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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for November 8, 2016:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | Researchers discover UGC 3672 galaxy to be an unusual merging triplet of gas-rich dwarf galaxies(Phys.org)—Astronomers from India and Russia revealed new information about the composition of the galaxy UGC 3672. According to a paper published Nov. 4 on the arXiv pre-print server, UGC 3672 is actually a triplet of very gas-rich dwarf galaxies in the process of merging. |
 | A box of 'black magic' to study Earth from spaceBlack magic. That's what radiofrequency engineers call the mysterious forces guiding communications over the air. These forces involve complex physics and are difficult enough to master on Earth. They only get more baffling when you're beaming signals into space. |
 | Giant radio telescope turns to new-found nearby planetBreakthrough Listen, the 10-year, $100-million astronomical search for intelligent life beyond Earth launched in 2015 by Internet entrepreneur Yuri Milner and Stephen Hawking, today announced its first observations using the Parkes Radio Telescope in New South Wales, Australia. |
 | Researcher presents work to understand formation of the universeA Manchester-based astrophysicist has presented research at a major international conference which is expected to provide scientists with valuable insights into the behaviour of gravity in the early stages of the universe, allowing them to better understand the forces that created it. |
 | NASA small satellites will take a fresh look at EarthBeginning this month, NASA is launching a suite of six next-generation, Earth-observing small satellite missions to demonstrate innovative new approaches for studying our changing planet. |
 | A pulsar and white dwarf dance together in a surprising orbitSearching the universe for strange new star systems can lead to some pretty interesting finds. And sometimes, it can turn up phenomena that contradict everything we think we know about the formation and evolution of stars. Such finds are not only fascinating and exciting, they allow us the chance to expand and refine our models of how the universe came to be. |
 | Solved: One of the mysteries of globular clustersA study shows that the most massive stars in the last stages of their lives are those which contaminate the interstellar medium with new chemical elements, giving rise to successive generations of stars in these 'astronomical fossils'. |
Technology news
 | Dubai, Hyperloop One to study potential for Abu Dhabi lineThe futuristic city-state of Dubai announced a deal on Tuesday with Los Angeles-based Hyperloop One to study the potential for building a line linking it to the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi. |
 | AI researchers to see if they can push some boundaries with StarCraft II(Tech Xplore)—Google's artificial intelligence group DeepMind is teaming up with the makers of the StarCraft video game. |
 | RoboVote helps groups make decisions using AI-driven methodsA contentious presidential election can raise questions about whether the voting system produces the best possible candidates. While nothing is going to change the way Americans vote, a new online service, RoboVote.org, enables anyone to use state-of-the-art voting methods to make optimal group decisions. |
 | Big data shows people's collective behavior follows strong periodic patternsNew research has revealed that by using big data to analyse massive data sets of modern and historical news, social media and Wikipedia page views, periodic patterns in the collective behaviour of the population can be observed that could otherwise go unnoticed. |
 | Researchers question if banning of 'killer robots' actually will stop robots from killingA University at Buffalo research team has published a paper that implies that the rush to ban and demonize autonomous weapons or "killer robots" may be a temporary solution, but the actual problem is that society is entering into a situation where systems like these have and will become possible. |
India trying to fix hacked websites of 7 of its embassiesIndian officials were trying Tuesday to restore the websites of seven Indian embassies in Europe and Africa that were hacked and had data dumped online. | |
 | Clean vehicle rebates benefit wealthy, white Californians, study findsHave you applied for and received a rebate from California's clean vehicle incentive program? If so, odds are you live in a high-income neighborhood and not one with a majority Hispanic or African American population, according to a study in the latest issue of the Transportation Research Record. |
 | For the first generation to grow up on Facebook, online identities hold both promise and pitfallDespite suggestions that young people are losing interest in the platform, its 1.5 billion users still puts Facebook at the centre of social media. The site was launched in 2004, and so those meeting Facebook's minimum age requirement of 13 will, in 2017, be the first generation for whom Facebook has always existed. |
