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Primary paper: The impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance
“Most of the population in developing countries live in places with unsafe air. Utilizing variations in transitory and cumulative air pollution exposures for the same individuals over time in China, we provide evidence that polluted air may impede cognitive ability as people become older, especially for less educated men.’ PNAS (USA)
Over-the-hill cells may cause trouble in the aging brain
“Cells past their prime may have a role in dementia. Culling these cells protected the brains of mice that were otherwise destined for brain decline, a new study finds. Senescent cells, which accumulate with age, are still alive but in a state of suspended animation — they stop doing their jobs and they stop dividing. Getting rid of these cells in the body extends the life spans of mice and improves their heart and kidney health, scientists have found. The new research, published online September 19 in Nature, suggests that senescent cells also make mischief in the aging brain.” Science News (9/19)
Wiping Out the Brain’s Retired Cells Prevents a Hallmark of Alzheimer's
“In 2016, Darren Baker and Jan van Deursen from the Mayo Clinic announced that they had discovered a new way to prolong the lives of mice: They cleansed the rodents of retired cells. Over time, the cells of complex organisms accrue damage in their DNA, which threatens to turn them into tumors. Some cells defuse this threat by entering a state called senescence: They don’t die, but they permanently stop growing and dividing.” The Atlantic (9/19)
Targeting senescent brain cells may curb tau pathology, memory loss
Mayo Clinic researchers found that mice with tau protein tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease had senescent microglia and astrocytes in brain regions involved in cognition and memory prior to cognitive decline, but they no longer had tau protein accumulation and inflammation symptoms after receiving treatment with a genetically modified enzyme targeted to remove senescent cells. The findings, which also documented reduced neuronal death and memory loss, were published in the journal Nature. Newsweek (9/19), The Guardian (London) (9/19)
How studying chicken butts cracked the inner workings of our immune system
“Children were dying, and pediatrician Max Cooper couldn’t understand why. They had plenty of plasma cells, which he knew produced antibodies, but his patients who were suffering from a rare hereditary disease called Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome were still failing to fight off simple herpes infections. By the early 1960’s, we had invented lasers and video games, but were still missing a vital piece of understanding about how our bodies recognize, attack, and remember foreign invaders.” Popular Science (9/17)
Co-evolution between a 'parasite gene' and its host
“A Danish research team has delineated a complex symbiosis between a 'parasitic' noncoding RNA gene and its protein-coding 'host' gene in human cells. The study reveals how co-evolution of the host gene and parasite gene has shaped a feedback mechanism in which the parasite gene plays a completely new and surprising part as regulator of the host gene protein production. The breakthrough finding opens an entirely new avenue of research in gene expression.” Phys.org (9/20)
Nasty bacterial stains have a potent new foe
Bacteria that collect in one place for a while -- such as the nasty dark spots that appear in shower stalls -- form a tough biofilm barrier that tends to thwart removal measures. Researchers at the University of Illinois published their findings in Applied Materials and Interfaces, demonstrating a new method of attack using diatoms coated in nanosheets of manganese oxide, which reacts with hydrogen peroxide to power through the tough biofilm and spread cleansing microbubbles to kill bacteria. New Atlas (9/20)
Male dance flies found to favor females with bigger abdominal air sacs
“A team of researchers with the University of Toronto and the University of Stirling has found that male dance flies prefer to mate with females that have larger abdominal sacs. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group describes their study of the insects and what they found out about their mating habits.” Phys.org (9/19)
The Three Major Cartels Behind the Downfall of Africa’s Elephants
“Samuel Wasser has noticed that the tusks are getting smaller. Since 2005, he has been helping customs officials analyze the vast quantities of illegally smuggled elephant ivory that circulate around the world. Such shipments are on the rise, and more than 40 tons are seized every year. At the same time, the average size of the confiscated tusks has fallen; having killed off many of the largest elephants, poachers are now turning their attention to younger individuals.” The Atlantic (9/19)
The Scottish Wildcat Is Disappearing. Can It Be Saved?
