Science News Roundup: An alligator on helium; Egypt discovers 27 sarcophagi over 2,500 years old

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Ig Nobel science award: An alligator on helium sounds like ...?

If humans sound like Minnie Mouse after inhaling helium, would an alligator squeak on the gas used to float balloons? This profound puzzle challenged a global research team to record an alligator bellowing with normal air and then breathing heliox, a helium-oxygen mixture.

Egypt discovers 27 sarcophagi more than 2,500 years old

Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered 27 coffins at the ancient necropolis of Saqqara, a burial ground that is also home to one of the world's oldest pyramids, the ministry of tourism and antiquities said. The wooden sarcophagi are ornately painted and covered in hieroglyphs, and were found stacked in two burial shafts, the ministry said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies.)