Fighting the water army of fake reviewersFake reviews do nothing for the confidence of customers buying products and services online, they also damage company reputations and can lead to ill feeling about the online marketplace itself. Now, researchers in China have devised an algorithm to help weed out fake reviews on ecommerce sites. They publish details this month in the International Journal of Services Operations and Informatics. | |
 | Paving the way for fast low-energy data communicationsFibre-optic cables are revolutionising data communication worldwide. Within three years, Chalmers researchers expect to be able to transfer 100 Gb of data per second in a single fibre with one core, and several terabits per second in a cable with multiple fibres and cores. |
 | 'Spearphishing' roiled the presidential campaign—here's how to protect yourselfNever in American political history have hacked and stolen emails played such a central role in a presidential campaign. But hackers are likely to target you as well – though perhaps with smaller repercussions for the world as a whole. |
 | Russian hackers target cash before politicsJust as the scandal over alleged Russian hacking of the US Democratic Party erupted in June, police in Russia were rounding up a group known as Lurk. |
Hovering aircraft raises suspicion that it's Google co-founder's flying carEven from a few hundred yards away, the aircraft made a noise strikingly different from the roar of a typical plane. | |
Mall of America is stepping up its digital game with virtual reality, robotsIt is hard to convey the spectacle that is Mall of America in a PowerPoint presentation. | |
 | Don't think of Amazon Echo as just a speaker. It's a whole new way of lifeStephanie Palermo wasn't interested in living in a "smart home" outfitted with web-connected appliances controlled remotely by phone or computer. She didn't need her fridge to have Wi-Fi or her blinds to close themselves. |
Review: Roku Express is a streaming video bargainNo matter who you are, if you're looking for a way to stream video from the internet to your living room TV, Roku hopes to have you covered. | |
Tech firms aim to be video gatewaysFacebook and Snapchat have overtaken the home pages of Yahoo and Google as the front door to the Internet for hundreds of millions of people. Now, the two rivals are pursuing a much bigger challenge: surpassing television to become the dominant gateway to video. | |
 | Energy storage project to help homes be less reliant on gridA new project to install ground-breaking solar energy storage technology in The Meadows area of Nottingham has just been given the green light. |
 | Fujitsu leverages AI to develop highly accurate recognition technology for strings of handwritten Chinese charactersFujitsu today announced the development of an artificial intelligence model that can generate highly reliable recognition of handwritten character strings. The results of this model represent the world's highest degree of accuracy in recognizing handwritten Chinese character strings. Recognition of individual handwritten Chinese characters using deep learning and other AI models has already surpassed human recognition capability. When used on strings of handwritten characters, however, issues arise with an inability to correctly break the strings into individual characters. Given this, the new Fujitsu-developed AI model can rank degree of reliability, assigning a high degree of reliability to correct characters, and a low degree of reliability to portions that are not characters, in image recognition for handwritten strings of characters. By applying this model, recognition mistakes in characters have been reduced to less than half that of previous technology, greatly improving the efficiency of tasks such as digitization of handwritten texts. |
 | People power: Technology allows smartphone-based water testingEver wondered what's in the neighborhood pond? Technology developed by researchers at the University of Houston will allow you to test for waterborne pathogens by using your smartphone. |
Medicine & Health news
 | Potential targeted therapy found for newly identified leukemia subtype with poor outcomeAn international research team led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators has uncovered details of a new, high-risk subtype of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) as well as a possible targeted therapy. The findings appear today in the scientific journal Nature Communications. |
 | Body clock function can break down when light and temperature levels throughout the day are out of syncBody clock function can break down when light and temperature levels throughout the day are out of sync, finds new UCL (University College London) research in fruit flies. |
 | Scientists discover autism gene slows down brain cell communicationScientists at McMaster University's Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute in collaboration with Sick Children's Hospital have discovered an important 'on' button in DIXDC1 protein that instructs brain cells to form mature connections called synapses with other brain cells during development. |
 | Brain 'fat' key to mental healthScientists at The University of Nottingham have discovered a previously unknown relationship between brain structure and brain function. The discovery extends our knowledge of how the brain works and could help us understand how communication in the brain breaks down in diseases such as multiple sclerosis and mental disorders such as schizophrenia. |
