My picks from ScienceDaily

Giant Panda Mating Season At National Zoo:

The 2008 giant panda mating season began Tuesday, March 18, at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Female Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) and male Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN) attempted to mate throughout the day Tuesday.

The Song Doesn't Remain The Same In Fragmented Bird Populations:

The song of passerine birds is a conspicuous and exaggerated display shaped by sexual selection in the context of male-male competition or mate attraction. At the level of the individual, song is considered an indicator of male 'quality'.

Color Vision System Independent Of Motion Detection in Eye Sight:

The vision system used to process color is separate from that used to detect motion, according to a new study by researchers at New York University's Center for Developmental Genetics and in the Department of Genetics and Neurobiology at Germany's University of Würzburg. The findings run counter to previous scholarship that suggested motion detection and color contrast may work in tandem.

Happily Marrieds Have Lower Blood Pressure Than Social Singles:

Happily married adults have lower blood pressure than singles with supportive social networks. Both men and women in happy marriages scored four points lower on 24-hour blood pressure than single adults. Having supportive friends did not translate into improved blood pressure for singles or unhappily marrieds.

Animation Aids Psychology In 'Second Life' Experiment:

Bournemouth University's computer animation experts have been awarded a major grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to support a three-year project linking animation to psychology.

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