Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Animals
Killer whales follow postmenopausal leaders
Taking the lead on salmon hunts may be postmenopausal killer whales’ way of sharing their ecological knowledge.
- Health & Medicine
Arsenic spurs adaptation in Argentinian villagers
The people of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina, have genetic adaptations that may help them efficiently get rid of arsenic, a new study shows.
- Health & Medicine
Dose of extra oxygen revs up cancer-fighting immune cells
Extra oxygen helps immune cells shrink tumors in cancer-ridden mice.
- Animals
Insects may undermine trees’ ability to store carbon
Insects eat more leaves on trees grown in carbon dioxide-rich environments than those grown without the extra CO2. That may undermine forests as carbon sinks in the future.
- Animals
How pigeons bob and weave through obstacles
When navigating an obstacle course, pigeons weigh energy efficiency against the danger of collision, research finds.
- Neuroscience
Brain cells predict opponent’s move in game-playing monkeys
Newly discovered brain cells help monkeys predict whether a companion will cooperate.
- Plants
Plant growth patterns changing on much of Earth’s surface
More than half of Earth’s land surface has seen major changes in factors such as leaf-on date and how much vegetation grows in a season.
- Plants
Tropical plant knows whose bill is in its flowers
A rainforest plant avoids inbreeding by accepting pollen only from hummingbird species that must travel to reach it.
- Health & Medicine
Secondhand smoke exposure in womb linked to eczema in childhood
Secondhand smoke exposure in the womb may heighten risk of eczema and other dermatitis in children, a study finds.
- Humans
Breast-feeding newborns might limit their allergy to pets later
Breast-feeding newborns might limit their allergy to pets later by inducing a protective mix of gut microbes in the baby.
- Animals
Delicate spider takes down tough prey by attacking weak spots
The Loxosceles gaucho recluse spider can take down a heavily armored harvestman by attacking its weak spots, a new study reveals.
- Life
Superfast evolution observed in soil bacteria
Natural selection resurrects flagella in soil bacteria in just four days.
