Life
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
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LifeFor tooth decay microbes, many routes lead to kids’ mouths
Mothers aren’t their children’s only source of bacteria that cause dental cavities, new research shows.
By Laura Beil -
AnimalsThree-toed sloths are even more slothful than two-toed sloths
The three-toed sloth Bradypus variegatus has the lowest field metabolic rate ever recorded, a new study finds.
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OceansDeep-sea hydrothermal vents more abundant than thought
Ecosystem-supporting hydrothermal vents are much more abundant along the ocean floor than previously thought.
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MicrobesTests turn up dicey bagged ice
Tests of bagged ice found that 19 percent exceeded recommended thresholds for bacterial contamination.
By Laura Beil -
MicrobesThaw tests turn up dicey bagged ice
Tests of bagged ice found that 19 percent exceeded recommended thresholds for bacterial contamination.
By Laura Beil -
AnimalsThat ‘Dory’ for sale may have been poisoned with cyanide
Preliminary results from a new study show that over half of aquarium fish sold in the United States may have been caught with cyanide.
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SpaceReaders weigh in on ET and the meaning of life
Reader feedback from the June 25, 2016, issue of Science News
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NeuroscienceCocaine addicts can’t kick other habits either
Habitual users tend to get stuck in nondrug-related habits more easily, too, pointing to a potential strategy for treatment
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Health & MedicineStem cells from pig fat aid in growing new bone
Scientists transform fat stem cells into bone and grow new jaws for minipigs.
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AstronomyMolecular handedness found in space
Propylene oxide in an interstellar cloud sets up a testing ground for understanding why life chooses one type of mirror-image molecule over another.
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AnimalsCity living shortens great tits’ telomeres
Great tits raised in urban nests have shorter protective caps on their chromosomes than those raised in rural nests.