Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Animals
How one enslaving wasp eats through another
A wasp that forces oaks to grow a gall gets tricked into digging an escape tunnel for its killers.
- Animals
Tropical bedbugs outclimb common species
A study of bedbug traps and feet names finds that tropical bedbugs are much better at scaling slippery walls than common bedbugs.
- Animals
Tropical bedbugs outclimb common bedbugs
A study of bedbug traps and feet names finds that tropical bedbugs are much better at scaling slippery walls than common bedbugs.
- Neuroscience
Making a mistake can put your brain on ‘pause’
When there’s not much time to recover, one error can lead to another.
- Genetics
How to grow toxin-free corn
Corn genetically altered to produce specialized molecules may prevent a fungus from tainting it with carcinogenic toxins.
- Neuroscience
Scratching is catching in mice
Contagious itching spreads by sight mouse-to-mouse, and scientists have identified brain structures behind the phenomenon.
- Genetics
Scientists move closer to building synthetic yeast from scratch
Scientists have created five more synthetic yeast chromosomes.
- Animals
De-extinction probably isn’t worth it
Diverting money to resurrecting extinct creatures could put those still on Earth at risk.
- Archaeology
Ancient dental plaque tells tales of Neandertal diet and disease
Researchers have reconstructed the diet and disease history of ancient Neandertals.
- Archaeology
Ancient dental plaque tells tales of Neandertal diet and disease
Researchers have reconstructed the diet and disease history of ancient Neandertals.
- Animals
Readers dispute starfishes’ water-swirling abilities
Volcanic eruptions, fast-freezing water, starfish physics and more in reader feedback.
- Neuroscience
Brain training turns recall rookies into memory masters
Six weeks of training turned average people into memory masters, a skill reflected in their brains.