“Britain used to be home to wide variety of wildlife, including large creatures such as lynx, wolves, bears, and wildcats. Of these, only the wildcat is left, and it’s in deep trouble. To the untrained eye, the Scottish wildcat looks quite like a cat you might keep as a pet. Perhaps ironically, however, its domestic cousin is one of the biggest threats to the wildcat’s existence—and few mammals seem to dislike humans more.” National Geographic (9/19)
Cane toad DNA breakthrough 'may help stop' toxic pest
“Scientists say they have unlocked the DNA blueprint of the cane toad, raising fresh hopes of slowing the animal's destruction of habitats. The amphibian, native to South America, has become a prolific pest since it was introduced in other parts of the world last century. In Australia, it has spread rapidly and had a deadly impact on native wildlife. Researchers say the draft genome could be a crucial step in efforts to halt the animal's march.” BBC (9/19)
Decoding Pandas’ Come-Hither Calls
“For solitary animals, giant pandas have an awful lot to say to one another. Their vocal repertoire comprises more than a dozen distinct grunts, barks and squeaks, most of which amount to some version of “leave me alone.” But when mating season rolls around, both male and female giant pandas turn to their preferred come-hither call: a husky, rapid vibrato that’s commonly known as the bleat.” NY Times (9/20)
Study: Walking pace differs when people walk alone, in groups
People who walk alone walk at a different pace than when they walk with others, and where they live may affect walking pace, according to a study in PeerJ -- the Journal of Life and Environmental Sciences. Researchers found the walking pace among people in Uganda averaged about 11% faster than the pace of people in Seattle when walking alone. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (9/19)
Searching for Chocolate’s Roots, and Enemies, in Colombia’s Wilderness
“With a machete, Gildardo Ramirez lops twelve pods off one of his cacao trees, letting them fall to its base. The long, brown pods look like twisted and deflated footballs. Each cacao pod usually encases about 40 beans—the source of cocoa powder and chocolate. The beans are the main commodity that Ramirez produces on his farm in San Francisco, Colombia, some 70 miles southeast of the city of Medellín.” Scientific American (9/14)
Confused mayflies wreak havoc on a Pennsylvania bridge
“Mayflies swarming a central Pennsylvania bridge over the Susquehanna River are a good thing, and a bad thing. Before the 1972 Clean Water Act, the river was too polluted to support the primitive aquatic insects. So their comeback is a sign that the water is healthier, says forensic entomologist John Wallace of nearby Millersville University.” Science News (9/16)
A recount of human genes ups the number to at least 46,831
“Figuring out how many genes are in the human genetic instruction manual, or genome, isn’t as easy as scientists once thought. The very definition of a gene has changed since the completion of the Human Genome Project more than 15 years ago. Genes used to be defined as stretches of DNA that contain instructions that are copied into RNA and then turned into proteins. Researchers still don’t entirely agree on how many of these protein-coding genes there are. Estimates range from 19,901 to a new count of 21,306 published August 20 in BMC Biology.” Science News (9/17)
Here’s how clumps of honeybees may survive blowing in the wind
“A stiff breeze is no match for a clump of honeybees, and now scientists are beginning to understand why. When scouting out a new home, the bees tend to cluster together on tree branches or other surfaces, forming large, hanging clumps which help keep the insects safe from the elements. To keep the clump together, individual honeybees change their positions, fine-tuning the cluster’s shape based on external forces, a new study finds. That could help bees deal with such disturbances as wind shaking the branches.” Science News (9/17)
What Forecasters Got Right and Wrong about Florence
“Hurricane Florence’s torrential rainfall has brought catastrophic flooding to much of North and South Carolina, but the convergence of several unexpected factors as the storm was about to touch land kept the hurricane from pounding the coast with devastating winds exceeding 130 miles per hour.” National Geographic (9/17) Scientific American (9/17)
The Future of Fish Farming May Be Indoors
“On a projection screen in front of a packed room in a coastal Maine town, computer-animated salmon swim energetically through a massive oval tank. A narrator’s voice soothingly points out water currents that promote fish exercise and ideal meat texture, along with vertical mesh screens that “optimize fish densities and tank volume.” The screens also make dead fish easy to remove, the narrator cheerily adds.” Scientific American (9/17)
What 13,000 Patents Involving the DNA of Sea Life Tell Us About the Future
“This is a California brown sea hare. It has some of the biggest brain cells in the animal kingdom.” NY Times (9/17)
Saltmarsh Sparrows Fight to Keep Their Heads Above Water
“The newly hatched saltmarsh sparrows are helpless, all but featherless, with reddish skin, barely visible in the evening light. Mosquitoes buzz as Samantha Apgar holds aside a tangle of marsh grass, or salt hay, to show me the hidden nest. It’s the size of half a baseball, tucked in under a tangle of grass. The incoming tide is rising over the soles of our boots and the hatchlings won’t stay dry long.” NY Times (9/17)
Prickly cactus species 'under threat'
“The iconic cactus plant is veering into trouble say researchers. The most serious problem is illegal smuggling. Despite the international ban on uncontrolled trade in cacti, policing the smuggling faces many problems and semi-professional hunters continue to uproot plants to order, stealing from National Parks, Indian Reservations, but more significantly from the wild.” BBC (9/15)
Get Big Quick? Just Graft Some Friends
“Although many animals live in colonies, most have a “Hard No” policy on members who are not clones or close relatives. But not Ectopleura larynx. It is totally cool with grafting strangers to its body. At least, that’s according to a study in Evolution Letters in June by scientists at the University of Kansas.” Scientific American (9/14)
