Life

  1. Life

    Tasmanian devil disease reveals its secrets

    The contagious cancer evades the animal’s immune system by turning off key genes.

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  2. Neuroscience

    Heavy drinkers get extra brain fuel from alcohol

    Compared with the brains of light drinkers, the brains of heavy alcohol drinkers burn acetate better.

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  3. Chemistry

    Caffeine’s buzz attracts bees to flowers

    Nectar of some blooms carries the drug, which improves bee memory.

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  4. Life

    Alga borrows genes to beat the heat, acid and toxic metals

    Such genetic theft from bacteria and archaea is unusual among eukaryotes.

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  5. Life

    The Lady and Her Monsters

    A Tale of Dissections, Real-Life Dr. Frankensteins, and the Creation of Mary Shelley's Masterpiece by Roseanne Montillo.

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  6. Life

    Mice get brain boost from transplanted human tissue

    An experimental transplant of what have long been considered just support cells shows they may play a role in memory and learning.

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  7. Chemistry

    Missing link in taste chain identified

    Taste-cell protein sends message to brain that tongue has detected sweet, bitter or umami flavor.

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  8. Life

    Camel ancestors lived in the Arctic

    Fossils on Ellesmere Island suggest famous desert dweller got its start in cold regions.

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  9. Animals

    Native pollinators boost crop yields worldwide

    Farms with crops from coffee to mangoes don’t get the best yields if they rely solely on honeybees.

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  10. Life

    Sperm swim against the current

    Human and mouse sperm both follow upstream currents to the egg.

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  11. Life

    Impact craters may have been a toasty home for early life

    The heat generated during a cosmic crash could have nurtured ancient organisms.

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  12. Neuroscience

    Tadpoles with eyes in their tails see the light

    Transplanted eyes in the creature’s tail can distinguish between red and blue.

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