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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for October 8, 2018:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Scientists present new clues to cut through the mystery of Titan's atmospheric hazeSaturn's largest moon, Titan, is unique among all moons in our solar system for its dense and nitrogen-rich atmosphere that also contains hydrocarbons and other compounds, and the story behind the formation of this rich chemical mix has been the source of some scientific debate. |
 | Planetary nebulae reveal kinematics of Messier 87 galaxy's outer haloAstronomers have carried out a study of almost 300 hundred planetary nebulae in the supergiant elliptical galaxy Messier 87. The new research, published September 27 on the arXiv pre-print repository, reveals essential information about the galaxy's outer halo and its subcomponents. |
 | When is a nova not a nova? When a white dwarf and a brown dwarf collideResearchers from Keele University and an international team of astronomers have reported for the first time that a white dwarf and a brown dwarf collided in a 'blaze of glory' that was witnessed on Earth in 1670. |
 | Remarkable flares from the galactic centerSagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, is 100 times closer to us than any other SMBH and therefore a prime candidate for studies of how matter radiates as it accretes onto black holes. SgrA* has been observed for decades and rapid fluctuations reported from X-ray to the near infrared wavelengths (intervening dust reduces optical light signals by a factor of over a trillion) and at submillimeter and radio wavelengths. Modeling the mechanisms of light variability is a direct challenge to our understanding of accretion onto SMBHs, but it is thought that correlations between flare timing at different wavelengths could reveal information about the spatial structure, for example if hotter material is located in a smaller zone closer to the black hole. One of the chief barriers to progress is the paucity of simultaneous multi-wavelength observations. |
 | A rare star opens a window on the beginning of timeEPFL astrophysicists actively participated in the discovery of a very rare star, which is particularly old and metal-poor. As a messenger from the distant past, it will allow the scientists to learn more about the young universe, right after the Big Bang. |
 | Hubble Space Telescope sidelined by serious pointing failure (Update)The Hubble Space Telescope has been sidelined by a serious pointing problem. |
 | Novel technique quickly maps young ice deposits and formations on MarsA new investigative technique has shown the latitudinal distribution of ice-rich landforms on Mars. This large-scale study enables future, more detailed investigations to study several young deposits of ice and sediment in the north polar basin. |
 | Polar wandering on dwarf planet Ceres revealedDwarf planet Ceres experienced an indirect polar reorientation of approximately 36 degrees, a new paper by Planetary Science Institute Senior Scientist Pasquale Tricarico says. |
 | Rocket carrying Argentinian satellite takes off successfullyA SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried an Argentinian Earth-observation satellite into space Sunday and for the first time landed a first-stage booster back at its California launch site. |
 | Vesta reveals the childhood of the Solar SystemInvestigating the earliest and least-known phases of the history of the solar system, when the young sun was still enveloped by a disk of gas and dust in which the planets began to form, is probably one of the most complex challenges in modern planetary science. The existing celestial bodies that formed at the time are few, and in the majority of cases, evidence of the ancient processes that marked the birth of the solar system has been lost. |
 | Image: Hot X-ray glow from massive cluster of galaxiesAstronomers using ESA's XMM-Newton space observatory have captured the X-ray glow (shown here in purple) emitted by the hot gas that pervades the galaxy cluster XLSSC006. |
 | Social media lights up with SpaceX satellite launchWhen SpaceX launched a rocket carrying an Argentine Earth-observation satellite from California, both the night sky and social media lit up. |
Technology news
 | Allusive machines: How new technologies could shape beliefs and theories about lifeTwo researchers at the IT University of Copenhagen have recently carried out a fascinating study that introduces the concept of "allusive machines," exploring how technical systems can persuade users into shaping their own beliefs, particularly beliefs related to the nature of life. This notion is inspired by previous studies that described technology as instruments of persuasion, with the explicit purpose of changing human attitudes and behavior. |
 | Increasingly human-like robots spark fascination and fearSporting a trendy brown bob, a humanoid robot named Erica chats to a man in front of stunned audience members in Madrid. |
 | Baidu team's paper describes their neural net approach to match job openings with candidatesOne can say that software product types that travel at supersonic speed to consumers' beating hearts would have to put sites for dating, price-slashed sales alerts and jobs way up at the top. The latter has a new friend in Baidu. |
