ScienceDaily: Strange Science News

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• Smartphone experiment tracks whether our life story is written in our gut bacteria
• Microbes make the sake brewery
• Nostalgia effect: Do consumers spend more when thinking about the past?
• Bacteria swim with whole body, not just propellers
• Does a work-out give you a bad hair day? Overcoming barriers to physical activity for African-American women

Smartphone experiment tracks whether our life story is written in our gut bacteria Posted: 25 Jul 2014 05:04 AM PDT Life events such as visiting another country or contracting a disease cause a significant shift in the make-up of the gut microbiota -- the community of bacteria living in the digestive system, according to. Two participants in a recent study used smartphone apps to collect information every day for a year. The authors think the method could be rolled out to studies of human-bacteria relationships with many more participants.

Microbes make the sake brewery Posted: 24 Jul 2014 02:20 PM PDT A sake brewery has its own microbial terroir, meaning the microbial populations found on surfaces in the facility resemble those found in the product, creating the final flavor according to research. This is the first time investigators have taken a microbial census of a sake brewery.

Nostalgia effect: Do consumers spend more when thinking about the past? Posted: 22 Jul 2014 08:17 AM PDT Say you are out clothes shopping and you spot something that brings you back to a special time from your childhood when you were surrounded by friends and family. Suddenly, you find yourself purchasing an expensive shirt that makes you feel like a kid again. According to a new study, we're more likely to spend money when we're feeling nostalgic.

Bacteria swim with whole body, not just propellers Posted: 21 Jul 2014 12:19 PM PDT Many bacteria swim using flagella, corkscrew-like appendages that push or pull bacterial cells like tiny propellers. It's long been assumed that the flagella do all the work during swimming, while the rest of the cell body is just along for the ride. But new research shows that a helical movement of the cell body generates thrust and helps the organism to swim.

Does a work-out give you a bad hair day? Overcoming barriers to physical activity for African-American women Posted: 21 Jul 2014 10:20 AM PDT African American women whose hairstyle is affected by perspiration may avoid physical activity altogether, a study finds. However, researchers report that a recent societal culture shift may help African American women to overcome hairstyle barriers to activity. "We had some women (in the study) describe concerns of getting fired if they came to work with a low-maintenance hairstyle such as braids or natural hair, but we also heard women saying that they feel there is a growing cultural acceptance of these types of low-maintenance hairstyles."

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