Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Microbes
Surprising metals found in microbes
Scientists discover the first case of an organism needing a rare earth element for survival.
- Animals
Deer and other animals can survive being impaled
Whether they are hunting shots gone wrong or something more sinister, stories of animals surviving such misfortunes are not uncommon.
- Neuroscience
Mold chemical linked to movement disorder
Fruit flies’ brains and human cells show Parkinson’s-like changes when exposed to fungi toxin.
- Microbes
Microbes help hyenas send status updates
Bacteria in the animals’ waste give off fumes that let passersby know who has been there before.
- Genetics
Genetic difference in blood clotting may underlie racial health disparity
Finding could help explain difference between blacks and whites in heart attack survival.
- Paleontology
Oldest bug bonk
Preserved as fossils, two insects remain caught in the act 165 million years later.
- Microbes
Gut bacteria can drive colon cancer development
Gut microbes may reveal who is at risk for colon cancer, a study in mice suggests.
- Animals
Myna birds don’t benefit from brainstorming
Mynas birds are actually a lot worse at problem solving when working in a group.
- Neuroscience
Brain patterns of haunting memories
Some fearful experiences stick with us forever. Others we brush off easily. The difference could be in which neuronal patterns are activated in our brains.
- Life
Gene makes old cells act young again
Turning on a gene called Lin28a in old, damaged tissue may help the cells heal quicker.
- Plants
In dry times, these trees invest in ants
The insects provide adequate defense by ganging up on leaf-eating caterpillars and biting their undersides until the herbivores fall off the tree.
- Life
Immune system follows circadian clock
Mice with jet lag have boosted supply of cells linked to inflammation.
