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Discovered: Life in Antarctic ice; how owls twist their necks like that; the flu came early this year because of a warm winter; cats and humans are very alike (when it comes to a form of epilepsy).

Life where you'd least expect it. The frigid climes of water below the Antarctic ice sheet don't sound like the most hospitable of conditions, but researchers have indeed found cells containing DNA there. A U.S. research team based in Antarctica pulled up the simple, oxygen-dependent lifeforms earlier this week in Lake Whillans. They've been there for 100,000 years, the scientist estimate, concluding a hunt for microbial life in Antarctic lakes that began in 1996. "This is a big deal—and exciting," comments University of Bristol glaciologist Martin Siegert, because this finding is "the first clean access to a subglacial lake system." [Science News]

Science explains why owls can tilt their heads so much. Have you ever wondered why owls tilt their heads so far to the side? No, it's not because they're judging you. It's because they can't move their eyes, so they have to move their head from side to side to gain different perspectives. And now, thanks to researchers at Johns Hopkins, we know how they're able to turn at such dramatic angles. They dissected dead owls, noticing that their vertebrates are full of big holes to allow great flexibility and cushioning. Plus, the arteries in owl jaws can expand and arterial pathways to the brain are malleable. A note for all you nerds nostalgic for science fair dioramas—the team of researchers won first prize in the NSF/Science visualization challenge for their poster illustrating this research. [Discover]