Researchers at Princeton University have unveiled a new and unexpected visual appearance of the mysterious phenomenon experienced by humans and known as the “Valley Stranger.” Scientists have discovered that the monkeys also experience it. This psychological phenomenon of visual perception is characterized by a sense of rejection and unsettling feeling in the viewer when seen robots or avatars designed to closely resemble a human (or monkey, if the observer is a mono), but show imperfections betray its artificial nature. (more…)

Often, it is thought that fire is something you should always protect the trees, but a new study suggests that some may help themselves to the existence of forest fires in order to promote its own abundance at the expense of its competitors.

The study indicates that positive feedback loops between fire and trees associated with savannas may increase the chance of fire in these ecosystems. (more…)

There is great interest in developing lightweight batteries, cheap, no metal parts, and the least possible harm to the environment. The most promising materials include conducting polymers, a basic component of what has been called “plastic electronics.” A conducting polymer, the PPy, looks promising, but was often considered too inefficient for commercial batteries. Now, this situation has changed, thanks to technological progress. (more…)