Science Quickly

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Stone Age Pottery Reveals Signs of Beekeeping Nov 12, 2015

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Beeswax residues found on shards of stone age pottery in the Mediterranean region indicate that humans were keeping honeybees as early as 9,000 years ago

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What Makes Sand Dunes Sing Nov 11, 2015

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Engineers at Caltech discovered that for sand dunes to produce sound they need a dry layer on top that amplifies internal frequencies during sand movement. Christopher Intagliata reports

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Brain Rhythms Sync to Musical Beat Nov 10, 2015

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The human brain's neurons fire in sync to music, and trained musicians are better at it than are amateurs

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Brain Responds to Driving Routes Repeatedly Nov 06, 2015

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Learning detailed navigation information causes the hippocampus to interact with other regions of the brain involved in location

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Arctic Marine Mammals Swim Up to the Microphone Nov 05, 2015

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As Arctic sea ice melts, an underwater recording project reveals that the submerged ecology is undergoing change, with humpbacks and killer whales staying north later in the year. Christopher Intagliata reports

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Decoy Mating Call Battles Citrus Pest Nov 03, 2015

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Researchers developed a call that effectively mimics the citrus psyllid's mating song, which could be a weapon against a devastating crop scourge. Christopher Intagliata reports

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Methane Plumes Bubbling along U.S. Northwest Coast Nov 02, 2015

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Researchers report a spike in the number of methane plumes along the Northwest coast emanating from depths of about 500 meters, a possible indication that submerged frozen methane is becoming available

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Cultural Goofs Gear Up Gray Matter Oct 29, 2015

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People exposed to incongruent situations, such as Halloween-themed plates at a Labor Day picnic, performed better on cognitive-reasoning tests and were less likely to make impulse purchases or overeat

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Whale Poop Drives Global Nutrient Cycling Oct 28, 2015

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Whales fertilize ocean surface waters with key nutrients like phosphorus, which move through the food chain, and eventually, onto land. Christopher Intagliata reports

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Road Runoff a No-No for Coho Oct 26, 2015

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Researchers have found the first direct evidence that coho salmon near U.S. Northwest cities are being killed by chemical runoff from roads and parking lots that reach streams

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