Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Life
Jumping genes provide unexpected diversity
Mobile DNA elements have stuffed and shrunk the human genome, a comparison of two genomes reveal
- Planetary Science
Earth may be home to unearthly life
No need to look on other planets for new forms of life — weird life could exist right here on Earth.
- Life
Sponge’s secret weapon restores antibiotics’ power
A chemical from an ocean-dwelling sponge can reprogram antibiotic resistant bacteria to make them vulnerable to medicines again, new evidence suggests.
- Humans
AAAS: March of the Hungry Penguins
Patagonian penguins have become sentinels of climate change and human impacts on the marine world.
- Humans
AAAS: Darwin is the 1000th Steve
The amusing list of living scientists supporting evolution was topped, this evening, by a man named Darwin.
- Agriculture
AAAS: Stress Can Make Plants More Nutritious
People who aren't veggie lovers might want to seek out types of produce that deliver an especially big nutrient bang for the gram.
- Life
Mitochondria Gone Bad
Problems in the cell’s energy factories power new ideas on disease and aging.
- Humans
First rough draft of Neandertal genome released
A rough draft of the Neandertal genome is complete, scientists announced on Darwin’s 200th birthday.
- Health & Medicine
Sequencing virus genome to cure the common cold
The genomes of all known common cold viruses have been sequenced, providing new information on how the different strains are related, how they replicate and how to predict their virulence.
- Life
Darwin: The reluctant mathematician
Despite disliking mathematics, the great biologist inadvertently advanced statistics.
- Life
Duplication in genomes may separate humans from apes
A sudden peak in duplication of chunks of DNA in the common ancestor of humans, chimps and gorillas led to genetic flexibility, which created differences among the species.
- Climate
Winter birds shift north
More than 170 common North American species are wintering farther north than they did in the past.
