Snowflake Computers

The next generation of computers will be a little larger than a snowflake.

Such tiny computers (or "smart dust") will have "tiny CPUs that run programs on a skeleton operating system and be able to access equally small banks of RAM and flash memory." Smart dust will forage subsist off power from its surroundings - e.g. smart dust near light will have a solar panel, while smart dust in high temperatures will convert heat into electricity.

Smart dust will primarily be used to monitor every movement of big structures like bridges or skyscrapers, or report on the environment inside a home - or even our bodies. It might be possible to run an internet search like "Where is my remote?"

Naps Improve Memory ... if You Dream

Research suggests an afternoon power nap improves memory ... if you dream. Dreaming apparently allows the brain to make connections overlooked while awake.

In the study, 99 college students memorized some information - but only half took a 90-minute nap afterwards. Nappers retained the information 10x better than their counterparts. Dreamers did, however, perform poorly on their first test. This may be because the brain knows the task in question is difficult, so it needs more attention - hence the dreaming about it.

So study the basics, then take a nap. Or, go to bed early, wake up early and review - and then take a nap.

Turkish English

Science has published a study revealing that modern Indo-European languages - which includes English - originated in Turkey 9,000 years ago. This rejects the prevailing theory of the language family originating 5,000 years ago in SW Russia.

Researchers studied "virus epidemics to create family trees of ancient and modern Indo-European tongues to pinpoint where and when the language family first arose."

Linguists identify language families by looking for similar sounding (and, often, meaning) words in modern languages (e.g. water & wasser - German) - the closer the words, the closer the languages.

Gangster Frog

The hairy frog breaks its bones so that claws can pierce its toe pads, probably for defense. The closest counterpart mechanism is found in frogs whose bones actually grow through the skin, or salamanders which force their ribs through their skin for defense.