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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for March 28, 2019:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
Astronomy & Space news
 | New evidence of deep groundwater on MarsIn mid-2018, researchers supported by the Italian Space Agency detected the presence of a deep-water lake on Mars under its south polar ice caps. Now, researchers at the USC Arid Climate and Water Research Center (AWARE) have published a study that suggests deep groundwater could still be active on Mars and could originate surface streams in some near-equatorial areas on Mars. |
 | New close-ups of the mini-moons in Saturn's ringsNestled between Saturn's rings are a collection of mini-moons that NASA's Cassini spacecraft skimmed past in 2017. |
 | Unusual galaxies defy dark matter theoryAfter drawing both praise and skepticism, the team of astronomers who discovered NGC 1052-DF2 – the very first known galaxy to contain little to no dark matter – are back with stronger evidence about its bizarre nature. |
 | Hubble watches spun-up asteroid coming apartA small asteroid has been caught in the process of spinning so fast it's throwing off material, according to new data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories. |
 | Transmit your sound recording from Mars to the EarthAn exciting new competition is giving citizens of planet Earth the opportunity to get their voices to Mars in the next phase of the ExoMars programme. The ExoMars rover and platform will launch to the Red Planet in 2020. |
 | Can organisms survive on Mars, and can we identify them?Earth is a very special planet. It is the only celestial body in the solar system on which we know life exists. Could there be life on other planets or moons? Mars is always the first mentioned in this context; it has many properties in common with Earth, and in its geological past water also flowed over its surface. Today, however, conditions on Mars are so extreme that it is hard to imagine that organisms like those found on Earth could survive on that cold and arid desert planet. One of the aims of the DLR-coordinated experiment BIOMEX (BIOlogy and Mars EXperiment) on the International Space Station (ISS) was to find out if this is indeed possible. The results are now available. |
 | LIGO and Virgo resume search for ripples in space and timeThe National Science Foundation's LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) is set to resume its hunt for gravitational waves—ripples in space and time—on April 1, after receiving a series of upgrades to its lasers, mirrors, and other components. LIGO—which consists of twin detectors located in Washington and Louisiana—now has a combined increase in sensitivity of about 40 percent over its last run, which means that it can survey an even larger volume of space than before for powerful, wave-making events, such as the collisions of black holes. |
 | The space we travel throughWhen sea-faring nations began to explore new regions of the world, one of their biggest concerns in making the journey safely was how to cope with weather. They could harness the wind for power. They could rely on the Sun and the stars for navigation. They could build sturdy ships. But if a storm rose suddenly, they were at nature's mercy. |
 | Bringing Martian rocks back to Earth crucial for science, say researchersSamples need to be collected from Mars' surface and returned to Earth for examination to answer our most pressing questions about the red planet, according to a group of international scientists. |
 | Indian satellite destruction creates debris field of 'space junk'India's destruction of a satellite with a missile created hundreds of pieces of "space junk," a potentially dangerous situation that established space powers have tried to avoid for years. |
Technology news
 | A new approach allows robots to attract passersby without causing them discomfortResearchers at NTT Corporation in Japan have recently developed a user-centered reinforcement learning approach that could be used to teach 'manners' to social robots. Their method, outlined in a paper pre-published on arXiv, allows a robot to greet or attract the attention of passersby without causing them discomfort. |
 | New approach could boost energy capacity of lithium batteriesResearchers around the globe have been on a quest for batteries that pack a punch but are smaller and lighter than today's versions, potentially enabling electric cars to travel further or portable electronics to run for longer without recharging. Now, researchers at MIT and in China say they've made a major advance in this area, with a new version of a key component for lithium batteries, the cathode. |
 | Defining blameworthiness to help make AI moralSay 100 people live near a lake. If at least 10 of them overfish this year, the entire fish population will die out. Each assumes at least 10 others will overfish, and there won't be anything left to fish in the coming years. |
 | Scientists discover potential sustainable energy technology for the household refrigeratorWhile many advancements have been in improving its efficiency, the refrigerator still consumes considerable amounts of energy each year. |
 | Researchers develop a new way to test machine learning algorithms that control self-driving carsIt's a big question for many people in traffic-dense cities like Los Angeles: When will self-driving cars arrive? But following a series of high-profile accidents in the United States, safety issues could bring the autonomous dream to a screeching halt. |
 | Boeing adopts 'business as usual' posture at 737 media tourAfter two fatal crashes in five months, Boeing is trying hard—very hard—to present itself as unfazed by the crisis that surrounds the company. |
 | S. Korea spycam crimes put hidden camera industry under scrutinyShin Jang-jin's shop in Incheon offers seemingly innocuous household items, from pens and lighters to watches and smoke detectors, but with a secret feature—a hidden one millimetre-wide-lens that can shoot video. |
 | Daimler and Geely to develop next generation Smart carMercedes-Benz maker Daimler and Chinese auto giant Geely announced plans Thursday to develop the next generation of electric Smart cars to be made in China in a joint venture. |
 | How AI could spur drug developmentUsing artificial intelligence in drug design would give pharmaceutical research a boost, says Gisbert Schneider. In the medium term, computers could even carry out experiments autonomously. |
 | Stop outsourcing the regulation of hate speech to social mediaWhen it comes to dealing with online hate speech, we've ended up in the worst of all possible worlds. |
 | How to cross-examine a machine in courtAs society becomes more automated, the structure of evidence rules needs to keep up with the times, argues Ed Cheng, the Hess Professor of Law at Vanderbilt Law School. "Beyond the Witness: Bringing a Process Perspective to Modern Evidence Law," coauthored with University of Arkansas law professor G. Alexander Nunn, will appear in the May issue of the Texas Law Review. |
How big tech designs its own rules of ethics to avoid scrutiny and accountabilityData ethics is now a cause célèbre. | |
 | Turbocharging the switch to efficient enginesPredicting capricious pre-ignition combustion events could enable automakers to build powerful yet more efficient engines. |
 | New technique reduces time lag between component manufacture and checking precision on CMMResearch findings described in a new article by University of Huddersfield scientists will enable engineering firms to make major gains in productivity and efficiency by reducing the often-considerable time-lag between the manufacture of components and checking their precision on a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). |
 | Ride-hailing giants face bumpy road to profitabilityRide-hailing giants Uber and Lyft have redefined what we expect from transportation, hooking customers on the immediacy of on-demand rides with a few clicks on a smartphone. |
