Honey bees perfect their waggle dances by learning from elders Science Magazine 2023-04-25 | Read the paper: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ade1702Read the Perspective: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adg6020The waggle dance performed by honey bees is a complex behavior that communicates directional information. In a recent paper, researchers demonstrated that younger bees learn critical parts of this dance from older, more experienced bees. Bees that learn without the benefit of teachers have errors in their dance, and while some of which can improve with practice, errors relating to distance encoding remain for their entire lives. Bees, like many other social animals, appear to benefit from social learning.
The hormone that spreads love and helps fish share fear Science Magazine 2023-03-24 | Read the paper: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abq5158
How researchers created conductive gels using the bodys own chemistry Science Magazine 2023-03-18 | Read the paper: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adc9998
A Shot to Stop the Tripledemic: Promising RSV Vaccines on the Horizon Science Magazine 2023-03-02 | Along with COVID-19 and the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has spread at alarming rates in recent months. Promising vaccine candidates for this common infection are now winding down their large-scale clinical trials. These vaccine candidates rely on a key advance made by Barney Graham, Jason McLellan, and colleagues in 2013. That year, Graham and McLellan, who later used similar approaches to make key contributions to the COVID-19 vaccines, provided the proof of concept for a new way of developing vaccines based on leveraging insights from structural biology. Together with colleague Man Chen, they made discoveries that paved the way for RSV vaccines that have neared the finish line, a feat Science Magazine named as a runner-up for the 2022 Breakthrough of the Year. Come join Science Magazine on 1 March at 1 p.m. ET to hear Graham, McLellan, and Chen discuss how the approach they described in 2013 is leading to what could be the first ever FDA-approved vaccines against RSV, as well as other RSV therapeutics. Gregory Zuckerman, author of multiple best-selling books, including A Shot to Save the World: The Inside Story of the Life-or-Death Race for a COVID-19 Vaccine, will share his perspective on this milestone. This event is being co-organized with the University of Texas, Austin, as part of their second Texas Science Festival.
How the Tonga volcanic eruption rippled through the earth, ocean and atmosphere Science Magazine 2023-02-14 | *This video has been re-published to correct the frequency range of infrasound, and the chemical structure of water.Read the papers:"Atmospheric waves and global seismoacoustic observations of the January 2022 Hunga eruption, Tonga" science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abo7063"Water vapor injection into the stratosphere by Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai" science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abq2299"Global fast-traveling tsunamis driven by atmospheric Lamb waves on the 2022 Tonga eruption" science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abo4364"The wave blown around the world"science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abq5392
Scientists turn dead stars into living laboratories called pulsar timing arrays Science Magazine 2023-01-27 | Read the Perspective: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abq1187In order to detect the background hum of gravitational waves in the cosmos, scientists monitor the light coming from dead stars called pulsars. These pulsars produce flashes of light with incredible regularity, allowing researchers to calculate when they would expect to detect these flashes. The difference between the expected actual arrival time of these flashes is caused by small ripples in space-time caused by gravitational waves. Researchers are looking at these differences across dozens of pulsars, called pulsar timing arrays, for confirmation of the gravitational wave background.
The biggest science breakthroughs in 2022 Science Magazine 2023-01-13 | Read more about the major science breakthroughs of 2022: science.org/content/article/breakthrough-20220:00 Breakthrough of the Year winner: JWST0:33 AI gets creative1:02 Asteroid deflected1:22 Virus fingered as cause of multiple sclerosis1:56 2-million-year-old ancient ecosystem reconstructed2:25 Black Death's legacy2:57 RSV vaccines near finish line3:24 A surprisingly massive microbe3:51 Perennial rice shows promise4:17 U.S. passes landmark climate law
JWSTs golden eye sees the universe anew Science Magazine 2022-12-15 | Not many telescopes get introduced by the president, but JWST, the gold-plated wunderkind of astronomy built by NASA with the help of the European and Canadian space agencies, deserves that honor. It is the most complex science mission ever put into space and at $10 billion the most expensive. And it did not come easy.Read more about the Breakthrough of the year: science.org/content/article/breakthrough-2022
Spectacular crustacean light shows reveal biodiversity on Caribbean reefs Science Magazine 2022-12-05 | Read the story: science.org/content/article/sea-fireflies-caribbean-shining-new-light-evolution
