Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Humans
Human mutation rate slower than thought
First direct measurements show that the number of genetic typos inherited from each parent can be highly skewed toward either mom or dad.
- Life
Genes & Cells
Extreme sibling rivalry, mitochondrial breakups and tubular cells in this week’s news.
- Life
Diving spiders make their own gills
Eurasian diving bell spiders, the only truly aquatic arachnids, survive underwater with the help of “physical gills,” scientists say.
- Life
Heart has cellular regeneration ability
In mice, injecting a protein spurs the organ’s own stem cells to regrow small amounts of tissue after damage.
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- Life
Genetics offers more hints about autism
Three studies illustrate why a single cause for autism spectrum disorders has been so difficult to pin down.
- Life
Weeds increasingly immune to herbicides
Agricultural scientists warn that crop yields could drop as a result of emerging resistance.
- Life
Marine microbes fritter away jelly bonus
Bacterial feasts during jellyfish blooms drain valuable carbon out of the food web.
- Life
Genes & Cells
European scientists object to genetic testing, plus triggers for Alzheimer’s and asthma in this week’s news.
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- Genetics
Flexible DNA computer finds square roots
Scientists design a digital circuit made of molecules that may be able to crunch a wider variety of complex math problems than previous versions.
- Life
Holding back evolution
Gene mutations that are beneficial on their own combine to slow down progress, new bacterial experiments show.
