Life
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
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- Ecosystems
Aspiring to Save the Planet
The failure of the G-8 Summit to put some teeth in greenhouse-gas limits suggests it may be time for a global climate czar.
- Paleontology
A wandering eye
New look at fossils of primitive flatfish reveals how these fish evolved eyes on one side of their head
- Life
Frog builds toes, then legs
A small frog appears to jump-start its skeletal development, turning on genes for building feet and toes before bothering to build its legs.
- Paleontology
Fossils, now available in color
Fossilized feathers of an early bird or dinosaur may retain evidence of pigment, offering a chance to animal colors of the Cretaceous.
- Health & Medicine
Animal rights and wrongs
Featured blog: Some animal-rights activists are taking a page out of the anti-abortionists' playbook and now bully animal researchers at home.
- Life
Seeing without eyes
Scientists are looking into the cellular pathways that allow an eyeless roundworm to see.
- Life
Fountain of Youth, with caveats
A chemical in red wine thought to mimic the life-extending properties of calorie restriction improves health, but doesn’t necessarily lengthen life; it could also harm the brain.
- Agriculture
Fishy Data on Weed Killer
A popular weed killer can feminize wildlife by tinkering with a gene that indirectly affects the production of sex hormones.
- Science & Society
Climate Threatens Living Fossil
Thanks to global warming, within the lifetimes of certain reptiles in the South Pacific, all members of their species could be born male.
- Life
Embryos can learn visually
For cuttlefish embryos, what they see is what they'll crave as food later
- Chemistry
HIV knockout
Cutting a gene in immune cells could offer a new way to treat HIV infections.
