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Ripples in solid materials act like the bizarre particles long sought by scientists

Monkey melodies inspired by the animals' calls had a calming effect, hinting at how human music may have evolvedMusic inspired by the soothing calls of contented monkeys relaxes the animals when it is played back to them, researchers have discovered.Researchers composed 'monkey melodies' to investigate whether non-human primates are capable of responding to music with the same emotions as people.They found that while monkeys were left cold by human music, they reacted emotionally to tunes that incorporated features commonly heard in monkey calls, such as rising and falling tones.Tamarin monkeys lounged around and ate more when they heard music inspired by the calming sounds the animals make when they are safe, the study found.Music based on more fearful monkey calls made the animals agitated and anxious when it was played in their enclosure.The study, published today in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters, will help psychologists understand the evolutionary roots of music and its

[NEWS] In the past few years, consumers have had growing concerns about the health risks associated with plastic products, specifically those with Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates. But, BPA and phthalates are only two of hundreds of chemicals that can leach from plastics and cause estrogenic activity (EA), which is a common and serious form of endocrine disruption.The polymer scientists and biologists at Austin-based PlastiPure have partnered with the California-based hydration specialists at Hydrapak to…

Emory University chemist Huw Davies got $1.5 million from the National Science Foundation to establish an NSF Center for Chemical Innovation, the Atlanta school said Tuesday.

Techniques such as CO2 removal and radiation reflection are 'untested parachutes' until they are rigorously tested, it saysExperiments on giant sunshades for the Earth and vast forests of artificial trees must begin immediately, according to the Royal Society, to ensure such mega-engineering plans are available as a safety net in case global talks to combat climate change fail.The scientists spent a year assessing geo-engineering technologies, deliberate planet-scale interventions in the climate system that attempt to counteract global warming. Their report, the most comprehensive to date, concluded that immediate investment is required to discover whether the potential risks outweigh the benefits.'Unless the world community can do better at cutting emissions, we fear we will need additional techniques such as geo-engineering to avoid very dangerous climate change in the future,' said John Shepherd of the University of Southampton, who chaired the RS report.'However, we are not advocat

Today's stories on newscientist.com, at a glance - including the benefits of bionic brain chips, why we need to think seriously about geoengineering, and lobster robots

[NEWS] The future of the Earth could rest on potentially dangerous and unproven geoengineering technologies unless emissions of carbon dioxide can be greatly reduced, a new study has found. The report (published September 1, by the Royal Society, the UK's national academy of science) found that unless future efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are much more successful than they have been so far, additional action in the form of geoengineering will be necessary to cool the planet. However, the repor…

SCIENTISTS from Singapore and Germany have made a new discovery that may unlock the secrets of youthful skin.

Geoengineering has so far been something of a taboo topic for climate scientists. Peter Cox and Hazel Jeffery explain why it is now time to take it seriously

Photo © Georgette Douwma / Getty Images. Scientists have discovered that whale sharks, the largest fish in the sea, all belong to one big school. Instead of breaking down into lots of little social groups scattered throughout their range, whale sharks around the world intermix in a single, widespread breeding population. This is pretty impressive, considering the range of whale sharks stretches in a broad band around the planet's belly that includes the tropical and warm temperate seas between 30°N and 35°S. Despite its massive size and apparent visibility, this giant fish remains in many respects a big mystery. Scientists know little about its behavior and life history but what they do know paints a picture of a gentle giant. Whale sharks are not fierce predators like their smaller cousin the great white shark. Instead, they calmly filter their meals from the water as they swim, mouths agape. They siphon a variety of tiny planktonic prey in this way from the water̵