News in Brief

Animals

Orangutans hit the ground walking

A surprising affinity for moving across the forest floor may aid threatened apes.

Health & Medicine

Drug injection could limit heart attack damage

Study in pigs suggests hydrogel treatment might minimize the risk of heart failure in survivors.

Chemistry

Carbon monoxide junked for making plastic

Using a catalyst, chemists can swap in the less dangerous carbon dioxide.

Archaeology

Nearly 1-million-year-old European footprints found

Erosion temporarily unveils remnants of a Stone Age stroll along England’s coast.

Animals

Embryos in eggs move to get comfy

Even before hatching, Chinese alligators, snapping turtles and some relatives can shift toward favorable temperatures.

Neuroscience

Prosthetic provides sense of touch to man who lost hand

A new prosthetic hand restores a sense of touch by stimulating nerves in the arm.

Paleontology

Rivers of rock and gas froze ancient animals in time

Ancient Chinese fossil beds were preserved by high-speed rivers of volcanic rock and gas.

Genetics

Bacteria can be genetically tricked into self-destructing

Manipulating microbes’ defenses could lead to targeted antibiotics.

Materials Science

Bone inspires strong, lightweight material

Tiny synthetic structures modeled after bone are as sturdy as metal.

Astronomy

Some gas clouds refuse to collapse

A study of dust gives astronomers a sharper picture of cold gas.

Astronomy

Clouds on nearby brown dwarf mapped

A study of clouds on a nearby brown dwarf reveals partial cloud cover.

Plants

Sexually deceived flies not hopelessly dumb

Pollinators tricked into mating with a plant become harder to fool a second time.