Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Genetics
People’s genes welcome their microbes
In mice and humans, genetic variants seem to control the bacterial mix on and in bodies.
- Neuroscience
Mining mouse movements to make more meds
Animal models are a great way to look at psychoactive drugs and how they work. A new paper purports to simplify it all down to one test.
- Paleontology
Fossils suggest ancient sharks survived extinction event
Diving down deep in the ocean may have helped the fish live through the Great Dying 350 million years ago.
- Genetics
Genetic variants may keep Siberians warm
People in frigid cold evolved changes in fat metabolism, shivering.
- Genetics
Reprogrammed stem cells may mirror embryonic ones after all
Donor genetics may explain why the two cell types vary.
- Animals
The bromance of the fossas
Male fossas, mammal carnivores native to Madagascar, hang out with other males to boost their hunting and mating success.
- Animals
Don’t mount so fast! That bug could be a boy
Many insect males show same-sex mating behavior. What’s the cause? What’s the benefit? Is it real? Or are the bugs just in too much of a rush to stop?
- Health & Medicine
Gene links smoking, multiple sclerosis
Smokers with genetic variant face tripled risk of MS.
- Life
Scorpion venom kills pain in mice
Toxin works with nerve proteins to block distress signals’ journey to brain.
- Humans
What makes a face go round
Genetic enhancers acting far away from their intended genes can help shape a face during development.
- Health & Medicine
Inactive HIV poses even greater barrier to cure
The reservoir of dormant virus strains is larger than scientists estimated, a finding that could make the virus harder to combat.
- Animals
Maybe Britain shouldn’t kill its badgers
A study on badger social networks shows that isolated badgers are the ones that most often carry TB and cause infections among — but not within — groups.
