Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Life
Scientists name large but elusive lizard
Though locals knew of it, the 2-meter cousin to Komodo dragons had escaped scientific description.
- Life
Gene variants linked to Crohn disease have little effect, study finds
A genetic variant linked to Crohn disease does not raise the average person’s risk of developing the condition, a new study finds.
- Life
Insulin-producing cells can regenerate in diabetic mice
Animal study finds that the pancreas can spontaneously regenerate beta cells.
- Life
Researchers figure out how flies taste water
A study identifies the cell membrane protein that flies use to detect water’s flavor.
- Life
When two hyenas get the giggles
Laughs of higher-status individuals are more posh, a study in a captive colony suggests.
- Health & Medicine
Bees forage with their guts
Researchers show that a gene helps honeybees choose between nectar and pollen.
- Life
First songbird genome arrives with spring
The genome of a songbird has been decoded for the first time. Zebra finches join chickens as the only birds to have detailed maps of their genetic blueprints.
- Life
Tortoise see, tortoise do
Though they rarely meet, solitary creatures can pick up skills by example.
- Life
Elephant legs bend like ‘big human limb’
Mechanics suggests the creatures are more limber than thought and use all their legs to come to a four-way stop.
- Humans
Wildlife trade meeting disappoints marine scientists
The 15th meeting of signatories to the CITES treaty ended on March 25 without passing several proposals to protect high-profile fish species.
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- Paleontology
Tyrannosaurs lived in the Southern Hemisphere, too
Australian fossils suggest the kin of T. rex dispersed globally 110 million years ago.