 | New way of designing systems against correlated disruptions uses negative probabilityIn March of 2011, a powerful earthquake off the coast of Japan triggered the automatic shutdown of reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and simultaneously disrupted electricity lines that supported their cooling. Had the earthquake been the only disaster that hit that day, emergency backup generators would have prevented a meltdown. Instead, a tsunami immediately followed the earthquake, flooding the generators and leading to the most serious nuclear accident in recent history. For systems expert Yanfeng Ouyang, a professor of civil and environmental engineering (CEE) at the University of Illinois, it was a perfect example of the problem of designing systems against correlated disruptions. |
 | Lyft IPO sets rollout for ride-hailing, sharing economyLyft is raising some $2.5 billion in its Wall Street offering which is being seen as turning point for the ride-hailing business and the so-called "sharing economy." |
 | US officials order Chinese company to sell Grindr: reportA Chinese firm has been ordered by American national security officials to sell popular gay dating app Grindr, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. |
 | Japan's Honda, Hino join SoftBank-Toyota mobility ventureJapanese automakers Honda and Hino are joining a partnership between SoftBank and Toyota for mobility service innovation such as self-driving cars. |
 | German air traffic control fixes software glitchGermany's air traffic control agency says it has resolved a software problem that has forced it to reduce flight capacity over part of the country for the past week. |
 | A 'cookbook' for vehicle manufacturers: Getting automated parts to talk to each otherSemi-autonomous cars are expected to hit the roads in Europe next year with truck convoys following a few years later. But before different brands can share the roads, vehicle manufacturers need to agree on standards for automated functions. |
 | YouTube's child viewers may struggle to recognise adverts in videos from 'virtual play dates'YouTube's highest earning star in 2018 was a seven-year-old boy named Ryan. That's right – a child out-earned the likes of the infamous Logan Paul, video game vlogger PewDiePie, and even make-up mogul Jeffree Star. Between June 2017 and June 2018, Ryan is estimated to have earned an impressive US$22m from the platform. |
 | Facebook charged with housing discrimination by HUDThe federal government charged Facebook with high-tech housing discrimination Thursday for allegedly allowing landlords and real estate brokers to systematically exclude groups such as non-Christians, immigrants and minorities from seeing ads for houses and apartments. |
 | Sony says former CEO Kazuo Hirai to leave firmSony chairman Kazuo Hirai, who led a major and successful overhaul at the Japanese electronics giant, announced Thursday he would be leaving the firm after 35 years. |
 | UK identifies fresh Huawei risks to telecom networksBritain has identified "significant" issues in Huawei's engineering processes that pose "new risks" for the nation's telecommunications, a government report found Thursday amid lingering global suspicion over the Chinese technology giant. |
 | Cuba, Google move to improve island's connectivityCuba and Google signed a deal Thursday moving the island one step closer to having a state-of-the-art connection to the modern internet. |
 | Iceland's WOW Air budget carrier collapses, cancels all flightsIceland's troubled budget carrier WOW Air said it had ceased operations and cancelled all flights on Thursday, stranding thousands of passengers in the low-cost airline industry's latest collapse. |
 | Twitter may tag rule-breaking Trump tweetsTwitter said Thursday it could start tagging tweets from newsworthy figures such as US President Donald Trump that break its rules, while stopping short of deleting them. |
 | WTO confirms US failed to fully comply over Boeing subsidiesThe World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled Thursday that Washington failed to fully comply with a 2012 order to halt subsidies to Boeing, marking a partial victory for rival aircraft-maker Airbus and the EU. |
 | Amazon plans 800-job expansion in Austin—but it's not related to HQ2In a move to build up its presence in the capitol of Texas, Amazon will be adding 800 jobs to its tech hub in Austin. |
Medicine & Health news
 | 'Free lunch' warps inner spatial map in rat brains and, by implication, human brainsThe next time you're offered a free sample as you're walking past a storefront, go ahead and take it. But be aware that the more you like that little chunk of cheese or sip of herbal tea, the likelier your brain's internal map will warp in a way that increases your ability to return to the spot where you got your freebie. |
 | Woman with novel gene mutation lives almost pain-freeA woman in Scotland can feel virtually no pain due to a mutation in a previously-unidentified gene, according to a research paper co-led by UCL. |
 | Virtual reality could be used to treat autismPlaying games in virtual reality (VR) could be a key tool in treating people with neurological disorders such as autism, schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease. |
 | In mice, single population of stem cells contributes to lifelong hippocampal neurogenesisScientists once thought that mammals entered adulthood with all of the neurons they would ever have, but studies from the 60s found that new neurons are generated in certain parts of the adult brain and pioneering studies from the 90s helped identify their origins and function. In the latest update, a team of researchers has shown in mice that a single lineage of neural progenitors contributes to embryonic, early postnatal, and adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus, and that these cells are continuously generated throughout a lifetime. The study appears March 28 in the journal Cell. |
 | Stabilizing ends of chromosomes could treat age-related diseaseA study led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine has uncovered a new strategy that can potentially treat age-related disease and decline. The study, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, demonstrates that shortening of telomeres—the ends of the chromosomes—impairs a class of enzymes called sirtuins, which play an important role in maintaining cell fitness by affecting many metabolic processes and repairing damaged chromosomes. The researchers showed that restoring the activity of sirtuins with a small compound stabilized telomeres and reduced DNA damage, which in turn improved liver disease in a mouse model. These studies suggest that maintaining telomere length might help sustain the regenerative capacity of cells and tissues and improve disease outcome. |
 | Arbitrary categories improve visual learning transfer, study findsMany brain training games claim to improve mental performance, but a growing body of cognitive research shows that while participants get better on a game's specific tasks, the benefits do not transfer to real-life skills such as remembering what to pick up from the grocery store. |
 | Pediatric cell atlas will map single-cell changes for a deeper view of child health and diseaseBiomedical researchers plan to create the Pediatric Cell Atlas (PCA), a powerful new resource for fine-grained scientific understanding of human growth and development. Drawing on dramatic recent advances in technology, the Atlas will offer an unprecedented window into the unique biology of children by benchmarking healthy and abnormal tissues at the level of single cells—the basic units of biology. |
 | Scientists find brain mechanism that naturally combats overeatingFood is, generally speaking, a good thing. In addition to being quite tasty, it is also necessary for survival. That's why animals have evolved robust physiological systems that attract them to food and keep them coming back for more. |
 | Copycat fungus deceives immune system and deactivates body's response to infectionFungus can imitate signals from our immune system and prevent our body from responding to infection, new research from the University of Sheffield has found. |