Bird forecasting by radar
“In our restless world, annual bird migrations can provide a transitory opportunity to glimpse beautiful avian visitors (pictured, the migratory Baltimore oriole; Icterus galbula). Birds’ journeys are influenced by the local daily weather, making it hard to predict when migrating birds will pass through a particular place on their route. Writing in Science, Van Doren and Horton report a model that forecasts bird migrations (B. M. Van Doren and K. G. Horton Science 361, 1115–1118; 2018).” Nature News and Comment (9/17)
This Newborn Tree Kangaroo Brings Hope to the Species
“In early 2016, zookeepers at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia, introduced a female tree-kangaroo named Mani to a male tree kangaroo named Bagam with one urgent objective: to swell the ranks of the endangered species. Some two years later, their hopes were realized when a routine check of Mani’s pouch found a newborn joey the size of a jelly bean.” National Geographic (9/17)
Cuckoo Catfish Force Others to Raise Their Young—in Their Mouths
“CUCKOO CATFISH MAY be the worst parents ever. Rather than raising their own cannibalistic offspring, they force other fish species to raise them in their own mouths. But how do they do it? New research shows the fish are more likely to find free daycare in the mouths of fish with bad eyes, passive temperaments, or which are generally naïve to their tactics, according to a study recently published in the journal Environmental Biology of Fishes.” National Geographic (9/17)
In Rare Video, Young Orcas Learn to Hunt Sea Turtles
“While being caught in the jaws of a killer whale may be terrifying, it’s not always a death sentence. Killer whales, also known as orcas, occasionally conduct coordinated attacks on animals they have no intention of eating—including sea turtles. In the winter of 2017, photographer and biology student Nicolás Dávalos was conducting field work off the coast of Isla Isabela, the largest of the Galapagos islands. Dávalos, snorkeling at the surface, watched in awe as a group of three orcas—an adult and two juveniles—went after a pair of green sea turtles.” National Geographic (9/17)
Study finds lower mortality risk with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Researchers studying fatal immune checkpoint inhibitor toxicities determined that the risk of death is much lower in patients receiving this treatment than for traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, stem cell transplants and complex cancer surgeries. The study, published in JAMA Oncology, is the largest of its kind and shows that immune checkpoint inhibitors are "quite transformative," according to researcher Dr. Douglas Johnson. Medical Xpress/Vanderbilt University Medical Center (9/13)
Team sandwiches titanium dioxide with gold for photoelectrode
Researchers at Japan's Hokkaido University report sandwiching a titanium dioxide film measuring 30 nanometers in thickness with a 100nm gold film and a layer of gold nanoparticles to create a photoelectrode device that boasts an energy-conversion efficiency of 85%. "Our photoelectrode successfully created a new condition in which plasmon and visible light trapped in the titanium oxide layer strongly interact, allowing light with a broad range of wavelengths to be absorbed by gold nanoparticles," says Hiroaki Misawa, lead author of the study. CleanTechnica (9/13)
Dense material inside neutron stars may be universe's strongest
Nuclear pasta, a dense substance found within neutron stars, may be the universe's strongest material, according to findings accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters. Researchers used computer simulations to see how the nuclear pasta, so named because the structures resemble gnocchi, spaghetti and lasagna, would respond to intense pressures. Science News (9/14)
There are about 20,000 human genes. So why do scientists only study a small fraction of them?
“Sequencing the human genome in the 1990s was supposed to reveal the entire universe of genes important to health and disease. But a handful of recent studies have shown that, surprisingly, researchers still focus mainly on only about 2000 of the roughly 19,000 human genes that code for proteins.” ScienceMag (9/18)
Why Your DNA Is Still Uncharted Territory
“You have a gene called PNMA6F. All people do, but no one knows the purpose of that gene or the protein it makes. And as it turns out, PNMA6F has a lot of company in that regard. In a study published Tuesday in PLOS Biology, researchers at Northwestern University reported that of our 20,000 protein-coding genes, about 5,400 have never been the subject of a single dedicated paper.” NY Times (9/18)
Mosquitoes may be contaminating ecosystems with tiny bits of plastic
“Mosquito larvae are remarkably unfussy eaters. They glide through the ponds and puddles they live in, creating currents that draw tiny particles of food into their mouths—but miniscule plastic morsels can easily slip down the hatch as well. New research shows these “microplastics” stick around in the mosquitoes’ bellies even after they emerge from the water as flying adults, putting their land predators in danger of ingesting the contaminants.” ScienceMag (9/18)
Reducing neuronal inhibition restores locomotion in paralysed mice
“When we decide to walk, the brain broadcasts commands through parallel neuronal pathways that cascade to executive centres in the lumbar region of the spinal cord. A spinal-cord injury (SCI) scatters this exquisitely organized communication system, leading to severe locomotor deficits or paralysis.” Nature News and Comment (9/18)
Why Sex and Gender Matter in Migraine
“A migraine attack is not just a headache, and not all migraine attacks are the same. The symptoms, length and frequency of migraine attacks can vary from person to person, but we know two clear factors that influence migraine: sex, in the biological sense, and gender—the social and cultural differences in how men and women seek and receive care.” Scientific American (9/18)
Cocaine overdose in mice blocked with CRISPR-edited skin patch
A skin patch of CRISPR-edited material grafted onto cocaine-addicted mice prevented them from overdosing on the drug, according to findings published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. Researchers used an augmented version of the enzyme butyrylcholinesterase, which breaks down cocaine, and expressed hope that their find could lead to a treatment for addiction. The Scientist online (9/17)
