Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Neuroscience
Our brains sort words as we sleep
Even after nodding off, a person’s brain correctly sorts words into categories, adding to the achievements of the sleeping brain.
- Paleontology
Lost-and-found dinosaur thrived in water
Fossils pieced together through ridiculous luck reveal Spinosaurus to be the only known dinosaur adapted for regular ventures into water.
- Life
Superslow sloths may have once evolved superfast
Sloths may evolved some of the fastest rates of body growth reported to date for mammals.
- Paleontology
Fossils push back origins of modern mammals
Fossils of three newly identified early mammals from China suggest that the common ancestor of today’s mammals lived over 200 million years ago.
- Microbes
Speedy test could improve treatment of urinary tract infections
A new test for drug-resistant bacteria may speed the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections.
- Animals
Strong social bonds help lady baboons live longer
Wild, female baboons with stronger social connections with both female and male baboons live longer than females with weaker ties, a new study shows.
- Life
North American bird update finds a little good news
Conservation measures have succeeded in improving the plight of certain North American bird species, but overall the national report card says “needs improvement.”
- Ecosystems
Artifacts, fossils tell story of changes to Egypt’s animals
Ancient Egyptian artifacts and fossils from the Nile Valley show a correlation between species extinctions and a growing human population in a drying climate.
- Health & Medicine
Viruses can zoom through workplaces in hours
A virus on an office door handle can spread to more than half the people working there within a few hours.
- Plants
Helping trees adapt to climate change possible but a huge task
A new study finds that it would be possible to assist the migration of trees and help them adapt to climate change, but the scale of such a project would be massive.
- Animals
Coral trout know when it’s time for team hunting
In certain situations, coral trout appear to be as good as chimpanzees at knowing when to collaborate, a new study suggests.
- Animals
Mystery mushroomlike sea creatures get names
Specimens of a mushroomlike animal from the sea now have a scientific name, but researchers aren’t sure what kind of animal they are.
