Science Ticker
A roundup of research and breaking news
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Animals
Tropical songbirds get their growth spurt late
Tropical songbirds are late bloomers, but that delayed development may give them an advantage after leaving the nest.
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Planetary Science
Mountains, craters revealed in latest images of dwarf planet Ceres
The Dawn spacecraft sent back postcards from Ceres that show off the dwarf planet’s varied terrain.
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Health & Medicine
Earlier is better for HIV treatment
People infected with HIV benefit from starting a drug regimen early, an international study finds.
By Nathan Seppa -
Health & Medicine
Virus closely related to hepatitis A discovered in seals
Scientists have discovered a relative of the hepatitis A virus in seals.
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Animals
Chimps keep numbers high as forest losses mount
African apes show surprising resilience in face of forest destruction.
By Bruce Bower -
Planetary Science
Flyby of Dione yields stunning pictures of icy Saturn moon
Saturn’s moon Dione shows off its ripping landscapes during the Cassini spacecraft’s final flyby.
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Life
Experimental MERS vaccine shows promise
An experimental vaccine against the MERS virus triggers immune protection, a new study finds.
By Nathan Seppa -
Astronomy
Eight more galaxies found orbiting the Milky Way
The dozens of satellite galaxies that orbit the Milky Way make excellent laboratories for studying dark matter.
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Animals
Another tiny frog species found in sky islands of Brazil
Another new species of miniature frog has been discovered amongst the leaf litter in the high cloud forests of southern Brazil.
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Physics
Quest for room-temperature superconductivity warms up
Scientists have demonstrated that a material can conduct electrical current without resistance at temperatures as high as –70° Celsius.
By Andrew Grant -
Chemistry
Pathway pieced together to make opiates in yeast
Scientists have engineered yeast to make sugar into thebaine, a precursor to opiates such as morphine.
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Planetary Science
Comet 67P, Rosetta spacecraft cozy up to the sun
Comet 67P is shooting off brilliant jets of gas and dust as it swings in close to the sun, giving scientists clues to the space rocks chemical composition.