Let us recall the most interesting and unusual discoveries of the NSU scientists, which you could read on our website in 2015.
Summarizing the results of the outgoing year we recall the discoveries of our scientists, which have become the most exciting for our readers and have got the biggest response in the media. We list these discoveries in a chronological order, in a way you could see them on our website.
The discoveries which have got the biggest response:
Biologists have proposed a new explanation for homosexuality
The study was based on an analysis of the sexual behavior of animals. The researchers have concluded that the lack of interest in the opposite sex is interpreted as a signal of popularity and attracts more partners.
A 鈥渢extbook" written by a propagandist of the XIII century
A young historian have translated the ancient treatise fr om Latin into French and Russian at once. This treatise did not have its translation in any modern language before. The writing entitled 鈥淎bout the sermon of the Holy Cross" written by Romance Humbert is the only manual for the preachers of the Crusades, which we have nowadays.
The Novosibirsk physicists have participated in the discovery of a new particle
The physicists working on the Large Hadron Collider with the participation of the NSU scientists have discovered a new particle called pentaquark. The experiment involved a number of scientists from different countries. Russia was represented by eight institutes and two universities. The discovery of the particle confirms the Standard Model theory developed by the physicists. It is the theory of the structure and the interaction of elementary particles.
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For the first time, the Novosibirsk geologists with the use of factual material have been able to confirm the existence of the Arctis paleocontinent. Their findings are based on the study of ancient geomagnetic field. Prior to that, the existence of this continent belonged to the category of scientific hypotheses and was not supported by precise numerical data.
Stones were the first money
A Novosibirsk archeologist has made a challenging hypothesis that the blanks for stone tools were the first money. The scientist has proved that stone products called 鈥減re-nucleus鈥� could be the best for such blanks. These stone products were prepared to make different kinds of preforms again and again. Such preforms were necessary for further manufacturing of the stone tools. Thus, the first money appeared at the turn of the Paleolithic and Neolithic period (25 -15 thousand years ago).
Novosibirsk scientists have reconstructed the motion of the Siberian paleocontinent for the last billion years. It turned out that most of its geological history up to the Pangaea formation (about 250 million years ago), the Siberian paleocontinent was situated mainly in tropical or subtropical zones. However, after 200-250 million years Siberia will move further south and will be again in the subtropical zone of the Northern Hemisphere. The reason of it will be a global drift of the continents.
Scientists have found that a shallow stagnant lake with unusual for that time vegetation on its banks became the burial place for the famous well-preserved baby mammoth Yuki. The pond was likely a place wh ere animals drank water. It might be the primitive hunters who put the mammoth into the lake, used by them as a "refrigerator".
The scientists have refuted the idea that the vast majority of murders and other violent crimes is a direct consequence of the criminal鈥檚 impulsive aggression, which has been obtained since childhood. It happens when a child suffers from the hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and lack of attention. The scientists showed that the cold-blooded criminals have the well-developed cold and planned aggression. The presence of such aggression is closely related to some less active forms of the dopamine receptor D4.
The Novosibirsk scientists have found the evidence of the first major extinction of living beings. They suggested that it was the microscopic animals which caused the first extinction of such living beings as Vendian biota dominating at that time. These microscopic animals destroyed the habitat of Vendian biota. The first extinction occurred about 550 million years ago.
An analysis of DNA from the bone remains conducted by the Novosibirsk researchers has showed that a brave girl with a serious set of weapons, who has been found by the archaeologists in the double burial, is actually a boy.
