The pick of the science news
On the nose
To recognise faces, we train our sights on the nose first. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, tracked the gaze of people trying to pick out familiar faces from pictures and found that by looking at just two points near or on the nose, they could sort out whether a face was one they knew or not.
Looking at a third spot did not improve recognition, according to the study, published in the journal Psychological Science.
Rock on
Grab the chance to see some rare space rocks at a new exhibition in Co Mayo. Planet Earth: Our Place in Spaceis based on the geological collection of the Natural History Museum and features a collection of meteorites - including the 27-kilogram Brasky meteorite that fell in Limerick in 1813 - and a chunk of moon rock presented to the Irish State after the Apollo 17 mission of 1972, along with an Irish flag that was brought to the moon.
The free exhibition opens on November 3rd at the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar, and runs until the end of February 2009. Opening times: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10am to 5pm; Sundays, 2pm to 5pm.
By numbers
19
The percentage by which regions of Arctic sea ice declined in thickness last winter, according to satellite data.
670
The wavelength in nanometres of red light from LEDs that can help reduce wrinkles.
67
The age at which Stephen Hawking will give up his position as Cambridge University's Lucasian Professor of Mathematics next year.
• Claire O'Connell
e-mail: 1000.claire@gmail.com