Scientists played recordings of up to three hyenas to lone female hyenas. Using different patterns, such as one repeating itself of all two or three being consecutive they were able to evaluate the response. It was clear that they hyenas were able to distinguish between voices, whether or not it was a new voice, and to respond according to the number of possible invaders. As it turns out, hyenas can count like monkeys and apes. (Scientific American)

The British used Smallpox as a bioweapon against the Continental Army during the US Revolutionary War. In response, Gen Washington ordered the vaccination (of sorts) of all troops before they joined the army. (New Scientist)

A new oceanic current has been discovered off the coast of Iceland and it feeds the cold return on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (of which the Gulf Stream is a part). This may make the climate of the Northern Hemisphere less sensitive to the lowered oceanic salinity caused by glacial runoff. (Scientific American)

The US may end the practice of medical research on chimps. (New Scientist)

China has been developing it’s space program for quite some time now. Their first test module for their space station may launch by the end of the month. This will be used for testing docking procedures for the full space station they will be constructing over the next 15 or so years. (Scientific American)

There’s a new test available that can determine paternity as early as 12 weeks into a pregnancy. What’s really cool is that it uses a blood sample to identify the mother’s DNA, then the fetus’ DNA for comparison to potential fathers. (New Scientist)