Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Animals
Chimps ambidextrous when digging wells
A survey of water-collection holes dug on the banks of an African river by wild chimpanzees indicates that, unlike people, these apes don’t have a preference for using either the right or left hand on manual tasks.
- Life
Cells renew in the human heart
Carbon 14 from Cold War–era nuclear bomb tests allowed researchers to track cell birth.
- Chemistry
Prions are common, at least in yeast
A new study of shape-shifting proteins in baker’s yeast reveals that prions are common and may help organisms survive in changing conditions.
- Math
Chicks do arithmetic
Using the natural inclination of young chickens to cluster in large groups, researchers show that the birds are hatched with a numerical sense.
- Life
Genes help monarchs migrate
At least 40 genes help monarch butterflies find their way to overwintering sites in Mexico.
- Ecosystems
Exxon Valdez: Tidal waters still troubled
From birds and clams to herring, many species continue to show persistent impacts of an oil spill that occurred two decades ago.
- Life
Louse-y genome surprise
Blood-sucking body lice have an odd arrangement of mitochondrial genes.
- Life
Dissing a loaded label for some unicellular life
Prominent biologist calls ‘prokaryote’ outdated term.
- Health & Medicine
How herpes re-rears its ugly head
Researchers identify a key player in the reactivation of herpes simplex virus type 1.
- Life
Wild herring prove fast organizers
Recent technology helps researchers find out how a bunch of fish turn into a shoal.
- Ecosystems
Exxon Valdez killed future for some killer whales
An Alaskan oil spill disrupted family structure in killer-whale groups, with lasting and dramatic repercussions.
- Humans
Otters and oil: Problems remain
The behavior of Alaska's southern sea otters may unwittingly expose them to toxic oil-spill residues.
