In this blog post, Tim Forrester helps answer a weighty question: Does weight loss help or hurt nesting birds? Based on his recent paper with Tom Martin, “Observational and experimental…
Category: Life
This exquisite Archaeopteryx fossil reveals how flight took off in birds
An exceptionally preserved specimen of the ancient bird Archaeopteryx offers the most detailed window yet into the evolution of flight, researchers report online May 14 in Nature. The remarkable preservation…
Tiny Gene Fragment Key to Memory Revealed
Summary: Researchers have discovered that a nine–amino acid microexon spliced into the DAAM1 gene is critical for memory formation, functioning exclusively in neurons. Deleting this microexon in mice resulted in…
CRISPR pig joins a shortlist of genetically modified animals approved by the FDA for human consumption
Most pigs in the US are confined to factory farms where they can be afflicted by a nasty respiratory virus that kills piglets. The illness is called porcine reproductive and…
Wild chimpanzees give first aid to each other
For wounded chimpanzees, help sometimes comes in the form of first aid — care rendered not by humans but by other chimps. New research reveals the nature and prevalence of…
Chronic Illness Combinations Double Depression Risk
Summary: A new study reveals that people with multiple chronic physical conditions face a significantly higher risk of developing depression, especially when conditions like heart disease and diabetes co-occur. Researchers…
A leaf’s geometry determines whether it falls far from its tree
An apple may not fall far from the tree, but for a leaf, it depends on its shape. Elm or apple leaves — oval and symmetrical, with few protruding lobes…
Why OCD, Tics, and ADHD Keep You Up at Night
Summary: People with obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (OCSDs), chronic tic disorders (CTDs), and ADHD often suffer from significant sleep disturbances, and a new review suggests that disruptions in the cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical (CSTC)…
This tool-wielding assassin turns its prey’s defenses into a trap
Add a little-known species of assassin bugs to the list of animals that can fashion and wield tools. And true to their name, the insects use that tool to draw…
