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NEW YORK — Among colored diamonds, red is particularly rare, and mysterious, since no one knows for certain the origin of the color within the stone.   One of the three known red diamonds weighing more than 5 carats (1 gram), an emerald-cut stone about the size of a small fingertip rests against a gray background in an American Museum of Natural History display case. This stone, known as the Kazanjian Red Diamond, has a dark hue resembling that of a garnet or a ruby, and in its nearly century-long history, it has been mistaken for the latter. [Read More]

Next time your baby cries, you might want to hold the little one up to your iPhone. A new app could translate those yells into adult-speak, telling you whether it's a cry for food or perhaps a nap. After 10 seconds of crying, the Cry Translator (patented by Biloop Technologic, S.L.) will light up one of five icons to indicate, the company claims, whether your baby is hungry, tired, bored, sleepy, stressed, or in some kind of discomfort. [Read More]

Kinky spidersCourtship is hard work for a male wolf spider. But some sneaky male arachnids skip the wooing process and instead wait for another male spider to start the deed before climbing on, turning the duo into a threesome. [Read the full story on the wolf spider ménage à trois] Tricky courtshipMale wolf spiders of the species Rabidosa punctulata are under a lot of pressure during mating season. The male usually courts the female through a combination of visual display and vibrations that are akin to a courtship song. [Read More]

As winter's snow slowly melts, people may be happy to see that sidewalks are finally free of ice and slush. But those ice-free sidewalks and roadways may hold an even more dangerous threat: death by electrocution. Several blocks of busy Sixth Avenue in downtown Manhattan were cordoned off to pedestrians and vehicles yesterday (Feb. 19), following reports of a powerful electric current surging through sidewalk grates, manhole covers and the doorknobs of nearby buildings, Gothamist reported. [Read More]

Mysterious ring fragments crafted during the Stone Age are actually prehistoric friendship pendants, a new study suggests. Around 6,000 years ago, hunter-gatherers across northeast Europe likely broke so-called slate rings into pieces that they then crafted into ornaments to share with others as symbols of social relations, the researchers said.  Previously, archaeologists who discovered these slate-ring fragments assumed that the rings had broken into pieces naturally after being buried. To find evidence that the items had been broken intentionally, the researchers matched pieces of slate-ring ornaments, analyzed their geochemical composition and searched for traces of use, such as one having been worked on more finely than the other — perhaps demonstrating a personal preference. [Read More]

Odd Light ShowsNew evidence suggesting neutrinos can travel faster than the speed of light has shined a spotlight on how light moves and acts. Light plays off our atmosphere in strange and mysterious ways, sometimes sparking claims of UFO sightings and paranormal activity. From "shining halo clouds" to sprites and massive light spirals, the otherworldly photos of light phenomena in this gallery are naturally-occurring or man-made illusions. Above is a still from video taken last October and uploaded onto YouTube of a giant halo in an overcast sky over Moscow. [Read More]

An ancient astronomical alignment in southern Peru has been discovered by researchers between a pyramid, two stone lines and the setting sun during the winter solstice. During the solstice, hundreds of years ago, the three would have lined up to frame the pyramid in light. The two stone lines, called geoglyphs, are located about 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) east-southeast from the pyramid. They run for about 1,640 feet (500 meters), and researchers say the lines were " [Read More]

A man visiting British Columbia's Lake Okanagan last week claims to have captured video of Ogopogo, Canada's version of the Loch Ness Monster. According to a report in the Vancouver Sun, "An Okanagan man has video he says proves the Ogopogo may be more than just a figment of our imagination. Richard Huls says he always believed in the possibility of the monster rumored to be living in Okanagan Lake. Last Thursday, while visiting a West Kelowna winery, Huls shot video that he believes proves something does indeed live in the water. [Read More]

The civilization made famous by the myth of the Minotaur was as warlike as their bull-headed mascot, new research suggests. The ancient people of Crete, also known as Minoan, were once thought to be a bunch of peaceniks. That view has become more complex in recent years, but now University of Sheffield archaeologist Barry Molloy says that war wasn't just a part of Minoan society — it was a defining part. [Read More]

IntroPutting on the pounds not only transforms your belly, but it also alters your brain, a number of studies suggest. These brain changes may, in turn, fuel overeating, leading to a vicious cycle that makes losing weight and keeping it off challenging. Here are five ways obesity changes the brain: Obesity causes food 'addiction'Gaining weight may desensitize the brain to the pleasure we get from sugary and fatty foods , prompting us to eat more cookies and cake than we did when we were leaner, research shows. [Read More]