ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Synchronization of North Atlantic, North Pacific preceded abrupt warming, end of ice age
• DNA mostly 'junk?' Only 8.2 percent of human DNA is 'functional', study finds
• Artificial intelligence identifies the musical progression of the Beatles
• Joblessness could kill you, but recessions could be good for your health
• A reward is valued more if you choose it yourself: New quirky byproduct of learning from reward
• Voice for radio? New research reveals it's in the cords
• Four-billion-year-old chemistry in cells today
• Dead body feeding larvae useful in forensic investigations
• Human parasite Leishmania is a probiotic for the fly that carries it
• In asthma, it's not just what you smell, but what you think you smell
• New York squirrels are nuts about city life

Synchronization of North Atlantic, North Pacific preceded abrupt warming, end of ice age Posted: 24 Jul 2014 11:16 AM PDT Scientists have long been concerned that global warming may push Earth's climate system across a 'tipping point,' where rapid melting of ice and further warming may become irreversible -- a hotly debated scenario with an unclear picture of what this point of no return may look like. A new study suggests that combined warming of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans thousands of years ago may have provided the tipping point for abrupt warming and rapid melting of the northern ice sheets.

DNA mostly 'junk?' Only 8.2 percent of human DNA is 'functional', study finds Posted: 24 Jul 2014 11:16 AM PDT Only 8.2 percent of human DNA is likely to be doing something important -- is 'functional' -- say researchers. This figure is very different from one given in 2012, when some scientists involved in the ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) project stated that 80% of our genome has some biochemical function.

Artificial intelligence identifies the musical progression of the Beatles Posted: 24 Jul 2014 10:40 AM PDT Computer scientists have developed an artificial intelligence algorithm that can analyze and compare musical styles, which they have used to study the musical progression of the Beatles.

Joblessness could kill you, but recessions could be good for your health Posted: 24 Jul 2014 09:45 AM PDT While previous studies of individuals have shown that employees who lose their jobs have a higher mortality rate, more comprehensive studies have shown, unexpectedly, that population mortality actually declines as unemployment rates increase. Researchers set out to better understand these seemingly contradictory findings.

A reward is valued more if you choose it yourself: New quirky byproduct of learning from reward Posted: 24 Jul 2014 09:44 AM PDT Many people value rewards they choose themselves more than rewards they merely receive, even when the rewards are actually equivalent. A new study provides evidence that this long-observed quirk of behavior is a byproduct of how the brain reinforces learning from reward.

Voice for radio? New research reveals it's in the cords Posted: 24 Jul 2014 06:43 AM PDT Unique vocal cord vibration patterns might be the secret behind a good radio voice, new research reveals. The world-first study filmed the vocal folds of 16 male radio performers, including announcers, broadcasters, newsreaders and voice-over artists and found their vocal folds move and close faster than non-broadcasters.

Four-billion-year-old chemistry in cells today Posted: 24 Jul 2014 06:40 AM PDT Parts of the primordial soup in which life arose have been maintained in our cells today according to scientists. Research has revealed how cells in plants, yeast and very likely also in animals still perform ancient reactions thought to have been responsible for the origin of life -- some four billion years ago.

Dead body feeding larvae useful in forensic investigations Posted: 23 Jul 2014 09:39 AM PDT Non-biting blow fly Chrysomya megacephala is commonly found in dead bodies and is used in forensic investigations to determine the time of death, referred to as the post mortem interval. A report of synanthropic derived form of C. megacephala from Tamil Nadu is provided for the first time based on morphological features and molecular characterization through generation of DNA barcoding.

Human parasite Leishmania is a probiotic for the fly that carries it Posted: 23 Jul 2014 08:06 AM PDT The Leishmania parasite, which causes the human disease leishmaniasis, acts as a probiotic in the insect that transmits it to humans, protecting them from bacterial disease, research shows. Around 12 million people are currently infected with Leishmaniasis worldwide, mostly in South America, Africa and Asia. It is estimated to kill 20-50,000 people per year. Sandflies transmit the parasite by feeding on an infected mammal and, if they survive long enough, feeding on another mammal, and passing the parasite on to them.

In asthma, it's not just what you smell, but what you think you smell Posted: 22 Jul 2014 01:41 PM PDT Simply believing that an odor is potentially harmful can increase airway inflammation in asthmatics for at least 24 hours following exposure, research shows. The findings highlight the role that expectations can play in health-related outcomes.

New York squirrels are nuts about city life Posted: 22 Jul 2014 07:22 AM PDT Squirrels have adapted to New York City's human behavior, research shows, allowing them to thrive just as well, if not better, than their fellow squirrels in the woods. The study demonstrates that the eastern grey squirrels were able to modify their behavior in urban environments and prevent unnecessary responses when humans acted in a predictable manner, such as staying on the footpath.

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