Cancer differences on images spotted by Google deep learning tool
A deep learning tool developed by Google has been trained to tell the difference between two common lung cancers and identify the tumors' genetic mutations, just by looking at pictures. Being able to tell the difference between the similar-looking cancers can help doctors prescribe the correct treatments for patients, according to findings published in Nature Medicine. Wired (tiered subscription model) (9/17)
Scientists develop "fatberg" conversion technique
University of British Columbia researchers say they have discovered a method of converting solidified masses of fats, oils and grease into renewable biogas fuel. Study co-author Asha Srinivasan says, "Finding the right combination of microwave temperature and hydrogen peroxide dosage is the key" to dislodging the "fatbergs" that clog sewer lines, "making it easy for the bacteria to digest and produce more methane." Oils & Fats International (UK) (9/14)
"Ghost images" can be detected by human eye, study suggests
The human eye has the ability to see so-called ghost images encoded in arbitrary patterns, which researchers once thought could only be discerned by computers. "Although the brain can't individually see them, the eye is somehow detecting all of the patterns, and then keeping the information there and summing everything together," said Daniele Faccio, co-author of the study published on arXiv. LiveScience (9/17)
French land mass helped form British mainland, geologists say
Geologists who studied rocks from southwest England say an ancient land mass called Armorica, which includes what is now France, helped in the formation of England, Wales and Scotland over 400 million years ago. Researchers had thought that only two land masses, Avalonia and Laurentia, created the British mainland. The Independent (London) (tiered subscription model) (9/14)
Remnants of ancient ice volcanoes found on Ceres
Scientists examining topographical maps created from Dawn space probe data have found evidence of what were once 22 ice volcanoes on the surface of the dwarf planet Ceres, according to findings published in Nature Astronomy. Researchers estimate the cryovolcanoes erupted for billions of years before flattening as they aged. Science News (9/17)
Hidden sea life may lure great white sharks
Scientists with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California say they may have found one of the reasons great white sharks congregate in a seemingly desolate area of the Pacific Ocean in the winter and spring. They tracked the great whites to a point midway between the California coast and Hawaii and found a surprising array of marine life traveling up and down a water column, providing the sharks with plenty of dining options. LiveScience (9/18)
Novel parvovirus explains kidney failure in lab mice
A newly identified parvovirus with genomic traits similar to viruses that affect pigs, bats and rats causes a previously unexplained renal disease in middle-aged lab mice, researchers reported in Cell.The virus could cause variation in experimental outcomes, but it could also be useful in kidney research, says lead author Ben Roediger. The Scientist online (9/13)
Souped-up arylomycin guards against Gram-negative bacteria in mice
A chemically modified version of arylomycin pierces the wall of Gram-negative bacteria and binds to an enzyme in the inner membrane of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii obtained from patients, researchers reported in Nature. In mice, the new molecule prevented infection by six strains of four different Gram-negative bacteria, and it showed no signs of toxicity in mammalian cells. Science (tiered subscription model)(9/12)
Female Cockroaches May Cluster Together to Avoid Male Harassment
“Humans are not the only species that deals with harassment. According to new research, female cockroaches may cluster together to keep male suitors at bay. Christina Stanley, an animal behavior lecturer at the University of Chester in England, and her colleagues put Pacific beetle cockroaches in special containers to observe their social behavior.” Scientific American (9/19)
"Wild, Wonderful" West Virginia's Decapitated Mountains and Deformed Fish
“I spot a mountain peak covered in dense forest, then another and another. But then, where I expect to see yet another forested mountaintop, I see instead a stunted plateau—a mountain whose once distinct peak has been chopped off, flattened and denuded of vegetation.” Scientific American (9/19)
Why do we hate wasps and love bees?
“A new study reveals that wasps are largely disliked by the public, whereas bees are highly appreciated. The researchers involved say that this view is unfair because wasps are just as ecologically useful as bees. The scientists suggest a public relations campaign to restore the wasps' battered image.” BBC (9/19)
The role of miniaturization in the evolution of the mammalian jaw and middle ear
“The evolution of the mammalian jaw is one of the most important innovations in vertebrate history, and underpins the exceptional radiation and diversification of mammals over the last 220 million years. In particular, the transformation of the mandible into a single tooth-bearing bone and the emergence of a novel jaw joint—while incorporating some of the ancestral jaw bones into the mammalian middle ear—is often cited as a classic example of the repurposing of morphological structures.” Nature News and Comment (9/19)
GAPDH inhibits intracellular pathways during starvation for cellular energy homeostasis
“Starvation poses a fundamental challenge to cell survival. Whereas the role of autophagy in promoting energy homeostasis in this setting has been extensively characterized1, other mechanisms are less well understood. Here we reveal that glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) inhibits coat protein I (COPI) transport by targeting a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) towards ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (ARF1) to suppress COPI vesicle fission.” Nature News and Comment
Meet the Woodpecker That Impersonates a Snake
