Random Facts
1. Videogames are good for your brain
They get a lot of criticism for dumbing down the young generation, but new research by the Max
Planck Institute suggests a short daily dose of gaming can actually boost our brain power. A group of adults were asked to play Super Mario 64 for 30 minutes a day for two months, with before and after scans taken with an MRI machine. In comparison with a control
group who didn’t play videogames over the same period, the scientists found increases in grey matter,
including those associated with memory formation and strategic planning. It’s even thought that
videogames might be used as a complementary therapy to treat some mental disorders.
Planck Institute suggests a short daily dose of gaming can actually boost our brain power. A group of adults were asked to play Super Mario 64 for 30 minutes a day for two months, with before and after scans taken with an MRI machine. In comparison with a control
group who didn’t play videogames over the same period, the scientists found increases in grey matter,
including those associated with memory formation and strategic planning. It’s even thought that
videogames might be used as a complementary therapy to treat some mental disorders.
2. Robots are taking over rock
The music world is famous for its advanced technology, but if you thought iPods,
high-end speakers and recording studios were impressive, you should take a look at
the Z-Machines. Debuting this year in Tokyo, three robots – named Cosmo, Ashura and
Mach – make up the band and between them they boast some impressive skills.
Guitarist Mach has 78 fi ngers and 12 picks, with the ability to play over 1,180 beats per
minute, drummer Ashura can play 22 drums simultaneously, while keyboardist Cosmo
shoots lasers from his eyes. Now that sounds like a gig worth seeing!
3.We can see in the dark
high-end speakers and recording studios were impressive, you should take a look at
the Z-Machines. Debuting this year in Tokyo, three robots – named Cosmo, Ashura and
Mach – make up the band and between them they boast some impressive skills.
Guitarist Mach has 78 fi ngers and 12 picks, with the ability to play over 1,180 beats per
minute, drummer Ashura can play 22 drums simultaneously, while keyboardist Cosmo
shoots lasers from his eyes. Now that sounds like a gig worth seeing!
A new cognitive science study has revealed that many of us are able to see our body without any source of light. Participants were fi tted with eye trackers before being put in a pitch-black room and asked to wave their hand, and more than 50 per cent were able to
accurately follow the movement. The researchers believe these fi ndings confi rm we use far more
sensory data than optical information to see, and that our brains play an equally important role as our eyes – especially when it comes to perceiving self-motion.
Interestingly, those with the condition synaesthesia, where sensory perceptions overlap, performed
particularly well in this test.
accurately follow the movement. The researchers believe these fi ndings confi rm we use far more
sensory data than optical information to see, and that our brains play an equally important role as our eyes – especially when it comes to perceiving self-motion.
Interestingly, those with the condition synaesthesia, where sensory perceptions overlap, performed
particularly well in this test.
4. Galaxies’ past can be read like tree rings
Two space probes have lent great weight to the ‘inside-out’ theory of galaxy formation, by studying the rings in a galaxy’s disc in much the same way we learn about the history of trees. Using infrared and UV light, respectively, NASA’s Wide-fi eld Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE; pictured) and Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) confi rmed that star birth initially occurred at a massive scale at the heart of a galaxy, but then 1-2 billion years later new bursts of stars would emerge in
the outer regions. This may be a result of “minor merges with gas-rich neighbours”, according to
astronomical scientist Sara Petty.
Two space probes have lent great weight to the ‘inside-out’ theory of galaxy formation, by studying the rings in a galaxy’s disc in much the same way we learn about the history of trees. Using infrared and UV light, respectively, NASA’s Wide-fi eld Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE; pictured) and Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) confi rmed that star birth initially occurred at a massive scale at the heart of a galaxy, but then 1-2 billion years later new bursts of stars would emerge in
the outer regions. This may be a result of “minor merges with gas-rich neighbours”, according to
astronomical scientist Sara Petty.
5. We’re a step closer to dino locomotion
Scientists have re-created the movements of the largest animal ever to walk the Earth
in unprecedented detail. An Argentinosaurus skeleton dating from the Cretaceous era
(which lasted from around 142 to 65 million years ago) was laser scanned before the
data was fed into a bespoke simulation program with the processing power equivalent
to 30,000 desktop computers. Estimated to have reached 40 metres (130 feet) long
and weigh in the region of 80 tons, there have been some who doubt such a large
creature could ever have got around on land, but this new virtual reconstruction
suggests it could have moved at up to eight kilometres (fi ve miles) per hour. The team
are now hoping to re-create the locomotion of other famous dinos like T-rex.
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