Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Genetics
DNA tags mostly deleted in human germ cells
Human embryos come with some heavy-duty erasers. Chemical tags on DNA get mostly wiped out in the womb.
- Animals
Pregnant male pipefish not so great at giving embryos oxygen
During male pregnancy, pipefish embryos can get stunted by low oxygen in dad’s brood pouch.
- Animals
African herbivores share space but not diet
Large herbivorous mammals on the plains of Kenya have distinctive diets, a new study finds.
- Health & Medicine
Deadly MERS spreads in small cluster in South Korea
Thirty people have MERS virus in the South Korean outbreak, including China’s first case.
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- Anthropology
Chimps prefer roasted potatoes, hinting at origins of cooking
Chimps really dig roasted potatoes, suggesting cooking arose millions of years ago.
- Animals
Parakeets can catch yawns from their neighbors
Humans and dogs aren't the only ones that can pass along a yawn. They appear to be contagious among parakeets, too.
- Animals
When swimming with manatees, mind the herd
Manatees hang out in Florida’s Crystal River; tourists can choose a mindful visit or a harmful one
- Genetics
Extinct species may get a second chance
An evolutionary biologist explains the obstacles scientists must overcome to revive extinct species.
- Animals
Wealth of cephalopod research lost in a 19th century shipwreck
Nineteenth-century scientist Jeanne Villepreux-Power sent her research papers and equipment on a ship that sank off the coast of France, submerging years’ worth of observations on cephalopods.
- Paleontology
Dino eggs came in different colors
Dinosaur eggs came in bold shades of blue-green and brown-speckled blue.
- Health & Medicine
Mice grow a thinner skin during long stays in space
Mice that spent three months in space had thinner skin and extra hair growth compared with rodents that were grounded on Earth.
