Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Life
New bird flu claims more victims
H7N9 influenza spreads to Beijing, may come from poultry and pigeons.
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- Life
New technique gives see-through view into mouse brains
Replacing fatty molecules turns organs transparent, allowing study of structure and function at the same time.
- Life
Dinosaur embryos were restless, speedy growers
Hundreds of fossils found in China suggest some unhatched dinos kicked their legs.
- Life
A giant tortoise by any other name
Long, heated battle ends with a moniker for the Indian Ocean reptile.
- Life
Molecule in meat may increase heart disease risk
Gut bacteria transform compound into artery hardener.
- Psychology
Light found in cocaine addiction tunnel
Using lasers, scientists target a sluggish set of neurons in rats to ease drug compulsion.
- Life
Eye drops reduce signs of macular degeneration in mice
Targeting cholesterol in retina stops rogue blood vessel growth often seen in the vision disease.
- Animals
Termites, not fairies, cause plant circles in African deserts
Underground insect engineers create water traps in the soil, allowing rings of green grasses in the sand.
- Life
Blind cave-dwelling fish also hard of hearing
Two species that live in the dark have worse hearing than do their surface-living cousins.
- Life
Gut microbes may be behind weight loss after gastric bypass
Mice slim down after receiving bacteria transplanted from rodents that had the surgery.
- Life
Impending death alters crickets’ standards for mates
With a short time to live, parasite-infested females lose their preference for fast-chirping males.
