Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Humans
Some West Africans may have genes from an ancient ‘ghost’ hominid
A humanlike population undiscovered in fossils may have passed helpful DNA on to human ancestors in West Africa starting as early as 124,000 years ago.
- Life
Bats’ immune defenses may be why their viruses can be so deadly to people
A new study of cells in lab dishes hints at why viruses found in bats tend to be so dangerous when they jump to other animals.
- Life
Wolves regurgitate blueberries for their pups to eat
The behavior, documented for the first time, suggests that fruit may be more important to wolves than previously thought.
- Ecosystems
Will Australia’s forests bounce back after devastating fires?
Intense bushfires that have blazed down Australia’s eastern coast could have long-lasting effects on the continent’s unique plants and animals.
- Oceans
Noise pollution from ships may scare Arctic cod from feeding grounds
Melting Arctic sea ice is opening up northern waters to increased shipping, and the vessel noise is taking a toll on Arctic cod.
- Life
How thin, delicate butterfly wings keep from overheating
Structures in butterfly wings help living tissues such as veins release more heat than the rest of the wing.
- Life
The board game Oceans captures the beauty and ferocity of marine life
North Star Games' Oceans refines the gameplay of its predecessor, Evolution, and creates an immersive, nuanced game world.
- Neuroscience
Brain cells called microglia eat away mice’s memories
Immune cells that eliminate connections between nerve cells may be one way that the brain forgets.
- Animals
Beaked whales may evade killer whales by silently diving in sync
To slip past predators, beaked whales appear to synchronize their deep dives, staying silent while not hunting and ascending far from where they dove.
- Neuroscience
Injecting nanoparticles in the blood curbed brain swelling in mice
Nanoparticles divert inflammation-causing cells away from the brain after a head injury, a mouse study shows.
- Ecosystems
Fewer worms live in mud littered with lots of microplastics
The environmental effects of microplastic pollution are still hazy, but new long-term, outdoor experiments could help clear matters up.
- Life
Engineered honeybee gut bacteria trick attackers into self-destructing
Tailored microbes defend bees with a gene-silencing process called RNA interference that takes on viruses or mites.
