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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for July 6, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Data from Juno shows Jupiter moons causing footprints in auroraeA team of researchers with members from Italy, the U.S. and Belgium has discovered that two of Jupiter's moons cause "footprints" in the planet's aurorae. In their paper published in the journal Science, the researchers describe what they found and how it helps better understand both the planet and its moons. |
 | Fragment of impacting asteroid recovered in BotswanaOn Saturday, June 23, 2018, a team of experts from Botswana, South Africa, Finland and the United States of America recovered a fresh meteorite in Botswana's Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR). The meteorite is one of the fragments of asteroid 2018 LA which collided with Earth on June 2, 2018 and turned into a meteor fireball that detonated over Botswana a few seconds after entering the atmosphere. The incident was witnessed by a number of spectators in Botswana and neighbouring countries and was captured on numerous security cameras. |
 | NASA awards contract to study flying drones on VenusIn the coming decades, NASA and other space agencies hope to mount some ambitious missions to other planets in our Solar System. In addition to studying Mars and the outer Solar System in greater detail, NASA intends to send a mission to Venus to learn more about the planet's past. This will include studying Venus' upper atmosphere to determine if the planet once had liquid water (and maybe even life) on its surface. |
 | Cutting-edge heat shield installed on NASA's Parker Solar ProbeThe launch of Parker Solar Probe, the mission that will get closer to the Sun than any human-made object has ever gone, is quickly approaching, and on June 27, 2018, Parker Solar Probe's heat shield—called the Thermal Protection System, or TPS—was installed on the spacecraft. |
Technology news
 | South Korea team may inspire fingerprints as fave phone openerSmart fingerprint sensor arrays for the smartphone have become a focal point of new research. Fingerprint sensors are getting a rethink, and the strategy being proposed is now reported in Nature Communications. The report is looking at sensor arrays that, at the same time, can pick up tactile pressure and finger skin temperature. |
 | An AI system for editing music in videosAmateur and professional musicians alike may spend hours pouring over YouTube clips to figure out exactly how to play certain parts of their favorite songs. But what if there were a way to play a video and isolate the only instrument you wanted to hear? |
 | Smart bandages designed to monitor and tailor treatment for chronic woundsA team of engineers led by Tufts University has developed a prototype bandage designed to actively monitor the condition of chronic wounds and deliver appropriate drug treatments to improve the chances of healing. While the lab-tested bandages remain to be assessed in a clinical context, the research, published today in the journal Small, is aimed at transforming bandaging from a traditionally passive treatment into a more active paradigm to address a persistent and difficult medical challenge. |
 | New model for large-scale 3-D facial recognitionResearchers from The University of Western Australia have designed a new system capable of carrying out large-scale 3-D facial recognition that could transform the entire biometrics industry. |
 | Is your smartphone spying on you?Some popular apps on your phone may be secretly taking screenshots of your activity and sending them to third parties, according to a new study by a team of Northeastern researchers. |
 | Training artificial intelligence with artificial X-raysArtificial intelligence (AI) holds real potential for improving both the speed and accuracy of medical diagnostics. But before clinicians can harness the power of AI to identify conditions in images such as X-rays, they have to 'teach' the algorithms what to look for. |
 | California senators reach agreement on net neutrality billKey California lawmakers said Thursday they've reached an agreement on legislation to enshrine net neutrality provisions in state law after the Federal Communications Commission dumped rules requiring an equal playing field on the internet. |
 | Six-year boom pushes New York to mull Uber regulationShould Uber be forced to pay drivers better? After years of untamed growth, app-based for-hire services have brought New York's iconic yellow cabs to their knees and the city is mulling regulatory action. |
 | Samsung Electronics flags 5.2% rise in Q2 profitSouth Korean telecom giant Samsung Electronics on Friday flagged a 5.2 percent rise in its second quarter operating profit from a year earlier, missing analyst estimates. |
 | Let the Games begin: Netflix releases first Indian seriesNetflix's first original Indian series premieres on Friday as the US streaming giant battles with Amazon Prime for a slice of the country's fast growing on-demand video market. |
