Life

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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Animals

    This fish has legs — and it uses them for more than just walking

    Some sea robins have taste buds on their six crablike legs that help the fish ferret out prey buried in sand as they walk.

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  2. Neuroscience

    A study in mice hints at a new way to treat spinal cord injuries

    The finding suggests that a drug to ease swelling can speed recovery and stop cell death.

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  3. Paleontology

    Some of Earth’s extinct giants may have been smaller than thought

    Evolving techniques and data indicate some ancient giants like Dunkleosteus and Megalodon may have been smaller than initial estimates suggested.

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  4. Psychology

    A brain network linked to attention is larger in people with depression

    Brain scans revealed that teenagers with larger attention-driving networks were more likely to develop depression.

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  5. Microbes

    This amoeba eats prey like owls do

    Meet the ‘owl slime’ amoeba, which drains its prey and spits out the shell.

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  6. Environment

    A biogeochemist is tracking the movements of toxic mercury pollution

    Exposing the hidden movements of mercury through the environment can help reduce human exposure.

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  7. Neuroscience

    By studying the eyes, a researcher explores how the brain sorts information

    Freek van Ede seeks to understand how the brain selects information to plan for the future. He’s finding clues in the tiny movements people make with their eyes.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    HIV and illicit drugs are a bad mix. This scientist found an unexpected reason why

    The neuroscientist considers themself an outsider, which allows them to embrace people who have been marginalized, including people who have HIV.

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  9. Neuroscience

    A cell biologist is investigating the balance of brain flexibility, stability

    Andrea Gomez, a Berkeley molecular and cell biologist, applies her wide-ranging curiosity to brains’ mysteries ranging from synapses to psychedelics.

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  10. Life

    This biophysicist’s work could one day let doctors control immune cells

    The Stanford biophysicist thinks that understanding the mechanics of cell movement could allow scientists to manipulate immune cells.

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  11. Animals

    Scientists have just turned giant panda skin cells into stem cells

    If the pluripotent stem cells can be turned into precursors to egg and sperm cells, the feat could potentially be a big deal for giant panda conservation.

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  12. Microbes

    Some bacteria in your mouth can divide into as many as 14 cells at once

    The filamentous bacterium Corynebacterium matruchotii has a unique reproductive strategy that might allow it to claim territory quickly.

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