The Friday Five – Halloween edition

Highlighting some of the coolest science news we’ve seen lately...Halloween edition!

1. Are ghosts real? Science says there’s not a ghost of a chance!

The scariest thing about this scene:  the paucity of channels on the TV.

2. Looking for a way to merge your love of physics with trick or treating? Check out these physics-themed Halloween costume ideas.

This Halloween, go as anti-matter!

 

3. We have nothing to fear but biochemistry. The American Chemical Society has released a neat little video about the chemistry of fear.

 

4. Ever wonder what would happen if you could cross a panda and an owl? A bird with a baboon? Here is a collection of eerie animal hybrids generated with a little help from Photoshop.

The Pandowl

5. Here’s how to make some creepy Halloween decorations from the comfort of your own haunted house!

Science quote of the week:

“Back off, man! I'm a scientist!” –Peter Venkman, Ghostbusters

Contributed by:  Bill Sullivan

Follow Bill on Twitter: @wjsullivan

The Friday Five

Highlighting some of the coolest science news we’ve seen lately.

1. We recently reported on the usage of stem cells to produce insulin. A new study published in the Lancet shows that injection of stem cells into the eyes of nearly blind patients helped improve vision in several of them.

2. A paralyzed man has been able to walk again after a pioneering therapy that involved transplanting cells from his nasal cavity into his spinal cord.

Scientists did the reverse experiment and made his nose run!

3. We live in a sea of information and “scientific studies”. How can you tell the good ones from the bogus ones? Here are some good rules of thumb, even if you do not have a background in science.

 

4. Sex has been around a long time, but sex that involved one member of the species penetrating another is now thought to have appeared about 385 million years ago in Scotland among armored fish called Microbrachius dicki (of course). You can read about the study here and even watch an imagination of the fish sex below (it doesn't take long...they're Scottish after all!).

5. Did all of that ancient fish sex get you overheated? Cool off now with some crazy (but risky!) experiments you can do with dry ice.
 

BONUS!

In our ongoing coverage of celebrities getting newly found organisms named after them, here is the latest:  a new species of tarantula from South America was named Bumba lennoni to commemorate John Lennon.

Science quote of the week:

“Captain, the most elementary and valuable statement in science, the beginning of wisdom, is, ‘I do not know’.” -- Lt.Cmdr. Data, Star Trek The Next Generation

Contributed by:  Bill Sullivan

Follow Bill on Twitter: @wjsullivan
 

Schwartz, S., Regillo, C., Lam, B., Eliott, D., Rosenfeld, P., Gregori, N., Hubschman, J., Davis, J., Heilwell, G., Spirn, M., Maguire, J., Gay, R., Bateman, J., Ostrick, R., Morris, D., Vincent, M., Anglade, E., Del Priore, L., & Lanza, R. (2014). Human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium in patients with age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt's macular dystrophy: follow-up of two open-label phase 1/2 studies The Lancet DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61376-3

Long, J., Mark-Kurik, E., Johanson, Z., Lee, M., Young, G., Min, Z., Ahlberg, P., Newman, M., Jones, R., Blaauwen, J., Choo, B., & Trinajstic, K. (2014). Copulation in antiarch placoderms and the origin of gnathostome internal fertilization Nature DOI: 10.1038/nature13825

Perez-Miles, F., Bragio Bonaldo, A., & Miglio, L. (2014). Bumba, a replacement name for Maraca Pérez-Miles, 2005 and Bumba lennoni, a new tarantula species from western Amazonia (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae) ZooKeys, 448, 1-8 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.448.7920