 | Global collaboration gives rise to 3-D printed field test kitA three-cornered collaboration between South Australia, Texas and Ethiopia is using 3-D printed technology and design innovation to efficiently diagnose a deadly disease that infects a million people every year. |
 | Humans need not applyWill automation, AI and robotics mean a jobless future, or will their productivity free us to innovate and explore? Is the impact of new technologies to be feared, or a chance to rethink the structure of our working lives and ensure a fairer future for all? |
 | New superconductor technology for the transmission gridThe German energy transition makes it necessary to extend the transmission grid. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), together with the grid operator TenneT, now studies the use of superconductor technology as an alternative to conventional power cables for short grid sections within the framework of the ENSURE Kopernikus Project. The superconductor cables designed by KIT for this purpose are efficient and powerful. After successful testing, they might allow for a more compact construction of power transmission lines in the three-phase grid. |
 | Researchers use AI to add 4-D effects to moviesJames Cameron's 3-D film Avatar sought to revolutionize the movie-going experience when it was first released in 2009, creating an immersive world for viewers. But what if you also wanted to feel the heat and the wind, while flying on a banshee, direct from your cinema seat? |
 | Team develops an ultra-thin sensor that makes inflammation testing and curing 30 times fasterDifferent from the inorganic counterparts like silicon, organic semiconductors can operate under bending or stretching. Usually a thinner film can have stronger capability to bend. Other than bending, a thinner or smaller device can also offer a faster response time which is particular important for sensor application if immediate information is needed. These ultra-flexible sensors are very popular research areas and their applications cover electronic, smart sensing and etc. |
 | High-power thermoelectric generator utilizes thermal difference of only 5CA team of Japanese researchers from Waseda University, Osaka University, and Shizuoka University designed and successfully developed a high-power, silicon-nanowire thermoelectric generator which, at a thermal difference of only 5 degrees C, could drive various IoT devices autonomously in the near future. |
 | Bitcoin exchange brings on technology chiefA bitcoin exchange headed by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss announced Friday it hired a former New York Stock Exchange executive to head its technology team as it seeks to bring cryptocurrency to a wider market. |
Six major wealth funds agree to encourage greener economyThe sovereign wealth funds of major oil-producing countries have agreed upon a common roadmap to encourage investments toward a greener economy. | |
 | Rolls-Royce sells commercial marine unitBritish engine maker Rolls-Royce announced Friday it has agreed to sell its loss-making commercial marine business to Norwegian industrial group Kongsberg for £500 million. |
Innovative music recommendation software to predict brand-fit musicThe ABC_DJ project investigates and develops the future of Audio Branding. Researchers from ABC_DJ have created a powerful algorithm that automatically chooses brand-relevant music relying solely on the audio content of the songs themselves, rather than on manually assigned tags. With this software, brands and advertising agencies can automatically find the right music for any given brand or campaign, giving strategic planning a sonic dimension. | |
AI and the future of oilIBM and Galp, a Portuguese energy group with a global footprint, have developed an AI-based advisor to enhance seismic interpretation in the oil and gas exploration area. This tool can facilitate creation of enhanced geological models, risk assessment of new prospects, and optimization of the placement of new oil wells. | |
Families of girls killed in fire sue hoverboard distributorsThe families of two girls killed in a Pennsylvania fire that was blamed on a hoverboard have filed a lawsuit against the distributors of the device. | |
Medicine & Health news
 | Scientists identify a protein complex that shapes the destiny of T cellsLike a mentor helping medical students choose between specialties, a protein complex helps shape the destiny of developing T cells, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have reported. The research appears today in the journal Science Immunology and adds to growing evidence of the critical role cell metabolism plays in the immune system. |
 | Promoting cycling in cities can tackle obesityDaily travel by bike leads to the lowest BMI, according to a study of seven European cities, suggesting cities should promote active commutes. |
 | Biomarker is discovered for a flesh-eating pathogen that can blind or kill healthy young peopleImagine a pathogen that infects completely healthy people and can cause blindness in one day and flesh-eating infections, brain abscesses and death in just a few days. Now imagine that this pathogen is also resistant to all antibiotics. |
