Remember that terrifying liquid-metal bad guy on Terminator 2: Judgment Day? That weird gloopy stuff he was made of could be closer to reality with next generation materials called metallic glass that are ultra-strong, ultra-flexible and will become easier and cheaper to use.
Whilestill metals, they become as malleable as chewing gum when heated and can be easily moulded or blown like glass. They're also among the toughest materials known.
This unique new model of the atomic structure of metallic glass, which allows scientists to predict the metal combinations that will have glass-forming ability, is described in a new study by Australian researchers in the journal Nature Communications.
Sadly for movie fans, however, there's nothing in there about it being able to morph into a robot assassin.
All those awkward dates, rejections, set-ups and nervous flirtations we endure in our 20s and 30s do have an evolutionary purpose, it seems.
Keen to understand the later benefits behind the natural "choosiness" that precedes mating and courtship in many species - including us - German researchers turned to the zebra finch for answers.
The monogamous bird shares many characteristics with humans, and female finches choose mates in a way that is specific to the individual.
Using 160 birds, the researchers set up a speed-dating session, leaving groups of 20 females to choose between 20 males.
They then split half of the bird couples, forcibly pairing them with other separated individuals.
They discovered the number of nest eggs and surviving chicks was much higher for the happy couples, and that the unhappy fathers were more likely to stray and be less diligent parents, resulting in more deaths of chicks.
Bigger plates and portions mean bigger bellies
Larger plates and tableware and offers of bigger portions are directly linked to higher food consumption, Cambridge University researchers have found.
While overeating has been known to increase the risks of heart disease, diabetes and many cancers, the extent attributable to "over-serving" of larger portions hadn't been known.
Combining results from 61 high-quality studies, capturing data from 6711 participants, researchers also found that if the number of larger offerings was cut it would reduce calorie consumption by adults by up to 16 per cent in Britain and up to 29 per cent in the United States.
The researchers found this effect did not vary substantively between men and women, or by body mass index.
Pedalling at full tilt doesn't add much to that weekend bike ride
Cyclists along the rotary pathway. Photo / Warren Buckland
There's an entire field of science dedicated to improving the performance of professional athletes like top cyclists - but now researchers have worked out how some of it could apply to those of us who just enjoy a weekend pedal.
Professional cyclists pedal at a high cadence - typically at above 100 revolutions per minute - which improves efficiency and can sustain a high exercise intensity for a long period of time.
But this is different for recreational cyclists, who rarely like to exercise at the limit of their capacity yet still like to pedal efficiently.
A new study by former Auckland University academic Dr Federico Formenti, now at Oxford University, found that pedalling at high cadence wasn't necessarily advantageous for recreational cyclists.
