Life

  1. Science & Society

    Forensic analysis finds ‘Blurred Lines’ case not so clear

    In March, courts ruled that the song “Blurred Lines” borrowed from Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up.” But a closer look finds the songs aren’t all that alike.

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  2. Anthropology

    Footprints offer clues about daily hominid life

    Early male members of the human genus spent a lot of time together by the water, as their footprints attest.

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  3. Neuroscience

    Rats can navigate mazes, even when blind

    Blind rats can learn to navigate with a compass and microchip prosthetic wired into their brains. Similar devices may one day help humans have super senses.

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  4. Animals

    Fossilized seashells’ true colors revealed

    To the naked eye, fossilized seashells lack the colorful patterns of their living counterparts. But ultraviolet light can reveal some of their unique hues.

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  5. Animals

    Heat makes scuttling tarantulas less coordinated

    On hot days, tarantula run faster, but their may be harder to bend and flex at high speeds, researchers find.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    A more accurate prenatal test to predict Down syndrome

    A test to detect genetic problems such as Down syndrome examines a baby’s DNA in the mother’s blood and may limit the need for more invasive screening.

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  7. Animals

    How human activities may be creating coywolves

    Endangered red wolves will mate with coyotes when their partners are killed, which often happens because of human activities, a new study finds.

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  8. Animals

    Songbird crosses the Atlantic in a nonstop flight

    Using light-sensing geolocators, researchers confirm an iconic songbird’s impressive transoceanic migration.

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  9. Microbes

    Some superbugs lurk in Britain’s surf

    In Great Britain’s coastal waters, surfers and swimmers are exposed to low levels of drug-resistant E. coli, a new study finds.

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  10. Humans

    Egg-meet-sperm moments are equal opportunities for girls and boys

    Despite previous claims, equal numbers of male and female embryos are conceived, new data suggest.

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  11. Environment

    Fracking chemicals can alter mouse development

    Hormone-disrupting chemicals used in fracking fluid cause developmental changes in mice, new experiments show.

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  12. Science & Society

    White House unveils strategy against antibiotic resistance

    The Obama Administration has launched a long-term plan to curb antibiotic resistance, unveiling incentives and requirements designed to boost surveillance and diagnosis of resistant microbes.

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