It should be front-page news.

For some reason, important science stories get less attention in the mainstream press than the latest American Idol developments. Hence I have decided to point out some recent science news stories that have come to my attention. This has been a very eventful week in terms of announcements that will potentially overturn our assumptions about the natural world. Here are some of these now (possibly) discredited assumptions, with links to their associated news items:

• Rings can only accrete around gas giants.
• Neutron stars always pulse in regular intervals.
• Mammals didn't infiltrate the seas until after the dinosaurs became extinct.
• Humans and Neanderthals co-existed in Europe for about 10,000 years.
• Evolution occurs over long periods.
• Paleolithic cave paintings in Europe were created by shamans and other learned men.
• Pre-Columbian colonists always entered North America via the Bering Land Bridge.

Here is what I've been listening to this week:

1. Baby Dee: Love's Small Song
2. Tears for Fears: Songs from the Big Chair
3. Baby Dee: Made for Love
4. Clearlake: Amber
5. Various Artists: I Am the Resurrection: A Tribute to John Fahey
6. Goldfrapp: Ooh La La
7. French Quarter: Barrels & Heaps
8. Destroyer: Destroyer's Rubies
9. Town and Country: Up Above
10. Galaxie 500: Today
11. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: f# a# ∞
12. The Caretaker: Theoretically Pure Anterograde Amnesia
13. The Avalanches: Since I Left You
14. Arctic Monkeys: Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
15. Jason Collett: Idols of Exile
16. The M's: Future Women
17. Maxïmo Park: Missing Songs
18. Tim Buckley: Honeyman
19. Frog Eyes: The Folded Palm
20. Dizzee Rascal: Boy in Da Corner
21. Man Man: The Man in a Blue Turban With a Face
22. Robyn: Robyn
23. Madonna: Confessions on a Dance Floor