Uncategorized
- Planetary Science
Watery exoplanet’s skies suggest unexpected origin story
Compared with Neptune, HAT-P-26b’s atmosphere has few heavy elements, suggesting it formed differently than the ice giants in Earth’s solar system.
- Paleontology
Ancient whale tells tale of when baleen whales had teeth
A 36 million-year-old whale fossil bridges the gap between ancient toothy predators and modern filter-feeding baleen whales.
- Tech
New pelvic exoskeleton stops people from taking tumbles
A new exoskeleton helps people prone to falling stay on their feet.
- Health & Medicine
Breast cancer cells spread in an already-armed mob
Source tumors may already contain the mutations that drive aggressive cancer spread.
- Health & Medicine
‘Exercise pill’ turns couch potato mice into marathoners
An experimental "exercise in a pill" increases running endurance in mice before they step foot on a treadmill.
By Laura Beil - Health & Medicine
New rules for cellular entry may aid antibiotic development
A new study lays out several rules to successfully enter gram-negative bacteria, which could lead to the development of sorely needed antibiotics.
- Earth
Ice particles shaped like lollipops fall from clouds
Small ice particles called ice-lollies, because of their lollipop-like appearance, can form in clouds.
- Paleontology
‘Baby Louie’ dinosaur identified as a new species
A fossil embryo known as Baby Louie has been identified as a new species of dinosaur called Beibeilong sinensis.
- Animals
Seabirds use preening to decide how to divvy up parenting duties
Seabirds in poor condition may communicate this information to their partner by delaying or withholding preening.
- Anthropology
Homo naledi may have lived at around same time as early humans
South African species Homo naledi is much younger than previously thought.
By Bruce Bower - Planetary Science
Oxygen on comet 67P might not be ancient after all
Molecular oxygen detected around comet 67P may not be a relic of the solar system’s birth. Instead, it may be generated by interactions of water, the solar wind and the comet’s surface.
- Archaeology
Twisted textile cords may contain clues to Inca messages
A writing system from the 1700s may illuminate even older knotty Inca messages.
By Bruce Bower