Shocking Science 2008

Brave Australian researchers measured a great white shark's bite. They found it to be around three times as powerful as a lion's and just over half as strong as the bite of a Tyrannosaurus rex Photograph: AFP

Scientists confirmed that the G spot really exists. However, some women do not appear to have one, so the ability to fake an orgasm like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally remains as important as ever Photograph: Everett Collection/Rex Features

Scientists in Mexico turned tequila into diamonds. Photograph: David Sillitoe Photograph: David Sillitoe/Guardian

The skull of a gargantuan fossilised rodent was discovered in Uruguay. It was probably the size of a hippopotamus Photograph: Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Men with minor facial scars were found to be sexually appealing to women who were looking for a brief fling, but not to those looking for a husband Photograph: Public domain

Having exposed volunteers to the whiff of sweat from skydivers, researchers concluded that humans can smell fear Photograph: Benelux/Corbis

People were found to drink more and faster when pub landlords pumped up the volume Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

Britain's Ministry of Defence released its files on unidentified flying objects, including a report from an air traffic controller who watched a UFO land on his airport's runway, then vanish Photograph: Mike Agliolo/Corbis

Elephants were found to have a head for figures – or apples to be more precise Photograph: Timothy G Laman/National Geographic/Getty

The ashes of James Doohan (Scotty in Star Trek) failed to reach the final frontier when they were lost in a failed rocket launch Photograph: Cine Text/Allstar

A drug was found to produce the benefits of exercise without all the hard work Photograph: PR

Simply holding a hot drink can be enough to engender warm, fellow feelings, psychologists claimed Photograph: PA

A study identified which sports are sexy and which are not. Women who play rugby would be wise not to reveal their obsession on a first date Photograph: Andy Couldridge/Action Images

The idea vertical stripes flatter the more ample figure was shown to be bunkum. They actually make people look fatter Photograph: Frank Baron/Guardian

Swiss daredevil Yves Rossy became the first human to fly across the Channel strapped to a jet-powered wing Photograph: AFP