 | Bacteria partners with virus to cause chronic wounds, study findsA common bacterial pathogen called Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces a virus that substantially increases the pathogen's ability to infect us, according to a study by investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine. |
 | Harnessing T-cell 'stemness' could enhance cancer immunotherapyA new study led by scientists in the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) sheds light on one way tumors may continue to grow despite the presence of cancer-killing immune cells. The findings, published March 29, 2019, in Science, suggest a way to enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapies for cancer treatment. NCI is part of the National Institutes of Health. |
 | Lab-grown blood vessels could be big medical advanceBlood vessels created in the lab can successfully turn into "living tissue" in patients on dialysis for advanced kidney disease, a new study suggests. |
 | Researchers find link between locus of control in adolescents and use of tobacco and alcoholA team of researchers from the University of Bristol and AstraZeneca has found what they describe as a link between the "locus of control" (LoC) in adolescents and their use of tobacco and alcohol. In their paper published in Royal Society Open Science, the group describes their study of data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children and what they found. |
 | Grid cells create 'treasure map' in rat brainGrid cells and place cells are specialized neurons that allow the brain to create a map of the outside world in which one navigates (Nobel Prize 2014). This brain GPS system is built on grid cells' strikingly regular pattern of activity. This pattern provides the metric coordinates to "triangulate one's position" which is decoded by the place cells providing the "you are here" signal. |
 | Researchers find targeting rare form of cystic fibrosis earlier prevents organ damage in ferretsA team of researchers from the University of Iowa, University Medical Center Utrecht and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, reports that earlier administration of a drug already given to patients with a rare form of cystic fibrosis can prevent organ damage—at least in ferrets. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the group describes their study of the impact of the drug ivacaftor on ferret models and what they found. Thomas Ferkol with the Washington University School of Medicine has written a Focus piece on the work done by the team in the same issue. |
 | Biologists find a way to boost intestinal stem cell populationsCells that line the intestinal tract are replaced every few days, a high rate of turnover that relies on a healthy population of intestinal stem cells. MIT and University of Tokyo biologists have now found that aging takes a toll on intestinal stem cells and may contribute to increased susceptibility to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. |
 | Most precise measurements of sickle cell disease building blocks could lead to new treatmentsIn a breakthrough study of sickle cell disease, biomedical engineers in the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering have revealed that the building blocks of the disease are much less efficient at organizing than previously thought. |
 | Scientists tie walnuts to gene expressions related to breast cancerNew research from Marshall University links walnut consumption as a contributing factor that could suppress growth and survival of breast cancers. |
 | Cancer prevention drug also disables H. pylori bacteriumA medicine currently being tested as a chemoprevention agent for multiple types of cancer has more than one trick in its bag when it comes to preventing stomach cancer, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered. |
 | Researchers optimize gene editing for SCD and beta thalassemiaResearchers at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and the University of Massachusetts Medical School have developed a strategy to treat two of the most common inherited blood diseases—sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia—applying CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to patients' own blood stem cells. Described this week in Nature Medicine and in a January report in the journal Blood, their approach overcomes prior technical challenges, editing blood stem cells more efficiently than in the past. |
Many NHS partnerships with drug companies are out of public sightNHS organisations are entering into working partnerships with drug companies, but they are not making the details, and even existence, of many of these deals available to the public, reveals an investigation by The BMJ today. | |
 | Consider non-surgical brain stimulation for severe depression, say expertsNon-surgical brain stimulation should be considered as alternative or add-on treatments for adults with severe forms of depression, suggests a study published by The BMJ today. |
Abandon the term 'second victim' say families of patients who died after medical errorsFamilies of patients who died after medical errors argue that it's time to abandon the term "second victim" to describe doctors who are involved in a medical error. | |
 | Increase the legal purchase age to reduce smoking rates in young people, urges expertIncreasing the legal age for tobacco purchase should be combined with other measures to reduce smoking rates in young people, argues an expert in The BMJ today. |
 | New study calculates alcohol cancer risk in cigarette equivalents to help communicate riskThe well-established link between cancer and tobacco may provide a way to help communicate the links between moderate levels of alcohol and cancer, and raise public awareness of alcohol-associated cancer risks, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. |
Health worker mistrust worsening DR Congo Ebola outbreak: studyHearsay and mistrust in health workers may have thwarted attempts to contain Ebola during the current outbreak of the deadly disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo, researchers said Wednesday. | |
 | One billion people will be newly exposed to diseases like dengue fever as world temperatures riseAs many as a billion people could be newly exposed to disease-carrying mosquitoes by the end of the century because of global warming, says a new study that examines temperature changes on a monthly basis across the world. |
 | Rejuvenation of aging cells helps to cure osteoarthritis through gene therapyAging is a risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis (OA), a chronic disease characterized by degeneration of articular cartilage leading to pain and physical disability. Senescent mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are found in cartilage tissues isolated from patients suffering from osteoarthritis. Notably, senescent MSCs have been regarded as an important therapeutic target for geroprotection against tissue degeneration. |
 | Poor nutrition can lead to sight loss in later life, according to studyAn unhealthy diet including high fat and cholesterol-enriched food can contribute to developing eye diseases which lead to a loss of vision, University of Southampton research has revealed. |
 | Researchers identify a new gene involved in the development of a rare endocrine tumorParagangliomas and phaeochromocytomas are very rare neuroendocrine tumours, with only three to eight cases per million inhabitants worldwide. They are also the most inheritable types of tumours. Whereas in general terms, cancer is only 5 to 10 percent inherited, 35 to 40 percent of paragangliomas are hereditary. |
 | What happens to claim-prone physicians?Researchers at Stanford University released findings of a study examining what happens to physicians who experience multiple malpractice claims. Where do physicians with poor malpractice liability records go? Where do they practice? Who would hire them? Stanford professors David Studdert and Michelle Mello wanted to know. |
