Why cats prefer silver vine to catnip and other May highlights
Summary
Scientists recently uncovered several interesting discoveries. These include an ancient mining site in the Pyrenees, a new tiny blue octopus species found deep in the Galapagos, and how cats prefer silver vine over catnip. Researchers also studied singing mice and political polarization using new scientific methods.Key Facts
- Archaeologists found evidence of a prehistoric copper smelting site in a cave in the Pyrenees, with artifacts and hearths dated between 4,000 and 5,500 years old.
- The green mineral fragments found in the hearths resemble malachite, which can be heated to produce copper.
- A new species of tiny blue octopus was discovered in deep waters near the Galapagos Islands, small enough to fit in a palm.
- Singing mice in Costa Rica use call-and-response duets controlled by specific brain circuits mapped by scientists.
- Researchers found the singing ability in mice needs only small changes in brain wiring, not major evolutionary changes.
- Political polarization may behave like a phase transition, a concept used in physics to describe sudden changes.
- The discoveries were published in several scientific journals, including Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, Nature, and Zootaxis.
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