 | Genetically engineering disease-fighting cells: New technique improves the safety of cancer immunotherapyThe human body produces T cells to recognize and fight disease. Each T cell has a unique T cell receptor (or TCR) on its surface that surveils small fragments of proteins presented by other cells. Upon detecting evidence of cancer or infection, a subset of T cells binds the diseased cells and orchestrates their elimination. When tumors and infections cannot be eradicated naturally, researchers employ immunotherapies to boost the immune system's effectiveness. |
 | Cancer cells hijack DNA repair networks to stay alive, study showsResearch by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) has revealed how cancer cells hijack DNA repair pathways to prevent telomeres, the endcaps of chromosomes, from shortening, thus allowing the tumor to spread. The findings are published today in the journal Cell Reports. |
 | Increasing the activity of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brains of depressed mice has antidepressant effectsExperimentally increasing the activity of a subclass of nerve cells that produce the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has antidepressant effects similar to pharmaceutical antidepressants in depressed mice. The discovery lends new credence to the idea that GABA-enhancing drugs could serve as rapidly acting and more effective antidepressants. A paper describing the research, led by Penn State scientists, appears online in the journal Molecular Psychiatry on November 8, 2016. |
Early exposure to excess hormone causes genital defects in femalesUniversity of Florida researchers have identified cells targeted by a male hormone and found that an excess of that hormone at a specific time can cause genital defects in female mice. The findings appear today (Nov. 7) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. | |
 | Low vitamin D levels linked to increased risk of bladder cancerVitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of developing bladder cancer, according to a systematic review of seven studies presented today at the Society for Endocrinology annual conference in Brighton. Though further clinical studies are needed to confirm the findings, the study adds to a growing body of evidence on the importance of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels. |
Gestational age may impact academic performanceA new study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology indicates that being born either too early or too late may have a long-term effect on children's academic performance. | |
Monthly cost of $1-2 per person could ensure access to basic package of 201 essential medicinesStrong global and national leadership is needed as lack of access to essential medicines threatens progress towards universal health coverage. | |
Gold nanoparticles help deliver lethal one-two punch to cancerTagging gold nanoparticles with a small dose of radiation has helped researchers trace the precious metal as it delivers a drug right into the heart of cancer cells, according to new laboratory research being presented at the 2016 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer conference. | |
More frequent vaping among teens linked to higher risk of heavy cigarette smokingIn a study appearing in the November 8 issue of JAMA, Adam M. Leventhal, Ph.D., of the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, and colleagues examined associations of e-cigarette vaping with subsequent smoking frequency and heavy smoking among adolescents. | |
Supplemental, nutrient-enriched donor milk does not improve neurodevelopment in VLBW infantsAmong very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants, the use of supplemental donor milk compared with formula did not improve neurodevelopment at 18 months, according to a study appearing in the November 8 issue of JAMA. | |
Tailored, dense-dose chemotherapy for early breast cancer does not result in significant improvementAmong women with high-risk early breast cancer, the use of tailored dose-dense chemotherapy compared with standard adjuvant chemotherapy did not result in a statistically significant improvement in breast cancer recurrence-free survival, and nonhematologic toxic effects were more frequent in the tailored dose-dense group, according to a study appearing in the November 8 issue of JAMA. | |
Tumors reprogram the liver, causing wasting and short-circuiting body's immune responseOne of the worst cruelties of lethal cancer is the phenomenon called wasting, or in medical terms, cachexia (pronounced ka-CHEX-ia), in which a patient seems literally to diminish in bodily terms as the cancer ravages one or more internal organs. | |
Giving women HIV self-tests promotes male partner testingProviding pregnant and postpartum women in sub-Saharan Africa with multiple HIV self-tests can make it more likely their male partners will be tested for HIV compared to a standard approach of distributing invitation cards for clinic-based testing, according to a randomized trial published in PLOS Medicine by Harsha Thirumurthy of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA, and colleagues. | |
