Missing Links

Researchers can figure out who was the Flava Flav of ancient Mesoamerica by checking out skeletons' teeth. Dentists who lived up to 2500 years ago (who actually sound like they might be more talented than many tooth jockeys I've ever gone to) used to do an early version of grills -- drilling into teeth and implanting gems like jade. Be sure to check out the picture of a skull decorated in this way.

Also in today's links: baby flamingos never see the light of day, an EPA manhunt gets underway and more.

What makes us happy? There's no simple answer (sorry), though this 70-year-long longitudinal study on well-being offers some fascinating insight. Humility helps, so do our reactions to life's woes, and "the only thing that really matters in life are your relationships to other people."

Also in today's links: customer-unfriendly shopping innovations, it pays to be tall, and more.

The findings of a recent mice study suggest that smoking reduces allergic reactions by inhibiting mast cell activity. This, of course, begs the question, Was tobacco giant Altria in on this?

Also in today's links: thoughts of money, and "you Neanderthal" is no longer a putdown.

On Tuesday, a Hubble astronaut posted on the micro-blogging site from the great beyond. Stay tuned -- @Astro_Mike likes to update. Coming soon, we hope, @PopSci goes to space.

Also in today's links: robots ask for help and make art, spacing out is good for you, and more.

Behold Huia cavitympanum: the only frog species that can communicate through ultrasonic calls too high-pitched for humans to hear. Two scientists made the discovery by camping out with recording devices in the frog's native island of Borneo. Bonus points go to the guy who was "bitten by leeches and woke up several mornings soaked in blood."

Also in today's links: a reason to switch up your music, what to do with too many chicken feathers, and more.

Changing your Facebook status to "[Your name here] is dead" would be just one small step in simplifying the post-mortem wrangling and puzzlement over how to update, monitor or remove a person's online identify after death, at least until it's standard practice to include all key passwords in one's will.

Also in today's links: making sense of the sentiments we spew, snails evolve in a strange direction, and what would Jesus nanoengineer?

An FBI agent who posed as a cybercriminal named for a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character talks about how he helped bring down a worldwide network of identity thieves, got a rep as a most-wanted spammer without having to spam, and dealt with all the egos in the world of Internet thugs.

Also in today's links: swimming in chemicals, rescuing frogs and more.

There has been one beneficiary of flu madness: the elbow. Handily bendy, usefully pointy, the joint is seeing its moment in the sun. Rubbing elbows together in greeting has been suggested as a way to avoid spreading infection, but if that doesn't work for you, here are some other options.

Also in today's links: ringtones for cars, a beetle that better be funny, and more.

Props to whoever noticed bird poop on a smuggler's socks. The smuggler passing through LAX turned out to have 14 birds in his pants when he was busted. Of course the inspectors were onto him already because he'd previously left behind a suitcase full of contraband birds.

Also in today's links: signs of an enhanced MacBook, plus multiple medical miracles.

Willy Wonka would have liked this, but I can't imagine a whole lot of human cooks worth their -- ahem -- salt, will have much interest: a company is selling a book of spices made from edible paper. Want some chili flavoring in a dish? Just rip out the perforated page and put in the pan.

In today's links: forcing people to smoke fails, why it's sometimes better to eat bland food, and more.