Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Animals
Same math describes relationship between diverse predators and prey
From lions to plankton, predators have about the same relationship to the amount of prey, a big-scale ecology study predicts.
- Health & Medicine
How farm life can prevent allergies
Farm dust prevents allergies by turning on an anti-inflammatory enzyme in the cells lining mice’s lungs.
- Life
Unhelpful adaptations can speed up evolution
Unhelpful changes in gene activity stimulate natural selection.
- Paleontology
New dolphin fossil makes a splash
A newly discovered dolphin fossil provides clues to the evolution of river dolphins in the Americas.
- Paleontology
New dolphin fossil makes a splash
A newly discovered dolphin fossil provides clues to the evolution of river dolphins in the Americas.
- Animals
Some jellyfish sting deeper than others
A new study shows that some jellyfish have nematocysts that can sting deep into the skin. That may explain why their sting is so painful.
- Life
New microscope techniques give deepest view yet of living cells
Two new microscopy techniques are helping scientists see smaller structures in living cells than ever glimpsed before.
- Life
New microscope techniques give deepest view yet of living cells
Two new microscopy techniques are helping scientists see smaller structures in living cells than ever glimpsed before.
- Earth
Volcanic activity convicted in Permian extinction
Precision dating confirms that Siberian volcanic eruptions could have triggered the Permian extinction.
- Animals
Coral competitor becomes ally in fight against starfish
On the reef, algae compete with coral. But they may also protect coral from attacks by crown-of-thorns starfish, a new study finds.
- Neuroscience
The need to feed and eating for pleasure are inextricably linked
Scientists used to think that the hunger and the pleasure from food could be easily distinguished. But new results show these systems are inextricably intertwined.
- Animals
Tropical songbirds get their growth spurt late
Tropical songbirds are late bloomers, but that delayed development may give them an advantage after leaving the nest.
