Thought for the day- Brains...

One of the great wonders of the natural world is the [human/dolphin/whale/dog/chimpanzee/etc] brain. Perhaps the greatest puzzle of all is the mystery of consciousness. One article with an unusual (and philosophical as much as neuroscientific)slant on this problem is this piece, recently published on New Scientist's website-

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20527427.100-you-wont-find-consciousness-in-the-brain.html

Science update-transparent frogs, knotted light, plastic bottles

Good morning.
Welcome to Weirdbeautiful.

The big wildlife news this week is that a scientific expedition to Western Equador has discovered some 30 new species of frog (including some with transparent chests), lungless salamanders, new stick insect species and a slug-eating snake-

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18397-transparent-frogs-tiny-geckos-and-snailsucking-snakes.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news

-thanks to Dolev R. for bringing that to my attention.

This week's main medical story is the revelation that there have been more discoveries about health problems caused by Bisphenol A (BPA): a chemical widely used in plastic bottles, including drinks bottles-
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20100113/tsc-uk-heart-chemical-plastics-011ccfa.html

Finally, yahoo news, has published a physics story this week about research on light that offers promise for more making laser measurement even more precise-
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100119/tsc-scientists-tie-a-knot-in-light-4b158bc.html,