Strange & Offbeat News -- ScienceDaily

Voices in people's heads more complex than previously thought Posted: 10 Mar 2015 05:57 PM PDT Voices in people's heads are far more varied and complex than previously thought. One of the largest and most detailed studies to date on the experience of auditory hallucinations, commonly referred to as voice hearing, found that the majority of voice-hearers hear multiple voices with distinct character-like qualities, with many also experiencing physical effects on their bodies. The study also confirmed that both people with and without psychiatric diagnoses hear voices.

Fast-moving unbound star has broken the galactic speed record Posted: 10 Mar 2015 05:56 PM PDT Astronomers have discovered the fastest ever unbound star in our galaxy. The unbound star, named US708, is traveling at 1,200 kilometers per second -- the fastest speed ever recorded for such an object in our galaxy -- meaning it is not held back by gravity and will eventually leave the Milky Way.

Move over Mozart: Study shows cats prefer their own beat Posted: 10 Mar 2015 01:00 PM PDT As more animal shelters, primate centers and zoos start to play music for their charges, it's still not clear whether and how human music affects animals. Now, a study shows that while cats ignore our music, they are highly responsive to "music" written especially for them.

UK skies set to dim in decade's deepest solar eclipse Posted: 10 Mar 2015 10:19 AM PDT On 20 March a total eclipse of the Sun will take place, visible from the North Atlantic Ocean. Observers in the UK and Ireland will see a partial solar eclipse, with up to 97% of the Sun blocked out. This will be the deepest eclipse in the UK since 1999 and until 2026.

The chameleon reorganizes its nanocrystals to change colors Posted: 10 Mar 2015 09:31 AM PDT Many chameleons have the remarkable ability to exhibit complex and rapid color changes during social interactions. Biologists have now unveiled the mechanisms that regulate this phenomenon. They have demonstrated that the changes take place via the active tuning of a lattice of nanocrystals present in a superficial layer of dermal cells called iridophores. The researchers also reveal the existence of a deeper population of iridophores with larger and less ordered crystals that reflect the infrared light. The organisation of iridophores into two superimposed layers constitutes an evolutionary novelty and it allows the chameleons to rapidly shift between efficient camouflage and spectacular display, while providing passive thermal protection.

March Madness brackets: Flipping a coin is your best bet Posted: 10 Mar 2015 09:30 AM PDT Each year, millions of people lose billions of dollars in NCAA March Madness basketball pools. Still, most return the following year for another pummeling.

Autism risk genes also linked to higher intelligence Posted: 10 Mar 2015 07:52 AM PDT Genes linked with a greater risk of developing autism may also be associated with higher intelligence, a study suggests.

Committing 'gamblers fallacy' may be in the cards, new research shows Posted: 10 Mar 2015 06:15 AM PDT It's called the gambler's fallacy: After a long streak of losses, you feel you are going to win. But in reality, your odds of winning are no different than they were before. For years, the gambler's fallacy has been thought to be a prime example of human irrationality, but a new study suggests that our brains naturally soak up the strange statistics of random sequences.

Mysterious phenomena in a gigantic galaxy-cluster collision Posted: 10 Mar 2015 06:15 AM PDT Using new capabilities of the Very Large Array, astronomers have made a fascinating image revealing details of the interactions between a pair of galaxy clusters.

Welcome to the neighborhood: New dwarf galaxies discovered in orbit around the Milky Way Posted: 10 Mar 2015 06:13 AM PDT Astronomers have discovered a 'treasure trove' of rare dwarf satellite galaxies orbiting our own Milky Way. The discoveries could hold the key to understanding dark matter, the mysterious substance which holds our galaxy together.

Optical fibers light the way for brain-like computing Posted: 10 Mar 2015 04:41 AM PDT Computers that function like the human brain could soon become a reality thanks to new research using optical fibers made of speciality glass. The research has the potential to allow faster and smarter optical computers capable of learning and evolving. Researchers have demonstrated how neural networks and synapses in the brain can be reproduced, with optical pulses as information carriers, using special fibers made from glasses that are sensitive to light, known as chalcogenides.

Cosmic dust discs withstand hellfire beside massive young stars in center of Milky Way Posted: 10 Mar 2015 04:41 AM PDT Astronomers have discovered an unusual phenomenon in the center of the Milky Way: They detected about 20 rotating dust and gas discs in each cluster hosting exceptionally large and hot stars. The existence of these discs in the presence of the destructive UV radiation field of their massive neighbors came as a surprise. The science team is pondering how these rotating discs are able to withstand evaporation under these extreme conditions.

Bio-inspired eye stabilizes robot's flight Posted: 10 Mar 2015 04:41 AM PDT Biorobotics researchers have developed the first aerial robot able to fly over uneven terrain that is stabilized visually without an accelerometer. Called BeeRotor, it adjusts its speed and avoids obstacles thanks to optic flow sensors inspired by insect vision. It can fly along a tunnel with uneven, moving walls without measuring either speed or altitude.

Molecular Lego of knots Posted: 10 Mar 2015 04:40 AM PDT Trefoil, Savoy, or simple ... how do you fashion a "molecular" knot that has one of these shapes? Or better still, what are the most suitable "building blocks" for enabling the knot to assemble itself? A team of scientists has studied and catalogued the shapes that molecular building blocks should have so as to be able to assemble spontaneously into knots having specific forms, each with a possible utility in nanotechnology.

Deciding on a purchase: Does it matter if you look up or down while shopping? Posted: 04 Mar 2015 12:26 PM PST Next time you look up at a higher shelf in a store or down at your phone when making a purchase, think about how the direction you are looking could influence your decision. According to a new study, consumers choose different products when looking up versus down.