Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- 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.
- Life
Deadly influenza could strike aboriginal groups hardest
Native Alaskans and Australians tend to lack potent flu-fighting immune cells.
- Neuroscience
Hormone hampers effects of marijuana
Study of pot-blocking brain chemical in rodents could lead to new treatments for cannabis addiction.
- Animals
Flightless birds face extinction
New Zealand’s flightless birds have limped through the last few decades, but conservation efforts have had some success.
- Microbes
Gut bacteria respect diets, not borders
Malawian and Guahibo gut microbiomes resembled those of herbivorous mammals, while American guts were more similar to carnivores’.
- Climate
Mangroves move up Florida’s coast
Satellite images reveal that the tropical trees are expanding north up Florida’s Atlantic coast, taking advantage of rising winter temperatures.
- Neuroscience
All mice are the same, until they’re not
A new study shows substantial differences in how two closely related mouse strains respond to drugs. It offers new options for linking genes and behavior and may change how scientists think about the similarity of their mouse strains.
- Animals
Smoker’s breath saves caterpillars’ lives
Larvae of the tobacco hornworm caterpillar exhale nicotine, driving away predatory spiders.
- Ecosystems
New Yorkers should relax about new roach species
Japanese roaches may be able to survive in the cold, but the added competition and their decreased allergic potential may mean the roaches’ arrival isn’t all bad.