 | Parents should monitor their child's weight from the age of twoOne in five children in England are overweight by the time they start primary school. Nationally, children are weighed and measured, aged four to five, during their first year of school. But findings from our new study suggest that to prevent obesity parents should keep an eye on their children's weight from as early as age two. |
 | Living near green space boosts teenagers' mental health, study findsTeenagers who live within a few blocks of green space are more likely to have better mental health than teens who don't, according to a study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. |
 | An unexpected pathway to treating neurodegenerative diseasesScientific success stories can sometimes occur when therapies being studied for one disease can be used to treat another. |
 | Glaucoma: Vision's silent killerLike high blood pressure, glaucoma is a devious disease. |
 | Human protein produced in CHO-cells can save donor bloodAlpha-1-antitrypsin is a protein produced by the liver. The protein gets secreted to the blood stream, where it circulates the body to protect the lungs. However, some people are born with genetic disorders that hinders production of this protein. These patients can suffer from decreased lung function, liver diseases and shortness of breath. |
 | How challenging masculine stereotypes is good for menA man sits in a doctor's office after months of his wife's increasingly desperate pleas for him to seek professional help for his constant coughing. In the end, she was the one who booked his appointment and even drove him there. |
New medication gives aging mice bigger musclesIt is common knowledge that as people grow older they lose muscle mass and bone. Researchers from Aarhus University, Denmark, working together with researchers at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, have now studied a new group of medications that could prove beneficial for the elderly and the chronically ill who suffer a loss of bone and muscle mass. | |
 | How to build a healthier burger with mushrooms(HealthDay)—If you're a hamburger lover who no longer wants to eat meat or simply wants to cut down on beef consumption, there are ways to get the taste and texture of a traditional burger. |
 | The keys to perfect lunges and squats(HealthDay)—Want two moves that will effectively develop your lower body? Then add lunges and squats to your strength-training workout. |
 | US performs first kidney transplant from living donor with HIVThe kidney of a 35-year-old HIV-positive woman has been transplanted into another patient with the virus that causes AIDS, US surgeons announced Thursday, in a major medical breakthrough. |
 | Study: Many in Ebola outbreak don't believe virus is realOne out of four people interviewed in eastern Congo last year believed Ebola wasn't real, according to a new study, underscoring the enormous challenges health care workers are facing in what has become the second-deadliest outbreak in history. |
 | Can short-term stress make the body and mind more resilient?Ancient practices like tai chi and yoga have long focused on breathing as a way to control the body's energies, and in recent years, they've been touted as antidotes to the stress of modern life. But can simply inhaling and exhaling a certain way fight stress and boost your health? Are there evidence-based interventions to reduce stress? |
 | New app helps young people with arthritis communicateYoung people living with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), the most common type of arthritis in children and teens, struggle to communicate their needs to their families and care teams. While it is important to support young people managing their own treatment and decision making, often they are ill-equipped to do this. |
 | Sexual satisfaction among older people about more than just healthCommunication and being in a happy relationship, along with health, are important for sexual satisfaction among older people, according to new research published in PLOS ONE. |
 | New therapy approach points to potential treatment of liver cancer patients with hepatitis B virus infectionResearchers from Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and Lion TCR have demonstrated that they were able to engineer HBV-specific T cells, a type of immune cells found in the body, to treat Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a commonly occurring liver cancer. The treatment was also individualised, as T cells that were engineered were specific to the patients. The approach was successfully performed on two liver transplanted patients who had HBV associated liver cancer recurrence with one patient seeing a reduction in size of the tumour lesions. |
 | Maternal diet during pregnancy may modulate the risk of ADHD symptoms in childrenThe results of a study led by a team from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health suggest that the risk of a child developing symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be modulated by the mother's diet during pregnancy. The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, analysed samples of umbilical cord plasma to quantify the levels of omega-6 and omega-3 that reach the foetus. The statistical analysis showed a higher omega-6:omega-3 ratio to be associated with a higher risk of ADHD symptoms at seven years of age. |
 | Digital health must be reimbursed to cope with chronic diseaseHealth systems must reimburse digital health and integrate it into routine care to cope with chronic disease. That's the main message of a position paper from European cardiology leaders published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). |
 | Development of a technology to produce dorsal cortical neuronsKorea Brain Research Institute (KBRI, President Pann Ghill Suh) announced on Mar. 4 that its research team led by principal researcher Yoichi Kosodo has developed a technology to mass produce cerebral cortex neurons utilizing Induced pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS). The research outcome will be published in the March issue of Scientific Reports. |
 | Donor muscle training before transplantation expedites rehabilitation process in patientsResearchers at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience of the Higher School of Economics have proposed to train transplanted muscles in advance with new movements so that the brain can learn to use them more quickly after autotransplantation. The results of the study on the prospects of this approach were published in the article 'Perspectives for the Use of Neurotechnologies in Conjunction with Muscle Autotransplantation in Children'. |
 | Drug-resistant tuberculosis: A new study offers new hopeTuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death in the world from a single infectious disease, causing more deaths than HIV/AIDS. In 2017, 10 million people developed TB disease globally and an estimated 1.6 million died. |
 | Robot an effective pain management tool for premature babiesResearchers at the University of British Columbia, BC Children's Hospital, the British Columbia Institute of Technology, and BC Women's Hospital + Health Centre have designed a therapeutic robot that simulates human skin-to-skin contact, helping reduce pain for babies in the neonatal intensive care unit at BC Women's. |
 | Study to examine how sex hormones affect teenage girls' emotionsTeenage years can be a turbulent time, thanks to a sharp increase in hormones. What's not known is the role that these hormones, along with physical and social changes, have in the maturing teenage brain. |
 | Obesity and alcohol responsible for nearly 30,000 cases of breast cancers in the next decadeMaintaining a healthy weight and not consuming alcohol regularly could help prevent thousands of breast cancer cases, a new big data study by UNSW Sydney researchers has found. The findings could help inform future cancer control strategies. |
 | Using laser light to study how epilepsy arises in the healthy brainScientists at McGill University have developed a new method to study how seizures arise in the healthy brain. Using laser light guided through ultra-thin optic fibers in the brain of rodents, the researchers "turned on" light-sensitive proteins in selective brain cells and were able to eventually cause seizures through repeated laser stimulation. These findings were published March 27, 2019 in the journal Scientific Reports. |
