Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Life
Human encroachment threatens chimpanzee culture
Human activity is affecting chimps’ behavioral repertoire, a new study suggests. Creating chimp cultural heritage sites might save unique behaviors.
- Life
How helpful gut microbes send signals that they are friends, not foes
Some beneficial gut bacteria use unique form of communication to let immune cells know that they’re friendly.
- Astronomy
Readers have questions about Ultima Thule, thirsty plants and vitamin D
Readers had comments and questions about Ultima Thule, photosynthesis and more.
- Health & Medicine
FDA has approved the first ketamine-based antidepressant
A nasal spray with a ketamine-based drug promises faster relief from depression for some people.
- Oceans
Tiny bits of iron may explain why some icebergs are green
Scientists originally thought the green hue of some icebergs came from carbon particles. Instead, iron oxides may color the ice.
- Life
This spider slingshots itself at extreme speeds to catch prey
By winding up its web like a slingshot, the slingshot spider achieves an acceleration rate far faster than a cheetah’s.
- Genetics
A CRISPR spin-off causes unintended typos in DNA
One type of CRISPR gene editor makes frequent and widespread mistakes, studies in mice and rice reveal.
- Health & Medicine
Ripples race in the brain as memories are recalled
A fast brain wave called a ripple often came before a person’s correct answer on a memory test.
- Animals
Bears that eat ‘junk food’ may hibernate less and age faster
Wild black bears snacking on leftovers of sugary, highly processed foods in Colorado show possible signs of faster cellular wear.
- Life
Eating a lot of fiber could improve some cancer treatments
A high-fiber diet, which boosts the diversity of gut microbes, may make an immune therapy against skin cancer more effective.
- Neuroscience
How singing mice belt out duets
A precise timing system in the brain helps musical rodents from the cloud forests of Costa Rica sing to one another.
- Animals
What spiders eating weird stuff tell us about complex Amazon food webs
By documenting rare events of invertebrates eating small vertebrates, scientists are shedding new light on the Amazon rainforest’s intricate ecosystem.
