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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for March 29, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Study suggests Earth's water was present before impact that caused creation of the moonA team of researchers from the U.K., France and the U.S. has found evidence that suggests that most of the water on Earth was present before the impact that created the moon. In their paper published on the open access site Science Advances, the group describes their study and comparison of moon and Earth rocks, and what they found. |
 | NASA prepares to launch next mission to search sky for new worldsNASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is undergoing final preparations in Florida for its April 16 launch to find undiscovered worlds around nearby stars, providing targets where future studies will assess their capacity to harbor life. |
 | 'Marsquakes' could shake up planetary scienceStarting next year, scientists will get their first look deep below the surface of Mars. |
 | Image: Tiangong-1 spotted in space via radarIn the next few days, an unoccupied Chinese space station, Tiangong-1, is expected to reenter the atmosphere following the end of its operational life. Most of the craft should burn up. |
 | China's defunct space lab hurtling toward Earth for re-entryChina's defunct and reportedly out-of-control Tiangong 1 space station is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere sometime this weekend. It poses only a slight risk to people and property on the ground, since most of the bus-size, 8.5-ton vehicle is expected to burn up on re-entry, although space agencies don't know exactly when or where that will happen. |
 | NASA astronauts go spacewalking days after reaching orbitTwo new arrivals at the International Space Station went spacewalking Thursday less than a week after moving in, completing all their work despite a slightly shortened excursion. |
 | First test success for largest Mars mission parachuteThe largest parachute ever to fly on a Mars mission has been deployed in the first of a series of tests to prepare for the upcoming ExoMars mission that will deliver a rover and a surface science platform to the Red Planet. |
 | With China's space station about to crash land, who's responsible if you get hit by space junk?The defunct Chinese space station Tiangong-1 is falling back to Earth and about to crash land some time over the next few days. Most experts expect much of it to burn up as it enters the atmosphere, but it is likely that some pieces of the 8.5-tonne station will survive re-entry. |
 | Researcher discusses the future of space exploration technologyFor almost 20 years, humans have maintained a continuous presence beyond Earth. The International Space Station has provided a habitat where humans can live and work for extended periods of time. Yet, despite having established a permanent base for life in space, terra firma is always in reach—within 254 miles, to be exact. If a crew member were to fall seriously ill, he or she could make the return trip back to Earth in a matter of hours. |
 | Studying supernovae, finding the origins of lifeMany stars die with a whimper, subsiding into cool, small stars, but the most massive go out with a bang. These giants produce elements in their cores, and when the stars explode into the spectacular phenomena known as supernovae, the power of the event scatters the elements far into space. You could even say that supernovae are responsible for life on Earth, since the explosions are the source of most of the elements found on our planet and in our bodies. |
 | Space weather threatens high-tech lifeShortly after 4 a.m. on a crisp, cloudless September morning in 1859, the sky above what is currently Colorado erupted in bright red and green colors. Fooled by the brightness into thinking it was an early dawn, gold-rush miners in the mountainous region of what was then called the Kansas Territory woke up and started making breakfast. What happened in more developed regions was even more disorienting, and carries a warning for the wired high-tech world of the 21st century. |
 | US astronauts make spacewalk to perform ISS repairs (Update)Two American astronauts on Thursday completed a lengthy spacewalk to replace old hoses on the the International Space Station's cooling system and make other equipment upgrades, footage from the US space agency NASA showed. |
Technology news
 | Now you see it: Evading detection by an infrared camera, octopus styleMaterials inspired by disappearing Hollywood dinosaurs and real-life shy squid have been invented by UCI engineers, according to new findings in Science this Friday. |
 | Software automatically generates knitting instructions for 3-D shapesCarnegie Mellon University computer scientists have developed a system that can translate a wide variety of 3-D shapes into stitch-by-stitch instructions that enable a computer-controlled knitting machine to automatically produce those shapes. |
 | Introducing Cloud Text-to-Speech service for developersThe Google Cloud Platform Blog issued a Tuesday announcement, introducing Cloud Text-to-Speech. |
 | Cryptocurrency boom breathes life into Alpine villageUp until a century ago, the southern Swiss village of Gondo was famous for gold mining, but the industry closed and Gondo fell on harder times. |
Switzerland at epicentre of cryptocurrency revolutionSwitzerland has become a global hub for cryptocurrencies and the blockchain technology they are built on, with investors flocking to the wealthy Alpine nation to get in on the virtual action. | |
