Life

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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Life

    Bacteria use cool trick to make ice

    By reordering nearby water molecules, Pseudomonas syringae bacteria can make ice.

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  2. Humans

    Gelada monkeys know their linguistic math

    The vocalizations of gelada monkeys observe a mathematical principle seen in human language, a new study concludes.

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  3. Life

    Gene found that controls beak size in Darwin’s finches

    A beak-size gene helped determine whether Darwin’s finches survived a drought.

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  4. Paleontology

    Baby titanosaur was parents’ Mini-Me

    Babies of one species of titanosaur resembled mini-versions of full-grown adults, and probably acted like them, too.

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  5. Paleontology

    Clearer picture emerging of dinosaurs’ last days

    Dinosaurs’ final days may have included both a giant asteroid and gradual species die outs. Two new studies paint an increasingly intricate picture of dinosaur’s demise.

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  6. Neuroscience

    Left brain stands guard while sleeping away from home

    Part of the left hemisphere stands sentry while the rest of the brain and body snooze.

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  7. Agriculture

    Bacterium still a major source of crop pesticide

    Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria have provided pest-fighting toxins for over 50 years.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    ‘Dirty’ mice better than lab-raised mice for studying human disease

    Dirtier mice may better mimic human immune reactions.

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  9. Animals

    Cave-dwelling salamander comes pigmented and pale

    Something’s funny in the family tree of pale, slinky cave salamanders.

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  10. Health & Medicine

    Clusters of cancer cells get around by moving single file

    Clusters of cancer cells squeeze through thin blood vessels by aligning single file.

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  11. Space

    Will we know extraterrestrial life when we see it?

    Desert varnish and certain minerals hint that life — here and elsewhere — may defy current criteria.

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  12. Animals

    Scientists find a crab party deep in the ocean

    A trip to check out the biodiversity off the coast of Panama revealed thousands of crabs swarming on the seafloor.

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