Making the case for global genomic data sharingThe scientific community may be overlooking a significant barrier to international collaboration reflected in a series of recent surveys: potential public resistance to sharing of genomic and other health data across national borders. In a paper published in PLOS Biology, Dr. Mary Majumder, associate professor in the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Amy McGuire, director of the Center, and Dr. Robert Cook-Deegan examine evidence of public resistance, while also laying out the case for global data sharing. | |
 | Improved diagnosis and treatment of fungal infections could prevent over a million AIDS deaths by 2020Fungal infection causes around half of AIDS-related deaths, of which there were 1,100,000 in 2015. Data analysis by Professor David Denning and published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B suggests that the opportunity to save lives is being missed. |
 | Does a brush with death affect sleep?A Massey University psychologist is seeking participants for a study on people who have had a brush with death to find out how the experience has affected their sleep. |
 | Funding a set of essential medicines for low- and middle-income countriesAs the world moves toward universal health coverage, the question arises: How can governments ensure equitable access to essential medicines in low- and middle-income countries? |
 | Five things you didn't know about epilepsyThough it's the fourth most common neurological disease in the United States—affecting 1 in 26 people—epilepsy is also one of the most stigmatized. Hear the word "seizure," and you might picture a dramatic scene: A person's eyes roll to the back of the head as he or she shakes fiercely on the ground, reacting to a sea of strobe lights. |
 | Telephone-based intervention shows promise in combating alcohol abuse among soldiersAlcohol abuse is pervasive in the military, where a culture of heavy drinking and the stress of deployment lead many soldiers down a troubled path. |
To help obese women exercise more, shift focus away from weight lossIn the world of working out, weight loss is the 800-pound gorilla in the gym. The topic is unavoidable, particularly for obese women, who often struggle with exercise for a variety of reasons. | |
Check-ups for cardiovascular disease should be targeted at a few high risk patients, study findsA team of researchers led by the University of Birmingham have found that targeting as few as 1 in 12 adults for a heart check-up achieves most of the benefits of mass screening at a fraction of the cost. | |
 | Results of indoor air quality study suggest room for improvement at salonsPlenty of factors can influence which salon we choose to go to – perhaps a friend has recommended it or it's conveniently located. But how many people pay close attention to whether or not a salon is in compliance with state and national guidelines regarding the use of toxic chemicals? The answer, says Dr. Azita Amiri, is not nearly enough of us. "People need to make sure salon owners are following the rules and regulations that will keep their customers safe as well as their employees," says the assistant professor of nursing at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). "And they should use their sense of smell. If a salon smells distinctive, sharp, and strong, it means that there are a lot of chemicals in the air and they should leave as soon as possible." |
 | Collapse of mitochondria-associated membrane in ALSAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult onset, fetal neurodegenerative disease that selectively affects motor neurons. To date, more than 20 genes are identified as a causative of inherited ALS, and many researchers investigate the pathomechanism of ALS. |
 | Personalised therapy reduces cancer risk for diabetes patientsThe links between Type 2 diabetes and cancer are complex: people suffering from diabetes mellitus essentially have a higher risk of developing cancer but, on top of that, some diabetes drugs are also suspected of increasing the risk in some cases. However, scientists at the Department of Medicine III and the Section for Science of Complex Systems at MedUni Vienna have demonstrated that these risks can now be practically eliminated by using optimised, personalised therapy. |
Solving the puzzle of necroptosisCell death is an essential physiological process for all multicellular organisms. Throughout life, cells in many tissues die naturally and are replaced by new cells. A proper balance between the death and production of new cells is important for the maintenance of healthy tissue function and for regeneration after injury. Increased cell production coupled with reduced cell death can lead to tumor development. On the other hand, excessive cell death can cause tissue damage and disease. | |
 | Cannabis abuse possible cause of psychosisThe risk of developing psychosis is more than tripled for those who abuse cannabis, according to results from a new twin study. |
 | Online gambling regulations should be tightened to protect children and young people, research findsChildren and adolescents are being targeted by online gambling websites due to flaws in advertising legislation, according to new research from Queen Mary University of London and City University London. |
