Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Neuroscience
Tadpoles with eyes in their tails see the light
Transplanted eyes in the creature’s tail can distinguish between red and blue.
- Life
Scientists race to understand deadly new virus
Emerging virus causes severe illness, but doesn’t spread as quickly as SARS.
- Animals
How weaver ants get a grip
Strong sticking power and quick reaction time help the insects stay put in trees.
-
- Life
Insulin levels wax and wane daily
Modern life may clash with the hormone’s natural cycle, new mouse research suggests.
- Life
Bees learn the electric buzz of flowers
Floral electric fields could join color and fragrance as cues to pollinators.
- Life
Chill turns monarchs north
Temperature manipulation appears to solve mystery of what triggers migratory butterflies’ homeward trip.
- Chemistry
Synthetic nanomaterial can recognize viruses
The new method may have advantages over antibody-based technologies.
- Tech
Imaging technique offers look inside hearing loss
Two-photon microscopy visualizes hair cells in the inner ear, offering insights into processes leading to deafness.
- Life
Bird, human tweets come from similar parts of the brain
Genetics study finds parallels in birdsong and language.
- Life
Melting Arctic may make algae flourish
More sunlight penetrates thinning Arctic sea ice, enabling algal growth.
- Life
Antianxiety drugs affect fish, too
Perch swim more and eat faster when exposed to concentrations of an antianxiety medication found in rivers.