 | Researchers develop tool to more easily detect esophageal cancer cellsResearchers at the University of Texas at Arlington's College of Nursing and Health Innovation have developed a new nanoparticle-based platform for simultaneous imaging and treatment of esophageal cancer. |
 | Simple test to predict likely spread of rare cancerNew QUT research has shed fresh light on how head and neck cancer spreads to other organs and researchers are developing a simple blood test to tell doctors which patients are at risk of spread long before conventional imaging can. |
 | Nucleus tuberalis lateralis found to play a central role in regulating eating behaviorA team of researchers from China and Singapore has discovered a region in the brain that appears to play a central role in regulating eating behavior. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their study of the brain region and what they found. Sabrina Diano with the Yale University School of Medicine offers a Perspective piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue. |
Medical journal Lancet retracts papers on artificial windpipe graftThe Lancet medical journal Friday withdrew two papers authored by disgraced Italian surgeon Paolo Macchiarini, found guilty of misconduct regarding an experimental windpipe graft procedure of which most recipients died. | |
 | Chimpanzee personality traits are linked to brain structureChimpanzee personality traits are correlated with the size of the brain's hippocampus, according to research led by Georgia State University. The study has implications for understanding the foundation of human personality structure, which is known to be similar to that of chimpanzees and also known to underlie mental illness. |
 | Report details possible conflict of interest issues for FDA advisorsCharles Piller, a contributing correspondent for the journal Science, has published a Feature piece in the journal detailing what he describes as possible conflicts of interest issues by people who serve as advisors to the FDA. In his report, he offers examples of what he describes as possible conflicts of interest. He also suggests the FDA might want to review its rules regarding what advisors can and cannot do after they have served in an advisory role for the agency. |
 | How emotions may result in hiring, workplace biasJob applicants who want to appear calm and collected might be at a disadvantage. According to a new Stanford study, American employers are more likely to favor excited over relaxed candidates. |
 | Scientists identify body's microreactors for innate immunityA DNA-sensing enzyme forms droplets that act as tiny bioreactors creating molecules to stimulate innate immunity—the body's first response to infection, UT Southwestern researchers report. The work, reported today in the journal Science, could lead to novel treatments for infections, autoimmune disease, and cancer. |
 | Natural lipid acts as potent anti-inflammatoryNational Institutes of Health researchers have identified a naturally occurring lipid—a waxy, fatty acid—used by a disease-causing bacterium to impair the host immune response and increase the chance of infection. Inadvertently, they also may have found a potent inflammation therapy against bacterial and viral diseases. |
Oxygen therapy could help combat dementia in individuals with lung diseaseBreathing in additional oxygen improves the function of blood vessels in the brain of people with breathing difficulties caused by lung conditions, according to new research published in Experimental Physiology. These findings could have implications for future research aiming to prevent the development of diseases affecting the brain, such as dementia. | |
Pneumococcal DNA predicts course of infectionIn addition to revealing information about a patient's condition, pneumococcal DNA also appears to provide information about the course of an infection. In the next issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Radboudumc researchers describe several pneumococcal genes predicting whether a patient runs the risk of developing meningitis or dying from the disease. Use of such genetic tests can improve infection diagnostics. | |
 | Breast cancer growth signals are enhanced by a protein outside cellsNew research uncovers how a sticky protein called fibronectin promotes the activity of estrogen in breast cancer cells. The study, "Fibronectin rescues estrogen receptor α from lysosomal degradation in breast cancer cells," which will be published July 6 in the Journal of Cell Biology (JCB), was led by Rocío Sampayo, a Ph.D. student in Dr. Marina Simian's lab at the Instituto de Nanosistemas, Universidad Nacional de San Martin and Instituto "Ángel H. Roffo," Universidad de Buenos Aires in Argentina. Together they show a novel mechanism of estrogen receptor signaling that is regulated by fibronectin. They found that exposure to fibronectin prolongs the activity of estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells. |