 | Why measles mattersMeasles is so contagious that one infected person can spread the respiratory virus to 90 percent of people in the same room—and it can live in the air for two hours. Often, an infected person doesn't even know they have measles for several weeks. |
 | Testosterone discovery may explain low levels in men with diabetesScientists at the University of Virginia and elsewhere have mapped out how the body transports testosterone, and their surprising findings may explain low testosterone levels seen in men with diabetes or patients on certain medications. |
 | New guidelines produced to help parents ensure safe use of social media among childrenChildren are avid social media users—despite site age restrictions—with 15 per cent having accessed content online that made them feel uncomfortable, new research has shown. |
 | The hygiene hypothesis is out of date and is undermining public healthResearchers are concerned that attitudes to hygiene are being undermined by the hygiene hypothesis, and that this misleading misnomer could contribute to the spread of infectious disease. |
 | Crime scene schizophrenia—30 genes under suspicionThe research group led by Prof. Alex Schier, director of the University of Basel's Biozentrum, has identified 30 genes associated with schizophrenia. The team was able to show which pathological changes in the brain and behavioral abnormalities are triggered by these genes. The results of the study have now been published in Cell. |
 | Vitamin C can shorten the length of stay in the ICUVitamin C administration shortened the length of stay in the intensive care unit on average by 8 percent in 12 trials with 1766 patients according to a meta-analysis published in Nutrients. |
 | The surprising (and long) story of the first use of ether in surgeryIn the small town of Jefferson, Georgia, about 20 miles from the University of Georgia in Athens, a 26-year-old physician named Crawford Williamson Long removed a tumor from the neck of a man named James Venable while Venable was anesthesized with ether. The date was March 30, 1842. |
 | What is the best sense? Scientists are still battling it outIf there is one thing Twitter has taught us, it's that the world loves a question that sounds stupid, but actually has a profound and interesting answer. For instance, what would happen if the world suddenly turned into blueberries, as answered by physics recently. Or what colour is that dress? |
 | Consumers view nutrition and health claims differently than regulatorsConsumers may not consciously differentiate nutrition and health claims on foods in the way that regulatory experts do, new research published in the journal Nutrients reports. |
 | How people manage their intake of tempting foodsIt's happened to most of us – we walk past a restaurant, cafe or bakery and something catches our attention. A delicious smell wafts out the door and our tastebuds start tingling. With so much cheap and easily accessible food in the Western world, it's almost unavoidable. Sometimes we don't even need to have seen or smelled a food to experience the intense desire to eat it, we can get cravings just from a thought crossing our minds. |
 | Alzheimer's disease: have we got the cause all wrong?Early in the 20th century, Alois Alzheimer first described a disorder of progressive memory loss and confusion in a 50-year-old woman. After she died, he examined her brain and saw that it was full of unusual protein clumps, known as plaques. Over a century later, we know that these plaques are full of a protein called beta-amyloid and are a hallmark of the disease that bears Alzheimer's name. While other features of Alzheimer's disease have been discovered, the theory that beta-amyloid is the main cause of this incurable disease has dominated. |
 | Scandinavia may not be the happiest place on Earth after allThe Nordic countries are consistently ranked as the happiest countries in the world according to World Happiness Reports published since 2012. Because of this, other countries often look to them for guidance when it comes to nurturing the well-being of their people. |
 | WHO guidelines fail to detect half of chronic hepatitis B patients in Ethiopia needing treatmentCurrent World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) fail to detect half of the patients in need of treatment in Ethiopia, report scientists in the Journal of Hepatology, published by Elsevier. They propose revision of the guidelines to consider local data from sub-Saharan Africa in order to help reach the WHO goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public health threat by 2030. |
 | For some people, attractive wives and high status husbands enhance marital qualityYour decision-making style—whether you make a "good enough" choice or seek to make the "best" possible choice among all possible options—influences your satisfaction with your partner, according to a 3-year study of newlyweds. Researchers from Florida State University found that maximizing men—those who seek to make the "best" choice—who had attractive wives were more satisfied at the start of their marriages than maximizing men who had less attractive wives, and maximizing women who had high status husbands experienced less steep declines in satisfaction over time than maximizing women who had low status husbands. |
 | Promising new drugs for old pathogen MtbTuberculosis (TB), an ancient and notoriously difficult disease to treat, has killed millions through the course of human history; and the antibiotics that have been used to fight the disease in recent history are becoming less and less effective. |
 | Biomedical engineers grow cardiac patches to help people recover from heart attacksPatching up a heart needs the help of tiny blood vessels. Aligning dense vascular structures in engineered cardiac patches can help patients recover from a heart attack. |
Novel study links fetal exposure to nicotine and sudden infant death syndromeFetal exposure to tobacco smoke in utero is associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and cardiac arrhythmias in newborns. In a novel study in rabbits, investigators provide the first evidence linking fetal exposure to nicotine to long-term alterations of the cardiac sodium current. These changes may impair adaptation of the cardiac sodium current to sympathetic tone and prevent awakening from sleep apnea, leading to arrhythmias that could potentially be involved in SIDS. They report their findings in HeartRhythm, the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society and the Cardiac Electrophysiology Society. | |
 | Researchers discover a critical receptor involved in response to antidepressants like ketamineEffective treatment of clinical depression remains a major mental health issue, with roughly 30 percent of patients who do not respond to any of the available treatments. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have discovered a crucial receptor called mGlu2 that is critical to the mechanism of fast-acting antidepressants such as ketamine when used to treat depression. |
 | Computational analysis of epigenetic patterns facilitates diagnosis of unknown hereditary disordersA new sophisticated computational model, developed by scientists at Lawson Health Research Institute, is bringing an innovative method of diagnosing rare hereditary conditions. |
 | Researchers target metastasis in fight against cancerAn experimental combination drug therapy attacking the DNA integrity of cancer cells is showing promise for a possible new cancer therapy in the future. |
 | 'Moving target' breast cancer cells revealed by new imaging techniqueWalter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have developed a new imaging technique to visualise key steps in the evolution of cancer cells within tumours, potentially revealing how breast cancers evade treatment. |