 | Kobe's smart city project begins undergroundThe underground complex Santica in the heart of Kobe is the target of a three-year initiative to develop an airflow control system based on AI sensors that detect the movement of people and air currents. The project was commissioned by Japan's Ministry of Environment as a Low Carbon Technology Research and Development Program. It is a collaboration between Kobe University, Nikken Sekkei Research Institute (NSRI), Sohatsu Systems Laboratory Inc., and Kobe Chikagai Co., Ltd. (location provider). |
Software technology that simulates LED devices for rapid development of light sourcesA Purdue-affiliated company is developing a new time and cost effective software technology that could offer a more efficient and realistic way to model and simulate light emitting diodes (LEDs) in order to achieve more powerful and more efficient LED light sources often used in general lighting, automobile lighting and consumer electronics. | |
 | A bridge so far: China's controversial megaprojectTouted as an engineering wonder, the world's longest sea bridge, which connects Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China, includes a snaking road crossing and an underwater tunnel and reportedly uses enough steel to build 60 Eiffel Towers. |
 | Renault shares accelerate on Nissan merger talkShares in French automaker Renault shifted up several gears on Thursday, reaching the highest level in a decade, following a report that it was in talks with its alliance partner Nissan about a merger. |
 | Teaching chatbots how to do the right thingIn this age of information —and misinformation —advancements in technology are challenging us to rethink how language works. |
 | The hybrid trapYou know you're sailing into the wind when your theory suggests that the Toyota Prius may end up being a business mistake. But innovation expert Fernando Suarez isn't the type to take the easy downwind course. |
 | France prepares 1.5 billion euro push to foster AI researchPresident Emmanuel Macron is to unveil Thursday a bold plan to make France a centre of reference for artificial intelligence research, aimed at drawing homegrown and foreign talent in a field dominated by US and Chinese players. |
 | Microsoft shakes up ranks to shoot for the cloudMicrosoft on Thursday announced a big managerial shakeup including the departure of the head of its Windows group as the technology pushes deeper into a future in the cloud. |
Boeing says effect from computer virus was limitedBoeing Co. says it detected an attack using the wannacry computer virus but that the intrusion caused little damage or disruption. | |
 | Tougher US rules needed on autonomous cars: advocateAccidents involving autonomous cars could slow the advance of the technology and demonstrate the need for tougher federal standards, a leading highway safety advocate said Thursday. |
 | Facebook's limits on using data brokers won't stop trackingFacebook's decision to stop working with third-party data collectors might earn it public-relations points, but it does little to protect your privacy. |
 | G7 nations agree on a 'common vision' for AIGroup of Seven countries have agreed to a "common vision" for the development of artificial intelligence, a Canadian minister said Wednesday. |
India sends notice to Facebook over alleged data breachIndia's government has sent a notice to Facebook asking whether the personal data of Indian voters and users has been compromised by U.K.-based Cambridge Analytica or any other downstream entity. | |
 | Trump assails Amazon on taxes, retail competitionUS President Donald Trump slammed Amazon on Thursday over taxes and retail competition, sparking fresh worries for the technology sector pressured by Facebook's privacy scandal. |
 | The next Kirkland? Online retailers create their own brandsIn Andrea Bright's home, Kleenex tissues, Charmin toilet paper and Glad trash bags have all been replaced by one brand: Prince & Spring. |
 | Facebook cooperating with New York probe: prosecutorFacebook has begun to produce documents and wants to be "cooperative" with a New York investigation into the Cambridge Analytica data breach, state attorney general Eric Schneiderman said Thursday. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Hockey victories may increase heart attack risk in Canadian menThe thrill of a hockey victory may put younger men at an increased risk for heart attack. A new study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology found an increase in hospital admissions for men under 55 presenting with symptoms of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) or heart attack the day after a Montreal Canadiens win. There was little evidence within the general population of a relationship between watching hockey games and the incidence of STEMI. |
 | Just one high-fat meal sets the perfect stage for heart diseaseA single high-fat milkshake, with a fat and calorie content similar to some enticing restaurant fare, can quickly transform our healthy red blood cells into small, spiky cells that wreak havoc inside our blood vessels and help set the perfect stage for cardiovascular disease, scientists report. |
 | Burgers, other foods consumed at restaurants, fast food outlets, cafeterias, associated with higher levels of phthalatesDining out more at restaurants, cafeterias and fast-food outlets may boost total levels of potentially health-harming chemicals called phthalates in the body, according to a study out today. Phthalates, a group of chemicals used in food packaging and processing materials, are known to disrupt hormones in humans and are linked to a long list of health problems. |