As old-growth grasslands disappear, ecologists test new restoration strategies Science Magazine 2022-09-23 | Read the review: https://scim.ag/OldGrowthGrasslands
Meet the mycologists aiming to illuminate the hidden world of fungi Science Magazine 2022-08-11 | A new nonprofit, the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, is on a mission to illuminate the hidden world of fungi beneath our feet. Gabriel Popkin, a contributing correspondent, joined these researchers on their inaugural sampling expedition in Patagonia. The researchers hope to map the global distribution of mycorrhizal fungi with a network of researchers. Read the story: science.org/content/article/myconauts-aim-reveal-often-hidden-soil-fungi-shape-ecosystems
How soft sounds might dull pain in mice Science Magazine 2022-07-21 | Experiments in mice show how sound tamps down on pain processing in the brainRead the story: https://scim.ag/3cjITbbRead the research ($): https://scim.ag/3Ok5dPa
This ancient giraffe relative head-butted rivals Science Magazine 2022-06-02 | Read the story: science.org/content/article/ancient-giraffe-relative-head-butted-rivals-amazing-sexual-weaponRead the research: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abl8316
This little bot can hitchhike, swim and swoop with ease Science Magazine 2022-05-20 | Robots on long survey missions need to conserve power whenever possible. What if they could just hitch a ride on whatever they’re studying? That’s the idea behind a new robot, inspired by remoras, fish that hitchhike onto other animals using an adhesive disc on top of their head. Remoras use lamellae, slat-like bones encased in soft tissue, and spinules, rows of hard teeth-like tissue to create tight suction. In 2017, scientists created a disc inspired by these features. But the disc couldn’t suction with individual lamella, making it vulnerable to falling off. In the new study, the researchers created a disc with redundant suctions, allowing it to attach to surfaces even if part of its disc was not fully attached. Adding propellers on board enabled the robot to swim underwater and latch onto moving objects. The bot could also launch itself out of the water in less than half a second, scientists report this week in Science Robotics. The researchers anticipate this robot being used in a variety of situations: from diving in the water to tag animals, to long term environmental surveys. Watch the video to see the robot tackle a variety of situations with ease.
Your dog’s breed doesn’t determine its personality, study suggests Science Magazine 2022-04-28 | A new study shows that almost none of the behaviors we associate with dog breeds—from lovable Labradors to pugnacious pit bulls—are hard-wired. Aside from a few ancient traits, environment seems to play a much larger role than pedigree.Read the research: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk0639
Here’s what we know about COVID-19’s impact on the brain Science Magazine 2022-04-15 | When COVID-19 first emerged, many researchers were focused on its impact on the lungs. But others, including Avindra Nath, Clinical Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, suspected COVID could also have a profound impact on the brain. Brain autopsy data from those who have died of COVID-19 have confirmed these early suspicions, revealing damaged blood vessels and inflammatory cells. Less is known about the direct impact on the brains of people with persisting symptoms weeks after an initial infection, a condition known as Long COVID. What at first seemed like a laundry list of neurological symptoms has now been focused into major categories, says Serena Spudich, a neurologist at Yale University. Watch to learn how researchers and doctors have been teasing apart how COVID impacts the brain, and testing treatments to alleviate symptoms.
Watch how Finland plans to store uranium waste for 100,000 years Science Magazine 2022-03-04 | The saying “out of sight, out of mind” doesn’t quite hold true for radioactive materials. Proposed permanent storage facilities for nuclear waste have encountered pushback in countries like France, Sweden, and the United States—including the latter’s famously contested Yucca Mountain site in Nevada. However, Finland has succeeded in gaining approval for a long-term nuclear waste repository, which is set to open in a few years.Read the story: science.org/content/article/finland-built-tomb-store-nuclear-waste-can-it-survive-100000-years
How lizards balance keeping their tails on and peeling them off Science Magazine 2022-02-17 | To get out of sticky situations, some lizards detach their tails from their bodies and scurry away. Scientists have long wondered how the bones and muscles in these tails—which help with balance and movement—can sever with ease when needed, but stay firmly in place when not.Previous studies showed the vertebrae in a lizard’s tail are ringed by muscles that fit together like plugs and sockets, with each conical “plug” covered in microscopic bumps. In a new study, researchers zoomed in on the sockets with a scanning electron microscope. They thought they would find concave notches for the bumps to fit in to—like fingers in a glove. Instead, they found only small indents—hardly the secure lock-and-release mechanism they were expecting.But they also found that the top of each bump was dotted with holes called nanopores. To see if they