Hot off the Press- Scientists create better tools to study the processes of life June 27, 2017Scientists have developed a new biological tool for examining molecules - the building blocks of life - which they say could provide new insights and other benefits such as reducing the numbers of animals used in experiments.
- A mouse's view of the world, seen through its whiskers June 27, 2017Neuroscientists have thoroughly mapped the touch, visual and auditory regions of the brain's cortex, but how does this sensory information get processed into our perception of the world? UC Berkeley researchers have for the first time reconstructed the spatial map a mouse creates with its whiskers, and found evidence that layers 2 and 3 of the somatosen […]
- Cystic fibrosis alters the structure of mucus in airways June 27, 2017Cystic fibrosis (CF) alters the structure of mucus produced in airway passages. In pigs affected by CF, mucus strands (made of MUC5B protein) are more tangled than normal, and the sheets of mucus (made of MUC5AC protein) that cover the strands are denser. These structural abnormalities may help explain why people with CF have difficulty clearing mucus from t […]
- Brain's connectivity network may provide key insights into neurological disorders June 27, 2017A deeper understanding of the brain's connectivity network of neurons and its relationship to the organ's deep tissue could allow researchers to predict brain spatial patterns and recognize what processes relate to neurological disorders, according to a new study from Weill Cornell Medicine and the University of California at San Francisco.
- Hey Siri, an ancient algorithm may help you grasp metaphors June 27, 2017Ask Siri to find a math tutor to help you 'grasp' calculus and she's likely to respond that your request is beyond her abilities. That's because metaphors like 'grasp' are difficult for Apple's voice-controlled personal assistant to, well, grasp. But new UC Berkeley research suggests digital helpers could someday learn the […]
- What we can learn about global flu evolution from one person's infection June 27, 2017A new study has found that flu evolution within some individuals can hint at the virus's eventual evolutionary course worldwide.
- The Bee-Zed asteroid orbits in the opposite direction to planets June 27, 2017In our solar system, an asteroid orbits the Sun in the opposite direction to the planets. It takes 12 years to make one complete orbit around the Sun. The asteroid with the retrograde co-orbit was identified by Helena Morais, a professor at São Paulo State University's Institute of Geosciences & Exact Sciences, in Brazil. In partnership with Fathi N […]
- Study sheds light on how ovarian cancer spreads June 27, 2017A team of researchers from the University of California, Riverside and the University of Notre Dame are studying the molecular mechanisms by which ovarian cancer spreads -- or metastasizes -- to uncover new therapeutic opportunities.
- Researchers ID network of neurons crucial for vocal learning June 27, 2017Researchers have identified a network of neurons that plays a vital role in learning vocalizations by aiding communication between motor and auditory regions of the brain.
- With health care cuts looming, low-cost magnesium a welcome option for treating depression June 27, 2017The cost of depression is great -- 350 million people worldwide suffer from this disorder and costs for traditional SSRI treatments are high. New clinical research results show magnesium is effective at addressing symptoms and is safer and easier on the wallet than prescription therapies.
- Scientists create better tools to study the processes of life June 27, 2017
Tag Archives: Astronomy
WHSD? The Week in Science
The study of lice DNA has revealed humans first started wearing clothes 170,000 years ago. Through analysing DNA sequencing of lice, David Reed was able to calculate when clothing lice genetically diverged from human head lice. A new study has … Continue reading
WHSD? The Week in Science
New light has been shed on the astonishing way bacteria prioritise their DNA repair work. A team at the University of Bristol discovered a greater similarity between bacteria and human DNA repair than previously thought. Type 1 diabetic men may … Continue reading
WHSD? The Week in Science
Jet-setters may run the risk of long-term memory problems. A study using Syrian hamsters has shown that chronic jet lag creates persistent changes in the hippocampus, an area of the brain that plays an important role in memory processing. A … Continue reading
Attack of the Little Green Men: the Discovery of Pulsars
It’s 1967. A radio signal is picked up by astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell and radio astronomer Antony Hewish at a UK observatory. Originating from the Vulpecula constellation- a faint pattern of stars known as ‘the fox’- the signal is similar to … Continue reading
WHSD? The Week in Science
The venom from a scorpion sting could be used to reduce the risk of heart bypass failures, research has shown. A toxin found in the venom of the Central American bark scorpion hasbeen found to be 100 times more effective in controlling the growth … Continue reading
Need to Weigh a Star? Use a Moon.
Astrophysicist David Kipping has discovered that in special cases, we can directly measure the mass of the star by looking at the movement of the planets orbiting it. By measuring the amount of light blocked by a planet, astronomers found … Continue reading
Shedding light on black holes
Few cosmic phenomena capture our imaginations like black holes. The subject of countless sci-fi misadventures, it’s hard to describe a black hole without using grandiose and somewhat misguided metaphors. ‘Cosmic whirlpool’, or ‘deep space vacuum cleaner’ spring to mind along with notions, … Continue reading →