 | Dietary supplement shows promise for reversing cardiovascular agingScientists have long known that restricting calories can fend off physiological signs of aging, with studies in fruit flies, roundworms, rodents and even people showing that chronically slashing intake by about a third can reap myriad health benefits and, in some cases, extend lifespan. |
 | Neurocognitive risk may begin before treatment for young leukemia patientsLeukemia itself, not just side effects related to its treatment, may increase the risk for long-term problems with attention, organization and related neurocognitive skills in survivors of the most common childhood cancer, according to research from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The study appears today in the journal JAMA Oncology. |
 | Slow, steady waves keep brain hummingIf you keep a close eye on an MRI scan of the brain, you'll see a wave pass through the entire brain like a heartbeat once every few seconds. This ultra-slow rhythm was recognized decades ago, but no one quite knew what to make of it. MRI data are inherently noisy, so most researchers simply ignored the ultra-slow waves. |
 | Pig model of Huntington's offers advantages for testing treatmentsUsing genetic engineering technology, a team of scientists has established a pig model of Huntington's disease (HD), an inherited neurodegenerative disease. The researchers anticipate that the pigs could be a practical way to test treatments for HD, which is caused by a gene encoding a toxic protein that causes brain cells to die. |
 | Researchers develop a novel RNA-based therapy to target West Nile virusA Yale-led research team developed a new RNA therapy, delivered through the nose, to treat mice infected with West Nile Virus. The innovative approach reduced the virus in the brain, allowing the immune system to destroy the virus and develop long-term protection against West Nile Virus disease, the researchers said. |
 | Researchers define target and mechanism of antibacterial drug fidaxomicin (Dificid)A team of Rutgers University and international scientists has determined the molecular target and mechanism of the antibacterial drug fidaxomicin (trade name Dificid). |
 | Detailed structure illuminates brain-enhancing drug's actionA detailed picture of a brain-boosting experimental drug could one day help researchers tailor it for use in human clinical trials. |
 | Sulfur amino acid restriction could amount to new dietary approach to healthThe longevity and health improvements seen in animals on sulfur amino acid-restricted diets could translate to people, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers who recently conducted a review of published studies. More research is needed to confirm the benefits in people, the scientists said. |
 | Study points to potential personalized approach to treating lupusIn individuals with lupus, immune cells attack the body's own tissue and organs as if they are enemy invaders. A new Yale-led study describes how a protein found in common bacteria triggers that auto-immune response. The finding opens the door to future therapies targeting the bacteria rather than the immune system, the researchers said. |
 | Researchers identify new class of antibiotics with potential to fight 'superbugs'A team of researchers led by Brown University infectious disease experts and engineers has identified a new class of antibiotics that could one day help combat the alarming emergence of drug-resistant "superbugs." |
 | Memory researchers link two brain regions to conceptual organizationIf your idea of a perfect dog is an abstract rendering of canine qualities extracted across many encounters in your life, you are not alone in how your brain connects memories, say University of Oregon scientists. |
 | Physicians devise emergency and trauma care referral map for USIn response to repeated calls for an integrated and coordinated emergency and trauma care system in the U.S., University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine scientists and UPMC physicians rose to the challenge and divided the nation into hundreds of referral regions that describe how patients access advanced care, in a way that respects geopolitical borders. |
Scientists find link between congenital cardiac malformation and adult adrenal cancerAn international team led by Dr. Patricia Dahia, M.D., Ph.D., of UT Health San Antonio, discovered a genetic mutation that explains why adults with severe congenital heart defects—who live with low oxygen in their blood—are at dramatically high risk for adrenal gland cancer. | |
 | Accurately diagnosing genetic disease prevents cancer, saves livesA single, upfront genomic test is more effective for detecting Lynch syndrome in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients than the traditional multiple, sequential testing approach, according to new clinical data reported by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC - James). |
Study finds relationship changes, social improvements after bariatric surgeryIndividuals who have undergone bariatric surgery have a higher probability of getting married, separating from their partner or getting divorced, according to a Swedish study published in JAMA Surgery. | |
 | Test detects prior infection by Zika virusA test that detects antibodies against Zika virus in samples of blood serum with high specificity—and hence a low risk of cross-reaction with related microorganisms such as dengue virus—is set to enter the Brazilian market before 2018 is out. |