played a role in the detachment, the researchers made model tails out of glass, either with or without silicone patches dotted with nanopore-like grooves. The fake tails with nanopore patches were the toughest to pry apart. Small cracks created by the pores allowed the “tail” to move flexibly without cleaving off at the wrong moment.So how do the lizards activate their escape mechanism when needed? It all depends on how they bend and yank their tails, the researchers report today in Science. They filmed real lizards’ tails with high-speed video (above), and found that when the lizards want to detach, they bend their tails at a side angle rather than by yanking straight back. The researchers tested the motion with their silicone models, and found the patches were much easier to peel off like a sticker than to pull off like a plug. But no need to worry—most missing appendages grow back, though in the form of a cartilage “stump,” in a matter of weeks.Read the research: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abh1614
The precious genes of the world’s first cloned ferret could save her species Science Magazine 2022-02-11 | The National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Fort Collins, Colorado, isn’t Jurassic Park, but new developments there might sound familiar to fans of the sci-fi classic. This year, the center’s sole cloned ferret, a 14-month-old female named Elizabeth Ann, is expected to become the first clone to be bred for the sake of saving her species from extinction.Three other species have been cloned for conservation: a Przewalski’s horse named Kurt, and two types of Southeast Asian cattle under threat, the gaur and the banteng. But Elizabeth Ann is the only clone set to take the next step and breed, an essential step in delivering her unique genes to the shrinking black-footed ferret gene pool. However, even Elizabeth Ann isn’t 100% black-footed ferret. Somatic cell nuclear transfer—the technique used to create her—uses a domestic ferret as a surrogate mother, a process that leaves traces of domestic genes in the cloned offspring. To boost the black-footed ferret genes, scientists hope to one day breed Elizabeth Ann’s male offspring with a captive black-footed female, thereby ferreting out any domestic genes. This video shows how it can be done.
As seed-hauling animals decline, some plants can’t keep up with climate change Science Magazine 2022-02-02 | Over half of plants rely on animals to disperse their seeds far and wide. In the face of climate change, birds and mammals are these plants’ best chance at putting down roots in a more suitable environment. Unfortunately, many birds and mammals that carry these seeds have experienced staggering losses to their population—some large seed-haulers, such as wooly mammoths, are extinct. A study published in Science last month created models that could forecast future interactions between animals and plants as their habitat ranges shift, and how species losses up until now have reduced the distance seeds can travel. Watch to see the areas around the world hardest hit by these declines, and the tactics that could increase plants’ resilience to climate change in the future. Read the story: science.org/content/article/loss-seed-hauling-animals-spells-trouble-plants-warming-worldRead the research: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abk3510
This robot can hike as fast as a human Science Magazine 2022-01-19 | *Correction: Joonho Lee's first name is misspelled in the credits.In 2020, researchers at ETH Zurich introduced the world to a four-legged robot named ANYmal that could traverse a variety of environments without slipping. The machine relied solely on proprioception—awareness of its body position—to navigate these complex terrains. ANYmal couldn’t actually see its surroundings, however, which limited how fast it could move. This year, the same researchers gave ANYmal “eyes”—depth sensors that allowed it to take in its surroundings. The robot could create a height map of its environment to plan and adapt to its terrain. But the sensors were not always accurate: soft, unstable surfaces, such as vegetation or snow, appeared as solid obstacles the robot could not walk over. To overcome this problem, the researchers trained ANYmal to rely solely on its proprioceptive perception when it was at odds with its height map. After integrating these senses, this iteration of the robot could move twice as fast as its predecessor, and about as fast as an average human’s walking speed, researchers report today in Science Robotics. Watch the video to see ANYmal in action—from the mountains of Switzerland to an underground tunnel.Read the research: science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.abk2822
Science’s 2021 Breakthrough of the Year: AI brings protein structures to all Science Magazine 2021-12-17 | Bounty of new structures will forever change biology and medicineSee the entire Breakthrough of the Year package: http://www.science.org/content/article/breakthrough-20210:00 Introduction0:13 Runner-up: Ancient human DNA in soil1:07 Runner-up: NASA lander detects Red Planet's core1:56 Runner-up: Psychedelic treatment for PTSD2:39 Runner-up: Potent pills boost COVID-19 arsenal3:35 The 2021 Breakthrough of the Year: Protein structures for all*Note, 12/17/2021: This video has been revised to include a credit for Estatuas Cave footage.
