Science Ticker
A roundup of research and breaking news
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Life
Bacteria’s tail spins make water droplets swirl
When bacteria band together, they can turn a fairly tame drop of water into a swirling vortex.
- Earth
Wavy jet stream linked with extreme weather
Extreme weather events have been linked with big waves in the jet stream.
- Planetary Science
Mystery patch found floating on Titan’s seas
Changes on the surface of a methane lake on one of Saturn’s moons may signal the onset of summer there.
- Quantum Physics
Electrons’ magnetic interactions measured
Using characteristics of quantum mechanics, the minuscule magnetic interaction between two electrons has been measured.
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Tiny galaxies had big influence on early universe
Nearly one-third of stars in the early universe were created in dwarf galaxies.
- Cosmology
Paper reporting primordial gravitational waves published
The paper reporting the detection of primordial gravitational waves from a split-second after the Big Bang has finally been published.
- Astronomy
Rosetta spacecraft is closing in on comet 67P/C-G
The Rosetta spacecraft is still on track to pull up and park next to comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko in August.
- Tech
Robo-fly steadies flight with onboard sensor
Scaling a robot to the size of a fly and stabilizing its flight with onboard sensors offers clues to how live insects stay steady in mid-air.
- Genetics
How you bet is affected by your genes
When betting, people's decisions are influenced by variations in a set of genes that regulate the brain chemical dopamine.
- Life
Genetic mutation quenches quantum quirk in algae
Studying algae that can and cannot use quantum coherence to harvest light could lead to better organic solar cells and quantum-based electronic devices.
- Health & Medicine
‘Bionic’ pancreas shows promise in diabetes test
Tests of a “bionic pancreas” confirm that the wearable devices can maintain blood glucose levels without the need for finger pricks or insulin shots in patients with type 1 diabetes.
- Quantum Physics
How to build a quantum-entangled superclock
A blueprint for a quantum-entangled superclock suggests that such a device could enable startlingly precise measurements of Earth’s terrain.
