News in Brief
- Neuroscience
Blame pot munchies on nerve cells that normally nix appetite
Pot munchies demystified: Marijuana hijacks fullness nerve cells, making them send hunger signals instead.
- Neuroscience
Bipolar risk boosted by accumulation of rare versions of genes
A buildup of rare versions of genes that control nerve cell activity contributes to the genetic risk of bipolar disorder.
- Ecosystems
Fooled you! Whirling tails of luna moths deflect bat attacks
Luna moths can use their tails to reflect the echolocation pings of bats, tricking the predators into striking the tails instead of less expendable body parts.
- Tech
Facebook detects signs of postpartum depression
An analysis of Facebook activity can identify new moms with postpartum depression.
- Astronomy
Giant hydrogen cloud headed for Milky Way
A high-speed hydrogen cloud on a crash course with the Milky Way appears to be an exotic interloper, preliminary data suggest.
- Genetics
Ebola virus evolution tracked by genetic data
Analysis of Ebola genomes shows how the virus has evolved and some of the mutations that may thwart treatments.
- Health & Medicine
E-cigarettes may be gateway to addiction for teens
Teenagers are using e-cigarettes more than any other tobacco product and for many, it’s the first time they’ve tried a tobacco product at all.
- Quantum Physics
Quantum guessing game uses the future to predict the past
Physicists extrapolate forward and backward in time to make accurate predictions about an object’s quantum state at a particular moment.
- Health & Medicine
Stoplights are hot spots for airborne pollution
Drivers get a big chunk of their exposure to pollutants from short stops at traffic intersections.
- Genetics
Ancient East Asians mixed and mingled multiple times with Neandertals
East Asians’ ancestors interbred with Neandertals more than once, explaining why modern East Asians carry more Neandertal DNA than Europeans do, two studies suggest.
- Health & Medicine
Glowing amino acid lights up growing brain cancer
By adding a tracer compound that sticks to the amino acid glutamine, researchers may be able to discern and monitor cancerous tissues in the brain.
- Astronomy
Stellar nursery gives birth to quadruplets
Four young stars, still in their cocoons, show that binary and other multiple star systems form together.
