Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Animals
Truths and lies about dingoes
A dingo really did take that woman’s baby, but other myths about the animals have been debunked.
- Neuroscience
Caffeine may improve memory
Taking the stimulant after learning new information boosted people’s recall the next day.
- Plants
Bladderwort opens wide
Under a microscope, the tiny trap of a carnivorous plant becomes an impressive gaping maw.
- Agriculture
Sweet potato weevils have favorite colors
When it comes to eradicating the sweet potato weevil, the devil is in the colorful details.
- Math
Tomorrow’s catch
A biologist who formerly applied his mathematical talents in finance has developed new ways of predicting the ups and downs of fish populations.
- Life
Marine microbes shed packets of DNA, nutrients
The world’s most abundant marine microorganism, the photosynthetic bacteria Prochlorococcus, spits out nutrient-rich vesicles into ocean waters, perhaps for genetic exchange or as a survival mechanism.
- Neuroscience
A schizophrenia drug turns on protein factories in cells
Haloperidol reshapes neurons, which might explain how the medicine works.
- Animals
Finally, evidence that a starfish’s eyes let it see
The sea star’s vision isn’t great, but it’s good enough to help the animal find its way home.
- Genetics
Elephant shark genome small and slow to evolve
The animals have the smallest genome of non-bony fishes and the slowest-evolving genes among vertebrates, a study suggests.
- Animals
Dog-paddle science debunks notion of underwater trot
From Newfoundlands to Yorkshire terriers, canines swim with similar, distinctive gait.
- Microbes
Me and my microbiome
Tina Hesman Saey tries out new services offering clients a peek at their own bacteria.
- Archaeology
Animal mummies were a message direct to the gods
A new theory about the purpose of animals mummified by ancient Egyptians proposes that the cats, ibises and other dead critters were more than just simple sacrifices.
