Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Life
Baboons show their word skills
Monkeys learn to distinguish words from nonwords, suggesting ancient evolutionary roots for reading.
- Physics
Insects covered in tough stuff
Locust exoskeleton could inspire new, fracture-resistant materials.
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- Life
Pigeon navigation finding called off-course
Iron-containing cells that had been reported in beaks look mostly like immune system components, a new study finds.
- Life
Bat-killing fungus is a European import
Tracing the origins of the strain that causes white-nose syndrome in U.S. animals to Europe, scientists show that infection ups arousal rate during hibernation, depleting energy stores.
- Humans
Bat killer is still spreading
Since 2006, some 6 million to 7 million North American bats have succumbed to white-nose syndrome, a virulent fungal disease. That figure, issued in January by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, at least sextupled the former estimate that biologists had been touting. But the sharp jump in the cumulative death toll isn’t the only disturbing new development. On April 2, scientists confirmed that white-nose fungus has apparently struck bats hibernating in two small Missouri caves. The first signs of clinical disease have also just emerged in Europe.
- Humans
Yet another study links insecticide to bee losses
Since 2006, honeybee populations across North America have been hammered by catastrophic losses. Although this pandemic has a name — colony collapse disorder, or CCD — its cause has remained open to speculation. New experiments now strengthen the case for pesticide poisoning as a likely contributor.
- Life
Stem cell treatment spurs cartilage growth
A small molecule called kartogenin prompts the manufacture of lost connective tissue in mice.
- Paleontology
T. rex has another fine, feathered cousin
A trio of fossils from China may tip the scales on dinosaurs’ public image.
- Life
Fruit fly biorhythms differ indoors and out
Response to daily cues of real life suggest lab findings may need a second look.
- Life
Genes are no crystal ball for disease risk
For most conditions, knowing a person’s entire genetic makeup won’t help predict his or her medical history.
- Life
Virus proves protective against lupus in mice
A mouse version of Epstein-Barr seems to prevent, not trigger, symptoms of the autoimmune disease.
