CENtral Science

Amusing News Aliquots

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

Credit: D. Huang et al, Nature

Why were dinosaurs so angry? Perhaps it was the giant fleas. [NY Times]

Spiderwebs overtake town. Newscripts gang going home, locking door, and staying there. [iO9]

Amateur astronomy group flashes space station … with a laser. Get your minds out of the gutter. [Air And Space Smithsonian]

Same genes activated by exercise are activated by large doses of caffeine. We’d like eight espressos to go, please. [Gizmodo]

Got water, salt, dish soap, alcohol, and food coloring? Then you can extract your own DNA. [NOVA on YouTube]

Think your favorite watering hole is swapping your Coke for discount cola? Just take a sample to the NMR to find out. [J. Ag. Food Chem.]

Thinking of splurging on a $90 bottle of wine? Scientists say you’re probably wasting your money. [NPR]