Editor's picks: In pursuit of dark matter, postmenopausal whales, dwarf planet arrival, clues to human origins, new guidance on coffee, and more

Science News Editor's Picks 03/08/15

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FEATURE Sam Ting tries to expose dark matter's mysteries BY ANDREW GRANT Particle physicist Sam Ting is applying a meticulous approach to analyzing positrons in space, testing whether they can reveal clues about dark matter.  Read More Read More»

NEWS Killer whales follow postmenopausal leaders BY SUSAN MILIUS Taking the lead on salmon hunts may be postmenopausal killer whales’ way of sharing their ecological knowledge. Read More Read More»

NEWS Dawn spacecraft arrives at dwarf planet Ceres BY CHRISTOPHER CROCKETT The Dawn spacecraft arrives at Ceres to begin a 14-month investigation of the dwarf planet. Read More Read More»

NEWS Tropical plant knows whose bill is in its flowers BY KATE BAGGALEY A rainforest plant avoids inbreeding by accepting pollen only from hummingbird species that must travel to reach it. Read More Read More»

NEWS IN BRIEF Hundreds of galaxies seen in a new 3-D view of the universe BY CHRISTOPHER CROCKETT A new instrument lets astronomers measure the distances to hundreds of galaxies at once, looking back across the age of the universe. Read More Read More»

NEWS Ancient jaw may hold clues to origins of human genus BY BRUCE BOWER A 2.8-million-year-old fossil from Ethiopia raises questions about the origins and evolution of the human genus, Homo.  Read More Read More»

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More Headlines from Science News NEWS Brain cells predict opponent’s move in game-playing monkeys Newly discovered brain cells help monkeys predict whether a companion will cooperate. Read More BY TINA HESMAN SAEY NEWS IN BRIEF Volcanic lightning forges tiny glass balls from airborne ash The lightning that crackles through volcanic plumes can melt ash into tiny glass beads. Read More BY THOMAS SUMNER WILD THINGS How a young praying mantis makes a precision leap Videos of juvenile praying mantises flying through the air reveal how the insects manage to always make a perfect landing. Read More BY SARAH ZIELINSKI NEWS Trying to get the down-low on gravity A twist on a classic quantum mechanics experiment could lead to the discovery of elusive gravitons.Read More BY ANDREW GRANT SCICURIOUS Report offers stimulating recommendation on coffee Results from a committee of experts give the blessing to moderate coffee intake. But as we all raise our mugs, the science behind the report is worth a closer look. Read More BY BETHANY BROOKSHIRE