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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Animals

    How one enslaving wasp eats through another

    A wasp that forces oaks to grow a gall gets tricked into digging an escape tunnel for its killers.

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  2. Animals

    Tropical bedbugs outclimb common species

    A study of bedbug traps and feet names finds that tropical bedbugs are much better at scaling slippery walls than common bedbugs.

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  3. Animals

    Tropical bedbugs outclimb common bedbugs

    A study of bedbug traps and feet names finds that tropical bedbugs are much better at scaling slippery walls than common bedbugs.

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  4. Neuroscience

    Making a mistake can put your brain on ‘pause’

    When there’s not much time to recover, one error can lead to another.

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  5. Genetics

    How to grow toxin-free corn

    Corn genetically altered to produce specialized molecules may prevent a fungus from tainting it with carcinogenic toxins.

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  6. Neuroscience

    Scratching is catching in mice

    Contagious itching spreads by sight mouse-to-mouse, and scientists have identified brain structures behind the phenomenon.

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  7. Genetics

    Scientists move closer to building synthetic yeast from scratch

    Scientists have created five more synthetic yeast chromosomes.

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  8. Animals

    De-extinction probably isn’t worth it

    Diverting money to resurrecting extinct creatures could put those still on Earth at risk.

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  9. Archaeology

    Ancient dental plaque tells tales of Neandertal diet and disease

    Researchers have reconstructed the diet and disease history of ancient Neandertals.

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  10. Archaeology

    Ancient dental plaque tells tales of Neandertal diet and disease

    Researchers have reconstructed the diet and disease history of ancient Neandertals.

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  11. Animals

    Readers dispute starfishes’ water-swirling abilities

    Volcanic eruptions, fast-freezing water, starfish physics and more in reader feedback.

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  12. Neuroscience

    Brain training turns recall rookies into memory masters

    Six weeks of training turned average people into memory masters, a skill reflected in their brains.

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