CENtral Science

Amusing News Aliquots

Silly samplings from this week’s science news. Compiled by Bethany Halford and Lauren Wolf.

Credit: X Prize Foundation

X Prize to test whether genome-sequencing firms can really work as fast as they say they can: $10 million to go to first company to sequence 100 genomes of folks 100 or older. Clearly, someone is still looking for the Fountain of Youth. [Nature News]

Don’t worry. The astronauts will have peanut butter cookies on Mars. [Daily Mail]

Those folks in the Pacific Northwest really do love their coffee: High levels of caffeine (from urine) found flushed out to sea off of Oregon. [io9]

Sharkskin suits only reduce drag in water if you’re a shark. Sharks wonder if they look fat in swimsuits. [Popsci]

Shutterbugs rejoice! Turns out that flash photography doesn’t damage art (although we still doubt any museums will let you snap away). [Gizmodo]

Aside from “scrubbing up,” your doctors—male or female—might want to consider shaving their faces before cutting you open in surgery. [Discoblog]

Theo Gray thinks of the most fun things, like how to extract bismuth from Pepto-Bismol. [Popsci]

50 Shades of Squid. [io9]