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8 new things we’ve learned about music

8 new things we’ve learned about music

Why is it that music can affect us in such profound ways? “Because it does” seems like a pretty good answer to me, but scientists aren’t that easy. They’ve been wrestling with this for a long time, yet it was not that long ago that two researchers at McGill University in Montreal, Anne Blood and Robert Zatorre, came up with an explanation, at least a physiological one.

100 days without washing shirt

100 days without washing shirt

Wool&Prince claim they have invented a shirt that stays clean even after 100 days of wear, made from wool which is also wrinkle free.

Hypothalamus Brain Region May Hold Key to Aging

Hypothalamus Brain Region May Hold Key to Aging

While the search continues for the Fountain of Youth, researchers may have found the body’s “fountain of aging”: the brain region known as the hypothalamus.

Monster hurricane on Saturn captured by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft

Monster hurricane on Saturn captured by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft

The spinning vortex of Saturn’s north polar storm resembles a deep red rose of giant proportions surrounded by green foliage in this false-color image from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft. (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI). Video courtesy: NASA. NASA released spectacular new images of a hurricane swirling at Saturn’s north pole captured by Cassini spacecraft. The storm 20 times the [...]

ATV-5′s wings

ATV-5′s wings

This is one of ATV-5′s solar panels as it will fly in space. It is not necessary to protect the cables other than fixing them in a wavy line to withstand physical stress during launch and deployment.

Saturn storm’s ‘Suck Zone’ shown in spectacular Cassini shots

Saturn storm’s ‘Suck Zone’ shown in spectacular Cassini shots

These dizzying images of a hurricane on Saturn, of course, came as the spacecraft zoomed overhead at a safe distance. NASA’s goal in examining this huge hurricane is to figure out its mechanisms and to compare it to what happens on our home planet.

Why humidity makes your hair curl

Why humidity makes your hair curl

If you have long hair, you probably don’t need to look up a weather report to get an idea of how much humidity’s in the air: You can simply grab a fistful of hair and see how it feels. Human hair is extremely sensitive to humidity—so much that some hygrometers (devices that indicate humidity) use a hair as the measuring mechanism, because it changes in length based on the amount of moisture in the air.

Read more: http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2013/04/why-humidity-makes-your-hair-curl/#ixzz2RxfdP9jr
Follow us: @SmithsonianMag on Twitter

Stonehenge was an ancient burial ground for the rich: study

Stonehenge was an ancient burial ground for the rich: study

The site of Stonehenge — that mysterious collection of British rocks that could have served as a calendar using the stars — was also a graveyard for the elite, according to new research.

Read more: http://www.universetoday.com/101771/stonehenge-was-an-ancient-burial-ground-for-the-rich-study/#ixzz2Rxo17w3R

Merely a taste of beer can trigger a rush of chemical pleasure in the brain

Merely a taste of beer can trigger a rush of chemical pleasure in the brain

If you take just a sip of beer, and moments later—before you’ve had close to enough alcohol to get intoxicated, perhaps even before the beer has hit your stomach—feel a distinctly pleasurable sensation, it might not be strictly due to subtle aromas that result from the beverage’s blend of malt, hops and yeast. The cause of your pleasure might be due to tangible changes in your brain chemistry—specifically, a surge in levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine.

16 weird facts from around the Globe

16 weird facts from around the Globe

Interesting geographical facts that aren’t known to everyone. Learn more about the world in which we live in.

Kale: A Green Nutritional Powerhouse Everyone Should Eat

Kale: A Green Nutritional Powerhouse Everyone Should Eat

by Elizabeth Renter A delectable green nutritional powerhouse, kale is one of many superfoods that is a must-have in any kitchen. Like other superfoods like blueberries and green tea, kale provides a wealth of nutritional benefits from cancer prevention to anti-inflammation. But what else can kale do for you? Some of Kale’s Many Benefits Kale is rich [...]

An inside look at the water/urine recycling system on the Space Station

An inside look at the water/urine recycling system on the Space Station

International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield “lifts the lid” on the Water Recovery System, the first liquid recycling system to be flown in space that cleans almost all the “water” (greywater, urine, sweat) produced by crew members so that it can be used again. As previous space station resident Don Pettit has said, “Yesterday’s coffee becomes today’s coffee.”

How much do Americans know about science?

How much do Americans know about science?

An exclusive poll shows Americans crave stronger mathematics, science schooling for U.S. kids and have a pretty strong grasp of the subjects themselves.

14 fun facts about Penguins

14 fun facts about Penguins

Penguins seem a bit out of place on land, with their stand-out black jackets and clumsy waddling. But once you see their grace in the water, you know that’s where they’re meant to be–they are well-adapted to life in the ocean.

Cops could soon use breathalyzers to test for illegal drugs

Cops could soon use breathalyzers to test for illegal drugs

Your breath says a lot about you. Recent research has found that the chemicals present in each person’s breath can provide a unique “breathprint” that differs from person to person, while other scientists have worked on breathalyzer-like tests that can indicate the presence of a bacterial infection inside someone’s body.

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