“THIS BIRD’S MOTTO is fake it till you make it. Or in this case, fake it until the threat of being eaten has passed. That’s the strategy of Eurasian wrynecks, small brown woodpeckers native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. When spooked, they bend and twist their head from side to side, often while hissing, to imitate a forest snake.” National Geographic (9/19)
Hair growth may get boost from synthetic sandalwood
Synthetic sandalwood may help bolster hair growth, a study published in Nature Communicationssuggests. Olfactory receptors on the scalp stimulated a growth hormone when treated with synthetic sandalwood. New Scientist (free content) (9/18)
Exoplanet filled with water-like materials detected by TESS
NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite has spotted its first exoplanet and captured an image of a star-filled southern sky. The exoplanet, Pi Men c, is about 60 light-years from Earth and is likely filled with materials having a density comparable to pure water, according to findings published on arXiv.org. Science News (9/18)
Neutrino detector prototype observes first particle tracks
A prototype neutrino detector at CERN has discovered its first particle tracks, hinting that the full-scale Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment may succeed when it goes online in 2026 in South Dakota. Scientists at the ProtoDUNE observed muon paths left behind as protons hit Earth's atmosphere. Science News (9/18)
“Most of the population in developing countries live in places with unsafe air. Utilizing variations in transitory and cumulative air pollution exposures for the same individuals over time in China, we provide evidence that polluted air may impede cognitive ability as people become older, especially for less educated men.’ PNAS (USA)
Over-the-hill cells may cause trouble in the aging brain
“Cells past their prime may have a role in dementia. Culling these cells protected the brains of mice that were otherwise destined for brain decline, a new study finds. Senescent cells, which accumulate with age, are still alive but in a state of suspended animation — they stop doing their jobs and they stop dividing. Getting rid of these cells in the body extends the life spans of mice and improves their heart and kidney health, scientists have found. The new research, published online September 19 in Nature, suggests that senescent cells also make mischief in the aging brain.” Science News (9/19)
Wiping Out the Brain’s Retired Cells Prevents a Hallmark of Alzheimer's
“In 2016, Darren Baker and Jan van Deursen from the Mayo Clinic announced that they had discovered a new way to prolong the lives of mice: They cleansed the rodents of retired cells. Over time, the cells of complex organisms accrue damage in their DNA, which threatens to turn them into tumors. Some cells defuse this threat by entering a state called senescence: They don’t die, but they permanently stop growing and dividing.” The Atlantic (9/19)
Targeting senescent brain cells may curb tau pathology, memory loss
Mayo Clinic researchers found that mice with tau protein tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease had senescent microglia and astrocytes in brain regions involved in cognition and memory prior to cognitive decline, but they no longer had tau protein accumulation and inflammation symptoms after receiving treatment with a genetically modified enzyme targeted to remove senescent cells. The findings, which also documented reduced neuronal death and memory loss, were published in the journal Nature. Newsweek (9/19), The Guardian (London) (9/19)
How studying chicken butts cracked the inner workings of our immune system
“Children were dying, and pediatrician Max Cooper couldn’t understand why. They had plenty of plasma cells, which he knew produced antibodies, but his patients who were suffering from a rare hereditary disease called Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome were still failing to fight off simple herpes infections. By the early 1960’s, we had invented lasers and video games, but were still missing a vital piece of understanding about how our bodies recognize, attack, and remember foreign invaders.” Popular Science (9/17)
Co-evolution between a 'parasite gene' and its host
“A Danish research team has delineated a complex symbiosis between a 'parasitic' noncoding RNA gene and its protein-coding 'host' gene in human cells. The study reveals how co-evolution of the host gene and parasite gene has shaped a feedback mechanism in which the parasite gene plays a completely new and surprising part as regulator of the host gene protein production. The breakthrough finding opens an entirely new avenue of research in gene expression.” Phys.org (9/20)
Nasty bacterial stains have a potent new foe
Bacteria that collect in one place for a while -- such as the nasty dark spots that appear in shower stalls -- form a tough biofilm barrier that tends to thwart removal measures. Researchers at the University of Illinois published their findings in Applied Materials and Interfaces, demonstrating a new method of attack using diatoms coated in nanosheets of manganese oxide, which reacts with hydrogen peroxide to power through the tough biofilm and spread cleansing microbubbles to kill bacteria. New Atlas (9/20)
Male dance flies found to favor females with bigger abdominal air sacs
“A team of researchers with the University of Toronto and the University of Stirling has found that male dance flies prefer to mate with females that have larger abdominal sacs. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group describes their study of the insects and what they found out about their mating habits.” Phys.org (9/19)
The Three Major Cartels Behind the Downfall of Africa’s Elephants
“Samuel Wasser has noticed that the tusks are getting smaller. Since 2005, he has been helping customs officials analyze the vast quantities of illegally smuggled elephant ivory that circulate around the world. Such shipments are on the rise, and more than 40 tons are seized every year. At the same time, the average size of the confiscated tusks has fallen; having killed off many of the largest elephants, poachers are now turning their attention to younger individuals.” The Atlantic (9/19)
The Scottish Wildcat Is Disappearing. Can It Be Saved?
