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What is the squeal?
The experience of mouse squeaks is sadly limited to the dead (or sometimes almost alive) ones that our cats insist on bringing into the house. This means that you’ve likely heard a significant portion of the creak.
So, I was taken aback to learn that the squeaking sounds of mice have been largely overlooked by science. Reporter Alex Wilkins has reviewed recent studies and confirms that it is true, as detailed in Biology Letters, with an article titled “Hidden in Plain Sound: The Scientific Possibility of House Mouse Squeak.”
The focus on house mouse vocalizations tends to be on ultrasound sounds that humans cannot perceive. They gained attention, perhaps due to their novelty and surprise factor. Meanwhile, the authors note that the unnoticed squeaks lead to a “lack of research focused on squeaks.”
This is clearly an oversight. The authors argue that squeaks possess “significant scientific potential.” They suggest that “the extent to which squeaks communicate information about the vocalizers and influence listener behavior across various social contexts has not yet been fully explored.”
The feedback suspects that squeaks are a highly effective form of communication. After reading Terry Pratchett, I recall that the ominous character known as the death of the rat can convey much with a well-timed squeak. Perhaps you need a catchphrase: What do you want? Squeak. When do you want it? Squeak!
Determining the penalty
In a somewhat roundabout way, nominal determinism might have relevance here.
Paul Meara points out that a recent feature on body clocks (August 2, p 30) highlighted Angela Leregio, a researcher at MSH Medical School in Hamburg, Germany, who also runs a company called Timemeter.
Unfortunately, the feedback doesn’t speak Portuguese; otherwise, as Paul noted, you would know that “Relógio” translates to “clock.”
Furthermore, feedback recognizes that there have been decades of research into a protein called amyloid related to Alzheimer’s disease.
Thus, we were particularly surprised to discover that the University of Dundee in the UK has an expert on Alzheimer’s named Amy Lloyd.
Tough like a nail
On September 18, the most prestigious awards in the science calendar were presented at the IG Nobel ceremony, known for its whimsical and eccentric research. As the event’s creator stated, “The results are so remarkable that they make people laugh, then think.”
Feedback did not attend the event; however, you can watch the entire show online.
Out of various awards, we were particularly intrigued by the Literary Award, presented to teachers and clinicians William Bennett Bean (1909-1989) for “permanently recording and analyzing the growth rate of one fingernail over 35 years.”
His research began with a simple 1953 study, titled “Notes on Nail Growth,” where Bean shared “observations made over the past decade.”
His work peaked in the 1980s and continued with several similar studies, including “Nail Growth: Observation Over 35 Years,” published in Archives of Internal Medicine. Feedback has reviewed this detailed paper.
Bean described his research as “a comprehensive record of the growth of human deciduous tissues,” providing a slowly moving keratin cymograph that measures the age of unfortunate absissas.
What were the findings? Bean’s initial discovery revealed that different nails grow at different rates, which remained consistent over time.
“In simple terms, toenails grow more slowly than fingernails, while the middle fingernails grow faster compared to the thumb, pinky, or any of the other middle fingernails. By measuring one nail, the growth rate can be inferred for all.”
However, certain factors can cause noticeable delays in nail growth. For instance, Bean experienced a mumps infection in 1950, which resulted in a “decisive slowdown,” but he noted a compensatory speedup afterward. Ultimately, he identified a gradual long-term slowdown. “For example, the average daily growth of the left thumbnail dropped from 0.123 mm per day when he was 32 to 0.095 mm per day at 67.”
Our only question is whether Bean was deserving of an IG Nobel for his notably lengthy research.
Other awards included studies on “the extent to which certain lizards prefer specific types of pizza,” “what a nursing baby experiences when the mother eats garlic,” and “whether cows painted with zebra stripes can avoid being bitten by flies.”
Feedback especially appreciates the Chemistry Award, which investigated whether consuming foods rich in indigestible Teflon results in fewer calories. Rat experiments suggested a successful and non-toxic outcome; nonetheless, we advise readers not to attempt this at home.
To play it safe, you might just consider sprinkling powdered nails and adding too much food on top.
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