Notebook
- Climate
How to melt an ice cave
Frigid winter air keeps gives ice caves their perpetual chill, researchers find, warning that airtight seals on some ice caves could cause the frigid formations to melt within decades.
- Neuroscience
1960s dog brain transplant was not followed by human studies
A pioneering study to transplant a dog’s brain led to later work on a monkey, but ethical considerations and technical know-how have prevented further work.
- Life
How electric eels put more zip in their zap
With feisty prey, an electric eel curls its tail to intensify shocks and exhaust prey.
- Earth
Parched parts of Earth expanding
More drylands, largely impacting developing nations, are forecasted for near future.
- Paleontology
Furry, spiky mammal scampered among dinosaurs
Early Cretaceous fur ball with spikes discovered in Spain.
- Animals
How to drink like a bat
Some bats stick out their tongues and throbs carry nectar to their mouths.
- Plants
Early cyanobacteria fossils dug up in 1965
In 1965, early photosynthetic plant fossils were discovered. The date of earliest oxygen-producing life forms has since been pushed much earlier.
- Health & Medicine
Elephants’ cancer-protection secret may be in the genes
An extra dose of cancer-fighting genes may be the secret to elephants’ long life spans.
- Animals
What really changes when a male vole settles down
Bachelor prairie voles can’t tell one female from another, but saying “I do” means more than just settling down.
- Planetary Science
Ceres mountains and craters named for food
A host of agricultural spirits are immortalized on several craters and mountains on the dwarf planet Ceres.
- Tech
Early satellite TV predictions highlighted instant communication potential
Satellite communication started as science fiction but soon became reality.
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