Science on the Edge: 40 More Bizarre and Fascinating Experiments – Part 2

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26Slime Mold Simulations

Slime Mold Simulations

Slime molds are problem solvers, scooting around on pseudopods before ballooning to release their spores. They can find the shortest path through a maze, and they inspired a slime-mold algorithm that researchers used to map filaments of dark matter connecting galaxies in the universe.


27. The Experimental Lakes Area is a research station of 58 formerly pristine freshwater lakes in Canada which have been purposely polluted by researchers with everything from fertilizers to anti-depressants to study their effects on aquatic life. It is the only such site in the world.


28. In a study of "extreme relistening" researchers found that bittersweet songs were listened to many more times than the other song types. There were listened on average 790 times versus 515 for calm songs and 175 for happy songs.


29. Studies of people who have experienced 'clinical death,' but were revived, found a common theme of a "Near Death Experience." Research has suggested that the hallucinogen DMT models this NDE very similarly, suggesting that a DMT experience is like the final moments of an individual's life.


30. Researchers were able to predict whether or not a couple will stay together with extreme accuracy based on one partner's reaction to things that excited the other. For example, if a wife says "look at that beautiful bird" and the husband blows it off, that's a strong indication they'll divorce.


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31European Robin Experiment

European Robin Experiment

The avian magnetic compass of the European Robin has been extensively researched. They have been found to use vision-based magnetoreception, i.e., the robin's ability to sense the magnetic field of the earth for navigation is affected by the light entering the bird's eye.


32. To reduce lion attacks on cows in Botswana, researchers ran an experiment in which they painted large eyes on the butts of cows. Several years later, they evaluated its effectiveness to find that none of the 683 cows with eyes painted on their butts were killed, unlike their unmarked or cross-marked cousins.


33. Cow eyeballs are actually more expensive than the more commonly eaten cow parts, due to demand from scientific institutions for experiments.


34. Universe 25 was a mouse "Utopia" experiment that studied societal collapse due to overpopulation using rats. It started with 4 males and 4 females. Their habitat had unlimited food, water and bedding. As population grew, the increased and unavoidable social interaction ended in a strange and terrifying dystopia that collapsed within a couple years. The colony peaked at 2200 and once a tipping point was reached, the mice lost instinctual behaviors. Scientists extrapolate this model to humans on earth.


35. In 1939, an experiment was conducted at the University of Iowa on orphans in which the purpose was to induce stuttering in otherwise normally speaking children. Dubbed the "monster study," it caused lifelong psychological issues in some of the subjects.


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36Quaker Oats Radioactive Oatmeal Experiment

Quaker Oats Radioactive Oatmeal Experiment

In 1998, Quaker Oats and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology paid a $1.85 million settlement to over 100 people who were unwittingly fed radioactive oatmeal as part of a secret experiment during the 1940s and 1950s.


37. American psychologist Daniel Kahneman conducted a study in which a group of patients was given colonoscopies. Another group was also given colonoscopies, but with 3 added minutes during which the scope wasn't moved, so it was less painful for them. The second group rated their experience less negatively.


38. An experiment was done to assess the efficiency of a device to reduce fart smelliness. Farts were as quantitatively collected via rectal tube from 16 healthy subjects who ingested pinto beans. Odor intensity was then assessed by two judges.


39. Between 1918-1945, the Hamilton family investigated psychic phenomena including telekinesis, trance states, seances, and teleplasm. The notes and images of their experiments were donated to the University of Manitoba for viewing.


40. In 1967, a California high school teacher designed ‘The Third Wave Experiment’ to explain how the German population could accept the actions of the Nazi regime during World War 2. Kids were instructed in posture, began each remark with Mr., saluted each other in hallways and hung banners around the school. In 3 days, the movement had grown from 30 to 200 students as students skipped other classes to join the movement. Students showed increased academic skill and motivation. After 5 days students were informed that it was an experiment on how Nazism spread.

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