 | Honda takes a pilot route with cars virtually seeing through, around buildingsRemember when a car was confined to a machine to take you places? Added capabilities in 2018 are dizzying and they will only get more interesting, not less. |
 | Permanent, wireless self-charging system using NIR bandAs wearable devices are emerging, there are numerous studies on wireless charging systems. Here, a KAIST research team has developed a permanent, wireless self-charging platform for low-power wearable electronics by converting near-infrared (NIR) band irradiation to electrical energy. This novel technology can be applied to flexible, wearable charging systems without needing any attachments. |
 | Facebook launches AI video-calling device 'Portal'Facebook on Monday launched a range of AI-powered video-calling devices, a strategic revolution for the social network giant which is aiming for a slice of the smart speaker market that is currently dominated by Amazon and Google. |
 | Google says social network bug exposed private dataGoogle announced Monday it is shutting down the consumer version of its online social network after fixing a bug exposing private data in as many as 500,000 accounts. |
 | Ford to cut global workforceUS automaker Ford—which announced a major restructuring in July—unveiled plans Friday to reduce its workforce worldwide, without specifying the extent of the plan. |
 | Ahead of US election, angst over hacking threatsAt a Boston technology conference last month, computer scientist Alex Halderman showed how easy it was to hack into an electronic voting machine and change the result, without leaving a trace. |
 | Sound software for fault detection in machineryExperienced operators claim they can tell if their machine is functioning properly merely by listening to the sounds it makes. EU-funded researchers have gone one better by developing technology based on the human auditory system that can, through sound analysis, 'hear' if industrial machinery is due for maintenance. |
 | Germany probes Audi over S. Korea 'fraud': ReportGerman prosecutors are investigating whether Audi fraudulently obtained authorisations for some cars in South Korea by falsifying chassis numbers and test records, local media reported Monday. |
 | Production of renewable gas from waste woodKIT's researchers succeeded in producing renewable methane from a biomass-based synthesis gas mixture in their pilot plant for honeycomb methanation. The quality of this synthetic natural gas (SNG) is comparable to that of fossil natural gas and can be used as fuel in co-generation and heating plants as well as in cars or trucks. The pilot plant was designed and tested by researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Research Centre of the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW). |
Irish man pleads guilty in NY over Silk Road narcotics conspiracyA 30-year-old Irish man pled guilty in New York on Friday to narcotics conspiracy over the now-defunct "dark web" marketplace Silk Road, just months after being extradited to the United States. | |
 | New security scanners safely detect threats from people on the moveWith increased threats to soft targets, security personnel need tools to detect menaces in fast moving, crowded environments. The EU-funded SPIDERS project introduces 'MM-Imager', a safe approach working in real-time which can scan bodies at short distances for hidden objects. |
 | Airbus name Guillaume Faury to replace EndersThe board of European aerospace giant Airbus said Monday it had nominated Guillaume Faury to replace Tom Enders as chief executive after its general assembly next April. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Biodegradable implant provides electrical stimulation that speeds nerve regenerationResearchers at Northwestern University and Washington University School of Medicine have developed the first example of a bioelectronic medicine: an implantable, biodegradable wireless device that speeds nerve regeneration and improves the healing of a damaged nerve. |
 | Scientists pinpoint pathway that impacts features of autismA team of scientists at Florida Atlantic University has uncovered a brain-signaling pathway that can be pharmacologically manipulated in genetically engineered mice to reverse an autism-related pathway. Using an investigational drug targeting this pathway, the researchers normalized the disrupted physiology and behavior of these mice. Moreover, effects were seen in adult mice, suggesting a possible route to medication development for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). |
 | Out like a light: Researchers ID brain's 'sleep switch'Two decades ago, Clifford B. Saper, MD/Ph.D., Chairman of the Department of Neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and colleagues discovered a set of nerve cells they thought might be the switch that turns the brain off, allowing it to sleep. In a new study published in Nature Communications today, Saper and colleagues demonstrate in mice that that these cells—located in a region of the hypothalamus called the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO) - are in fact essential to normal sleep. |
