thoughtcrumbs

Fun with science

Some recent studies with surprising results:

* Cows point north-south. Scientists studying blind mole rats, who are able to find their way in underground tunnels using electromagnetic fields, were curious whether larger animals also perceived magnetism. They watched herds of cows grazing in several locations throughout the day using Google Earth and determined that cattle do, indeed, orient themselves toward the magnetic pole. The images weren't high-res enough to tell if the cows were facing north or south, but other scientists observing deer in the Czech Republic found those animals to point north.

* Female relatives of male homosexuals have more offspring. Geneticists studying the paradox of the persistence of homosexuality across generations despite the fact that most gay men don't reproduce believe that there may be a gene (or combination of genes) carried on the X chromosome that influences sexual identity, and may be linked to higher fertility among their maternal relatives. (source article)

I learned about the second study from the Stranger's Dear Science podcast. And I have a crush on the author. Science is sexy.