Evolution
The Closest Living Relative of the First Animal Has Finally Been Found
A debate has been settled over the earliest animal ancestor—a free-swimming creature with a well-developed nervous system
Stories by Viviane Callier
Evolution
Evolution Turns These Knobs to Make a Hummingbird Hyperquick and a Cavefish Sluggishly Slow
By tuning the enzymes that control the breakdown or storage of sugars, hummingbirds and cavefish adapt their metabolism to meet the demands of the vastly different environments in which they live...
Vaccines
An Old TB Vaccine Might Help Stave Off Diabetes, Cancer Alzheimer’s, and More
The BCG vaccine might assist in preventing a range of major diseases...
Animals
Deep Dive Ties Together Dog Genetics, Brain Physiology and Behavior to Explain Why Collies Are Different from Terriers
A way to map the ancestry of dog breeds reveals the genetic basis of stereotypical dog behaviors
Sociology
A Massive LinkedIn Study Reveals Who Actually Helps You Get That Job
Acquaintances, more than close friends, show the strength of “weak ties” when it comes to employment
Animals
How Sea Creatures Pack a Tiny Propulsive Sting
New work explains “one of nature’s most exquisite biological micro-machines”
Genetics
Blind Cave Fish May Trade Color for Energy
Pasty cave fish seem to repurpose a melanin-making molecule to better survive famine
Animals
Head-Banging Woodpeckers Could Give Themselves a Concussion Every Day: Here’s How They Avoid It
These avian tree drillers do tricks to protect their noggin. Meanwhile snapping shrimp avoid the problem with external eye goggles
Evolution
Heated Debate Persists over the Origins of Complex Cells
Were mitochondria a driving evolutionary force or just a late addition?
Cancer
How to Tell whether a Cancer Is Caused by Plain Bad Luck
A new study offers a possible answer to the question “Why me?”
Evolution
A Strange Creature Discards Genes to Make a Better Heart
The sea squirt relative demonstrates that sometimes less is more: losing genes can be adaptive
Mathematics
Simple Mathematical Law Predicts Movement in Cities around the World
A new model could help model disease transmission and urban planning
Biology
Genetic Diversity of Malaria in a Single Mosquito Bite May Be Huge
New blood tests help to track disease-causing Plasmodium strains
Behavior
Bumblebees Solve a 17th-Century Psychological Puzzle
By answering the question posed in Molyneux’s problem, the invertebrates may have demonstrated an ability to internally represent objects
Chemistry
Levitating Drugs, Star Wars Tech and a Simulated Universe: Science GIFs to Start Your Week
Enjoy and loop on
Public Health
Superslippery Toilets Squash Water Wastage
A slick coating, inspired by the carnivorous pitcher plant, could halve the liquid needed for flushing
Policy
In Science, Some Ideas Are More Contagious Than Others
An infectious disease model shows that ideas from prestigious institutions are more likely to spread farthest
Evolution
Too Small for Big Muscles, Tiny Animals Use Springs
Elastic springs help tiny animals stay fast and strong. New work is finding what size critters must be to benefit from the springs
Health
Cells Talk and Help One Another via Tiny Tube Networks
Long-overlooked “tunneling nanotubes” and other bridges between cells act as conduits for sharing RNA, proteins or even whole organelles
Biology
Insects Conquered a Watery Realm with Just 2 New Genes
Minor genetic changes can have big evolutionary consequences. When a gene duplication gave some water striders a novel leg part, it opened up a new world for them
