Science Ticker
A roundup of research and breaking news
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
CDC panel gives thumbs up to vaccine against nine HPV types
A federal vaccine advisory committee voted February 26 to recommend use of an expanded version of the human papillomavirus shot marketed as Gardasil.
- Planetary Science
Mysterious bright spot on Ceres has a partner
A new image from the Dawn spacecraft finds two bright patches within a basin, possibly caused by an ice volcano.
- Animals
Some cicadas drum up a beat with the help of their wings
By using their wings as drumsticks, so-called “mute” cicadas can make themselves heard.
- Computing
Artificial intelligence conquers Space Invaders, Pong, Q*bert
With a single algorithm, a computer can learn dozens of classic video games, researchers from Google DeepMind in London report.
- Health & Medicine
Stem cells from wisdom teeth could help repair corneas
A study points to a potential new treatment for corneal blindness: Stem cells extracted from pulp from pulled wisdom teeth.
- Chemistry
Brute-force chemistry study retracted
The journal Science has retracted a notable 2011 chemistry study in which authors reported a brawny method to break sturdy chemical structures.
- Planetary Science
New Horizons spies two of Pluto’s moons
Nix and Hydra come into view on the 85th anniversary of Pluto’s discovery.
- Planetary Science
Dwarf planet Ceres comes into view
New images from the Dawn spacecraft reveal a landscape of craters and mysterious bright patches on the dwarf planet Ceres.
- Astronomy
Pair of stars buzzed the solar system 70,000 years ago
Astronomers discover a binary system that made the closest known flyby of the sun.
- Life
To deal with sexual conflict, female bedbugs get flexible
Female bed bugs evolved an elastic underbelly to tolerate violent mating, a new study suggests.
- Oceans
Millions of tons of plastic end up in oceans each year
A new estimate quantifies how much plastic makes its way into the world’s oceans.
- Animals
Tiger swallowtail genome gives clues to insect’s stinky defense
Clues within the genetic code of the Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus) explain how it developed a smelly defense against predators.
