Combining psychology, neuroscience, economics (and tasty snacks)...

Neuroeconomics strives to better understand the neurobiological basis of choice.

Investigative techniques used in neuroeconomics not only revolve around observing human behaviour - but also utilise brain imaging and other measurement technologies to measure the brain during the process of economic decision making.

Neuromarketing - measures how the brain reacts to consumer choices. 

Mindsign Neuromarketing, is a California company which makes the bold claim that it's use of MRI images allow marketers to "... capture, analyze, and correlate by demographic group, a product's effect on the entire human brain, and therewith the mind."

Recently discovered rock blades are around 500,000 years old

While rough stone implements have been dated to over 2.6 million years old, blades made from rock were thought to have been much more modern. 

Until recent years, rock blades had not been dated any farther back in the past than approximately 40,000 years.  Based on this time-frame, it was widely believed that the skill to make long sharp edges in stone was a characteristic emerging with Homo sapiens - relatively modern humans.

This theory has slowly been 'eroding' away.  In 2008 stone blades were discovered in the Middle East which dated to nearly 300,000 years and were produced by Homo neanderthalensis.

In early 2009 still older rock blades were unearthed in the Baringo Basin of Kenya belonging to an era 543,000 years in the past.  Our direct ancestor, Homo sapiens, is believed to have emerged between 200,000 and 270,000 years ago - meaning that the sharp-edged tools were made by an earlier ancestor.

The stone blades were discovered in Kenya's Baringo Basin by paleonathropologists Cara Roure Johnson and Sally McBrearty, both of the University of Connecticut, Storrs.

"This is the oldest known occurrence of blades," Johnson reported at the 2009 annual meeting of the Paleoanthropology Society.

According to Cuban authorities, Sanchez's speech against censorship is 'an anti-cultural event of shameful opportunism'

Yoani Sanchez is based in Cuba and writes a blog, Generación Y, which is critical of the Cuban government.

Sanchez has been publicly chastised by Cuban authorities for making remarks which are considered 'offensive'.

The incident occurred at the Havana Biennial Arts Festival.  Cuban performance artist Tania Bruguera had made a microphone available and issued instructions that audience members could take turns saying whatever they desired - for one minute.  Sanchez used the opportunity to read a manifesto in which she criticised heavy-handed government control in Cuba and suggested that the internet was an opportunity for Cubans to both publish and have access to content which was uncensored.

Earlier in 2009 Time Magazine named Sanchez's blog as one of the '25 Best Blogs in the World' and in 2008 the publication named the blogger as one of the '100 most influential people in the world.' 

Sanchez's blog has also won Spain's 'Premio ortega y Gasset de Periodismo' award, top prize at 'The BOBS' and named in Foreign Policy magazine as one of the '10 Most Influential Intellectuals of Latin America.'

Geeks love electric guitars.... go figure!

A brigade of science-loving musicians calling themselves "sci-pop" artists have been playing at a virtual festival called Geek Pop.

The geeks got together (albeit online) at the beginning of March to perform songs about science across four virtual stages. But, by virtue of it being an online event, the geekery continues all year, with tracks available to download free of charge.

Festival organiser, Jim Bell, says the highlights so far have been many and varied. "I was particularly smitten with Dalmatian Rex and the Eigentones' ode to the octopus, but I've also got to big up Intercontinental Music Lab - they're awesome," he says. "Anyone new to the festival should check out the Lost and Found tent, which is harbouring all sorts of virtual filth including an odd sock, a glass eye and someone called Bill's virginity."

Other highlights include medics Amateur Tranpslants on the Tetrahedron Stage, science writer Stuart Clark masquerading as a rock god ("Dr Stu and the Neutron Stars - they're heavier than metal!") and the Human League's old support band in a new guise (On Rails) making music out of sine waves.

The festival site is online at www.geekpop.co.uk