News in Brief
- Animals
Playful pups conceived via in vitro fertilization for the first time
Scientists have solved the mystery of how to perform in vitro fertilization in dogs, which could help rid canines of heritable diseases.
- Planetary Science
Salty source of Ceres’ mysterious bright spots found
Bright spots on Ceres contain salts from a possible subsurface layer of ice while ammonia-rich minerals hint at building blocks incorporated from the far outer solar system.
- Neuroscience
Eyes hard at work can make ears go temporarily deaf
When challenged with a tough visual task, people are less likely to perceive a tone, suggesting that perceptual overload can jump between senses.
- Planetary Science
Japanese spacecraft reaches Venus — five years late
The Japanese Space Agency’s Akatsuki spacecraft succeeded at a second attempt at orbiting Venus, five years after an engine failure prevented its intended mission.
- Animals
Gut bacteria’s compounds bring cockroaches together
German cockroaches may rely on gut bacteria to help attract fellow roaches.
- Physics
There’s no hiding from new camera
A new camera tracks objects hidden around a corner by detecting light echoes, similar to the way bats use sound to find prey.
- Animals
Pygmy slow loris hibernates in winter
The pygmy slow loris truly hibernates, making it the first primate found outside Madagascar to do so, a new study says.
- Health & Medicine
Virus spread by mosquitoes linked to rare birth defect
In addition to fever, rash and vomiting, Zika virus may cause rare birth defect.
- Health & Medicine
Pregnancy hormone could keep multiple sclerosis at bay
A small trial hints that pregnancy hormone can reduce MS flare-ups.
- Astronomy
Mysterious cosmic signals carry a clue to their origins
A burst of radio waves from another galaxy ran into a dense magnetized plasma while en route to Earth, hinting at an origin near a population of young stars.
- Health & Medicine
Taking antiviral drug ‘on demand’ can guard against HIV
The antiviral drug Truvada taken before and after sex cuts HIV transmission rates.
- Animals
Snakes evolved from burrowing ancestor, new data suggest
A new X-ray analysis of inner ears is the latest to weigh in on whether modern snakes descended from a burrowing or a swimming reptile.
