Tibia (2).

Luminol is a chemical that can be used to show trace amounts of blood by creating a light producing chemical reaction when mixed with hemoglobin.

Luminol powder is mixed into a liquid containing hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals. This mixture will then be sprayed over the area that is being examined.

The reaction of the Luminol spray mixing with the iron in blood will then produce a blue glow that can be seen in a dark room.

Other substances that can accidentally have the same reaction with Luminol are: bleach, urine, faeces & horseradish.

Unfortunately Luminol can destroy other crime scene evidence so it is usually used after other options have been explored.

The Neuroscience of Serial Murder

Why do serial killers commit heinous acts of murder? The answer may be found in the reward center of our brains, or the Nucleus Accumbens. This is where dopamine is created. When you eat sugar, snort cocaine, snack on chocolate, or have sex, that reward center is triggered and dopamine is released. This chemical conveys the feeling of pleasure, reinforcing those prior indulgences you’ve engaged in. If a serial killer has linked sex with torture, killing, or dismemberment, his brain is sending him a signal, making him feel rewarded for his behavior. It’s the same feeling we may get from eating some chocolate ice cream after a long day or a really good orgasm. A serial killer’s brain reinforces his behavior, telling him that whatever he is doing is good and that he should keep doing it. This may explain why serial killers often do not stop until they are caught.

Did Megalodons Brush Their Teeth In The Morning? 

Almost everyone has heard about the Megaladon aka Carcharodon Megalodon - the terryfying, hair-raising sea creature that used to reign the waters about 10 million years ago. It’s a really huge scary shark basically.

And it is no secret that the species never suffered from tooth decay or plaques. Mostly this has been thought to be due to the regular changing of teeth. However, recently scientists have discovered that the sharks actually used toothpaste!

Well, not exactly. As it turns out, Megaladons had an interesting teeth mineral composition. Their teeth were packed were with fluoride, which is what we use in toothpaste nowadays. Fluoride made their teeth extremely strong and resistant to bacteria. And it wasn’t only Megaladons - most of the predator dinosaurs and several other species of sharks had a similar tooth meniralisation.

However, nowadays predators and other mammals do not boast a full set of shiny, fluoride-filled teeth. Humans themselves walk around with agonising pain in their teeth meanwhile the dentists are rolling in money. Why would evolution do such a thing? Having fluoride in your teeth seems like an awesome advantage, right?

Scientists aren’t really sure why the presence of fluoride was eliminated during the hostile course of evolution. The best guess is that the concentration of fluoride in water has decreased over the years and it wasn’t enough to support the teeth-changing cycles or organisms.

It may also be due to the fact that fluoride can be harmful. If fluoride encounters sour fruits or meat that isn’t fresh, hydrofluoric acid is formed. The acid is very corrosive, it can even dissolve glass. Who would want to have this in their mouths?

Source: http://www.paleonews.ru/index.php/new/588-fluoridtooth

so today I learned that when a pregnant woman suffers organ damage (such as a heart attack), the fetus sends stem cells to the damaged organ to help repair it. Apparently it is an evolutionary mechanism; by protecting its mother the fetus also ensures it’s own survival. I am in awe of how incomprehensibly complex our bodies are, truly. (x)

Structural differences between DNA and RNA. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is like a blueprint of biological guidelines that a living organism must follow to exist and remain functional. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, helps carry out this blueprint’s guidelines. Of the two, RNA is more versatile than DNA, capable of performing numerous, diverse tasks in an organism, but DNA is more stable and holds more complex information for longer periods of time.

His story never changes. Ergo, lying

Jupiter’s giant red spot is also red hot

New evidence suggests the spot acts like a red-hot stove burner that warms the atmosphere above it. Scientists found the average temperature in the upper atmosphere above the red spot is a sizzling 1,600 degrees Kelvin (about 2,420 degrees Fahrenheit). The research team found evidence that the Great Red Spot generates two types of turbulent energy waves.

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Why Do We Stress Eat?

Whether its exams, work or relationships modern life is pretty stressful stuff. It’s not uncommon for us to turn to food to relieve the often heavy emotional burdens life presents us with. But what drives us to do it? And why are some foods classed as “comfort foods”? More posts like this about the human brain and behaviour on @tobeagenius

How can isotopes help in the hunt for life, both on Earth, and on other planets? The first of our five ‪#‎RealTimeChem‬ week competition winners, Dr. Chelsea Sutcliffe, explains here: http://wp.me/p4aPLT-1tZ

The First Newspaper

This one goes to the Romans! They had “Acta Diurna” (Daily Events) which was a handwritten news report, posted in multiple public places for the public to read. It first appeared in 131 BCE during the Republic. Although initially only the outcomes of trials, the Acta Diurna eventually expanded to public notices and announcements like important births or senatorial decrees.