Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Genetics
‘Selfish’ DNA flouts rules of inheritance
R2d2 is selfish DNA that could skew scientists’ views of adaptation and evolution.
- Animals
Rock ant decisions swayed by six-legged social media
When rock ants start influencing each other with one-on-one social contact, a colony’s collective decisions can change.
- Oceans
Corals need to take their vitamin C
Newly settled corals use vitamin C to help build their stony skeletons, researchers propose.
- Neuroscience
Brain cells aglow after viral delivery
The virus AAV-PHP.B proves best at delivering genes to brain cells in mice. Similar viruses may eventually be used for gene therapy in humans.
- Animals
Invasive toads will probably overrun Madagascar
A new report finds that eradicating invasive Asian toads before they overtake all of Madagascar is “not currently feasible.”
- Paleontology
Surprise! Ancient armadillos are related to modern armadillos
DNA evidence proves that ancient glyptodonts are indeed related to today’s armadillos, as Charles Darwin suspected.
- Genetics
Prion disease gets personal
Diagnosis of a brain-wasting disease drove a married couple into science.
- Animals
Without a ban on trade in old ivory, elephant killing continues
Samuel Wasser has been working to track down where poached ivory comes from. But to stop the killing, he says, a ban on the ivory trade is necessary.
- Genetics
Dads pass health effects of stress on to sons, mouse study finds
In mice, males exposed to repeated psychological stress developed high blood sugar — and so did their unstressed male offspring.
- Microbes
Missing gut microbes linked to childhood malnutrition
The right mix of gut microbes could prevent kids from succumbing to malnutrition.
- Health & Medicine
Mini-stomachs brew insulin in mice
Scientists transform stomach cells into insulin factories and grow mini-stomachs for diabetic mice.
- Animals
Chubby king penguins wobble when they waddle
King penguins’ weight gain makes their waddle a bit wobbly, study suggests.
