Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Chimpanzees die from primate version of HIV
A new study links the simian immunodeficiency virus to serious AIDS-like illness in a wild population.
- Life
Protein plays three cancer-fighting roles
The tumor suppressor protein, p53, has three ways to protect cells from turning cancerous. A new study shows that p53 helps make microRNAs.
- Life
Sleeping ugly
Analysis pinpoints genes that help springtails dehydrate and tough out the winter.
- Life
Web decorating with garbage
Spider webs adorned with decaying food remains attract more attacks, but maybe there’s a defensive trade-off at work.
- Paleontology
Diggin’ dinos
Structures found in Australian rocks may be the filled-in remains of the world’s oldest dinosaur burrows.
- Life
Old gene, short new trick
A single genetic modification is linked to the stature of short-legged dog breeds, new research shows.
- Earth
Bird deaths blamed on vitamin deficiency
Shortage of thiamine may have been killing birds in the Baltic and possibly elsewhere for some 25 years.
- Physics
Pseudo pores help fling spores
New studies reveal that a thick, soft plant expels its progeny in an unexpected way.
- Animals
Turtles make sense after all
The odd bodies of turtles add a wrinkle to standard land-dwelling vertebrates.
- Life
Collins nominated to head NIH
The chemist — turned physician, turned geneticist — has a spiritual side as well.
- Animals
Megafish Sleuth: No Steve Irwin
There's no reason a scientist can't be an action hero — even if his damsels in distress have fins.
- Earth
Monster stingrays: Field notes from a global wrangler
A megafish biologist shares what he's learning about a rare freshwater species.