“Britain used to be home to wide variety of wildlife, including large creatures such as lynx, wolves, bears, and wildcats. Of these, only the wildcat is left, and it’s in deep trouble. To the untrained eye, the Scottish wildcat looks quite like a cat you might keep as a pet. Perhaps ironically, however, its domestic cousin is one of the biggest threats to the wildcat’s existence—and few mammals seem to dislike humans more.” National Geographic (9/19)
Cane toad DNA breakthrough 'may help stop' toxic pest
“Scientists say they have unlocked the DNA blueprint of the cane toad, raising fresh hopes of slowing the animal's destruction of habitats. The amphibian, native to South America, has become a prolific pest since it was introduced in other parts of the world last century. In Australia, it has spread rapidly and had a deadly impact on native wildlife. Researchers say the draft genome could be a crucial step in efforts to halt the animal's march.” BBC (9/19)
Decoding Pandas’ Come-Hither Calls
“For solitary animals, giant pandas have an awful lot to say to one another. Their vocal repertoire comprises more than a dozen distinct grunts, barks and squeaks, most of which amount to some version of “leave me alone.” But when mating season rolls around, both male and female giant pandas turn to their preferred come-hither call: a husky, rapid vibrato that’s commonly known as the bleat.” NY Times (9/20)
Study: Walking pace differs when people walk alone, in groups
People who walk alone walk at a different pace than when they walk with others, and where they live may affect walking pace, according to a study in PeerJ -- the Journal of Life and Environmental Sciences. Researchers found the walking pace among people in Uganda averaged about 11% faster than the pace of people in Seattle when walking alone. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (9/19)
Searching for Chocolate’s Roots, and Enemies, in Colombia’s Wilderness
“With a machete, Gildardo Ramirez lops twelve pods off one of his cacao trees, letting them fall to its base. The long, brown pods look like twisted and deflated footballs. Each cacao pod usually encases about 40 beans—the source of cocoa powder and chocolate. The beans are the main commodity that Ramirez produces on his farm in San Francisco, Colombia, some 70 miles southeast of the city of Medellín.” Scientific American (9/14)
Confused mayflies wreak havoc on a Pennsylvania bridge
“Mayflies swarming a central Pennsylvania bridge over the Susquehanna River are a good thing, and a bad thing. Before the 1972 Clean Water Act, the river was too polluted to support the primitive aquatic insects. So their comeback is a sign that the water is healthier, says forensic entomologist John Wallace of nearby Millersville University.” Science News (9/16)
A recount of human genes ups the number to at least 46,831
“Figuring out how many genes are in the human genetic instruction manual, or genome, isn’t as easy as scientists once thought. The very definition of a gene has changed since the completion of the Human Genome Project more than 15 years ago. Genes used to be defined as stretches of DNA that contain instructions that are copied into RNA and then turned into proteins. Researchers still don’t entirely agree on how many of these protein-coding genes there are. Estimates range from 19,901 to a new count of 21,306 published August 20 in BMC Biology.” Science News (9/17)
Here’s how clumps of honeybees may survive blowing in the wind
“A stiff breeze is no match for a clump of honeybees, and now scientists are beginning to understand why. When scouting out a new home, the bees tend to cluster together on tree branches or other surfaces, forming large, hanging clumps which help keep the insects safe from the elements. To keep the clump together, individual honeybees change their positions, fine-tuning the cluster’s shape based on external forces, a new study finds. That could help bees deal with such disturbances as wind shaking the branches.” Science News (9/17)
What Forecasters Got Right and Wrong about Florence
“Hurricane Florence’s torrential rainfall has brought catastrophic flooding to much of North and South Carolina, but the convergence of several unexpected factors as the storm was about to touch land kept the hurricane from pounding the coast with devastating winds exceeding 130 miles per hour.” National Geographic (9/17) Scientific American (9/17)
The Future of Fish Farming May Be Indoors
“On a projection screen in front of a packed room in a coastal Maine town, computer-animated salmon swim energetically through a massive oval tank. A narrator’s voice soothingly points out water currents that promote fish exercise and ideal meat texture, along with vertical mesh screens that “optimize fish densities and tank volume.” The screens also make dead fish easy to remove, the narrator cheerily adds.” Scientific American (9/17)
What 13,000 Patents Involving the DNA of Sea Life Tell Us About the Future
“This is a California brown sea hare. It has some of the biggest brain cells in the animal kingdom.” NY Times (9/17)
Saltmarsh Sparrows Fight to Keep Their Heads Above Water
“The newly hatched saltmarsh sparrows are helpless, all but featherless, with reddish skin, barely visible in the evening light. Mosquitoes buzz as Samantha Apgar holds aside a tangle of marsh grass, or salt hay, to show me the hidden nest. It’s the size of half a baseball, tucked in under a tangle of grass. The incoming tide is rising over the soles of our boots and the hatchlings won’t stay dry long.” NY Times (9/17)
Prickly cactus species 'under threat'
“The iconic cactus plant is veering into trouble say researchers. The most serious problem is illegal smuggling. Despite the international ban on uncontrolled trade in cacti, policing the smuggling faces many problems and semi-professional hunters continue to uproot plants to order, stealing from National Parks, Indian Reservations, but more significantly from the wild.” BBC (9/15)
Get Big Quick? Just Graft Some Friends
“Although many animals live in colonies, most have a “Hard No” policy on members who are not clones or close relatives. But not Ectopleura larynx. It is totally cool with grafting strangers to its body. At least, that’s according to a study in Evolution Letters in June by scientists at the University of Kansas.” Scientific American (9/14)
Bird forecasting by radar
“In our restless world, annual bird migrations can provide a transitory opportunity to glimpse beautiful avian visitors (pictured, the migratory Baltimore oriole; Icterus galbula). Birds’ journeys are influenced by the local daily weather, making it hard to predict when migrating birds will pass through a particular place on their route. Writing in Science, Van Doren and Horton report a model that forecasts bird migrations (B. M. Van Doren and K. G. Horton Science 361, 1115–1118; 2018).” Nature News and Comment (9/17)