 | Changes in onset of spring linked to more allergies across the USHuman-induced climate change is disrupting nature's calendar, including when plants bloom and the spring season starts, and new research from the University of School of Public Health suggests we're increasingly paying the price for it in the form of seasonal allergies. |
Cellphone apps fight Africa's sexual taboosWhen Charles Immanuel Akhimien was a medical student he was shocked to learn that a former classmate had died from a back-alley abortion. | |
 | Just seeing reminders of coffee can stimulate the brain, study revealsJust looking at something that reminds us of coffee can cause our minds to become more alert and attentive, according to a new U of T study. |
 | Liquid meal replacements contributed to greater weight loss than low-calorie diets: reviewLiquid meal replacements helped overweight diabetes patients lose an average of about five pounds more than others who tried a conventional low-calorie diet, according to a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. |
 | Mayo mindfulness: Can sharing kindness help your health?You've heard the uplifting stories: Passersby dropping scads of cash into charity collection buckets or anonymous donors paying off hospital bills for strangers. And people helping victims during storms and natural disasters. These acts of kindness make everybody feel good. |
 | 'Even one cigarette' in pregnancy can raise risk of babies' death, Seattle Children's and Microsoft findIt's no surprise that smoking during pregnancy is unhealthy for the fetus—just as it's unhealthy for the person smoking. But the powerful combination of medical research and data science has given new insights into the risks involved, specifically when it comes to babies suddenly dying in their sleep. |
 | Running upright: The minuscule movements that keep us from fallingMaybe running comes easy, each stride pleasant and light. Maybe it comes hard, each step a slog to the finish. Either way, the human body is constantly calibrating, making microscopic adjustments to keep us from falling as we weekend-warrior our way to greatness. |
 | New Yorkers brace for self-cloning Asian longhorned tickStaten Island residents have another reason to apply insect repellent and obsessively check for ticks this spring and summer: the population of a new, potentially dangerous invasive pest known as the Asian longhorned tick has grown dramatically across the borough, according to Columbia University researchers. And the tick—which unlike other local species can clone itself in large numbers—is likely to continue its conquest in the months ahead. |
 | A bad bout of flu triggers 'taste bud cells' to grow in the lungsMost people who weather an infection with influenza fully recover after a week or two. But for some, a severe case of the flu can actually reshape the architecture of their lungs and forever compromise their respiratory function. |
 | Dissecting dengue: Innovative model sheds light on confounding immune responseAbout 40 percent of the global population is at risk for contracting dengue—the most important mosquito-borne viral infection and a close "cousin" of the Zika virus—and yet, no effective treatment or safe licensed vaccine exists. But a new study, reported recently in the Lancet's open-access journal EBioMedicine, has uncovered details about the human immune response to infection with dengue that could provide much-needed help to the evaluation of dengue vaccine formulations and assist with advancing safe and effective candidate vaccines. |
Screening for colorectal cancer at 45 would avert deaths, but testing older adults would do moreStarting routine colorectal cancer screening at age 45 rather than 50 would decrease U.S. cancer deaths by as much as 11,100 over five years, according to a new study led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. | |
 | Novel brain map tracks early brain atrophy from HIV infectionA new map of brain tissue in people with HIV shows atrophy in several areas including a primary neurocognitive control center where shrinkage and loss of function can be seen in scans before clinical symptoms appear. |
Jatenzo approved for men with low testosterone(HealthDay)—Jatenzo (testosterone undecanoate) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat men with low testosterone, medically called hypogonadism. | |
 | Could beetroot fight salt-induced high blood pressure?Adding tiny amounts of beetroot or dietary nitrate to salty food products might help prevent high blood pressure, according to a preliminary study of rats. |
 | In most states, insurance won't cover addiction treatments(HealthDay)—In a finding that brings bad news as America struggles with an opioid epidemic, a new report shows that only four states provide adequate insurance coverage for addiction treatment. |
 | Contact lens-based antihistamine delivery effective(HealthDay)—A contact lens (CL)-based drug delivery system is effective for therapeutic delivery of the antihistamine ketotifen, according to a study published online March 19 in Cornea. |
Stop the exploitation of migrant agricultural workers across Italy: doctorsA group of Italian doctors are calling for urgent action to stop the exploitation of thousands of migrants working in agriculture across Italy. | |
Legal, but... abortion access under threat in Catholic CroatiaOn paper, abortion has been legal in Croatia for decades. | |
Poor oral health may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer among African American womenAfrican American women with poor oral health may be more likely to get pancreatic cancer (PC). | |
Seismic safety upgrades may cost CA hospitals billionsCalifornia hospitals would need to make substantial investments—between $34 billion and $143 billion statewide—to meet 2030 state seismic safety standards, according to a new RAND Corporation report. | |
 | Facing sleep apnoeaA 3-D scan of your face could be all it takes to detect your risk of sleep apnoea. |
 | Historic pay equity settlement for NZ care workers delivers mixed resultsFor decades, the people caring for the most vulnerable members of society have been paid as little as possible. Care and support workers in residential aged care, home and community care and disability support are predominantly women, and they were seen to be undertaking "women's work" and paid barely above the minimum wage. |
 | A shorter reproductive window in women linked to increased dementia riskA team of US-based researchers has found that a shorter reproductive window is associated with a higher dementia risk. They also found a higher risk of dementia in women who had undergone a hysterectomy. The findings are published today (Wednesday 27 March) in the scientific journal Neurology. |
 | Therapy adherence for inflammatory bowel disease lower in the educated(HealthDay)—Nonadherence to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) treatment is more common among wealthier, more educated patients, according to a study published online March 18 in JGH Open. |
 | Tracking the flow of thoughts using ultrafast ultrasoundResearchers of the laboratory Physics for Medicine Paris laboratory and collaborators have achieved a major advance by studying the brain during complex cognitive tasks. Using a new imaging method called functional ultrasound imaging (fUS imaging) and providing a high spatial and temporal resolution, the research team has imaged the activation in the brain of a primate performing visual tasks. The high-sensitivity measurements have enabled the researchers to track the propagation of neuronal information across the brain. The work has just been published in Nature Communications. |
New mathematical model could be key to designing effective therapies for brain disordersG-protein-coupled receptors are present in many neurological and psychological disorders thanks to the activation of G proteins. In addition to activating the G protein, they are also able to activate proteins responsible for other signalling routes, thereby achieving more than one effect at a time. These effects can be either beneficial or detrimental, and for this reason, controlling them by biasing the signal to the appropriate direction is a therapeutic objective. One example of this type of therapy is chronic pain and therapy with opioid drugs. Morphine exerts its therapeutic effects by binding to the µ-opioid receptor and activating the signaling route of the G-proteins, but through the same receptor, it also produces adverse effects through the β-arrestin route. Researchers are attempting to design of drugs that bind to the µ-opioid receptor specifically to activate the G-protein route. | |