 | Neuronal 'barcodes' shape complex networks in the brainThe brain is an enormously complex organ. Understanding how billions of brain cells make precise connections is a major challenge for neuroscientists. Professor Joris de Wit and his team (VIB-KU Leuven) have unraveled a molecular code that determines the shape, location and function of connections between individual neurons. These findings could help researchers better understand brain disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. |
New therapy could treat children with Hunter diseaseA team at the University of Manchester have developed a novel stem cell gene therapy approach to treat children with a devastating genetic disease. The approach is currently being developed for clinical trial in patients with the disease. | |
 | Research finds warming temperatures have a negative effect on fertility, birth ratesAccording to research by UCLA environmental economist Alan Barreca, hot weather reduces chances of getting pregnant—and the problem is expected to get worse because of global warming. |
 | Attrition among social workers, medicine's unsung heroesYou can tell a lot about a job and the people doing it by asking them to describe their best day at work. For Ali, a 28-year-old pediatric cancer social worker, that day occurred one year ago. A 17-year-old cancer patient who had been given two months to live made a bucket list. On her list were graduating from high school and getting accepted into college. So Ali and her colleagues arranged a graduation ceremony in the hospital, at which they read off a list of the colleges to which she had been accepted. |
 | 'Recovered' concussed athletes returning to play too soonDoctors who give student-athletes the 'all clear' to return to play following a concussion may be under-estimating the lingering cognitive impairment that persists, Western researchers say. |
SMAD4 clue to colon cancerChronic inflammation is a predisposing condition for colorectal cancer, the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. | |
 | Mom may pass bacteria to baby in uteroFor decades, it has been accepted that fetal development occurs in a sterile womb. Recent discoveries of bacterial DNA in baby's first bowel movement and in the placenta after sterile C-section, however, have challenged this assumption. |
Is stuttering linked to social anxiety?The differences – and similarities – between people with high levels of social anxiety and stutterers are being investigated by researchers at Flinders. | |
Sex, drugs and research—review probes the world of 'chemsex''Chemsex' or 'party and play', the practice of sexualised drug use by men who have sex with men, is a phenomenon raising concerns among health professionals about the associated transmission of sexually transmissible infection (STI), as well as the risks and social problems involved with drug use. | |
 | Genetic studies and MRI scans shed light on low back painBy delving into the mysteries of low back pain, scientists have identified three genes linked to chronic back pain and proposed the order in which pathological changes to the spine lead to low back pain. |
 | Having a scan? Here's how the different types work and what they can findOur first introduction to medical imaging occurs when a doctor asks us to have an X-ray or scan to investigate an injury, pain or symptom that cannot otherwise be explained. We can be overwhelmed when we see how complicated, large and noisy some of the equipment is. |
 | Why we look for a partner who laughs (and makes us laugh)Whether we're looking for love or lust, we look for someone with a good sense of humour. Studies of courtship on Tinder and Facebook show that a sense of humour is the most valued quality in a potential mate. |
 | Will you be old and 'unbefriended?'For the first time in Canada's history, more people are living alone or without children, according to the 2016 Census. Coupled with increasing life expectancy and geographic mobility, the chance of aging without a partner or children is significant. |
 | How support groups can boost your health and make chronic conditions easier to live withPeople want to look after their own health, and with new technology, there are more tools than ever to help people manage it. But the greatest gains could come from a little help from your friends. |
 | Study finds brain tumour cells are killed by targeting markerBrain tumours account for 20 per cent of all cases of childhood cancers as well as the highest number of cancer-related deaths in Canadian children under 20 years old. Despite improved clinical outcomes, patients live with extensive cognitive and physical delays resulting from toxicities associated with chemotherapy and radiation. |
Workers with eye-care coverage work more hours and rise higher within their organizationsMore than half of adults in the United States have clinically significant eyesight problems that can compromise their performance in the workplace. While many people can afford to improve their vision with eyeglasses or contact lenses, that can be a financial burden for workers on Medicaid, a joint federal and state health insurance program for pregnant women, low-income families and disabled people. | |
