Lunar Cycle Influences Spontaneous Delivery in Cows Lunar Cycle Influences Spontaneous Delivery in Cows: Nothing mentioned about what phase the moon is when the cow jumps over the moon. More research required. Digest powered by RSS Digest

"The study focuses on one of the most debated international types in the literature: ATU 333, ‘Little…" “The study focuses on one of the most debated international types in the literature: ATU 333, ‘Little Red Riding Hood’. A number of variants of ATU 333 have been recorded in European oral traditions, and it has been […]

The Detection of Prosocial Lying by Children – Eskritt – 2016 – Infant and Child Development – Wiley Online Library The Detection of Prosocial Lying by Children – Eskritt – 2016 – Infant and Child Development – Wiley Online Library: “Child lie detectors, unlike the adults, were also able to discriminate between adults’ truthful and […]

"Indeed, the question isn’t whether we’re going to have more fun doing something with friends rather…" “ Indeed, the question isn’t whether we’re going to have more fun doing something with friends rather than not. It’s about those times when we don’t have someone to see a new movie with, or eat at a newly […]

PLOS ONE: A Wider Pelvis Does Not Increase Locomotor Cost in Humans, with Implications for the Evolution of Childbirth PLOS ONE: A Wider Pelvis Does Not Increase Locomotor Cost in Humans, with Implications for the Evolution of Childbirth: Interesting, but it doesn’t seem that they looked at pelvis size vs size of birth canal. I […]

PLOS ONE: The Long and Winding Road to Uncertainty: The Link between Spatial Distance and Feelings of Uncertainty PLOS ONE: The Long and Winding Road to Uncertainty: The Link between Spatial Distance and Feelings of Uncertainty: Why the first time you walk anywhere always feels so far: “a feeling of uncertainty leads to a perception […]

Apparently we’ve reversed personalities. Me: Hey! There’s a truck across the street from a stoves and fireplaces shop! Shall we mount an assault? Do you want the distract-the-driver bit or the unloading-the-back bit? Him: What? Me: A truck full of stoves. And fireplaces. Him: And you want one? Me: I was thinking of all of […]

PLOS ONE: Quantification and Qualification of Bacteria Trapped in Chewed Gum PLOS ONE: Quantification and Qualification of Bacteria Trapped in Chewed Gum: Yeccch. Although there are worse things one can do as a grad student than chew some gum for 10 minutes. Digest powered by RSS Digest

"Motivated by the search for Genghis Khan’s tomb, participants were tasked with finding an…" “Motivated by the search for Genghis Khan’s tomb, participants were tasked with finding an archaeological enigma that lacks any historical description of its potential visual appearance. Without a pre-existing reference for validation we turn towards consensus, defined by kernel density estimation, […]

"So, what about Christmas? On Dec.25, 2013, the percentage of all orders that were for Chinese food…" “So, what about Christmas? On Dec.25, 2013, the percentage of all orders that were for Chinese food increased by 152 percent. By comparison, the fraction of orders from restaurants listed on the site as American, pizza, or Mexican […]

PLOS ONE: Drinking Songs: Alcohol Effects on Learned Song of Zebra Finches PLOS ONE: Drinking Songs: Alcohol Effects on Learned Song of Zebra Finches: “Shall we get another pitcher?” pondered the scientist. “Also, I wonder if zebra finches would drink if you put booze in front of them? And do they forget the words and […]

"A 2013 study suggests that if one is going to be shot with a bullet, one might be better off naked…." “A 2013 study suggests that if one is going to be shot with a bullet, one might be better off naked. On the other hand, different study suggests that if one is going to […]

"To ascertain the extent to which people are insensitive to patches of serious conversational…" “To ascertain the extent to which people are insensitive to patches of serious conversational incoherence, we generated such patches in the laboratory by repeatedly crossing two unrelated conversations. Across two studies, involving both narrowly and broadly focused conversations, between 27% and […]

…and from people with whom I converse there. The arrows on the Toronto PATH signs refer to the directions: north is blue, south is red, east is yellow and west is orange. Wouldn’t it be nice if they actually told people this? My mnemonic is silly but in case it helps: blue is a cold […]

Me: I wouldn’t be able to pick Philip Seymour Hoffman out of a lineup. Well, maybe today I could. He’d be the slumpy one with the flies. Husband: (spits wine)

"Anecdotal evidence suggests sharks generally take swimmers from behind. This would make sense from…" “Anecdotal evidence suggests sharks generally take swimmers from behind. This would make sense from the shark’s point of view, since its approach would not be detected. But it does depend on its knowing what “behind” means when applied to such an […]

PLOS ONE: Who Needs Cream and Sugar When There Is Eco-Labeling? Taste and Willingness to Pay for “Eco-Friendly” Coffee PLOS ONE: Who Needs Cream and Sugar When There Is Eco-Labeling? Taste and Willingness to Pay for “Eco-Friendly” Coffee: Carrying the “people enjoy expensive wine more than cheap wine even if it’s actually the same wine,” […]

Can Inner Peace be Improved by Mindfulness Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial – Liu – 2013 – Stress and Health – Wiley Online Library Can Inner Peace be Improved by Mindfulness Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial – Liu – 2013 – Stress and Health – Wiley Online Library: In short: yes. Digest powered by RSS […]

PLOS ONE: Torsion and Bending in the Neck and Tail of Sauropod Dinosaurs and the Function of Cervical Ribs: Insights from Functional Morphology and Biomechanics PLOS ONE: Torsion and Bending in the Neck and Tail of Sauropod Dinosaurs and the Function of Cervical Ribs: Insights from Functional Morphology and Biomechanics: The tail-sticking-straight-out theory gains evidence. […]