curiosities

Yes, because we have created them ourselves. Scientists at the University of Texas, in the US, replaced three of their genes in mice with as many associated with human autism.

Most animals go effortlessly from walking to running, but elephants, because of their enormous size, cannot leap into the air at high speeds. A team of European scientists has studied the movements of pachyderms to find out whether they run or walk when they move at high speed. The results reveal that the front legs trot, while the hind legs walk at high speeds.

The saying 'By San Blas, the stork you will see' has not been true for years because this species no longer emigrates as it finds abundant food in garbage cans and water in irrigated land in Spain, also during the winter period, according to SEO / Bird Life. However, this has not always been the case. Forty years ago the stork raised in Spain and then made a migration to areas south of the Sahara.

At least two examples are known. First, some cuttlefish manage to fascinate their prey with the rapid changes in color patterns on their bodies. Faced with this demonstration, the victims are stunned, completely immobile. The other charmer of the animal kingdom is the ermine, which performs dizzying dances in front of rabbits.

A British study could explain why English soccer teams lose matches on kicks from the penalty spot. The results could help both Fabio Capelo's team and other teams to go far in the World Cup.

The gene for mental illness, a "slimming" gene, another linked to breast cancer, the gene for poor drivers and the gene for curly hair. These are the five genes discovered during 2009.

Forward and backward eye movement exercises increase creativity, Elizabeth Shobe and colleagues at Richard Stockton College in New Jersey reveal in the December issue of Brain and cognition magazine.

Is bread healthy? Is the integral better than the white? Is the crumb fatter than the scab? Are ready-made breads good? We solve your doubts about one of the basic foods.