 | Kidney dysfunction contributes to severe malariaUnderstanding the most severe presentations of malaria is key to lowering the mortality associated with the infectious disease, which currently stands around 500,000 deaths a year. Researchers have now reinforced the idea that kidney dysfunction is a contributing factor to severe Plasmodium vivax malaria cases. The results of their new study appear in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. |
 | Genetic profiling could improve IVF successGenetic profiling could help determine whether an embryo created through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) is likely to successfully transfer to the womb, increasing the success rate of the procedure. |
 | A next-generation non-hormonal contraceptive for womenA hormone-free women's contraceptive with no side effects is one promising use for a new technique developed by researchers in Sweden to tighten up the mucous membrane – the body's first line of defense in protecting its inner lining. |
 | Researchers increase understanding of coarse-to-fine human visual perceptionA longstanding paradox in vision shows that the complexity of neural encoding increases along the visual hierarchy even as visual resolution dramatically decreases. Put differently, how do people simultaneously recognize the face of a child, while at the same time visually resolving individual eyelash hairs? |
 | Why people with insomnia don't know they're asleepWhen you can't get to sleep at night, you might explain it to someone as your brain not being able to shut off. |
Alzheimer's proteins in ICU survivorsWhile modern medicine has increased the number of people who survive a stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), survivors have a high risk of developing problems with thinking and memory, a phenomenon called cognitive impairment. | |
 | Colon cancer chemo could be halved after surgeryChemotherapy courses after surgery could be cut in half for some colon cancer patients, according to a new global study. |
 | After addiction, the long road back to good healthBefore Kevin M.'s drinking problem began, before he became what he calls a "frequent flyer" in the Yale New Haven Hospital emergency department (ED), he was a policeman in Hollywood, Florida. There, he became involved in several shooting incidents. Though a civilian review board determined he had been justified, he says, he was asked to "leave the department quietly." |
 | New blood thinners may shorten patients' hospital staysThe use of newer blood thinners for patients at risk of stroke may lead to two fewer days in the hospital for those who experience complications, with the same survival rate as the older drug warfarin, according to a data study by researchers at UC San Francisco. |
 | Potential genetic link in sudden infant death syndrome identifiedRare genetic mutations associated with impairment of the breathing muscles are more common in children who have died from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than in healthy controls, according to new research co-authored by Medical Research Council scientists. |
 | Is Truvada (PrEP) the game-changer that will end new HIV transmissions in Australia?On Sunday, April 1, Australia will join only a handful of other countries in the world whose governments have made HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) readily available to populations at risk of HIV infection. |
 | 3-D modelling unlocks insight into cancer progressionMedics may soon have a better understanding of how cancer tumours grow and progress, thanks to research from an international collaboration. |
 | Why gut bacteria are essential for a healthy immune systemMost people are aware of how important it is for our well-being to have a healthy gut, which depends on a healthy gut microbiota. In fact, few things disturb our daily routines, social events or even travel experiences as the worry, pain and embarrassment of a malfunctioning intestinal system. |
 | How microgravity affects onset of the most common form of arthritisA study simulating the effects of microgravity in space that shows why astronauts are likely to experience knee problems after returning from extended missions could also give valuable insight into the progression of osteoarthritis for the rest of us here on Earth. |
 | Novel silver compounds offer a potential cancer treatment breakthroughThe development of chemotherapeutic drugs to treat various cancers has been fraught with challenges. One of the toughest is the acute and long-term toxicity of drugs and its severe side-effects on almost all organs in the body. |
The microenvironment of diabetic retinopathy supports lymphatic neovascularization"We asked whether proliferative diabetic retinopathy involves the growth of new lymphatic vessels in addition to blood vessels – and, indeed, we found expression of lymphatic markers in the PDR tissues." The new study, conducted at the University of Helsinki, Finland, was published in the Journal of Pathology. | |
For young patients, a hospital stay is fun and games thanks to child life specialistsWhen a ten-year-old girl arrived at Kentucky Children's Hospital for a routine appendectomy, she fired off a series of anxious questions. Would she be able to feel the surgery? Will it hurt? What if she woke up in the middle of it? | |