 | Lessons from the 1918 flu pandemic, 100 years onThis year marks the centenary of the 1918 influenza pandemic, the worst flu outbreak in recorded history. A new study into the human, viral and societal factors behind its severity provides valuable lessons that could save lives in future pandemics. Publishing in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, the authors warn that while the world is better prepared than 100 years ago, new challenges will affect the impact of the next influenza virus pandemic—including changing population demographics, antibiotic resistance and climate change. |
 | Neoadjuvant combination checkpoint blockade trial yields high response rates for patients with stage 3 melanomaCombination checkpoint blockade before surgery (neoadjuvant therapy) produced a high response rate among patients with high-risk stage 3 melanoma, with nearly half having no sign of disease at surgery, but a high incidence of side effects caused the trial to be closed early. |
 | There's a better way to decipher DNA's epigenetic code to identify diseaseA new method for sequencing the chemical groups attached to the surface of DNA is paving the way for better detection of cancer and other diseases in the blood, according to research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania published today in Nature Biotechnology. These chemical groups mark one of the four DNA "letters" in the genome, and it is differences in these marks along DNA that control which genes are expressed or silenced. |
 | Guided by CRISPR, prenatal gene editing used in treating congenital disease before birthFor the first time, scientists have performed prenatal gene editing to prevent a lethal metabolic disorder in laboratory animals, offering the potential to treat human congenital diseases before birth. Published today in Nature Medicine, research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and offers proof-of-concept for prenatal use of a sophisticated, low-toxicity tool that efficiently edits DNA building blocks in disease-causing genes. |
 | Scientists create new map of brain region linked to Alzheimer's diseaseCuring some of the most vexing diseases first requires navigating the world's most complex structure—the human brain. So, USC scientists have created the most detailed atlas yet of the brain's memory bank. |
 | Previously unknown genetic aberrations found to be associated with Alzheimer's progressionIn a large-scale analysis of RNA from postmortem human brain tissue, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Columbia University have identified specific RNA splicing events associated with Alzheimer's disease progression. In their study, published in October 2018 in Nature Genetics, the researchers present a comprehensive genome-wide map of RNA splicing variation in the aging prefrontal cortex that will serve as a new resource for Alzheimer's research. |
 | Researchers study link between glucose metabolism and malariaMore than one million people die annually from cerebral malaria, the most lethal form of the disease. A recent study, led by Yale investigators, explores the role of glucose metabolism in the development of the disease, and may hold a key to preventing or treating it in humans. |
 | Genetic disease healed using genome editingParents of newborns may be familiar with the metabolic disorder phenylketonuria—in Switzerland, all newborn babies are screened for this genetic disease. Children found to have phenylketonuria need a special diet so that the amino acid phenylalanine does not accumulate in the body. Excess phenylalanine delays mental and motor development. If left untreated, the children may suffer massive mental disability. |
 | New discovery restores insulin cell function in type 2 diabetesBy blocking a protein, VDAC1, in the insulin-producing beta cells, it is possible to restore their normal function in case of type 2 diabetes. In preclinical experiments, the researchers behind a new study have also shown that it is possible to prevent the development of the disease. The findings are published in the scientific journal Cell Metabolism. |
 | First genetic risk factor for erectile dysfunction identifiedFor the first time, a team of researchers has found a specific place in the human genome that raises a person's risk of erectile dysfunction. The discovery is a significant advancement in the understanding of the genetics underlying erectile dysfunction. The study, "Genetic variation in the SIM1 locus is associated with erectile dysfunction," will be published the week of October 8 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. |
UN treaty cracks down on heated tobacco productsMembers of a global tobacco treaty took a hard line Saturday on heated tobacco products, agreeing that they should face the same restrictions as cigarettes despite possibly being less deadly. | |
Gene which decreases risk of social network-related stress, increases finance-related stress riskResearchers have discovered that the same gene which increases your risk of depression following financial stress as you grow older also reduces your chance of depression associated with friendship and relationships stresses when young- your social network. | |