 | When medical workers behave badly during disease outbreaks, everyone suffersWhen a deadly infectious disease takes hold in a population, outbreak responders do their best to save lives and stamp out the contagion. No matter the disease or the location – whether AIDS in the U.S., SARS in China, or cholera in Yemen or Haiti – the public narrative of an outbreak often unfolds in a familiar way. An unruly and potentially fatal disease emerges and sets off a race against the clock to stop its spread, with limited or no certain treatment. |
 | New York sues billionaire family behind maker of OxyContinNew York is suing the billionaire family behind the company that created OxyContin, joining a growing list of state and local governments seeking to hold not only the firm but its owners accountable for the nation's opioid crisis. |
 | Surgical implications of rising heroin abuseWith heroin abuse on the rise in the United States, related surgical complications are also increasing, including severe infections and complications related to heroin injection. A firsthand perspective on how acute care surgeons can best help reduce heroin-related morbidity and mortality is presented in an article published in Surgical Infections. |
 | Improving equity in global physician trainingLarge numbers of U.S. physicians and medical trainees engage in hands-on clinical experiences abroad where they gain skills working across cultures with limited resources. However, providers from low- and middle-income countries traveling to learn from health care in the United States are rarely afforded the same critical hands-on education. |
 | New study confirms EpCAM as promising target for cancer immunotherapyResearchers have shown that cancer immunotherapy targeting the tumor biomarker epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is safe and non-toxic in mice and can significantly delay tumor formation and growth. EpCAM is over-expressed in various tumor types, circulating tumor cells, and tumor stem cells, giving these findings broad implications. The study design and results are published in a Special Issue on Immune Gene Therapy in Human Gene Therapy. |
 | Cholera cases rise to 139 as Mozambique prepares mass vaccinationsThe number of confirmed cholera cases in cyclone-ravaged Mozambique climbed sharply to 139 Thursday as authorities prepared to roll out a mass vaccination campaign to stem the spread of the deadly disease. |
 | Research provides framework for developing Ebola virus therapeutic under animal ruleThe U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) today announced that, for the first time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has provided formal regulatory agreement for use of an animal model to support development of a drug candidate, remdesivir, for treating deadly Ebola virus (EBOV) infections. This agreement was made possible through a 2018 Natural History Study (NHS) of Ebola virus conducted by USAMRIID in close collaboration with Gilead Sciences, Inc., the sponsor of remdesivir development, and The Geneva Foundation (Geneva), and funded by the Joint Project Manager for Medical Countermeasure Systems (JPM-MCS), a component of the U.S. Department of Defense's Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense. |
Biology news
 | New tool uses RNA sequencing to chart rich maps of cellular and tissue functionA new technique developed by scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard gives an unprecedented view of the cellular organization of tissues. Known as Slide-seq, the method uses genetic sequencing to draw detailed, three-dimensional maps of tissues, revealing not only what cell types are present, but where they are located and what they are doing. |
 | The Serengeti-Mara squeeze—One of the world's most iconic ecosystems under pressureThe Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is one of the largest and most protected ecosystems on Earth, spanning 40,000 square kilometres and taking in the Serengeti National Park and Maasai Mara National Reserve in East Africa. |
 | Mass amphibian extinctions globally caused by fungal diseaseAn international study led by The Australian National University (ANU) has found a fungal disease has caused dramatic population declines in more than 500 amphibian species, including 90 extinctions, over the past 50 years. |
 | How mosquitoes smell human sweat (and new ways to stop them)Female mosquitoes are known to rely on an array of sensory information to find people to bite, picking up on carbon dioxide, body odor, heat, moisture, and visual cues. Now researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology on March 28 have discovered how mosquitoes pick up on acidic volatiles found in human sweat. |
 | Resting postures determined by animals' sizeCows always rest on their chests so that their digestion is not impaired. Rodents sometimes rest sitting down, while kangaroos sometimes lie on their backs. The larger the animal, the less often it lies down, and when it does, it is more likely to lie on its side—but there are exceptions. A team from UZH investigated the resting postures of mammals. |
 | Okinawan sea grapes reveal secrets of plant evolutionIf you've ever dined on the tropical island of Okinawa, Japan, your plate may have been graced by a remarkable pile of seaweed, each strand adorned with tiny green bubbles. Known as umi-budo or sea grapes, the salty snack pairs well with rice, sashimi and a tall glass of beer. But umi-budo is more than an iconic side dish; it's a staple crop for Okinawan farmers. Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) recently decoded the sea grape genome to learn about the plant's unique morphology and assist farmers in proper cultivation of the succulent seaweed. |
 | Modified deep-learning algorithms unveil features of shape-shifting proteinsUsing artificial neural networks designed to emulate the inner workings of the human brain, deep-learning algorithms deftly peruse and analyze large quantities of data. Applying this technique to science problems can help unearth historically elusive solutions. |
 | Designer organelles bring new functionalities into cellsFor the first time, scientists have engineered the complex biological process of translation into a designer organelle in a living mammalian cell. Research by the Lemke group at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) - in collaboration with JGU Mainz and IMB Mainz—used this technique to create a membraneless organelle that can build proteins from natural and synthetic amino acids carrying new functionality. Their results—published in Science on 29 March—allow scientist to study, tailor, and control cellular function in more detail. |
 | Researchers find associations between structural variation in gut microbiome and host healthA team of researchers from Israel, the U.S., the Netherlands and Norway has found what they describe as associations between structural variation in the human gut microbiome and host health. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes their genetic study of microbes living in the guts of large groups of people from Israel and the Netherlands, and what they found. |
 | The bigger the evolutionary jump, the more lethal cross-species diseases could beSome diseases which are fatal in one species can cause only mild discomfort in another—but it's hard for scientists to predict how lethal a disease will be if it leaps across species. |
 | Invasive crayfish sabotages its own success, study saysSince they were first released as live bait in the mid-twentieth century, rusty crayfish have roamed lake bottoms in northern Wisconsin, gobbling native fish eggs, destroying aquatic plants, and generally wreaking havoc on entire lake ecosystems. Today, in some lakes, traps can routinely pull up 50 to 100 rusty crayfish at a time, compared to two or three native species. But in other lakes nearby, populations seem to be declining. In a new study published in Ecology, scientists document the crash and explain what could be behind it. |
