Chimps beat undergrads in memory study
According to a study by Japanese researchers, young chimps were able to out-perform adult humans in two separate tests of short-term memory. According to researcher Tetsuro Matsuzawa of Kyoto University, these results challenge the widely held belief that humans are superior to chimpanzees in cognitive functions. The tests involved remembering the position of Arabic numerals on a screen that had been replaced by white squares. As the time that the numerals were visible was decreased, the chimps’ accuracy increased; in one experiment the chip Ayumu scored about 80 percent while his human counterparts scored only 40 percent.
Foundation plans wooden moose for Sweden
A local foundation aiming to bring tourists to a region north of Stockholm has announced plans to construct a giant wooden moose that will integrate a concert hall, conference rooms, a shop and a restaurant into its belly. The Associated Press reports that the moose is planned to be 148 feet tall and 155 feet long. The monument, to be constructed in a region where moose hunting is common, is so large that its hooves will be located in two different counties-Vasterbotten and Norrbotten. The project is expected to cost $9.4 million and construction will begin in the upcoming months.
Police: New Hershey candy glorifies drugs
A Philadelphia police official said that a new package for a Hershey Co. mint looks identical to heat-sealed bags used to sell illegal powdered drugs like crack, heroin and cocaine. The Associated Press reports that that Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector William Blackburn made the comments about a product that hit the shelves in November known as Ice Breakers Packs. The mint is contained within nickel-sized dissolvable pouches; Chief Blackburn suggested that the packaging is similar enough to the drug packets that a child could mistakenly swallow a packet of drugs. A spokesperson for the company said that the packets were not meant to simulate drugs and would not comment about the potential to change the packaging.
Truffle auctioned for $330,000
A giant white truffle weighing 3.3 pounds was sold to Macau casino mogul Stanley Ho for a record breaking $330,000 during an auction simultaneously conducted in Florence, London and at Ho’s hotel in Macau. Proceeds from the auction are to go to three charities, two located in Italy and one in London. Truffles, which usually weigh from 1 to 2.8 ounces, are prized in Italy as a flavor for pasta sauces and rice dishes; this truffle was discovered last week in a small Italian town named Palaia. The previous record price for a truffle was $212,000 and the Guinness World Records lists a 2.86 pound found in 1999 truffle as the world’s largest.