Life

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We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Life

    Cells reprogrammed to treat diabetes

    The testes may be an alternate source of insulin production.

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  2. Life

    Rooting for swarm intelligence in plants

    Researchers argue for a type of vegetative group decision making usually associated with humans and social animals, and go out on a limb by also proposing that information may be transmitted electrically.

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  3. Life

    Jigsaw genetics

    Fragments of a fetus's genome can be pieced together from the mother's blood to allow prenatal diagnosis of genetic diseases.

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  4. Life

    Friendly fire blamed in some H1N1 deaths

    A poorly targeted immune response to the 2009 pandemic flu virus caused young adults and the middle-aged to suffer more than usual.

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  5. Life

    Just warm enough

    Mammals may have evolved a characteristic body temperature to avoid fungal infections without burning too hot.

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  6. Life

    Wealth and ambition

    A week in fancier digs inspires rats to seek richer rewards.

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  7. Chemistry

    Bacterium grows with arsenic

    A microbe appears to substitute a normally toxic element for a basic ingredient of life, raising intriguing questions about the limits of biochemistry.

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  8. Life

    Dieting may plant seeds of weight regain

    Cutting calories causes changes in the brains of mice that appear to encourage binge eating under stressful conditions years later.

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  9. Chemistry

    Snot has the power to alter scents

    Enzymes in mice's nasal mucus can alter certain odors before the nose can detect them, a new study finds.

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  10. Life

    Getting dissed could be partly genetic

    In marmot social networks, victimization may be to some degree heritable.

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  11. Life

    RNA, obey

    Researchers make RNA machines that can change cells’ behavior.

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  12. Life

    Mammal size maxed out after dinos’ demise

    Opening new ecological niches led to a worldwide boom in size, up to a point.

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