Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Animals
Feral cats appear to be pathetic at controlling New York City’s rats
When cats are on the prowl, rats may become harder to see, but roaming cats actually killed only a few.
- Life
In China, a deadly strain of bird flu now easily infects ducks
H7N9 evolved the ability to infect ducks just as a vaccine for chickens came into use.
- Neuroscience
Survey raises worries about how screen time affects kids’ brains
A large study of U.S. children ties lots of screen time to lower thinking skills, but the relationship between the two is still unclear.
- Animals
Manta rays have an unusual mouth filter that resists clogging
Manta rays filter feed differently than other ocean creatures.
- Animals
A new species of high-altitude hummingbird may already be in trouble
Researchers have discovered a new species of hummingbird high up in the Ecuadorian Andes.
- Life
Emily Balskus uses chemical logic to study the microbiome
Using chemistry to peer at the microbial world, Emily Balskus is revealing how microbes influence human health.
- Genetics
Ibrahim Cissé unlocks cells’ secrets using physics
Biophysicist Ibrahim Cissé finds clues in raindrops and morning dew about how genes are activated.
- Health & Medicine
Lisa Manning describes the physics of how cells move
Physicist Lisa Manning probes how physical forces influence cell behavior in asthma and other conditions.
- Animals
Jenny Tung wants to know how social stresses mess with genes
Evolutionary anthropologist Jenny Tung is untangling the many health effects of life as a social animal.
- Animals
This new fish species displays a splash of highlighter hues
Researchers stumbled upon a new species of coral reef fish with spectacular coloration and a unique habitat.
- Neuroscience
A paralyzed man makes great strides with spinal stimulation and rehab
Researchers find success at restoring movement to paralyzed legs, giving hope to people with paraplegia.
- Genetics
In lab tests, this gene drive wiped out a population of mosquitoes
For the first time, a gene drive caused a population crash of mosquitoes in a small-scale test.
