New Scientist reports on African primates using natural contraceptives from, of all things, plums:

Like the synthetic progestogens used in the pill, phyto-progestogens have a hormonal contraceptive effect similar to progesterone. Higham’s team found that levels of these progestogens surged in females during the plum season. From August to October, the baboons in the study area feed extensively on [...]

Science News reports on Trouble in Paradise – how feelings of “social defeat” could be responsible for triggering schizophrenia, which might explain why the otherwise idyllic tropical island nation of Palau has nearly double the schizophrenia rate of the rest of the world (and, incidentally, why dark-skinned immigrants to light-skinned nations are also exceptionally prone to schizophrenia). The [...]

How to make a bowed psaltery.

And, in case you’re wondering: What IS a bowed psaltery anyway? Why, it’s something like a cimbalom… or maybe even a ukelin! No, really!

Click for sound samples:

On the one hand:

China had more wars in cold weather

Most of the armed conflicts in eastern China over the past 1,000 years were triggered by food shortages caused by climate, say researchers.

The finding lends weight to the idea that future climate change, resulting in water and food shortages, might have similar effects, says Earth scientist David Zhang, [...]

Please hold for connection.