 | Thai cave boys—the psychology of surviving underground,When 12 young footballers and their coach entered the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Thailand, it was supposed to be a fun outing after football practice. But when a torrent of flood water rushed in after heavy rain, the group became trapped on a small rock shelf deep inside the cave's vast network of tunnels. |
 | Lifejackets could save 180 or more lives a yearAbout 180 people died because they weren't wearing a lifejacket in UK waters in the last decade, according to new research. |
 | A novel 'smart' antibiotic may target most common bacterial infection contracted in US hospitalsThe most common health care-associated bacterial infection in hospitals in the United States is Clostridium difficile. This pathogen secretes toxins that trigger diarrhea and colitis in 500,000 patients annually, killing approximately 29,000 people each year, and all at an annual cost to the U.S. health care system of approximately $6 billion. Ironically, exposure to antibiotics dramatically increases the risk of developing a C. difficile infection (CDI). |
 | It's official – spending time outside is good for youLiving close to nature and spending time outside has significant and wide-ranging health benefits—according to new research from the University of East Anglia. |
 | Study raises doubts on a previous theory of Parkinson's diseaseParkinson's disease was first described by a British doctor more than 200 years ago. The exact causes of this neurodegenerative disease are still unknown. In a study recently published in eLife, a team of researchers led by Prof. Henning Stahlberg from the Biozentrum of the University of Basel has now questioned the previous understanding of this disease. |
A gene linked to job-related exhaustion in shift workers increases the risk of Alzheimer'sA Finnish study published in the respected SLEEP journal shows that a variation in the melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) gene is linked to the risk of Alzheimer's disease in the elderly. The same research team has previously demonstrated that the same genetic variation reduces tolerance to shift work among the working age population. | |
 | Child passport photographs ineffective for reliable identification at borders: studyPassport style photographs are not a reliable way to validate a child's identity at border control or in child protection cases, according to a new study into the facial identification of infants. |
Computer simulation suggests risk-based breast screening could have benefitsWhen it comes to breast cancer screening, there's a delicate balance between the benefits and harms. | |
 | A peek behind the curtain: Prolonged exposure therapy for PTSDPost-traumatic stress disorder can be debilitating, but there are therapies that can reduce symptoms, improve quality of life, and help Airmen return to duty. |
 | Research suggests new vaccine candidates for malariaResearchers have shown that higher levels of Plasmodium falciparum antibodies are protective against severe malaria in children living in Papua New Guinea. Children who have higher levels of antibodies to a specific short amino acid sequence in the malaria parasite, P. falciparum, have much lower rates of clinical and severe malaria. This amino acid sequence, an antigen, is similar among P. falciparum strains elsewhere in the world, suggesting that this antigen would make a good target for a malaria vaccine. The research is published in Infection and Immunity, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. |
 | Researchers map DNA damage links to onset of skin cancer, melanomaA critical link in mapping recurrent mutations of melanoma—the most serious form of skin cancer in humans—has been discovered by researchers at Washington State University School of Molecular Biosciences, in collaboration with researchers at Georgia State University. |
How do state policies on alcohol use affect pregnant women and infants?It is well known that if women drink while they are pregnant, they increase the chances that children may be affected by alcohol, including a broad range of serious defects referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Many states have enacted laws aimed at pregnant women intended to reduce these risks. But do the laws have the intended effects? A new, first of its kind study helps answer that question. | |
 | How to maximize your gym membership(HealthDay)—So, you've made the decision to get healthier and join a gym, a great way to reach the U.S. national guideline of 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week. |
 | NIH warns of increased risk of heat-related illness for seniors(HealthDay)—Older adults are at significantly increased risk of heat-related illnesses, which can include heat stroke, heat edema, heat syncope, heat cramps, and heat exhaustion, according to the National Institutes of Health. |
 | Patisiran, inotersen aid hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis(HealthDay)—For patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy, an investigational RNA interference therapeutic agent (patisiran) and a 2'-O-methoxyethyl-modified antisense oligonucleotide (inotersen), which inhibits hepatic production of transthyretin, improve clinical manifestations of disease, according to two studies published in the July 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. |
