Our Times: September 2007

wireless power

Researchers have successfully lit a 60-watt light bulb by transferring energy through the air from one specially designed copper coil to the bulb, which was attached to a second coil seven feet away. One day, they hope, rechargable units around a room will be recharged wirelessly from a central power-base station.

spot the mammal

The Class Mammalia includes about 5000 species, placed in 26 orders.

All mammals share at least three characteristics not found in other animals: 3 middle-ear bones, hair, and the production of milk by mammary glands.

dejavu—who?

According to new research, an error in your episodic memory, in which similarities between new and familiar experiences are confused by your brain's hippocampus, causes the mind to believe it has been in a situation or conversation previously.

acne from food?

The fat in your food does not pop up again on your face but it may trigger a hormone surge that leads to pimples. Testosterone is the primary antagonist in the acne story. Hormonal fluctuations also has an impact. Diet can influence these hormones.

Sources: Scientific American, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology