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New Robotic Jellyfish Powered by Water Itself

Kevin Spak — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:32:30 CDT

A group of scientists backed by the US Navy is developing a robotic jellyfish that should, in theory, be able to power itself indefinitely, because it draws its fuel from the hydrogen in the water around it, the Telegraph reports. The so-called "robojelly" works a lot like real jellyfish, which...

Pot Linked to Slacking Off at Work

Mary Papenfuss — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 01:19:00 CST

Here's a finding that seems to be a waste of research money: Smoking marijuana is linked to decreased motivation at work. But scientists aren't sure if the pot is to blame, or if people who tend to toke are a tad too chill to begin with—or so angry with...

Vitamins Boost Women's Risk of Dying

Neal Colgrass — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:50:00 CDT

Popping too many vitamins may actually shorten your life, a new study says. Researchers looked at the supplement intake of 38,000 women, starting in their early 60s, over 19 years—and found vitamin-users had a 2.4% higher chance of dying. Multivitamins, B6, iron, zinc, copper, folic acid, and...

Apples, Pears Fend Off Strokes

Neal Colgrass — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 15:16:15 CDT

An apple a day may keep the doctor away, and more specifically lessen your chance of having a stroke. High consumption of apples and other white-fleshed fruit like pears, bananas, and cauliflower reduced people's likelihood of a stroke by 52% in a new Dutch study, the Daily Mail reports. Red/purple,...

Early Risers Happier, Healthier

Evann Gastaldo — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:30:05 CDT

If you're not a morning person by nature, perhaps this will convince you to lay off the snooze button: A new study finds that those who get out of bed by 6:58am, on average, do better in the workplace and have a lower chance of being depressed, stressed, or...

'Jaws' Leaps Into Research Boat

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:00:00 CDT

A great white shark proved a bit too cooperative, and leaped into a boat full of researchers who were luring the killer creatures off South Africa by throwing bait into the water. "Next thing I know I hear a splash, and see a white shark breach out of the water,...

Team to Unearth Bones... of Mona Lisa?

Mary Papenfuss — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 02:58:42 CDT

Florence researchers are about to excavate the bones of the woman they believe served as the model for Mona Lisa . Their hope is that facial reconstruction will prove once and for all if Lisa Gherardini was the subject of the Leonardo da Vinci portrait that has mesmerized viewers for centuries....

'Tree Octopus' Hoax Shows Kids Believe Anything Online

Rob Quinn — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 07:28:58 CST

Today's students have a worrying habit of believing everything they read on the Internet, according to a researcher who found it easy to trick young people into believing that endangered "tree octopuses" live in the Pacific Northwest. Students directed to a phony website highlighting the creature's plight continued to insist...

Placebo Effect Works— Even if You Know Pill Is Fake

Evann Gastaldo — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:02:37 CST

Turns out the placebo effect can work—even if the patient knows the pills he’s taking are fake. Researchers gave 40 people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome pills and explained they were like sugar pills—the bottle even had the word “placebo” on it—that patients had to take twice...