 | Patient complaints mainly about rudeness, rushing, reproach(HealthDay)—Understanding patients' complaints about practice can be instructive for physicians, according to an article published June 6 in Physicians Practice. |
 | Hospitals face $218B in federal payment cuts from 2010 to 2028(HealthDay)—Cumulative reductions in federal payments to hospitals from 2010 to 2028 are estimated to reach $218.2 billion, according to a study commissioned by the Federation of American Hospitals and the American Hospital Association (AHA). |
 | WHO calls for renewed effort to combat chronic disease(HealthDay)—The World Health Organization (WHO) Independent High-Level Commission has proposed six recommendations to address the growing epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), according to a report published online June 1 in The Lancet. |
 | In patients with heart failure, anxiety and depression linked to worse outcomesSymptoms of depression and anxiety are present in about one-third of patients with heart failure - and these patients are at higher risk of progressive heart disease and other adverse outcomes, according to a review and update in the July/August issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry. |
 | New model for predicting neuroblastoma outcomes incorporates early developmental signalsNeuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer of the sympathetic nervous system, is particularly deadly because it is difficult to detect and thus generally advanced before treatment begins. Scientists know that neuroblastoma develops from embryonic neural crest cells that fail to properly migrate or differentiate, but the details about exactly what causes these cells to go astray have been unclear. |
 | New hope for patients with incurable and disabling hand condition, Dupuytren's diseaseResearchers at the Kennedy Institute and Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, working with clinicians at NHS Lothian, have found that injection of the anti-TNF drug adalimumab into Dupuytren's disease nodules results in the reduction of the cell characteristics responsible for progression of Dupuytren's disease. |
Researchers develop algorithm to improve care delivery to seriously ill patientsThe level of communication between patient and physician can make a monumental difference, specifically in the case of seriously ill hospitalized patients. Researchers at the University of Minnesota have found a way to better identify these patients with the hopes of better facilitating "end-of-life" or specialized conversations and care. | |
Research points to potential shortcoming of antibiotic lab testsTo determine which antibiotics reliably treat which bacterial infections, diagnostic laboratories that focus on clinical microbiology test pathogens isolated from patients. As multidrug-resistant organisms continue to emerge, these tests—called antibiotic susceptibility assays—are increasingly critical. Clinicians depend on reliable results when choosing the right drug to treat patients. | |
Savory foods may promote healthy eating through effects on the brainResearchers have found that consuming a broth rich in umami—or savory taste—can cause subtle changes in the brain that promote healthy eating behaviors and food choices, especially in women at risk of obesity. | |
China's organ transplant system feted despite transparency doubtsJust a few years ago, China was persona non grata in the transplantation world over its use of organs from executed inmates, some of them prisoners of conscience. | |
Study of Appalachian adults reveals willingness to participate in researchThe Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved has accepted a new study examining health disparities of Appalachian residents. It was conducted by public health professionals from Penn State College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, and the University of Kentucky. | |
Abdominal obesity linked to lower urinary tract symptomsIn a recent LUTS study, men with central (or abdominal) obesity were at increased risk of experiencing lower urinary tract symptoms, and increased waist-to-hip ratio was associated with worsened straining and weak stream. | |
Investigational treatment for acne appears promising in laboratory studiesTopical retinoids, which target retinoic acid receptors, are commonly used to treat acne. New research published in the British Journal of Dermatology reveals that trifarotene, a fourth-generation retinoid with potent and selective activity against only one particular retinoic acid receptor, may have an improved efficacy and safety profile compared with less selective retinoids. | |
Obesity and overweight linked to long-term health problems after traumatic brain injuryEspecially at longer follow-up times, overweight and obesity are associated with chronic disease risks for survivors of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), reports a study in the July/August issue of the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation (JHTR). | |
