• Prestigious Chimps and the Emergence of Cultural Innovation. In society, some individuals are natural “trend-setters”, developing new styles and fashions that others follow.  One might be tempted to call this a distinctly human trait, but Eric Michael Johnson at The Primate Diaries describes research on chimps that suggests that they have their own cultural pressures.
• Eye Color Predicts and Doesn’t Predict Perceived Dominance. Research can sometimes take more unexpected twists and turns than a good thriller!  Daniel Hawes at Ingenious Monkey describes research on whether eye color influences a human’s perceived dominance.  It does, but it doesn’t, but it does!
• Synthesising Soufflés. Can cooking be considered a science?  Akshat Rathi at Contemplation explains the emerging field of molecular gastronomy, and how it can help you understand the rise of your Soufflés!

For those commemorating Memorial Day in the States, I hope you have a good one!  Check back next week for more “miscellaneous” selections!