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Psychologists figure out the science behind earworms
There's a scientific reason why you can't get that one song out of your head, and a team from the American Psychological Association conducted a large scale study to get to the bottom of it. They compared earworms to other songs that became popular at the same time even though they weren't exactly considered catchy and found out what makes them so sticky. The study's lead author, Kelly Jakubowski, said those songs share a few common characteristics: they typically have "fast tempo along with a common melodic shape and unusual intervals or repetitions."
Pioneering surgery gives man world's first 'bionic' penis
When Edinburgh, Scotland resident Mohammed Abad was six years old, he was involved in a horrific car accident. He was struck by a vehicle and then dragged nearly 600 feet (180 meters), tearing his tallywhacker (and left testicle) clean off. But thanks to advances in modern medicine, and a dedicated team at the University of London, Abad will soon have a bionic penis that puts Steve Austin's junk to shame.
One of the first mass-produced computers getting new life in UK museum
While Howdy Doody and Buffalo Bob Smith were regaling America's youth with Western-themed puppet antics and the Cold War was starting to get serious, British businessmen were employing one of the world's first out-of-the-laboratory computers: the ICT 1301. The massive computer, which resembles a prop from Lost's underground bunker more than something you'd see in modern times, is getting a new life from the National Museum of Computing in the UK's historic Bletchley Park. The University of London is providing the ICT 1301 (last used for grading tests, apparently), which is nicknamed "Flossie." Apparently TNMOC is hoping to have it on display by some point in 2016, and the machine is said to still work. It was purchased by the university back in the '60s, not long after the initial rollout of ICT 1301 computers took place. Just 150 iterations of the machine exist, and Flossie is said to be the last functioning model. It's been a struggle getting Flossie into the museum, despite its history -- the machine spent nine years being rehabbed, among other challenges. Hilariously, other copies of the ICT 1301 were used as props in various UK productions throughout the years, from Doctor Who to James Bond. And the first of you to spot one in an old episode and send us an image gets a banana sticker! And very likely a cat GIF!
Researchers create music... with their minds!
G-Tec's thought control hat has been out there making people look silly for some time now, but a group of researchers at Goldsmiths, University of London have now put it to a somewhat more unique (but equally silly-looking) use. As the BBC reports, they've effectively turned the device into a musical instrument, with the wearer only required to think about a note as they flash on a screen in order to play it. It's apparently not quite a foolproof solution just yet, with it currently only able to play the correct note about six out of eight times, but the researchers see plenty of potential applications for the system, including helping composers struck down with multiple sclerosis or other physical disabilities. Hit up the read link below to check out a video demonstration.