 | Against the clock—uncovering the first 30 minutes of viral infectionResearchers are unraveling the crucial first 30 minutes of viral invasion into a human cell. |
 | Study helps explain launch switch for most common malignant pediatric brain tumorA delicate balance during brain development could have profound implications for understanding and treating medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor affecting children. |
 | Study shows easy-to-use, noninvasive stimulation device can help prevent migraine attacksA migraine is much more than just a bad headache. Migraine symptoms, which can be debilitating for many people, are the sixth leading cause of disability, according to the World Health Organization. While there is no cure, a new study published in Cephalalgia in March shows single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation is a new way to prevent migraine attacks. It's safe, easy to use and noninvasive. |
 | Self-managed health care technology should consider chronic disease patients' valuesHelping patients better manage their own health is a crucial goal—both medically and economically—but achieving that goal will require health care technologies that are sensitive to patients' values, researchers at Washington State University are finding. |
 | Hungarian agency powerless in holding healthcare funding decisions to accountAn initiative designed to improve transparency in decision-making in Hungary in relation to healthcare lacks the teeth to properly hold decision-makers to account, according to new research. |
Topical solution may be less toxic option for patients with noncancerous skin growthSeborrheic keratosis is the most common noncancerous skin growth in adults seen by doctors in everyday practice. While it can look like skin cancer, seborrheic keratosis is not thought to be caused by sun-related exposure, in fact, the cause is unclear. It typically presents as a brown or black growth on the face, chest, shoulders, or back. | |
 | Expert panel reliable and accurate in identifying injuries in young childrenWhen a child is brought to a pediatric emergency department with an injury, it can be difficult for physicians to precisely identify whether the injury is the result of abuse or an accident. One approach is to employ the opinion of a panel of pediatric injury experts. |
 | Researchers making inroads against ovarian cancer(HealthDay)—Ovarian cancer can be tough to beat, particularly if it returns after initial treatment, but new research offers a glimmer of hope. |
 | Poll: Americans fear crippling medical bills more than illness(HealthDay)—Medical care costs in the United States can be so overwhelming that Americans fear the cost of treatment more than the illness itself, a new poll shows. |
 | Phone-using drivers knowingly ignore the danger(HealthDay)—Even though they know it's dangerous, many American drivers still talk on a cellphone or text while behind the wheel, a new survey finds. |
 | Turn down the music. Here's why.(HealthDay)—Parents annoyed by the loud music that their teens listen to might have good reason to worry. |
 | Molecular minimal disease in remission predicts AML relapse(HealthDay)—The detection of molecular minimal residual disease is associated with increased relapse rates in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to a study published in the March 29 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. |
A medical charter: Commitments to limit physician burnout, promote well-beingMore than half of U.S. physicians say they experience burnout in their work. Today, Mayo Clinic and other leading medical centers have published a "Charter on Physician Well-Being" as an intended model for medical organizations to not only minimize and manage physician burnout, but also promote physician well-being. The charter, which has been endorsed or supported by many major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Association of Medical Colleges, appears online in JAMA. | |
Patients who travel abroad for plastic surgery can bring home serious complicationsWith the promise of inexpensive procedures luring patients to travel abroad for plastic surgery, medical tourism has become an expanding, multi-billion-dollar industry. But while the initial procedure may be cheap, it can place a significant burden on U.S. public health systems when patients return from abroad with complications. A new study by investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital describes the magnitude of medical complications that can result from plastic surgery abroad. Their study is published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. | |
 | The link between urban design and childhood obesityChildren who live in more walkable neighbourhoods have a smaller waist measurement and a lower BMI (body mass index). Those are the findings of a Montreal research team led by INRS professor Tracie A. Barnett. According to the results of the study published in Preventive Medicine by Adrian Ghenadenik (lead author) with Professor Barnett (senior contributing author), urban design is a factor in the development of childhood obesity. |
Researchers explore how personality affects gamified diabetes self-managementMobile health (mHealth) apps using gamified elements, like Empower by Ayogo and Fitocracy, for improving behaviors important to self-managing chronic illness are growing in popularity. But evidence of effectiveness of mHealth apps has been mixed. Meanwhile, rates of Type 2 diabetes in older adults are higher than other populations, as about 20 percent of Americans over the age of 65 suffer from the disease. | |
