Look 'Em in the Eye

Market Makers Patrick Beek

In light of the ongoing world financial collapse, here's a tip to banks: take a look at your customers. A new study suggests that a person's creditworthiness can be seen in his or her face. And here's a tip to would-be borrowers: try not to look shifty. (Points off from the article, though, for not explaining what exactly that means, though.)

Also in today's links: hilarious species names, the next level of smart in phones, and more.

• Plenty of scientists have used species names to make a little private joke -- i.e. Polemistus chewbacca, the Hebejeebie genus of plants, etc. Now there's another one: a new species of tree called Sorbus no parking, named for the sign nailed to the tree. For kicks, here are more funny scientific names.
• Watchmaker Ulysse Nardin is developing what it calls "the world's first hybrid smart phone"; it uses the kinetic rotor system of the company's watches.
• As more and more fish in the world are developing female traits, a new study finds that there are more of the chemicals that cause these changes in our waterways than previously realized. The researchers also warn that these same chemicals could be affecting people as well.
• A monk, a writer, and an astronomer walk into a (theoretical) bar, sit down, and discuss life on other planets, in honor of NASA's mission launching tonight to look for distant Earth-like planets. Various kinds of experts discuss whether humans might actually prefer not to find anything.