Analytical Thinking Increases Atheism

Watch the short news clip on the research.

Eyes Do Math

Researchers scanned brain activity of people moving their eyes right or left and asked participants to do mental math. They found that the brain circuitry that moves the eyes right does mental addition and the circuitry moving eyes left does mental subtraction. The finding demonstrates that math's development is too recent and advanced to have a brain region solely devoted to it - we reuse preexisting systems.

Democratic Fish

Research shows that schools of stickleback fish considering the preferences of their peers before choosing a leader. In the study, as the fish population grew, more and more fish selected the fitter candidate - indicating a beneficial feedback mechanism. The phenomenon conforms with the quorum-response rule where a few individuals differentiate between 2 candidates and take the lead in selecting a leader. The rest of the group waits for a threshold number of fish to make a particular decision. The threshold, and accuracy, increases with group size.

Bees Act Like Serial Killers

Bumblebees foraging for food avoid stopping at flowers too close to home, perhaps to avoid attracting predators. Known as geographic profiling, this science has allowed scientists to locate the entrance to a hive by mapping which flowers the bees visit.

It is now being used to predict where serial killers might live based on where they commit crimes. Murderers operate fairly close to home, but maintain a kill-free “buffer zone.”

Genius Math Problem Not So Hard

In Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon's character solves a seemingly impossible math problem dealing with homeomorphically irreducible trees. What?

But the hardest part of the problem is pronouncing it, not the math.

This video demonstrates that a child could solve it.

Rubix Cube - Solved

Ever wonder the most efficient way to solve a Rubix Cube? Me neither.

While humans generally require around 40 steps, an international research team - with nothing better to do - discovered the lowest number of moves required to solve the cube. It only took 30 years of research and a few Google super computers.

The answer (drum roll please): 20 moves.

Great.

Check out the equally exciting video of the world record for solving a Rubix Cube - 7.08 seconds.

Talk Out Problems for Higher Score

A study suggests that students who talk out loud or drew out pictures representing the problem, answered questions on a math exam more quickly (and more accurately) than otherwise.

The reason is unknown for now, but just remember while showing your work, also remember to SAY it.