Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Humans
Cigarettes might be infectious
Science & Society blog: The tobacco in cigarettes hosts a bacterial bonanza — literally hundreds of different germs, including those responsible for many human illnesses, a new study finds.
- Life
For pipefish, measly Mr. Mom needs help
In species with pregnant males, females may put something extra into eggs.
- Life
Carnations had evolutionary bloom boom in Europe
New species have evolved at a surprisingly rapid pace, new study suggests
- Math
Slime mold is master network engineer
Single-cell organism develops food distribution system that is as efficient as the Tokyo rail system; inspires new math model for designing dynamic systems.
- Life
MRSA bacterial strain mutates quickly as it spreads
Antibiotic-resistant microbe's detailed family tree reveals roots of the global infection.
- Life
Protein may be new target for obesity, diabetes therapies
Molecule regulates flip of a metabolic switch, helps determine how the body uses glucose.
- Life
Snail in shining armor
A deep-sea gastropod’s natural shield may offer ideas for human protection.
- Life
Jiminy Cricket! Pollinator caught in the act
Using night-vision cameras, scientists have documented the first example of cricket pollination of an orchid and discovered a new species of the insect on the island of Réunion.
- Life
Alligators breathe like birds
Tricky measurements of flow reveal that air moves through the animal in one direction.
- Climate
Acidifying ocean may stifle phytoplankton
Chemical changes in seawater make a key nutrient less available to these organisms.
- Life
Soybean genome turns out to be soysoybeanbean
The plant's newly sequenced genetic blueprint includes a surprising number of spare copies.
- Life
Why light makes migraines worse
A new study traces brain wiring to discover why light increases migraine pain.