 | Understanding Africa's diverse gene pool can help fight lifestyle diseasesAfrica is home to about 16% of the world's population. That's 1.2 billion people. But the continent is disproportionately burdened by a double health challenge: infectious diseases and a recent increase in non-communicable diseases. |
 | Mobile health interventions no silver bullet for diabetes patients, says studyGlobally about 442 million people live with diabetes, most of them in low-income countries, where health systems often function poorly. As they are not equipped to follow-up on patients or improve the quality of care, chronic disease management is largely the responsibility of the patients. In her doctoral thesis, Dr Josefien van Olmen of the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) says that much-touted mobile technologies for self-management alone will not solve the problem. |
School-based interventions for preventing HIV, STIs and pregnancy in adolescentsDo school-based interventions prevent HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy? This is the question asked by researchers from the University of York, South African Medical Research Council and Stellenbosch University in a Cochrane review published this week. | |
 | Researchers find widespread disruption of brain activity during absence seizuresScientists believed that absence seizures—the brief loss of consciousness often mistaken for day-dreaming—was caused by a localized disruption of brain activity. A new Yale study finds the entire brain is involved in this common form of childhood epilepsy that causes kids to "blank out" for 10 seconds or more at a time. |
Scientists use advanced technology to better understand ataxiaAccording to a recent study published in JAMA Neurology, Northwestern Medicine scientists have examined more than a century of data of the genetic makeup of ataxias, a neurodegenerative disorder, to better understand the different forms of this devastating disease and how it affects patients. This research has the potential for scientists to have a better understanding on how to diagnose and treat the disease, which has no known cure for patients suffering from the condition. | |
Genetic signaling pathway blocks formation of a cancer in the cerebellumA research team at the Krembil Research Institute has discovered that a signaling pathway which controls blood vessel development in the brain has the ability to stop brain tumor formation in animal models of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor diagnosed in children. | |
 | Blood fats equal risk of pancreatitisNew research from the University of Copenhagen shows that mild to moderate levels of blood fats equals an increased risk developing acute pancreatitis. It is far more serious than we previously believed it to be, according to the professor behind the study. |
 | Medical professors question 'residency placement fever'For people with a greater than 50 percent chance of landing their top job choice and a greater than 90 percent chance of getting a job in their field, would it seem like overkill for each of them to apply for more than 40 jobs? |
Television cooking shows overlook safe food handling practicesForty-eight million cases of foodborne illness are reported annually in the United States, including 3,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These illnesses can result from improper food safety practices in retail settings, but illness from food prepared at home is also a concern; yet, little is known about illness from consumer practice. Television cooking shows are an important resource for home cooks, but if these shows fail to model recommended food safety measures, it may lead to poor practices among consumers. Therefore, researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst devised a study to assess food safety on television food shows and determine whether they present positive or negative models for viewers. | |
 | The messenger in Huntington's diseaseHuntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that is presently incurable. Scientists around the world are researching its causes and molecular processes in the attempt to find a treatment. |
Canadian researcher maybe exposed in lab to EbolaA researcher at Canada's National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg was "potentially exposed" to the Ebola virus, authorities announced Tuesday. | |
Parents don't notice children's PTSD, may need support themselvesYoung children may experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for years without it being recognised by their parents according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA). | |
Social networking by doctors may save patients' lives, study suggestsTo get the best results for patients, it may pay for their doctors to heed the words of legendary University of Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler: the team, the team, the team. | |
 | US doctors don't all follow prediabetes screening guidelines: study(HealthDay)—Only about half of U.S. family doctors follow guidelines on screening patients for prediabetes, a new study finds. |
