Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Neuroscience
Year in Review: Obama unveils brain initiative
In April, the president announced an ambitious plan to reveal the human brain’s secrets.
- Animals
A year of rediscovered species
Thousands of species go extinct each year, but at least a few are found after many years of being lost.
- Neuroscience
Bad memories fade with a short jolt
Research illustrates the vulnerability of the brain’s information storage.
- Genetics
Year in Review: Caffeine triggers cloning advance
To successfully clone human cells, eggs must be dunked in the stimulant.
- Animals
African frog conceals itself with chemicals
Two small peptides keep the West African savanna frog from being stung by ants.
- Science & Society
Year in Review: High court rules against gene patents
The justices’ decision opens the way for choices in DNA testing.
- Life
Year in Review: A double dose of virus scares
Outbreaks of two deadly viruses captured the world’s attention in 2013, but neither turned into the global pandemic expected to strike one of these years.
- Plants
Lone survivor of ancient flowers is gluttonous gene consumer
The rare Amborella shrub has engulfed whole genomes from other species.
- Life
Year in Review: Bioengineers make headway on human body parts
New techniques produce mimics of brain, liver, heart, kidney, retina.
- Life
Year in Review: Your body is mostly microbes
Microbiome results argue for new view of animals as superorganisms.
- Life
Solving the mystery of Alzheimer’s start
Molecular evildoers team up to launch neural destruction.
- Animals
Penguin huddles move like traffic jams
When one emperor penguin takes a step, he sets off a wave of movement.