This Newborn Tree Kangaroo Brings Hope to the Species
“In early 2016, zookeepers at Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria, Australia, introduced a female tree-kangaroo named Mani to a male tree kangaroo named Bagam with one urgent objective: to swell the ranks of the endangered species. Some two years later, their hopes were realized when a routine check of Mani’s pouch found a newborn joey the size of a jelly bean.” National Geographic (9/17)
Cuckoo Catfish Force Others to Raise Their Young—in Their Mouths
“CUCKOO CATFISH MAY be the worst parents ever. Rather than raising their own cannibalistic offspring, they force other fish species to raise them in their own mouths. But how do they do it? New research shows the fish are more likely to find free daycare in the mouths of fish with bad eyes, passive temperaments, or which are generally naïve to their tactics, according to a study recently published in the journal Environmental Biology of Fishes.” National Geographic (9/17)
In Rare Video, Young Orcas Learn to Hunt Sea Turtles
“While being caught in the jaws of a killer whale may be terrifying, it’s not always a death sentence. Killer whales, also known as orcas, occasionally conduct coordinated attacks on animals they have no intention of eating—including sea turtles. In the winter of 2017, photographer and biology student Nicolás Dávalos was conducting field work off the coast of Isla Isabela, the largest of the Galapagos islands. Dávalos, snorkeling at the surface, watched in awe as a group of three orcas—an adult and two juveniles—went after a pair of green sea turtles.” National Geographic (9/17)
Study finds lower mortality risk with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Researchers studying fatal immune checkpoint inhibitor toxicities determined that the risk of death is much lower in patients receiving this treatment than for traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, stem cell transplants and complex cancer surgeries. The study, published in JAMA Oncology, is the largest of its kind and shows that immune checkpoint inhibitors are "quite transformative," according to researcher Dr. Douglas Johnson. Medical Xpress/Vanderbilt University Medical Center (9/13)
Team sandwiches titanium dioxide with gold for photoelectrode
Researchers at Japan's Hokkaido University report sandwiching a titanium dioxide film measuring 30 nanometers in thickness with a 100nm gold film and a layer of gold nanoparticles to create a photoelectrode device that boasts an energy-conversion efficiency of 85%. "Our photoelectrode successfully created a new condition in which plasmon and visible light trapped in the titanium oxide layer strongly interact, allowing light with a broad range of wavelengths to be absorbed by gold nanoparticles," says Hiroaki Misawa, lead author of the study. CleanTechnica (9/13)
Dense material inside neutron stars may be universe's strongest
Nuclear pasta, a dense substance found within neutron stars, may be the universe's strongest material, according to findings accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters. Researchers used computer simulations to see how the nuclear pasta, so named because the structures resemble gnocchi, spaghetti and lasagna, would respond to intense pressures. Science News (9/14)
There are about 20,000 human genes. So why do scientists only study a small fraction of them?
“Sequencing the human genome in the 1990s was supposed to reveal the entire universe of genes important to health and disease. But a handful of recent studies have shown that, surprisingly, researchers still focus mainly on only about 2000 of the roughly 19,000 human genes that code for proteins.” ScienceMag (9/18)
Why Your DNA Is Still Uncharted Territory
“You have a gene called PNMA6F. All people do, but no one knows the purpose of that gene or the protein it makes. And as it turns out, PNMA6F has a lot of company in that regard. In a study published Tuesday in PLOS Biology, researchers at Northwestern University reported that of our 20,000 protein-coding genes, about 5,400 have never been the subject of a single dedicated paper.” NY Times (9/18)
Mosquitoes may be contaminating ecosystems with tiny bits of plastic
“Mosquito larvae are remarkably unfussy eaters. They glide through the ponds and puddles they live in, creating currents that draw tiny particles of food into their mouths—but miniscule plastic morsels can easily slip down the hatch as well. New research shows these “microplastics” stick around in the mosquitoes’ bellies even after they emerge from the water as flying adults, putting their land predators in danger of ingesting the contaminants.” ScienceMag (9/18)
Reducing neuronal inhibition restores locomotion in paralysed mice
“When we decide to walk, the brain broadcasts commands through parallel neuronal pathways that cascade to executive centres in the lumbar region of the spinal cord. A spinal-cord injury (SCI) scatters this exquisitely organized communication system, leading to severe locomotor deficits or paralysis.” Nature News and Comment (9/18)
Why Sex and Gender Matter in Migraine
“A migraine attack is not just a headache, and not all migraine attacks are the same. The symptoms, length and frequency of migraine attacks can vary from person to person, but we know two clear factors that influence migraine: sex, in the biological sense, and gender—the social and cultural differences in how men and women seek and receive care.” Scientific American (9/18)
Cocaine overdose in mice blocked with CRISPR-edited skin patch
A skin patch of CRISPR-edited material grafted onto cocaine-addicted mice prevented them from overdosing on the drug, according to findings published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. Researchers used an augmented version of the enzyme butyrylcholinesterase, which breaks down cocaine, and expressed hope that their find could lead to a treatment for addiction. The Scientist online (9/17)
Cancer differences on images spotted by Google deep learning tool
A deep learning tool developed by Google has been trained to tell the difference between two common lung cancers and identify the tumors' genetic mutations, just by looking at pictures. Being able to tell the difference between the similar-looking cancers can help doctors prescribe the correct treatments for patients, according to findings published in Nature Medicine. Wired (tiered subscription model) (9/17)
Scientists develop "fatberg" conversion technique
University of British Columbia researchers say they have discovered a method of converting solidified masses of fats, oils and grease into renewable biogas fuel. Study co-author Asha Srinivasan says, "Finding the right combination of microwave temperature and hydrogen peroxide dosage is the key" to dislodging the "fatbergs" that clog sewer lines, "making it easy for the bacteria to digest and produce more methane." Oils & Fats International (UK) (9/14)
