News to Note, October 23, 2010

1. Radiocarbon Dating: Neanderthals Not as Smart as We Thought

Radiocarbon dating of an archaeological site in France has some researchers claiming that Neanderthals weren’t as smart as we thought. But the evidence can more easily be interpreted as both confirming Neanderthal intelligence and casting doubt on radiocarbon dating methods.

2. Oversimplification of Cavemen

The idea of caveman hunter-gatherers is an oversimplification, according to new research into the diet of some of our ancestors.

3. Cane Toad: “Evolution” in Action?

Is the cane toad invading Australia the latest example of “evolution” in action?

4. Penguin Homosexuality

After previous reports of homosexual penguins, the birds seem to be an icon of aberrant sexual practice. But headlines aside, new research shows there’s relatively little to the idea of penguin homosexuality.

5. Will Bennett's "Chaos Theory of Evolution" Catch On?

Only time will tell whether Keith Bennett’s “chaos theory of evolution” will catch on, but we’ll at least give his new idea a listen.

And Don’t Miss . . .

• “Precise regulation” based on cells “communicating with their environment and with other cells . . . organiz[ing] their interior architecture as a response to signals from their surroundings”: is the body’s incredible microscopic machinery the work of the blind forces of evolution, or the product of an intelligent designer?
• Although several bird species undertake incredibly long migration journeys, they may not have always been the only animals to do so; pterosaurs might have flown up to 10,000 miles (16,000 km) at a time.
• Scientists have located what may be the farthest galaxy from earth found so far, named UDFy-38135539. But some scientists are skeptical that the telescope image is sufficient for astronomers to be confident of the estimated distance of 13.1 billion light-years.