Snapshots from high in the sky allow new insight into ecosystems around the world Science Magazine 2021-12-09 | There aren’t enough researchers to survey the entirety of our planet on foot—not to mention that many areas are treacherous to reach. Satellites and drones are crucial to showing off these places and provide new perspectives on areas we can access. When NASA launched Landsat1 in 1973, it was the first satellite to provide regular snapshots of the entire world. Now, the frequency and resolution of satellite imagery has greatly improved. Watch to learn how scientists are harnessing these data to better understand the health and biodiversity of ecosystems. Read the story: science.org/content/article/satellites-offer-new-ways-study-ecosystems-maybe-even-save-them
This drone has legs: Watch a flying robot perch on branches, catch a tennis ball in mid-air Science Magazine 2021-12-01 | Wings aren’t the only things that make birds so successful. If it weren’t for their feet, how would pelicans skimming the tips of waves be able to suddenly land on a pier piling, or owls grab a mouse at 64 kilometers per hour without missing a beat? Robot birds must be able to do the same—something that has been a challenge, until now. In a new study, researchers analyzed the anatomy and behavior of a tiny American parrot called a parrotlet and peregrine falcons, two species known for their expert footwork. They then designed “SNAG” (Stereotyped Nature-Inspired Aerial Grasper) - a pair of jointed legs attached to feet with jointed talons that automatically close around any object they encounter, be it a dowel, branch, or tennis ball. Read the research ($): http://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.abj7562
Scientists struggle to ‘awaken’ patients from rare sleep disorders Science Magazine 2021-11-17 | The waning light of autumn and the rewinding of clocks can throw just about anyone’s sleep out of whack, at least for a little while. But for people with rare sleeping disorders, the struggle never ceases. Patients with idiopathic hypersomnia (IH)—like Victoria Kirby York of Ft. Washington, Maryland—never feel rested, despite sleeping as many as 11 hours in one day. The disorder is a struggle for patient and doctor alike: Researchers are still trying to uncover IH’s most basic biological mechanisms.
Watch itchy fish rub up against the worst possible scratching post: hungry sharks Science Magazine 2021-11-10 | Credit: Lacey Williams/Alexandra Anstett/Erick Higuera/Jonathan R. GreenIf you’re a fish with an itch, a shark would seemingly be the last thing you’d turn to for a scratch. Yet scientists now report spotting several species of fish swimming up to sharks and intentionally rubbing them. The prey appear to be using the predators’ rough skin to rid themselves of parasites.Read more: science.org/content/article/watch-itchy-fish-rub-against-worst-possible-scratching-post-hungry-sharks
This long-lasting hydrogel could be used to replace damaged human tissues Science Magazine 2021-11-02 | More entanglements in the material help polymer chains slip without breakingRead the research: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abg6320Hydrogels, water-absorbing materials similar to soft tissues, have been used in countless biomedical applications, from contact lenses to pill coatings. But it’s hard to create hydrogels that can hold up to repeated stresses—after enough uses, many reach a “breaking” point where they stretch out and cannot return to their original shape. Now, researchers at Harvard University have manipulated one material’s underlying structure to make a hydrogel that is both stretchy and tough.Hydrogels are made of polymer strands that stick together in two ways: chemical bonds known as cross-links, and entanglements, in which one polymer chain weaves around another. Increasing the number of cross-links creates a more rigid, brittle hydrogel. But the researchers found that when they increased the number of entanglements along each chain—from just one or two along each chain to over a hundred—they made a material that was tough, but still stretchy enough to use as an artificial muscle or to coat the surface of an artificial joint. The dense entanglements allowed the chains to slip around and tug on each other without breaking. Watch the video to learn how they perfected this recipe.
Native tribes have lost 99% of their land in the United States Science Magazine 2021-10-29 | New data set quantifies Indigenous land dispossession and forced migrationRead the story: science.org/content/article/native-tribes-have-lost-99-their-land-united-statesRead the research: science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abe4943
Swarms of satellites are blocking the gaze of astronomers Science Magazine 2021-10-14 | For millennia, bright lights sprinkled across our celestial sphere have guided great explorers, passed on storied traditions, and lent insight into the nature of our universe. Now, they have competition: thousands of satellites circling the globe in low orbit.Read the story: science.org/content/article/satellite-swarms-are-threatening-night-sky-creating-new-zone-environmental-conflict
Who censored Marie-Antoinette’s letters? X-rays reveal a surprise Science Magazine 2021-10-04 | In late 1791 and early 1792, on the eve of the French Revolutionary Wars, queen Marie-Antoinette engaged in a secret correspondence with her confidant and rumored lover, Swedish count Axel von Fersen. Nearly 50 letters from that exchange survive at the French National Archives. But certain passages in 15 of the letters were unreadable, obscured by redactions made with swirls of dark ink. Now, researchers have revealed the words beneath 45 of these alterations using x-ray technology. They have also discovered the censor’s identity.Read more: https://scim.ag/3iq5F1s*Correction, October 4, 2021, 9 a.m. EDT: An earlier version of this video featured a portrait of Hans Axel von Fersen's father, Fredrik Axel von Fersen. This error has since been corrected.
