Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Humans
Gene may boost effects of peer pressure
DNA trait linked to tendency to be affected by high or low levels of alcohol and cigarette use in high school.
- Life
Unusual virus may tie snakes in knots
Captive snakes with a fatal disease harbor viruses never before seen in reptiles.
- Life
Mantis shrimp flub color vision test
Unexpectedly poor results on crustacean eye exams suggest there’s another way to perceive color.
- Life
Smell deals with deprivation differently
One odor-related brain region called the orbitofrontal cortex keeps the sense primed for resumed input during a cold.
- Humans
North African Diaspora written in genes
DNA analysis of people from 15 groups identifies distinct groups and migrations.
- Neuroscience
When evaluating textbook dogmas about the brain, keep an open mind
When evaluating textbook dogmas about the brain, keep an open mind.
- Life
How the elephant gets its infrasound
Just blowing air through a pachyderm’s larynx produces fundamental elements of the mysterious rumblings that send messages too low for people to hear.
- Life
Rabies resistance arises in backwater thick with vampire bats
Residents of two remote Peruvian communities appear to have survived infection by the deadly virus.
- Animals
Epidemic of skin lesions reported in reef fish
A British-Australian research team has just found coral trout living on the south side of the Great Barrier Reef sporting dark skin raised, scablike, brown-black growths. Although the authors believe they’ve stumbled onto an epidemic of melanoma — a type of skin cancer — other experts have their doubts. Strong ones.
- Life
Select cells appear to spawn tumors
Separate studies support the theory that stem cells cause cancers to emerge and recur.
- Humans
DNA hints at African cousin to humans
Complete genetic profiles of people from three hunter-gatherer groups suggest Homo sapiens interbred with a now-extinct species on the continent relatively recently.
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