 | Do your part to stop spreading colds and flu(HealthDay)—It's easy to spread germs that cause colds, flu and other serious illnesses, including whooping cough and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). |
 | Cumulative incidence of ESRD low in patients with type 1 DM(HealthDay)—Patients with type 1 diabetes diagnosed at age 15 to 27 years have low cumulative incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and increased mortality during long-term follow-up, according to a study published online Oct. 21 in Diabetes Care. |
 | Genetic mortality risk can be attenuated by lifestyle(HealthDay)—Genetic variations correlate with mortality in the elderly, although their effect can be influenced by lifestyle behaviors, according to a study published online Nov. 2 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. |
 | Guideline adapted for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis(HealthDay)—An adapted clinical practice guideline (CPG), published online Nov. 3 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, has been developed for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP), using two validated tools. |
 | BACH2 identified as risk locus for Addison's disease(HealthDay)—BACH2 is a major risk locus for Addison's disease, according to a study published online Nov. 2 in the Journal of Internal Medicine. |
 | AMA highlights role of patient shame in opioid disorders(HealthDay)—Supported by the American Medical Association (AMA), the Providers' Clinical Support System for Opioid Therapies (PCSS-O) has released a collection of resources from a national training and mentoring project developed by physicians to promote the role of self-education and help curb the opioid epidemic. |
 | High transepidermal water loss in infancy linked to eczema(HealthDay)—High transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in infancy is associated with atopic eczema (AE) at age 2 years, according to a study published online Nov. 3 in the British Journal of Dermatology. |
 | Probable interaction ID'd for PrOD, ribavirin with warfarin(HealthDay)—There is a probable interaction between paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir+dasabuvir (PrOD) plus ribavirin with warfarin, according to a case report published online Nov. 3 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics. |
 | Coronary angiography, PCI don't impact cognitive function(HealthDay)—There is no indication of postprocedural cognitive impairment for patients undergoing coronary angiography (CA) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to a study published in the Nov. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology. |
Seasonal affective disorder prevention and treatmentDear Mayo Clinic: Is seasonal affective disorder considered depression? If so, should I be treated for it year-round even though it comes and goes? | |
Neuroscientists call for deep collaboration to 'crack' the human brainThe time is ripe, the communication technology is available, for teams from different labs and different countries to join efforts and apply new forms of grassroots collaborative research in brain science. This is the right way to gradually upscale the study of the brain so as to usher it into the era of Big Science, claim neuroscientists in Portugal, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. And they are already putting ideas into action. | |
Legalization movement faces biggest test yet in 9 statesThe movement to legalize marijuana faced its biggest test yet Tuesday as voters in nine states, including the nation's most populous, considered proposals to expand legal access to the drug, which is still forbidden by the federal government. | |
Deadly superbug linked to four deaths in the USA deadly new drug-resistant fungus has been linked to the deaths of four hospital patients in the U.S., according to a report released Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. | |
Biology news
 | Changing cell behavior could boost biofuels, medicineA computer scientist at Washington University in St. Louis has developed a way to coax cells to do natural things under unnatural circumstances, which could be useful for stem cell research, gene therapy and biofuel production. |
 | Scientists identify key evolutionary catalyst for antibiotic resistanceA new study led by scientists at the University of Oxford has found that small DNA molecules known as plasmids are one of the key culprits in spreading the major global health threat of antibiotic resistance. |
 | Species of giant cockroaches employ different strategies in the mating gameNew research suggests that even in the insect world, males must adopt different strategies to win females, depending on their particular physical prowess. |
 | Mobs are, sometimes, goodSubmitting to mob mentality is always a risky endeavor, for humans or hyenas. A new Michigan State University study focusing on the latter, though, shows that when it comes to battling for food, mobbing can be beneficial. |
 | Insects can teach us how to create better technologiesIf you put all humans living on the planet into an imaginary tin like sardines, the tin would be 2km long, wide and high. Amazingly, all the ants in the world would fill a similar-sized tin. Yet, despite their huge numbers, insects such as ants manage to thrive without overwhelming the natural world. |