Study shows diet and weight may affect response to bipolar disorder treatmentData from a clinical trial has shown that how people respond to treatment for Bipolar Disorder may be influenced by their weight and the overall quality of their diet, including whether they are eating a diet high in foods thought to contribute to general inflammation. These are early results, but if replicated may mean that treatment of some mental health problems could benefit from the inclusion of dietary advice. This is presented at the ECNP Conference in Barcelona. | |
 | Novel technology enables detection of early-stage lung cancer when surgical cure still is possibleNon-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is often fatal because most cases are not diagnosed until they are so advanced that surgical intervention is no longer possible. To improve outcomes researchers are developing a blood test to detect lung cancer earlier in the disease. A report in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics describes a new technology, electric field-induced release and measurement (EFIRM) that is both highly sensitive and specific in detecting two epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations associated with lung cancer in the blood of NSCLC patients with early-stage disease. This platform is relatively inexpensive and capable of high-throughput testing. |
 | Annual price tag for nonfatal injuries in the US tops $1.8 trillionA new analysis by researchers from Brown University and the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation has found that nonfatal injuries in the U.S. in the year 2013 cost more than $1.8 trillion. |
Weight loss linked to lower breast cancer risk for postmenopausal womenIn a study of postmenopausal women, participants who lost weight had a lower risk of developing invasive breast cancer than those who maintained or gained weight. Published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the findings suggest that weight loss may help lower postmenopausal women's breast cancer risk. | |
 | Pregnant women recognize baby expressions differently depending on mental health historyA pilot study has found that pregnant women who have suffered from depression or bipolar disorder (i.e. both mania and depression) recognise babies' faces and how babies laugh or cry, differently to healthy controls. This happens even if they are not currently experiencing depressive or manic symptoms and may represent an early risk-factor for children of these women, although the authors stress that research would be needed to confirm any long-term effects. This work is presented at the ECNP Congress in Barcelona. |
Research shows club drug GHB associated with brain and cognitive changesScientists have discovered that regular use of the party drug GHB, and especially unconsciousness following GHB use, is associated with brain changes including negative effects on long-term memory, working memory, IQ, and higher levels of stress and anxiety. This work is presented at the ECNP conference in Barcelona, following partial peer-review publication*. | |
 | Hispanic individuals benefit from skills-based stroke prevention interventionA culturally tailored program used when discharging stroke patients from the hospital helped to lower blood pressure among Hispanic individuals one year later, finds a new study led by researchers at NYU College of Global Public Health. The almost 10 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure measured in this study has been linked to a nearly 40-percent reduction in the risk of having another stroke in previous studies. |
 | Gout drug may protect against chronic kidney diseaseThe drug allopurinol used to manage gout may offer protection against the development of kidney disease, according to a new study. |
 | The urban training intervention increases physical activity in COPD patientsIncreasing physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a key strategy and a major challenge in the fight against this respiratory disorder. According to a study published in European Respiratory Journal, the urban training intervention for COPD patients designed by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) has proved efficacious in achieving a significant long-term increase in physical activity. |
 | Typical mutations in children of soldiers at radar installationsSoldiers at radar installations who were exposed to high doses of radiation during their service passed on more genetic alterations to their children than families without radiation exposure. This has been demonstrated in a pilot study by the research team involving Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), the Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen (Netherlands) and the University Hospital Bonn, which has now been published in the journal Scientific Reports. The results of this pilot study will be reviewed in a larger scale study. |
