Science Ticker
A roundup of research and breaking news
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Physics
3-D printed device cracks cocktail party problem
A plastic disk does what sophisticated computers cannot: solve the cocktail party problem.
- Neuroscience
Hints of how the brain “sees” dreams emerge
Nerve cells that make sense of visual input keep chugging away during REM sleep, suggesting that these cells may help a sleeper “see” dreams.
- Neuroscience
Brain scans hint at reasons for stress-eating
Moderate stress changes brain behavior in ways that may lead to poor food choices.
- Life
Source of liver’s ability to regenerate found
Scientists have identified stem cells behind the liver’s legendary ability to replenish its tissue.
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- Animals
LED lights make moths easy targets for bats
Bright LED lights may bewilder moths, making them vulnerable to predator attacks.
- Health & Medicine
Spicy food associated with longevity
Spicy food in the diet seems to contribute to longevity, a study of thousands of people in a Chinese registry finds.
- Genetics
How Ethiopian highlanders adapted to breathe thin air
Lower levels of a heart protein may help Ethiopian highlanders breathe thin air, researchers report.
- Health & Medicine
Kidney transplants may benefit from a slightly chilled donor
Transplanted kidneys performed better when taken from organ donors whose bodies were intentionally cooled after death.
- Life
Experimental MERS vaccine battles virus in mice and monkeys
Select viral proteins and DNA can combat the MERS virus in mice and monkeys.
- Animals
Stink bug moms are color conscious when it comes to their eggs
P. maculiventris moms control the color of their eggs, seemingly pairing darker eggs with darker surfaces.
- Materials Science
Stretchy fiber keeps electrons flowing
Folded layers of carbon nanotubes allow an elastic fiber to conduct electrical current when stretched.
