Life

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We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.

  1. Humans

    Amphibian debuts

    Hunt for lost frog turns up new species in Colombian rain forests.

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  2. Paleontology

    Ancient trumpets played eerie notes

    Acoustic scientists re-create and analyze sounds from 3,000-year-old shell instruments for insight into pre-Inca civilization.

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  3. Life

    Genes jump more in one type of autism

    A mutation that causes Rett syndrome also increases the activity of retrotransposons in the brain.

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  4. Animals

    DEET of the sea

    Before turning in for the night, some reef-dwelling fish apply a slimy mucus shield to deter biting bugs.

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  5. Humans

    BPA induces sterility in roundworms

    Bisphenol A does a real number on the genes responsible for successful reproduction in a 1-millimeter-long soil-dwelling roundworm. And that suggests BPA might pose similar risks to people because geneticists are finding that this tiny critter can be a remarkably useful “lab rat” — predicting impacts in mammals, including us.

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  6. Life

    Rare mutations key to brain disorders

    Many cases of mental retardation can be explained by genetic variants that arise in affected individuals.

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  7. Animals

    Cats drink using lap-and-gulp trick

    Felines imbibe by pulling up a column of fluid and then snatching a bit of it before it splashes back down.

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  8. Animals

    Acidification may halve coral class of 2050

    Already shown to be a threat to established reefs, experiments show that changing ocean chemistry also threatens the establishment and survival of larvae.

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  9. Life

    Three scientists, three wishes (with extras for the cosmologist)

    Research luminaries reveal the questions they'd most like to see answered.

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  10. Life

    Soil search suggests broad roots for antibiotic resistance

    Drug-defeating genes are everywhere, but don’t blame dirt-dwelling bacteria for resistance seen in the clinic.

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  11. Life

    The sandman gene

    Researchers find another genetic variant linked to sleep duration.

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  12. Life

    Will groom for snuggles

    Sooty mangabey and vervet monkey mothers charge a price, dictated by market forces, that other females must pay to touch their babies.

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