News in Brief
- Astronomy
Diamond ring shape formed by dead and living stars
Abell 33 is a planetary nebula, the remains of a star, beautifully aligned with another star.
- Animals
Coquí frogs got smaller, squeakier as climate warmed
As temperatures climbed in Puerto Rico, the calls of male coquí frogs became higher pitched.
- Life
Common lung infection suffocates with single protein
A Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, protein creates clumps of dead, bloblike lung cells.
- Computing
A tale of touching tubes
Mathematicians solve the challenge of putting seven cylinders in contact without using their ends.
- Neuroscience
Brain’s growth, networks unveiled in new maps
Two large-scale efforts describe human and mouse brains in detail.
- Health & Medicine
Statins may improve erectile function
Although doctors had been concerned that statins were associated with erectile dysfunction, an analysis of 14 studies finds that the drugs may actually help erectile function.
- Health & Medicine
Celiac disease linked to heart problems
Inflammation may explain the link between celiac disease, a digestive disorder, and coronary artery disease.
- Science & Society
Misconduct found in Japanese stem cell research
An investigation into reports describing a type of stem cells called STAP cells has found that the lead researcher is guilty of scientific misconduct.
- Psychology
Twenty-two emotions are written on our faces
People’s faces express at least 22 feelings – far more than the six emotions scientists previously recognized.
- Health & Medicine
Daylight saving time linked to heart attacks
Hospital admissions for heart attacks increases after daylight savings time starts, a study suggests.
- Health & Medicine
Diet fix eases Huntington’s symptoms in mice
Supplement improves health of rodents with mutation that causes neurodegeneration like that seen in Huntington’s disease.
- Life
With Taxol, chromosomes divide and get conquered
New mechanism discovered for how the cancer drug Taxol works.