 | Nerve damage shown to be cause of unexplained chronic pain following knee operationsPatients frequently experience severe chronic pain following knee operations. Although the pain is thought to be due to damage to small nerves, it was hitherto impossible to demonstrate this by imaging. Two studies conducted by an interdisciplinary team of researchers led by radiologist Georg Riegler from MedUni Vienna's Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy have now successfully demonstrated these tiny, sensitive, cutaneous nerves on the anterior and medial thigh and around the knee using high-resolution ultrasound imaging. This means that targeted treatment can now be given. The results have been published in Ultraschall in der Medizin - European Journal of Ultrasound and Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery |
 | Scientists develop rapid test for diagnosing tuberculosis in people with HIVAn international team that includes Rutgers scientists has made significant progress in developing a urine diagnostic test that can quickly, easily and inexpensively identify tuberculosis infection in people also infected with HIV. TB is the leading infectious disease killer in the world and the most common cause of death for people living with HIV, although most TB deaths can be prevented with early diagnosis and treatment. |
 | Racial discrimination linked to higher risk of chronic illness in African American womenLess-educated African American women who report experiencing high levels of racial discrimination may face greater risk of developing chronic diseases, says a new study by UC Berkeley researchers. |
 | Increase in probable PTSD among British military veteransNew research from King's College London suggests the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan may have led to an increase in the rate of probable Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among members of the UK Armed Forces. |
 | 'Cutting edge' CAR T cell immunotherapy approved in England. But is the NHS ready?Today, a new blood cancer treatment was approved for use on the NHS in England. And in early September, NHS England announced another, similar treatment will be available to some children and young people with a different type of blood cancer. |
 | Old drug could have new use helping sick premature babiesResearchers from The University of Western Australia, King Edward Memorial Hospital and Curtin University are investigating whether an old drug could be used to help very sick premature babies. |
 | Study finds migrant women are more at risk of stillbirthResearchers from The University of Western Australia have found women living in WA who are migrants or from non-white backgrounds are more at risk of having a stillborn baby. |
 | Researchers uncover new role of TIP60 protein in controlling tumour formationScientists from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered a new molecular pathway that controls colorectal cancer development, and their exciting findings open new therapeutic opportunities. |
 | Study shows DNA of people with childhood abuse or depression ages fasterDNA from people who suffer from major depression is biologically older than that of healthy people by on average 8 months, suggesting that they are biologically older than their corresponding calendar age. This effect was greater in people who have had childhood trauma, such as violence, neglect or sexual abuse, who show a biological age around a year older than their actual age. This work was presented at the ECNP conference in Barcelona. |
 | Physiologist publishes findings on the role of the protein titin in muscle contractionIn the field of muscle physiology, scientists study muscle movement at the molecular level—chiefly, proteins such as myosin, actin and titin—to understand how muscles contract. |
 | Bone-eating giant cell provides clues to brittle bones and other disordersBone-related diseases are the most common cause of severe long-term pain and reduced quality of life for millions of people. They include osteoporosis, periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis – the number of people suffering from these conditions is set to increase substantially as Europe's population ages. |
 | Tokophobia: the women with an extreme fear of pregnancy and childbirthChildbirth can clearly be a scary prospect. For women who have not given birth before, it is the great unknown. Research into women's concerns and fears suggests that women may be anxious about the risk of injuries or complications, pain, their ability to give birth, losing control, and interactions with health professionals. |
 | Immunotherapy effective against hereditary melanomaIndividuals with an inherited form of skin cancer often have a poor prognosis. The type of immunotherapy that was awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is, however, particularly effective in this patient group, research from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows. The study is published in the Journal of Medical Genetics. |
AFib patients with cancer history less likely to see cardiologist, fill prescriptionsAtrial fibrillation (AFib) patients with a history of cancer are less likely to see a cardiologist or fill anticoagulant prescriptions compared with AFib patients who never had cancer, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. By not filling and taking prescribed medication, these patients are potentially putting themselves at increased risk of stroke. | |