"Ghost images" can be detected by human eye, study suggests
The human eye has the ability to see so-called ghost images encoded in arbitrary patterns, which researchers once thought could only be discerned by computers. "Although the brain can't individually see them, the eye is somehow detecting all of the patterns, and then keeping the information there and summing everything together," said Daniele Faccio, co-author of the study published on arXiv. LiveScience (9/17)
French land mass helped form British mainland, geologists say
Geologists who studied rocks from southwest England say an ancient land mass called Armorica, which includes what is now France, helped in the formation of England, Wales and Scotland over 400 million years ago. Researchers had thought that only two land masses, Avalonia and Laurentia, created the British mainland. The Independent (London) (tiered subscription model) (9/14)
Remnants of ancient ice volcanoes found on Ceres
Scientists examining topographical maps created from Dawn space probe data have found evidence of what were once 22 ice volcanoes on the surface of the dwarf planet Ceres, according to findings published in Nature Astronomy. Researchers estimate the cryovolcanoes erupted for billions of years before flattening as they aged. Science News (9/17)
Hidden sea life may lure great white sharks
Scientists with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California say they may have found one of the reasons great white sharks congregate in a seemingly desolate area of the Pacific Ocean in the winter and spring. They tracked the great whites to a point midway between the California coast and Hawaii and found a surprising array of marine life traveling up and down a water column, providing the sharks with plenty of dining options. LiveScience (9/18)
Novel parvovirus explains kidney failure in lab mice
A newly identified parvovirus with genomic traits similar to viruses that affect pigs, bats and rats causes a previously unexplained renal disease in middle-aged lab mice, researchers reported in Cell.The virus could cause variation in experimental outcomes, but it could also be useful in kidney research, says lead author Ben Roediger. The Scientist online (9/13)
Souped-up arylomycin guards against Gram-negative bacteria in mice
A chemically modified version of arylomycin pierces the wall of Gram-negative bacteria and binds to an enzyme in the inner membrane of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii obtained from patients, researchers reported in Nature. In mice, the new molecule prevented infection by six strains of four different Gram-negative bacteria, and it showed no signs of toxicity in mammalian cells. Science (tiered subscription model)(9/12)
Female Cockroaches May Cluster Together to Avoid Male Harassment
“Humans are not the only species that deals with harassment. According to new research, female cockroaches may cluster together to keep male suitors at bay. Christina Stanley, an animal behavior lecturer at the University of Chester in England, and her colleagues put Pacific beetle cockroaches in special containers to observe their social behavior.” Scientific American (9/19)
"Wild, Wonderful" West Virginia's Decapitated Mountains and Deformed Fish
“I spot a mountain peak covered in dense forest, then another and another. But then, where I expect to see yet another forested mountaintop, I see instead a stunted plateau—a mountain whose once distinct peak has been chopped off, flattened and denuded of vegetation.” Scientific American (9/19)
Why do we hate wasps and love bees?
“A new study reveals that wasps are largely disliked by the public, whereas bees are highly appreciated. The researchers involved say that this view is unfair because wasps are just as ecologically useful as bees. The scientists suggest a public relations campaign to restore the wasps' battered image.” BBC (9/19)
The role of miniaturization in the evolution of the mammalian jaw and middle ear
“The evolution of the mammalian jaw is one of the most important innovations in vertebrate history, and underpins the exceptional radiation and diversification of mammals over the last 220 million years. In particular, the transformation of the mandible into a single tooth-bearing bone and the emergence of a novel jaw joint—while incorporating some of the ancestral jaw bones into the mammalian middle ear—is often cited as a classic example of the repurposing of morphological structures.” Nature News and Comment (9/19)
GAPDH inhibits intracellular pathways during starvation for cellular energy homeostasis
“Starvation poses a fundamental challenge to cell survival. Whereas the role of autophagy in promoting energy homeostasis in this setting has been extensively characterized1, other mechanisms are less well understood. Here we reveal that glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) inhibits coat protein I (COPI) transport by targeting a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) towards ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (ARF1) to suppress COPI vesicle fission.” Nature News and Comment
Meet the Woodpecker That Impersonates a Snake
“THIS BIRD’S MOTTO is fake it till you make it. Or in this case, fake it until the threat of being eaten has passed. That’s the strategy of Eurasian wrynecks, small brown woodpeckers native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. When spooked, they bend and twist their head from side to side, often while hissing, to imitate a forest snake.” National Geographic (9/19)
Hair growth may get boost from synthetic sandalwood
Synthetic sandalwood may help bolster hair growth, a study published in Nature Communicationssuggests. Olfactory receptors on the scalp stimulated a growth hormone when treated with synthetic sandalwood. New Scientist (free content) (9/18)
Exoplanet filled with water-like materials detected by TESS
NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite has spotted its first exoplanet and captured an image of a star-filled southern sky. The exoplanet, Pi Men c, is about 60 light-years from Earth and is likely filled with materials having a density comparable to pure water, according to findings published on arXiv.org. Science News (9/18)
Neutrino detector prototype observes first particle tracks
A prototype neutrino detector at CERN has discovered its first particle tracks, hinting that the full-scale Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment may succeed when it goes online in 2026 in South Dakota. Scientists at the ProtoDUNE observed muon paths left behind as protons hit Earth's atmosphere. Science News (9/18)