Science news of the day thread.

[Tero]

Polyphosphoric acid
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphosphoric_acid

Contains the energy releasing bonds that ATP has. You have to domehow evaporate water to get the gooy mass out of regular phosphoric acid.

[MiM]

So how weird is this?

"In February 2012, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Frank Wilczek decided to go public with a strange and, he worried, somewhat embarrassing idea. Impossible as it seemed, Wilczek had developed an apparent proof of “time crystals” — physical structures that move in a repeating pattern, like minute hands rounding clocks, without expending energy or ever winding down. Unlike clocks or any other known objects, time crystals derive their movement not from stored energy but from a break in the symmetry of time, enabling a special form of perpetual motion."

continued...

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/ ... -crystals/

[FBM]

So how weird is this?

"In February 2012, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Frank Wilczek decided to go public with a strange and, he worried, somewhat embarrassing idea. Impossible as it seemed, Wilczek had developed an apparent proof of “time crystals” — physical structures that move in a repeating pattern, like minute hands rounding clocks, without expending energy or ever winding down. Unlike clocks or any other known objects, time crystals derive their movement not from stored energy but from a break in the symmetry of time, enabling a special form of perpetual motion."

continued...

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/ ... -crystals/

That's right up there with the weirdest. Something to keep an eye out for. However, "An international team led by Berkeley scientists is preparing an elaborate lab experiment, although it may take “anywhere between three and infinity years” to complete..."

[FBM]

Alien-Looking Skeleton Poses Medical Mystery

A 6-inch-long skeleton was found in the Atacama Desert in Chile. The skeleton showed several anomalies, including its alien-like skull, teensy body and the fact that it had just 10 ribs rather than the 12.

...

[Svartalf]

Likelihood of it being a fake?

[FBM]

Slim and none, it seems. They've already DNA tested its DNA, so I'd say scientists have already given it a thorough going-over.

[Blind groper]

Likelihood of it being a fake?

Roughly 100% in my ever so humble opinion.

[FBM]

Forgot to post the link to the story: http://news.discovery.com/human/alien-l ... pgn=fbsci1

[Svartalf]

They DNA tested the thing and they can't say what gender it was? THAT says "hoax" louder than any other ridiculous claims...

[FBM]

Seems like gender would be among the first and easiest things to determine.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

How did that live 6-8 years?

[FBM]

That's the main thing that piqued my curiosity. It may yet turn out to be a hoax, but...Stanford School of Medicine?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

That's the main thing that piqued my curiosity. It may yet turn out to be a hoax, but...Stanford School of Medicine?

"First reports are always wrong." So are second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. Otsi comes to mind here. They looked at his xrays for years before somebody noticed an arrowhead buried in his back.

[FBM]

We'll find out sooner or later, I suppose, but if Stanford took their own DNA samples from the thing, it's going to be interesting to see how they screwed that up.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

We'll find out sooner or later, I suppose, but if Stanford took their own DNA samples from the thing, it's going to be interesting to see how they screwed that up.

Grad students.