 | One-third of 'gluten-free' restaurant foods in U.S. are not, study finds(HealthDay)—If you're gluten-sensitive, watch out: One-third of the "gluten-free" foods sold in U.S. restaurants actually contain trace levels of the substance, new research suggests. |
 | Breakthrough drug shows early promise for multiple myelomaA small clinical trial has shown that a new drug has promise for targeting tumours in patients with an aggressive type of blood cancer. |
 | Assessing health impact of new antimicrobials could encourage further drug developmentIn a new report, researchers at the University of York have investigated the ways in which the value of new antimicrobial drugs could be assessed to help the NHS decide how much should be paid for them. |
 | Elite athletes need hobbies, tooElite sport demands of athletes that they give the utmost of both body and mind. That physical rest is needed after training and competing is generally accepted, but relatively little consideration is given to mental recovery, knows researcher Yannick Balk. He proved that elite athletes—and their coaches—perform better if they relax regularly, and researched how they can best do that. He has his Ph.D. defense today. |
Foodie destination Peru combats malnutrition in childrenPeru, a shining star in Latin America's culinary firmament, is battling alarming rates of malnutrition in children and pregnant women. | |
 | Stop worrying and trust the evidence: it's very unlikely Roundup causes cancerThe common weed killer Roundup (glyphosate) is back in the news after a US court ruled it contributed to a man's terminal cancer (non-Hodgkin lymphoma). Following the court's order for manufacturer Monsanto to compensate the former school ground's keeper US$289 million, more than 9,000 people are reportedly also suing the company. |
 | Flashbacks, nightmares and memory burn – why sexual assault victims stay silentWith the FBI background investigation report now passed to the White House, a Senate vote could come as early as Friday on the future of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. His nomination has been under immense scrutiny following reports of sexual assault allegations that happened decades ago. Since coming forward, there has been much public discussion and dialogue about memory as it relates to trauma, and why it takes years for some survivors to report the crime. |
 | Life is like a box of hippocampal scenesA neuroimaging study of human participants watching the 1994 film Forrest Gump and Alfred Hitchcock's 1961 television drama Bang! You're Dead suggests an important role for the hippocampus in segmenting our continuous everyday experience into discrete events for storage in long-term memory. The research, published in JNeurosci, is among the first to investigate hippocampal function during a natural experience. |
 | Half the brain encodes both arm movementsIndividual arm movements are represented by neural activity in both the left and right hemispheres of the brain, according to a study of epilepsy patients published in JNeurosci. This finding suggests the unaffected hemisphere in stroke could be harnessed to restore limb function on the same side of the body by controlling a brain-computer interface. |
 | Tips for enhancing the spa experience(HealthDay)—While a weekend (or longer) retreat can be very rejuvenating, day spas have made it possible for almost everyone to enjoy a short escape from life's stresses. |
 | AZ company recalls raw beef products linked to Salmonella(HealthDay)—An Arizona company has recalled more than 6.5 million pounds (2.9 million kilograms) of beef linked to a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 57 people in 16 states. Fourteen people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
European researchers set out priorities for dealing with problem internet useEuropean Union funded researchers have launched the first international network to identify and understand problems associated with Internet use, such as gambling, pornography, bullying, excessive social media use. The Manifesto for a European Research Network into Problematic Usage of the Internet is published today in the peer-reviewed journal, European Neuropsychopharmacology. | |
Biology news
 | Small-brained female guppies aren't drawn to attractive malesFemale guppies with smaller brains can distinguish attractive males, but they don't recognise them as being more appealing or choose to mate with them, according to a new study by UCL and Stockholm University researchers. |
 | Study shows land-locked Atlantic salmon also use magnetic field to navigateA new study shows that Atlantic salmon use the Earth's magnetic field as a navigational tool—much like their cousins, Pacific salmon—and don't lose that ability through several generations of fish even after they have been transplanted into a land-locked lake. |
 | Expanding fungal diversity, one cell at a timeThey can be found on forest floors, swamps and in houses, ranging in size from smaller than the period on your smartphone's keyboard to stretching over several city blocks. More than a million species of fungi are estimated to live on this planet, but most of that diversity remains unknown because the fungi have avoided detection and have not been cultured for study in laboratories. |
