The Canadian edge?
"It turns out those benumbed residents of Maine, Montana and Minnesota have something to brag about," Miller-mccune.com reports. "A paper recently published in the journal Psychological Reports concludes that of the 48 contiguous United States, those with cooler average temperatures tend to have populations with higher IQs. A research team led by psychologist Joseph Ryan of the University of Central Missouri calculated the mean year-round temperature for each state and compared it with estimated IQs." The researchers controlled for certain variables that could skew the results, such as the average pupil-to-teacher ratio in the state's schools. Even with such factors removed from the equation, "a significant negative association was found between state IQs and year-round temperatures," they report. IQ is only one measure of intelligence, however, and critics say it measures little more than the ability to take tests.
Giant pole-vaulters?
"Giraffe-sized pterosaurs may have pole-vaulted with their arms to launch themselves, just as vampire bats do, scientists now suggest," Livescience.com reports. "Once airborne, these giant reptiles could have flown vast distances, even crossing continents, they added. Pterosaurs were prehistoric winged reptiles that dominated the skies during the age of dinosaurs, and went extinct at the same time their brethren did 65 million years ago. The largest pterosaur reached the height of a giraffe, raising controversy as to whether such giant beasts could ever actually fly."
Traffic and bats
"Traffic noise reduces bats' ability to locate their prey, say scientists. Researchers in Germany found that road noise affected the bats' ability to listen for the 'rustling sound' of the beetles and spiders they feed on," BBC News reports. "… The researchers report in the Royal Society journal Proceedings B that the same effect could be true for other 'acoustic predators,' including owls."
One's work ethic
"In the calendar year 2009, Her Majesty the Queen undertook no fewer than 409 official engagements, i.e., more than one a day," Andrew Roberts writes for Thedailybeast.com. "She is 84 years old. Except for Christmas Day and Easter Day, she never has a day away from her government red boxes, which follow her everywhere."
College bookstores
"As students cut costs by buying books from cheaper online retailers or by downloading e-textbooks, campus bookstores sell fewer and fewer textbooks," The Chronicle of Higher Education reports. "That's triggering an identity crisis for one of the oldest institutions on campus and leading some college officials to ask: If textbooks go digital, does the campus even need a bookstore? … So bookstores at many colleges are preparing for a bookless future with new services they hope will keep students coming: performance spaces for in-store concerts, multimedia stations for printing digital photos, and even dry cleaning."
Facebook ye not
"Thou shalt not commit adultery. And thou also shalt not use Facebook. That's the edict from a New Jersey pastor who feels the two often go together," Associated Press reports. "The Rev. Cedric Miller said 20 couples among the 1,100 members of his Living Word Christian Fellowship Church have run into marital trouble over the last six months after a spouse connected with an ex-flame over Facebook. Because of the problems, he is ordering about 50 married church officials to delete their accounts with the social-networking site or resign from their leadership positions."
Thought du jour
"Men make history and not the other way 'round. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better."
Harry S Truman (1884-1972), U.S. president