Science Ticker
A roundup of research and breaking news
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Animals
Jumping conchs triumph at overheated athletics
“Simple” circulatory system outdoes fancier ones in delivering oxygen for jumping conchs in simulated climate change conditions.
- Oceans
Widespread coral bleaching threatens world’s reefs
The world’s corals are experiencing their third major bleaching event in 17 years.
- Planetary Science
Ancient Mars had long-lasting lakes of liquid water
New evidence gathered by NASA’s Curiosity rover suggests Gale Crater once contained a stable lake of liquid water.
- Animals
Fish have had telescoping jaws for 100 million years
Around 100 million years ago, fish developed a knack for extending their jaws to snare prey, and they’ve been perfecting this hunting technique ever since.
- Health & Medicine
Weight and sun exposure linked to onset of multiple sclerosis
Among people with multiple sclerosis, those with higher body mass and lower adolescent sun exposure tended to be diagnosed with the disease at an earlier age, a new study suggests.
- Genetics
Chemistry Nobel honors studies of DNA repair mechanisms
Studies of DNA’s repair mechanisms have won Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar the 2015 Nobel Prize in chemistry.
- Particle Physics
Discovery of neutrino mass earns 2015 physics Nobel
The discovery that subatomic particles called neutrinos have mass has won Takaaki Kajita of the University of Tokyo and Arthur McDonald of Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada, the 2015 Nobel Prize in physics.
- Plants
Raindrops help pitcher plants trap dinner
Pitcher plants use the force of falling raindrops to fling prey into their traps.
- Plants
Stinky seeds dupe dung beetles
Seeds that look and smell like animal poop can trick dung beetles into spreading and burying the seeds.
- Health & Medicine
Therapies against roundworm, malaria parasites win medicine Nobel
The 2015 Nobel Prize in medicine or physiology was awarded to Youyou Tu for her work in counteracting malaria, and to William Campbell and Satoshi Omura for work on treatments against roundworm parasites.
- Health & Medicine
Sperm protein may offer target for male contraceptive
With the identification of a new sperm protein that helps sperm penetrate eggs, researchers may be closer to developing birth control pills for men.
- Neuroscience
Kavli Foundation gives more money for the brain
The Kavli Foundation will provide $100 million toward solving the mysteries of the brain.
