Science

Drat. I forgot to observe Earth Hour again this year:

Iconic landmarks and skylines were plunged into darkness on Saturday as the "Earth Hour" switch-off of lights around the world got under way to raise awareness of climate change.

[. . .]

Today's "researchers boldly state the obvious" report:

So, apparently I have a syndrome, and "Hey, kid, get off my lawn!" is but a symptom:

The best reason yet for being a grumpy old man:

How'd you like this for a job -- spending a whole year just talking about poop?

A Purdue University-based state office is reaching out to Indiana’s farmers to educate them about new restrictions on using manure to fertilize cropland.

[. . .]

Man, I should be practically immortal then:

Drinking coffee can not only boost your energy but also your longevity. That’s the key finding of a new federal health study of nearly a half-million coffee drinkers that found those who regularly enjoy a cup of java live longer than those who don’t.

Why she can't shut up:

You know all the times that men complain about women talking too much? Apparently there's a biological explanation for the reason why women are chattier than men. Scientists have discovered that women possess higher levels of a "language protein" in their brains, which could explain why females are so talkative.

As government projects go, this one is high up on the worthwhile scale, relatively speaking cost-effective and less likely than some to turn into a debacle:

Huh. I thought only people did this:

An article published Wednesday by Britain's Royal Society says that male guppies prefer to associate with their drab-colored counterparts when females are around.

"Males actively choose the social context that maximizes their relative attractiveness," the article said. Or, as lead author Clelia Gasparini put it, "If you are surrounded by ugly friends, you look better."

Ah, so it was climate change, eh?

New insights about the asteroid thought to have killed off the dinosaurs suggest it may have just been the final blow, and that the reptiles were already suffering from a finicky climate prompted by volcanic eruptions long before the meteorite struck.