: 29 May 2014 07:07 AM PDT A new twist on 3-D imaging technology could one day enable your self-driving car to spot a child in the street half a block away, let you answer your Smartphone from across the room with a wave of your hand, or play "virtual tennis" on your driveway.

Brain's reaction to male odor shifts at puberty in children with gender dysphoria Posted: 28 May 2014 01:37 PM PDT The brains of children with gender dysphoria react to androstadienone, a musky-smelling steroid produced by men, in a way typical of their biological sex, but after puberty according to their experienced gender, finds a study for the first time. Around puberty, the testes of men start to produce androstadienone, a breakdown product of testosterone. Men release it in their sweat, especially from the armpits. Its only known function is to work like a pheromone: when women smell androstadienone, their mood tends to improve, their blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing go up, and they may become aroused.

Sight for sore eyes: Augmented reality without the discomfort Posted: 28 May 2014 07:53 AM PDT A major limitation Google-glass-like devices is that moving back and forth between a 2-D image on the screen and a 3-D world in front of you causes eye strain. Now a new device is making augmented reality technology easier on the eyes by superimposing 3-D images instead of 2-D.

Wastewater reveals drug consumption picture Posted: 27 May 2014 05:54 AM PDT In 2013, wastewater samples from European cities were tested for drug traces for the third time. Basel, Berne, Geneva, St. Gallen and Zurich were among the 42 cities which took part in the study. Over the course of a week, the wastewater of around 1.4 million people in Switzerland was tested for cocaine, amphetamine, crystal meth and ecstasy. Results showed differences between cities, and between weekends and weekdays.

You are subscribed to email updates from Strange & Offbeat News -- ScienceDaily To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610