Tumor suppressor protein targets liver cancerSalk Institute scientists, together with researchers from Switzerland's University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, discovered a protein called LHPP that acts as a molecular switch to turn off the uncontrolled growth of cells in liver cancer. The tumor suppressor, which could be useful as a biomarker to help diagnose and monitor treatment for liver cancer, could also be relevant for other cancer types. The work appeared in print in the journal Nature on March 29, 2018, and adds to the growing body of knowledge about cellular processes that either promote or prevent cancer. | |
Opioid use prevalent among electronic dance music partygoersOne in 10 electronic dance music (EDM) party attendees have misused opioids in the past year, exceeding the national average, finds a study by the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at NYU Meyers College of Nursing. | |
Modern cosmetic procedures are on the riseNew data from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) shows that many modern cosmetic surgical procedures are on the rise, and that surgical procedures account for 77% of all surveyed physicians' business. The latest annual survey (Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank Statistics) from the organization now reflects input exclusively from ABPS board-certified plastic surgeons, which previously encompassed data from physicians in a wider range of specialties. | |
 | California regulators target web ads for illegal pot shopsWeedmaps is a go-to website for people looking to find a marijuana shop. With a few clicks on a cellphone, customers can find virtually any type of cannabis product, along with the fastest route to the place selling it and ratings from other consumers to help them decide what to buy. |
Suicides rise as years-long war grinds down South SudaneseBy the time her 19-year-old son was shot in front of her, Ayak had already lost her four brothers and witnessed countless deaths in South Sudan's brutal war. | |
 | New work from Ron Crystal's lab on treating hereditary adrenal disordersA new study has definitively shown that a single treatment with gene therapy using adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector gene delivery to replace the defective gene responsible for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) will only temporarily alleviate the hereditary disorder. The normal cells will eventually be replaced by new adrenocortical cells carrying the disease mutation, and a long-term solution will require targeting the genetic mutation carried in a patient's adrenocortical stem cells, as reported in an article published in Human Gene Therapy. |
Breast cancers detected at smaller size in women with implantsBreast augmentation with implants does not interfere with the ability to detect later breast cancers—in fact, cancers may be detected at a smaller size in breasts with implants, according to a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). | |
 | Child sexual abuse in US costs up to $1.5 million per child death, study findsChild sexual abuse in the United States is costly, with an average lifetime cost of $1.1 million per death of female victims and $1.5 million per death of male victims, according to a new study. |
CDC get $480 million to replace lab for deadliest germsThe nation's top public health agency has its money for a new lab to handle dangerous germs. | |
Biology news
 | Virus found to adapt through newly discovered path of evolutionBucking a central tenet of biology, researchers at the University of California San Diego and their colleagues have discovered evidence for a new path of evolution, and with it a deeper understanding of how quickly organisms such as viruses can adapt to their environment. |
 | Strings of electron-carrying proteins may hold the secret to 'electric bacteria'Could a unique bacterium be nature's microscopic power plant? |
 | Mice 'eavesdrop' on rats' tear signalTears might not seem to have an odor. But studies have shown that proteins in tears do act as pheromonal cues. For example, the tear glands of male mice produce a protein that makes females more receptive to sex. Now researchers reporting in Current Biology on March 29 have found that rat tears contain proteins with similar functions. The new study also shows that mice pick up on the rats' tear proteins, too. The chemical cue appears to tip the mice off to the fact that predators (i.e., rats) are around. |
 | Study may help explain why iron can worsen malaria infectionResearchers at the National Institutes of Health have a possible explanation for why iron can sometimes worsen malaria infection. By studying mice and samples from malaria patients, the researchers found that extra iron interferes with ferroportin, a protein that prevents a toxic buildup of iron in red blood cells and helps protect these cells against malaria infection. They also found that a mutant form of ferroportin that occurs in African populations appears to protect against malaria. These basic findings, published in Science, may help researchers and healthcare officials develop strategies to prevent and treat malaria infections, which numbered nearly 216 million worldwide in 2016. |
 | ScarTrace helps understand how multicellular organisms develop from embryonic progenitorsA team of researchers with Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute-KNAW and University Medical Center Utrecht in The Netherlands has developed a new method to conduct whole-organism clone tracing using single-cell sequencing. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes how they used their new method to conduct research on barcoded zebrafish cells. |
