News to Note, May 3, 2008

1. Dental Anomalies Found in Hobbit Teeth

One of the Indonesian “hobbit” fossils said to be a unique species of human from 18,000 years ago may have dropped by the dentist for a filling last century, reports ScienceNOW’s Elizabeth Culotta.

2. Nature Inspires Technology To Replicate Spider Silk

Another of God’s creative designs has inspired human technology—a device that attempts to replicate a spider’s production of silk.

3. Fabrics Found In Ancient Maya Tomb

Ancient textiles found in a tomb in Central America “rival modern textiles in their complexity and quality,” reports National Geographic News.

4. Neanderthal Teeth Illuminates Botanical Diet

A study of dental plaque has shown that the Neanderthal diet was at least partially botanical, reports National Geographic News.

5. Museums Provide Fun Learning Opportunities for Children

An Associated Press article describes an upcoming National Academies report that will detail how science is learned in informal settings—museums, zoos, and aquariums—and, consequently, how such venues can better educate children.

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