Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Neuroscience
Brain’s map cells win three scientists Nobel Prize
The discovery of brain cells that provide a sort of “inner GPS” has been awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine.
- Ecosystems
Help scientists find floating forests of kelp
By looking for signs of kelp in satellite images, citizen scientists can help researchers keep track of the world’s seaweed forests.
- Environment
Human ingenuity takes on Mother Nature in ‘The Big Ratchet’
Geographer Ruth DeFries explains how technological innovations have allowed humans to overcome environmental challenges throughout history.
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- Plants
Climbing high to save a threatened West Coast plant
A group of scientists hopes to save a cliff-hugging plant threatened by invasive grasses, drought and fire in California’s Santa Monica Mountains.
- Animals
Invasive rabbitfish team up to raze algal forests
Tropical rabbitfish have expanded into temperate Mediterranean waters, where they destroy algae forests by gobbling both young and adult algae.
- Animals
Lacking ice, huge walrus herd congregates on Alaska shore
A large group of walruses has hauled out on the beach near Point Lay, Alaska. The animals have been forced onto shore due to a lack of sea ice in the region.
- Animals
Looking for, not catching, prey drains big cats’ energy
For some big cats, ambushing prey in quick attacks may ease the high energy cost of hunting, new studies show.
- Neuroscience
High blood sugar could worsen effects of spinal injury
Studies in people and mice suggest reining in blood sugar can improve recovery from a spinal cord injury.
- Animals
Crabs guard coral from army of sea stars
Coral guard-crabs proved their worth during a 2008 outbreak of crown-of-thorns sea stars, with many successfully protecting their coral from being eaten.
- Animals
Monarch butterflies’ ancestors migrated
The earliest monarch butterflies originated in North America and were migratory. Some of the insects later lost that ability as they moved into the tropics, a genetic analysis finds.
- Neuroscience
White House gives progress report on BRAIN Initiative
More pieces of President Obama’s ambitious BRAIN Initiative announced April 2013 have fallen into place.
