ScienceDaily: Most Popular News

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• New archaeological find could shed light on late-Roman Britain
• Controversial clues of two 'Goldilocks planets' that might support life are proven false
• Genetic link to autism found, known as CHD8 mutation
• More left-handed men are born during the winter: Indirect evidence of a hormonal mechanism
• 'Grass-in-the-ear' technique sets new trend in chimp etiquette: Chimpanzees spontaneously copy arbitrary behavior
• Martian salts must touch ice to make liquid water, study shows

New archaeological find could shed light on late-Roman Britain Posted: 04 Jul 2014 10:47 AM PDT A unique archaeological find uncovered near the site of a Roman villa in Dorset could help to shed light on the rural elite of late-Roman Britain. The skeletal remains are thought to be unique as they are buried near the site of a Roman villa, making it likely that the five skeletons belonged to the owners and occupants of the villa -- the first time in Britain that the graves of villa owners have been found in such close proximity to the villa itself.

Controversial clues of two 'Goldilocks planets' that might support life are proven false Posted: 03 Jul 2014 11:23 AM PDT Mysteries about controversial signals from a star considered a prime target in the search for extraterrestrial life now have been solved. The research proves, for the first time, that some of the signals actually are from events inside the star itself, not from the two so-called 'Goldilocks planets,' which were suspected to be just-right for life and orbiting the star at a distance where liquid water potentially could exist. No planets there, just star burps.

Genetic link to autism found, known as CHD8 mutation Posted: 03 Jul 2014 09:58 AM PDT In a collaboration involving 13 institutions around the world, researchers have broken new ground in understanding what causes autism. This is the first time researchers have shown a definitive cause of autism to a genetic mutation. Previously identified genetic events like Fragile X, which account for a greater number of autism cases, are associated with other impairments, such as intellectual disability, more than autism.

More left-handed men are born during the winter: Indirect evidence of a hormonal mechanism Posted: 03 Jul 2014 07:29 AM PDT Men born in November, December or January are more likely of being left-handed than during the rest of the year. While the genetic bases of handedness are still under debate, scientists obtained indirect evidence of a hormonal mechanism promoting left-handedness among men.

'Grass-in-the-ear' technique sets new trend in chimp etiquette: Chimpanzees spontaneously copy arbitrary behavior Posted: 03 Jul 2014 07:26 AM PDT Chimpanzees are copycats and, in the process, they form new traditions that are often particular to only one specific group of these primates. Such are the findings of an international group of scientists, who waded through over 700 hours of video footage to understand how it came about that one chimpanzee stuck a piece of grass in her ear and started a new trend, and others soon followed suit.

Martian salts must touch ice to make liquid water, study shows Posted: 02 Jul 2014 10:16 AM PDT In chambers that mimic Mars' conditions, researchers have shown how small amounts of liquid water could form on the planet despite its below-freezing temperatures. Liquid water is an essential ingredient for life as we know it. Mars is one of the very few places in the solar system where scientists have seen promising signs of it -- in gullies down crater rims, in instrument readings, and in Phoenix spacecraft self portraits that appeared to show wet beads on the lander's leg several years ago.

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