 | Researchers capture first representative of most abundant giant viruses in the seaBodo saltans virus, the first isolated representative of the most abundant giant viruses in the sea, has been unveiled by researchers at the University of British Columbia. |
 | Monkeys' brains synchronize as they collaborate to perform a motor taskThough their purpose and function are still largely unknown, mirror neurons in the brain are believed by some neuroscientists to be central to how humans relate to each other. Deficiencies in mirror neurons might also play a role in autism and other disorders affecting social skills. |
 | What stops mass extinctions? Lessons from amphibian die-off in PanamaBlack plague killed between 30 to 50 percent of people worldwide. The cause, Yersinia pestis, is still around, but people are not dying of the plague. An even more devastating modern disease caused by the chytrid fungus wiped entire frog and salamander populations off the map. New results from work at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama published in the Mar. 29 edition of Science, reveal the outcomes of the chytridiomycosis epidemic and their implications for diseases of mass destruction. |
 | New frog species found in Venezuela and ColombiaVenezuelan and Colombian scientists have identified a new species of frog in the Perija mountain range shared by both countries that is home to unusual species like this small amphibian. |
 | Scientists discover function of Cas4 protein in CRISPR-Cas defence systemsResearchers around the globe have increasingly been using a bacterial defence mechanism called CRISPR-Cas9 as a tool to surgically edit DNA in living cells. This new technique has made gene editing a lot easier and more precise. But how these systems function in nature is still not fully understood. Researchers at Delft University of Technology have now determined the role of one of the proteins involved in many CRISPR systems, namely Cas4. As it turns out, this protein helps form memories of invading viral elements so that the bacterial cell is protected from virus infection. Virus memories obtained with Cas4 help the cell to find and destroy the invading virus fast enough to survive. The discovery is another important step towards a complete understanding of CRISPR systems. |
 | Flipping lipids for cell transport-tubulesResearchers are getting closer to understanding the molecular processes that cause parts of cell membranes to morph into tiny tubes that can transport molecules in and out of cells. |
 | Would stepping on the first butterfly really change the history of evolution?Martha Jones: It's like in those films: if you step on a butterfly, you change the future of the human race. |
 | Genome archaeologists uncover the origin of a plant hormoneIn their quest for the origin of the universal auxin hormone in plants, Wageningen-based biochemists and bioinformaticists took on the mantle of archaeologists. Deep in the evolutionary history of plant life on earth, about a billion years ago, they came across the protein fragments that were already related to the plant hormone at that time. The journey of discovery reveals information that gives life scientists insight into evolution and which creates opportunities for plant breeders and prospects for growers. The research team published their findings in the leading online journal eLife on 27 March. |
World's top cocoa producers fight to protect forestsPark rangers in the world's top cocoa producer, Ivory Coast, are waging a campaign to protect national forests from the illegal farming of the raw ingredient in chocolate. | |
 | Dolphins tear up nets as fish numbers fallFishing nets suffer six times more damage when dolphins are around – and overfishing is forcing dolphins and fishermen ever closer together, new research shows. |
 | One species described multiple times: How taxonomists contribute to biodiversity discoveryWhile working on a rare little known group of Oriental wasps that most likely parasitise the eggs of grasshoppers, locusts or crickets, not only did a team of four entomologists discover four previously unknown species, but they also found that another four species within the same genus (Habroteleia) were in fact all one and the same - a fifth species discovered more than a century ago. |
 | Anti-viral components in soybean meal may promote growth and health in pigsSwine diets are carefully formulated to provide the perfect balance of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fats. But what if those diets also provided health-promoting bioactive compounds that could make animals more resilient to disease? A new article from the University of Illinois notes that soy-derived compounds may be doing just that. |
 | Human-centered design is key to forming partnerships for large-scale conservation successTo recruit more fishers to help with marine conservation, cast a wider net. |
Fat-sensing hormone helps control tadpole metamorphosisWhen tadpoles are but tadpoles, they're voracious eaters, chomping down all of the plant matter in their paths. | |
 | Walleye fish populations are in declineWalleye, an iconic native fish species in Wisconsin, the upper Midwest and Canada, are in decline in northern Wisconsin lakes, according to a study published this week in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. |
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