Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Neuroscience
Immune system gene leads to schizophrenia clue
Excessive snipping of nerve cell connections may contribute to schizophrenia.
- Genetics
Readers question gene-drive engineered mosquitoes and their predators
Readers discuss the effects of gene-drive engineered mosquitoes and muse on their science bucket list.
- Science & Society
Powerful rhetoric can overlook important details
Our Editor in Chief discusses the potential hazards of broad generalizations, specifically when it comes to genetically modified foods and abundant energy.
- Genetics
GMOs haven’t delivered on their promises — or risks
Genetically modified foods have been studied extensively and are abundant on supermarket shelves, but they haven’t managed to end world hunger yet.
- Animals
Skin color changes reveal octopus drama
Shallow-water octopuses use changes in skin color to communicate aggression to their peers, study suggests.
- Animals
Feral dogs take a bite out of Andean wildlife
A survey of a remote park in Ecuador finds feral dogs are a problem for many species of native mammals.
- Genetics
Mice can be male without Y chromosome
Researchers bypass the Y chromosome to make male mice.
- Animals
Devils Hole pupfish may not have been so isolated for so long
New genetic study questions Devils Hole pupfish’s supposed history of long isolation.
- Animals
Climate change may be deadly for snowshoe hares
The mismatch between coat color and the landscape can be deadly for a snowshoe hare.
- Paleontology
Plesiosaurs swam like penguins
Computer simulations of plesiosaur swimming motion may resolve long-standing debate on how the marine reptile got around.
- Animals
Christmas tree worms have eyes that breathe, gills that see
Christmas tree worms and other fan worms have improvised some of the oddest eyes.
- Health & Medicine
Monkeys with human gene show signs of autism
Genetically altered monkeys may help scientists understand autism.
