New Science new threads!

[dieseltaylor]

Just quick but amusing points:

1.Crows remember individual faces. If you upset a crow they will remeber your face as enemy whilst allowing other humans to approach. More to the point it was the face as it was the mask of a Neanderthal and it was that which would set them off even if warn by different people.

2. Botox. Botox not only freezes the muscles but also affects the emotional response of those who are injected. !!

http://www.gizmag.com/can-botox-stunt-your-emotional-expression/14031

Incidentally someone has twigged that botulism being a poison its perhaps not very wise having its unrestricted production and use ....

3. Running on tiptoe is smart. Or at least natural and lessons the stress. Trained endurance runners land heel first which means three times your body weight on the heel each stride. I see that Vibram have the rather neat five fingers

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

[Michael Emrys]

I see that Vibram have the rather neat five fingers

http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

I wonder why they call it Five Fingers instead of Five Toes?

Michael

[Michael Emrys]

BTW, if you go for these kinds of scientific oddities, you should pick up a copy of Harper's and read "Findings" on the last page of every issue. Some of the things reported in there are very curious indeed.

Michael

[Bugged]

I've seen shoes like that in the stores of late. They are very odd-looking.

[Kanonier Reichmann]

I wonder why they call it Five Fingers instead of Five Toes?

Michael

Because Vibram is an Italian based company and there is no seperate word for toes in italian (or Spanish for that matter). I'm guessing tha's why they're called fingers since that's how they refer to toes... i.e. fingers of the feet.

And no, I'm not multi-lingual. Just one of those useless bits of knowledge I happen to have retained.

Regards

KR

[dieseltaylor]

Glad you mentioned it KR. I must admit my mind had drifted to fivefinger exercises - which strangely are not what I thought!!!.

Bugged I love the top by-line : ) I take it you were not enamored of the shoes then, from what I read its a great way for people to start talking to you. You can get socks with 5 toes, and the fitting have to be very precise.And they cost a lot.

ME - Don't see much of Harpers in the UK. But science is fun : ) Apparently comedy sparks upto 8 areas of the brain which is quite something.

[Bergerbitz]

Dunno about the whole "endurance-running-on-the-toes" thing...

I used to run on my toes and it caused me no end of pain. I've opted now for a mid-foot style (with a shorter stride) and 2 marathons and a dozen half-marathons later, I am injury free (at least until the ultra-marathon this September..that might just ruin me).

But those Five Fingers shoes look kinda neat. Prolly drive me nuts, though.

[Bugged]

I take it you were not enamored of the shoes then, from what I read its a great way for people to start talking to you.

Well at least people can avoid the whole 'I hope this guy doesn't have webbed feet' issue.

[Mace]

They are very odd-looking.

Just like many of the regulars here.

**waves in Mr Emry's direction**