Listeria monocytogenes multi-country outbreak: 47 cases including 9 deathsFrozen corn and possibly other frozen vegetables produced in a company in Hungary are the likely source of an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes that has been affecting Austria, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Despite the product recall ordered by the Hungarian Food Chain Safety Office, new cases may still emerge, says the updated risk assessment published by ECDC and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). | |
John Ochsner, renowned cardiac surgeon, dead at 91John Lockwood Ochsner—a world-renowned cardiac surgeon—died Friday at age 91, Ochsner Health Systems in New Orleans announced. | |
Biology news
 | Researchers develop a new method for turning skin cells into pluripotent stem cellsOur bodies consist of many different kinds of cells, each with their own role. The Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka had made earlier the discovery, earning the Nobel Prize in 2012, that cells from adult skin can be converted to cells typical of early embryos, so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). This process is called reprogramming. |
 | New receptor involved in symbiosis between legumes and nitrogen-fixing rhizobia identifiedLegumes can grow in nitrogen-poor soils due to their ability to engage in symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. There is a great interest in using the knowledge about this symbiosis to enable transfer to other non-symbiotic plants. An international research team has come a step closer to understanding this complex biological process. |
 | New wasp species with a giant stinger discovered in AmazoniaResearchers from the University of Turku, Finland, have discovered a new wasp species in the Amazon with an exceptionally large stinger that surprised even the scientists. The new insect, which is found in the extremely diverse transitional zone between the Andes and the Amazonian lowland rainforest, uses its stinger both for laying eggs and injecting venom. |
 | Pollinator biodiversityIf you're moving pollen from one plant to another, you might be a pollinator. |
 | How CRISPR tools are unlocking new ways to fight diseaseRecent leaps in gene editing technology have brought ideas that just a decade ago seemed like science fiction to the cusp of reality. |
 | Gene drives accelerate evolution – but we need brakesWorried about mice in the kitchen? Fed up with pigeons on your way to work? Teed off by weeds on your lawn? Recent work points to a way that might just reduce – or even eliminate – unwanted species in a short period. The method is based on something called a gene drive – a method of making changes to an entire population of a specific species by altering its genetic material (its genome). |
 | Site-directed RNA editing as an alternative to genetic scissorsThe development of CRISPR/Cas gene editing tools marked a revolution in the targeted alteration of genetic information. It opened up a wealth of opportunities for basic research and genetic repairs. Yet changing DNA has its risks – any errors it causes will be stored permanently in the genome and could therefore cause problems later on in both the individual and his/her subsequent offspring. |
 | What is it about yawning?You know the feeling. It's impossible to resist. You just need to yawn. |
 | Milking cows for data – not just dairy productsIn the mid-1970s, the average American dairy farm had about 25 cows. Today, many operations have more than 3,000 – a number that was almost unheard of 25 years ago. |
 | Stripes may be cool— but they don't cool zebras downSusanne Åkesson, a biologist at Lund University in Sweden, refutes the theory that zebras have striped fur to stay cool in the hot sun. That hypothesis is wrong, she and her colleagues show in a study recently published in Scientific Reports. |
Study finds bacteria adapted to the lungs are easier to kill with antibioticsA study of cystic fibrosis patients finds new evidence that infected bacteria lower resistance to antibiotics as they become 'more comfortable' in the body | |
 | Extinction is a natural process, but it's happening at 1,000 times the normal speedWhen Sudan the white rhino was put down by his carers earlier this year, it confirmed the extinction of one of the savannah's most iconic subspecies. Despite decades of effort from conservationists, including a fake Tinder profile for the animal dubbed "the most eligible bachelor in the world", Sudan proved an unwilling mate and died – the last male of his kind. His daughter and granddaughter remain – but, barring some miraculously successful IVF, it is only a matter of time. |
 | Melting bacteria to decipher antibiotic resistanceWith antibiotic resistance spreading worldwide, there is a strong need for new technologies to study bacteria. EMBL researchers have adapted an existing technique to study the melting behaviour of proteins so that it can be used for the study of bacteria. Molecular Systems Biology published their results—allowing researchers worldwide to start using the technique—on July 6. |
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