My picks from ScienceDaily

Dinosaur Fossils Fit Perfectly Into The Evolutionary Tree Of Life, Study Finds:

A recent study by researchers at the University of Bath and London's Natural History Museum has found that scientists' knowledge of the evolution of dinosaurs is remarkably complete.

Global Warming Fix? Some Of Earth's Climate Troubles Should Face Burial At Sea, Scientists Say:

Making bales with 30 percent of global crop residues - the stalks and such left after harvesting - and then sinking the bales into the deep ocean could reduce the build up of global carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by up to 15 percent a year, according to just published calculations.

High Hormone Levels In Women May Lead To Infidelity, Study Shows:

Women with high levels of the sex hormone oestradiol may engage in opportunistic mating, according to a new study by psychology researchers at The University of Texas at Austin. Doctoral candidate Kristina Durante and Assistant Professor of Psychology Norm Li published their findings in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biology Letters.

Although Our Genetics Differ Significantly, We All Look Alike:

The genetic variation within a species can be significant, but very little of that variation results in clear differences in morphology or other phenotypes. Much of the diversity remains hidden 'under the surface' in buffered form.

What Happens When We Sleep:

Lack of sleep is a common complaint but for many, falling asleep involuntarily during the day poses a very real and dangerous problem. A new study from the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) at McGill University demonstrates interestingly, that sleep-wake states are regulated by two different types of nerve cells (neurons), melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) neurons and orexin (Orx) neurons, which occupy the same region of the brain but perform opposite functions.

Dog Owners More Likely To Share Germs With Pets By Not Washing Hands Than By Sleeping With Dog:

Dog owners who sleep with their pet or permit licks on the face are in good company. Surveys show that more than half of owners bond with their pets in these ways.

Adolescents With Unpopular Names More Prone To Committing Crime:

A new study in the journal Social Science Quarterly examined the relationship between first name popularity in adolescents and tendency to commit crime. Results show that, regardless of race, juveniles with unpopular names are more likely to engage in criminal activity.

Is Technology Producing A Decline In Critical Thinking And Analysis?:

As technology has played a bigger role in our lives, our skills in critical thinking and analysis have declined, while our visual skills have improved, according to research by Patricia Greenfield, UCLA distinguished professor of psychology and director of the Children's Digital Media Center, Los Angeles.

More like this

The crop sequestration concerns me. We already are losing topsoil, would that contribute to it? Is it only the C02 taken out of the air that we're burying, or is it also mineral nutrients and micro-nutrients?

I tend to the radical extreme there - I agree with the WELL (Willits Economic LocaLization) that we need to learn how to compost everything, including meat, which has to be minimized, and rats be damned, human waste, animal waste, and even people instead of using cemeteries or cremation.

By Marion Delgado (not verified) on 03 Feb 2009 #permalink