Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Agriculture
Drug-resistant staph can cling to farm workers for days
Agricultural exposure to staph bacteria could threaten the health of laborers and people who live near farms, a study of pig farm workers suggests.
- Paleontology
Fossil beetles show earliest signs of active parenting
Ancient beetles that thrived off of dead and decaying flesh may have been among the first creatures to actively care for their young.
- Animals
Rhinoceros beetle’s horn shape reflects fighting style
The elaborate horns of rhinoceros beetles vary in subtle ways that allow each species to handle the stress and strain of its specific style of battle.
- Psychology
In PTSD, a good night’s sleep means feeling safe
Studies of PTSD in rats have usually focused on fear and trauma. But a new study in humans shows that learning about safety may be important as well.
- Life
Vagina bacteria make molecules that could be drugs
Microbes on the human body are capable of producing thousands of small molecules that hold potential as drugs.
- Microbes
Vaccines and gut microbes join forces to fight flu
Losing gut microbes weakens the protective ability of the flu vaccine in mice.
- Neuroscience
Our brains sort words as we sleep
Even after nodding off, a person’s brain correctly sorts words into categories, adding to the achievements of the sleeping brain.
- Paleontology
Lost-and-found dinosaur thrived in water
Fossils pieced together through ridiculous luck reveal Spinosaurus to be the only known dinosaur adapted for regular ventures into water.
- Life
Superslow sloths may have once evolved superfast
Sloths may evolved some of the fastest rates of body growth reported to date for mammals.
- Paleontology
Fossils push back origins of modern mammals
Fossils of three newly identified early mammals from China suggest that the common ancestor of today’s mammals lived over 200 million years ago.
- Microbes
Speedy test could improve treatment of urinary tract infections
A new test for drug-resistant bacteria may speed the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections.
- Animals
Strong social bonds help lady baboons live longer
Wild, female baboons with stronger social connections with both female and male baboons live longer than females with weaker ties, a new study shows.