 | Doggy diagnosis can sniff out seizures: studyDogs can use their remarkable sense of smell to recognise the specific scent of seizures, researchers said Thursday, raising hope that canine carers could one day protect sufferers before a fit takes hold. |
 | Galapagos islands have nearly 10 times more alien marine species than once thoughtOver 50 non-native species have found their way to the Galápagos Islands, almost 10 times more than scientists previously thought, reports a new study in Aquatic Invasions published Thursday, March 28. |
 | Novel methodological tool helps detect synergistic phenomena in phytoplankton growthResearchers have developed a new model allowing them to observe the key drivers of phytoplankton growth (blooms) patterns in the seas surrounding the United Kingdom, according to a study in PLOS Computational Biology, by Lawrence W. Sheppard, from University of Kansas, USA, and colleagues. |
 | What is a waterless barrier and how could it slow cane toads?A federal parliamentary inquiry into stopping cane toads' relentless march across Australia has proposed creating "waterless barriers" in the semi-arid land between Western Australia's Kimberley and Pilbara regions. |
 | Study finds nearly a third of cat owners use food puzzlesCat food puzzles are exactly what they sound like. The puzzles can be any object that holds food and requires your feline friend to figure out how to get it. The puzzles come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Food could be cleverly hidden inside a ball or other mobile device and only by rolling it or pushing it will the cat capture the tasty treat. Other puzzles are stationary with cups or holes that require cats to fish out their wet or dry food with a paw. |
 | Tumor-promoting enzymes USP25 and USP28: Substantial differences identifiedResearchers from the Rudolf Virchow Center of the University of Würzburg (JMU) have solved the structures of the cancer-promoting enzymes USP25 and USP28, and identified significant differences in their activities. Both enzymes promote the growth of tumors. The results were published in the journal Molecular Cell and could benefit towards the development of new, low-side-effects anticancer drugs. |
 | The regeneration of a cell depends on where it is positionedA simple tissue sample from a plant, like a branch or leaf, can grow into a whole new plant. This ability could have applications in the production of food, biomass and medicine, and the genes responsible for regeneration in plants could provide insights into which genes might have the same potential in humans. The study of these genes reached a new level of detail in 2009 with the reporting of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq). An international project led by scientists at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) reports in Nucleic Acids Research of a new version of scRNA-seq, single cell-digital gene expression (1cell-DGE), which provides even more information on the relationship between gene expressions and cell behavior like regeneration. |
 | Could dogs be the source of a new flu?Results from a 10-year study suggest two strains of influenza that could mix and form a dangerous new strain of influenza spread by dogs. |
 | Harnessing soil microbes to enhance crop performanceA recently isolated soil microbe could be used to modify crops and protect them against fungal diseases, researchers say. |
 | Principle behind Google's April Fools' pigeon prank proves more than a jokeGoogle's 2002 April Fools' Day joke purportedly disclosed that its popular search engine was not actually powered by artificial intelligence, but instead by biological intelligence. Google had deployed bunches of birds, dubbed pigeon clusters, to calculate the relative value of web pages because they proved to be faster and more reliable than either human editors or digital computers. |
 | Meet the mini frogs of Madagascar—the new species we've discoveredMiniaturised frogs form a fascinating but poorly understood group of amphibians. They have been exceptionally prone to taxonomic underestimation because when frogs evolve small body size they start to look remarkably similar – so it is easy to underestimate how diverse they really are. |
 | Studying reintroduction of bull trout with simulationsA multi-institutional team of researchers, led by Meryl Mims, has assessed how environmental, demographic, and genetic factors play a role in the reintroduction of bull trout in Washington State. |
 | Feather mites may help clean birds' plumage, study showsFeather mites help to remove bacteria and fungi from the feathers of birds, according to a new study by University of Alberta biologists. In fact, the relationship between these mites and their hosts could be considered mutualism, with bird feathers collecting food for mites to eat and mites providing the birds with healthier plumage. |
 | Action demanded after 1,100 dead dolphins wash up in FranceThe dolphins' bodies were horribly mutilated, the fins cut off. |
 | Government-funded study says red wolves are distinct speciesA panel of top scientists concluded Thursday that the endangered red wolf of the southeastern U.S. is a species unto itself, giving the beleaguered canine a scientific and political boost as its numbers plummet in the wild. |
 | New England seeing a huge spike in beached sea turtlesAt a sea turtle hospital housed at an old New England shipyard, a biologist leans over a table and uses a needle to draw blood from a sick loggerhead before tagging its flailing flipper. |
 | Study identifies a key to soybean cyst nematode growthThe soybean cyst nematode, one of the crop's most destructive pests, isn't like most of its wormy relatives. Whereas the vast majority of nematodes look like the microscopic worms they are, the female soybean cyst nematode shape-shifts into a tiny lemon after feeding on soybean roots. In a new EvoDevo article, a University of Illinois research team explains how it happens and why. |
 | Glyphosate under fire from San Francisco to Sri LankaGlyphosate, the world's most widely used herbicide and the active ingredient in Monsanto's weedkiller Roundup, is the subject of fierce controversy across the globe and is classified by the World Health Organization as "probably" being carcinogenic. |
 | Harnessing plant hormones for food security in AfricaStriga is a parasitic plant that threatens the food supply of 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa.Scientists have found that they can take advantage of Striga's Achilles' Heel: if it can't find a host plant, it dies.The scientists have developed a technique that has potential to reduce the impact of Striga by more than half, helping to safeguard food supplies and farmers' livelihoods. |
Research has implications for New Zealand bird conservationResearch by recent Victoria University of Wellington Ph.D. graduate Dr. Nyree Fea shows significant differences in the way bird species respond to conservation efforts. | |
 | How single women are driving gentrification in Hong Kong and elsewhereGentrification is reshaping urban areas all around the world, displacing large segments of the population and making cities increasingly unaffordable. |
 | Taxpayers are asked to support falcons, fight pigeon poopAlong with all the usual declarations and deductions, Massachusetts residents have been asked to keep something else in mind this tax season: pigeon droppings. |
 | RIT, zoo researchers capturing sights, sounds and insects of MadagascarResearchers from Rochester Institute of Technology and Seneca Park Zoo are developing a virtual reality gaming environment that will let zoogoers experience a Madagascar rainforest ecosystem. They recently journeyed to the Centre ValBio field station in Ranomafana National Park on a trip that laid the groundwork for creating accurate 3-D models of the exotic Madagascar wildlife and habitat. |
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