 | Ancient toothed turtles survived until 160m years agoToday's turtles don't have teeth; they cut off their food using hard ridges on their jaws. But their ancestors were not so dentally challenged. A team of international researchers including Dr. Márton Rabi from the Biogeology Lab of the University of Tübingen has now discovered that turtles with remnants of teeth survived 30 million years later than previously thought. The researchers found evidence of this at a major excavation site in China's western Autonomous Region of Xinjiang. Up to now, the most recent finds of toothed turtles were 190 million years old. The new discovery also helps to fill in some of the puzzle pieces in the chelonian family tree and in the distribution of the family over many millions of years. The researchers have published their findings in the latest edition of BMC Evolutionary Biology. |
 | Herpes not quite so species specific after allA new study challenges the tenet of herpes viruses being strictly host-specific. Scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in Germany have discovered that gammaherpesviruses switch their hosts more frequently than previously thought. In fact, bats and primates appear to be responsible for the transfer of these viruses to other mammals in many cases. The findings were published in the scientific journal "mBio". |
Being different makes all the difference in an ever changing worldBiodiversity is challenged by environmental modifications brought about by altered land use and climate change. Species that fail to adapt or adjust their geographic distribution can be driven to extinction. Individual variation makes all the difference here. A new study published in Scientific Reports demonstrates that poleward range shifts have been faster in moths with more variable colour patterns. Rates of range shifts have also increased over time, and depend on study duration and latitude. Results will help improve projections of biodiversity responses to climate change and aid conservation efforts, the authors say. | |
 | Blind species of fish discovered by chance in KurdistanNo scales or eyes—together with a team of Iraqi scientists, researchers from the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) and the Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (ZFMK) have described a strange new species of fish, Eidinemacheilus proudlovei. The species was first discovered in the Kurdish region of Iraq at the end of March 2016. The blind fish, belonging to the stone loach family, lives in inaccessible subterranean streams. |
 | Why Brexit could be bad news for beesBrexit could have serious consequences for bees and bee scientists, Norman Carreck, Science Director of the International Bee Research Association (IBRA) warns in an editorial in Bee World. |
 | Humans proven to recognize partially obscured snakes more easily than other animalsSome studies have suggested that the visual systems of humans and other primates are finely tuned to identify dangerous creatures such as snakes and spiders. This is understandable because, among our ancestors, those who were more able to see and avoid these animals would have been more likely to pass on their genes to the next generation. However, it has been difficult to compare the recognition of different animals in an unbiased way because of their different shapes, anatomical features, and levels of camouflage. |
 | Fake crane project brings birds back to BritainConservationists dressed in crane costumes have helped bring the graceful grey birds back to Britain's wetlands after they were hunted to near extinction as a delicacy in the Middle Ages. |
 | Citizen scientists sought to help save turtles from extinctionAs turtles in Australia leave the safety of their nests and head to dry land to mate this November, Western Sydney University researchers are calling on Australians to log any sightings on a web app. |
 | Researchers develop tools to understand marine biodiversity and assess the environmental status of oceansMore than 250 European researchers have collaborated in developing new tools to understand marine biodiversity and assess the environmental status of our oceans, within the project DEVOTES (www.devotes-project.eu) (DEVelopment Of innovative Tools for understanding marine biodiversity and assessing good Environmental Status). |
 | Decoding the genome of the Japanese morning gloryResearchers in Japan have successfully decoded the entire Japanese morning glory genome. Japanese morning glories (Ipomoea nil) are traditional garden plants that are popular in Japan. You can see the flower in many Japanese gardens in the summer. Further, mutants are known to frequently appear in morning glories due to the actions of "jumping genes", called transposons. From the Edo period (about 200 years ago), morning glories with strange shaped flowers and leaves have been bred and appreciated, and this has developed into a unique gardening culture in Japan. Because of the popularity of these "mutant morning glories", a lot of natural mutants have been collected. In modern times, by analyzing these mutants in detail, researchers have found a number of genes that determine flower and leaf shapes as well as flower colors and patterns. |
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