 | A new method to pinpoint genetic differences between species could benefit human healthWhy do naked mole rats live up to 31 years, when distantly related lab mice are lucky to make it to four? How is the aquatic axolotl capable of regenerating limbs, jaws, spines and even brains when frogs can only regrow tails as tadpoles? How can these difference be exploited for the benefit of human health? |
 | Understanding natural fungicide synthesis—the pathway to strobilurins revealed at lastScientists from the Universities of Bristol and Hannover studying a naturally-produced compound that inspired the biggest selling family of commercial agricultural fungicides have, for the first time, discovered how this important class of compound is synthesised in nature. The findings could potentially be used in the future to enable a pick and mix approach with combinations of enzymes to make designer biosynthetic pathways for new compounds that could help to control crop diseases. |
 | Getting a grip on the slow but unique evolution of sharksScientists at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) in Japan, in collaboration with other Japanese institutes and aquariums, have decoded the whole genomes of two shark species for the first time and improved the whale shark genome sequences released previously. By analyzing the genomes and comparing them with those of other vertebrate species, they have constructed an overview of their unique life histories and evolutionary paths. This work was published online in Nature Ecology and Evolution. |
 | Genes responsible for difference in flower color of snapdragons identifiedSnapdragons are tall, charming plants, and flower in a range of bright colors. In Spain, where snapdragons grow wild, these flower colors show a remarkable pattern: When driving up a road from Barcelona to the Pyrenees, snapdragons of the species Antirrhinum majus bloom in magenta at the beginning of the road, before a population of yellow flowering snapdragons takes over—separated by just a two-kilometer-long stretch in which flower colors mix. Such hybrid zones of snapdragons are quite infrequent; only a few others are known. |
 | How protein complexes form in the cellThe formation of protein complexes is a highly organised process that does not begin with the "finished" proteins. Studies conducted by researchers at the Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH) and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) demonstrate that they form in a coordinated way when the protein subunits are synthesised. "Our findings fundamentally alter our understanding of how biologically active protein complexes form in the cell," reports Prof. Dr. Bernd Bukau. The results were published in Nature. |
 | High-res data offer most detailed look yet at trawl fishing footprint around the worldAbout a quarter of the world's seafood caught in the ocean comes from bottom trawling, a method that involves dragging a net along the ocean's shelves and slopes to scoop up shrimp, cod, rockfish, sole and other kinds of bottom-dwelling fish and shellfish. The technique impacts these seafloor ecosystems, because other marine life and habitats can be killed or disturbed unintentionally as nets sweep across the seafloor. |
 | Going, going, gone! Tokyo's Tsukiji holds last tuna auction before moveTokyo fishmongers gathered before dawn Saturday for one final tuna auction at the world-famous Tsukiji market before it closed its doors to move to a new site. |
Underestimating combined threats of deforestation and wildlife trade will push Southeast Asian birdsThe combined impact of deforestation and wildlife exploitation on bird numbers is severely underestimated and could lead to some species becoming extinct, a joint study by the University of Sheffield and National University of Singapore has found. | |
 | Northeastern US seeks to prevent arrival of deer diseaseDeer biologists across northern New England are dusting off their plans for dealing with a fatal disease that has been spreading across North America for a half-century and was recently discovered again on a Canadian game farm. |
 | Protein dynamics: Molecular machines at workResearchers from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich have used a special fluorescence-based imaging technique to track the shape changes that occur when pore proteins in the cell membrane export molecules into the extracellular medium. |
 | Does it really matter if one animal goes extinct?Imagine what it must have been like for those early ocean explorers setting foot on new islands full of interesting animals that they had never seen before. |
 | Could villains clone themselves to take over the world?If asked about clones, most people think of evil sci-fi characters. However, in real life, the word "clone" often has broader, far more positive applications. Just as office workers replicate documents by using copy machines, scientists like us who study plant disease use the biological equivalent of a copier to clone genes, cells, and tissues, as well as entire organisms. |
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