[url]http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/18799/20151216/greater-vasa-parrots-make-tools-grind-seashells-nutritious-calcium-powder.htm[/url]

[QUOTE]In a recent study of ten captive parrots, psychologists from the Universities of York and St. Andrews discovered these resourceful birds can make grinding tools to acquire calcium from seashells.[/QUOTE]

[url]https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/12/24/cameras-capture-never-before-seen-footage-of-wild-crows-building-tools/[/url]

[QUOTE]Tiny cameras attached to wild New Caledonian crows capture, for the first time, video footage of these elusive birds fashioning hooked stick tools, according to researchers.[/QUOTE]

SpaceX manage to land a first stage rocket on land (aat the 4th minute beware it id loud)
[youtube]BZ6yKSpi2ks[/youtube]

[URL="http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/a18573/closest-habitable-planet-wolf-1061/"]Astronomers Discover a Potentially Habitable Planet Just 14 Light Years Away[/URL]

[URL="http://www.futurity.org/correlated-metals-screens-1071452-2/"]New Transparent Metal Could Make Screens Cheaper[/URL]

[URL="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/42a2c410305141328781913724c3b742/made-just-his-kids-profs-board-game-now-taking"]Made just for his kids, prof's card game is now taking off[/URL]

[URL="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151216082154.htm"]n US, poverty dampens genetic influence on IQ[/URL]

[URL="http://phys.org/news/2015-11-phase-carbon-diamond-room-temperature.html"]Researchers find new phase of carbon, make diamond at room temperature[/URL]

[URL="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151203160142.htm"]Interventions may temporarily raise kids' IQs, but there is fadeout over time[/URL]

[URL="http://nautil.us/issue/30/identity/the-man-who-used-facebook-to-find-an-extinct-human-species"]The Man Who Used Facebook to Find an Extinct Human Species[/URL]

Reusable, sugar-based polymer purifies water fast
 

[URL="http://arstechnica.com/science/2016/01/reusable-sugar-based-polymer-purifies-water-fast/"]"Clean water is essentia[/URL]l, yet in certain parts of the world, it's very difficult to obtain. Unfortunately, our limited water resources are being polluted by chemicals from industrial plants, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and more.

Adsorbant materials composed of carbon are often used to remove many of these organic pollutants. However, they act slowly, typically miss hydrophilic micropollutants, and can be difficult to reuse.

Scientists working on developing inexpensive materials that can purify water quickly have been working with an insoluble polymer called β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)—a big loop of linked sugar molecules. Recently, they've discovered a way to cross-link β-CD using aromatic groups forming a porous, cross-linked complex. The porous, cross-linked β-CD has an increased surface area that significantly speeds the removal of pollutants."

Quick humorous hits:
[QUOTE=rogue;420434][URL="http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/a18573/closest-habitable-planet-wolf-1061/"]Astronomers Discover a Potentially Habitable Planet Just 14 Light Years Away[/URL][/quote]
"...Virgin Galactic hopes to initiate one-way shuttle service for Earth's oligarchs before next global economic bust brings the torches and pitchforks out in earnest."

[quote][URL="http://www.futurity.org/correlated-metals-screens-1071452-2/"]New Transparent Metal Could Make Screens Cheaper[/URL][/quote]
Hopefully with suitable royalties to the estate of the late Star Trek Enterprise chief engineer Montgomery Scott, famed as the discoverer of transparent Aluminum.

[quote][URL="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151216082154.htm"]In US, poverty dampens genetic influence on IQ[/URL][/quote]
Cynical oligarchic PR-spin-to-the-poor: "See? We're doing you a favor by keeping your poor, by leveling the playing field for your kids!"

[quote][URL="http://phys.org/news/2015-11-phase-carbon-diamond-room-temperature.html"]Researchers find new phase of carbon, make diamond at room temperature[/URL][/quote]
How to make a diamond disappear at room temperature has of course been a staple of crime lore for centuries.

[quote][URL="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151203160142.htm"]Interventions may temporarily raise kids' IQs, but there is fadeout over time[/URL][/quote]
Thus reinforcing our claim above that impoverishment is the better way to go here.

[quote][URL="http://nautil.us/issue/30/identity/the-man-who-used-facebook-to-find-an-extinct-human-species"]The Man Who Used Facebook to Find an Extinct Human Species[/URL][/QUOTE]
Homo Sapiens Attentionspanlongerthan15secundicus?

=====================

[url=https://www.sciencenews.org/article/four-elements-earn-permanent-seats-periodic-table]Four elements earn permanent seats on the periodic table[/url] | Science News

Ooh, I know this one! Earth, Wind, Air and Fire, right?

[QUOTE=ewmayer;421164]Ooh, I know this one! Earth, Wind, Air and Fire, right?[/QUOTE]Nope.

Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.

Three out of four aint too bad.

How far are we from the expected island of stability?

[QUOTE=xilman;421180]Nope.

Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.

Three out of four aint too bad.[/QUOTE]

I plead the 'victim of Motown group name'-mind-addlement defense, yer honor, and throw myself on the mercy of yer courtship.

[QUOTE=ewmayer;421244]I plead the 'victim of Motown group name'-mind-addlement defense, yer honor, and throw myself on the mercy of yer courtship.[/QUOTE]In modern terminology they are, of course, solid, liquid, gas and plasma.

[url=www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/01/qa-ancient-remedies-head-super-bug-crisis-160106155521967.html]Q&A: Can ancient remedies head off super-bug crisis?[/url] - Al Jazeera English
[quote]Scientists at the University of Nottingham say they have discovered that a 1,000-year-old Anglo-Saxon treatment - used for eye infections and recorded in the medieval Bald's Leechbook - has an extraordinary ability to kill MRSA, a drug-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus.The 10th century remedy - which includes garlic, wine, and cow bile - has yet to be tested on humans, but it has showed promising signs that it could contribute significantly to the fight against the deadly bacterial infection, researchers say.[/quote]
Hopefully will not literally require "eye of newt" - think of the poor innocent newts!

(Aside: some witch with a huge facial mole and a nose long as a carrot turned me into a newt once ... I got better on my own, though. I subsequently tried to get even with the wicked witch by building a bridge out of her, but ended being cited by local authorities for unlicensed construction using unapproved materials.)