Can a robot influence your decisions? It depends on how you view the machine Science Magazine 2021-09-22 | People who saw robots as peers versus authority figures had different responses to the machine’s influenceRead the research: science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.abd5186
A new fleet of Moon landers will set sail next year, backed by private companies Science Magazine 2021-09-17 | Who knew outsourcing could extend to outer space? In some ways, that’s the aim of NASA’s $2.6-billion initiative meant to galvanize the private sector’s development of Moon landers and rovers. Read the story: https://scim.ag/3CowryC
Supercell storm clouds act like atmospheric mountains Science Magazine 2021-09-09 | Last week, the remnants of Hurricane Ida spawned tornadoes and high winds that tore across the U.S. northeast, destroying buildings and taking dozens of lives. Now, scientists have identified a key feature of big storms that could make such extreme weather events easier to predict.Read more: https://scim.ag/2Xb24wD
The quest for room-temperature superconductors that don’t require extreme pressure Science Magazine 2021-08-31 | Superconductors are used in MRIs and particle accelerators, but to maintain zero electrical resistance, they must stay at frigid temperatures. For decades, researchers have searched for a solution to this problem: superconductors that work at room-temperature. Many believe this discovery would open the door to a host of everyday applications. So far, the only reported room-temperature superconductor requires high pressure to function—but some researchers believe they can create ambient pressure superconductors by creating materials with the right chemical combination. Watch to learn how researchers think this superconductor might come to fruition, and why other scientists are skeptical.Read the story: science.org/content/article/thanks-bit-diamond-smashing-practical-room-temperature-superconductivity-could-be-close
Snippet: Wild cockatoos make their own cutlery sets Science Magazine 2021-08-31 | Scientists have observed wild cockatoos, members of the parrot family, crafting the equivalent of a crowbar, an ice pick, and a spoon to pry open one of their favorite fruits. This is the first time any bird species has been seen creating and using a set of tools in a specific order—a cognitively challenging behavior previously known only in humans, chimpanzees, and capuchin monkeys.Read the story: https://scim.ag/2V2EwZTAbout Science SnippetsThese videos are short snippets from researchers' work—often videos actually used as data in a study or to demonstrate results in a paper. For context or additional explanation, check links.
Baby bats babble, much like human infants Science Magazine 2021-08-19 | Saccopteryx bilineata illustration courtesy of Gloria GessingerWhen Ahana Fernandez and her colleagues trek through the rainforests of Central America, they keep their ears tuned for an unusual sound: high-pitched, repetitive chirping and squeaking. The noises come from greater sac-winged bat pups (Saccopteryx bilineata). Though they sound nothing like the babbling of human babies, the animal behavior researcher and her colleagues at the Natural History Museum, Berlin, suspected the two might have something in common.Read the story: https://scim.ag/2WbjqbR
Ancient supernovae might have upended Earth’s evolution Science Magazine 2021-08-12 | When stars run out of fuel, they can collapse under their own gravity, exploding as supernovae that blast debris and radioactive nuclei far into space. Most of these events are too far from Earth to impact our planet. But if one happened nearby, the effects could be dramatic.By studying radioactive isotopes on Earth, scientists have uncovered evidence suggesting that two near-Earth supernovae occurred in the past few million years. Some researchers now hypothesize that supernova-generated particles known as cosmic rays might have depleted the ozone layer, increased cancer rates in ancient organisms, sparked wildfires, and even started an ice age.Read the article: https://scim.ag/3CARIGi
Watch out, Olympic gymnasts: These squirrels have their own gold medal moves Science Magazine 2021-08-05 | Common mammal learns and adjusts movements on the flyRead the story: sciencemag.org/news/2021/08/watch-out-olympic-gymnasts-these-squirrels-have-their-own-gold-medal-movesRead the research ($): www.science.sciencemag.org/content/373/6555/697
These scientists flew eggs across the ocean to save seabirds from climate change Science Magazine 2021-08-02 | Most black-footed albatross nest on sandy beaches in Hawaii—but rising sea levels threaten their eggs and chicks. Researchers in Mexico and the United States came up with a way to save these birds: having young albatross hatch and imprint on an island 6000 kilometers away with higher ground. Watch to see the journey of these black-footed albatross. Read the story: sciencemag.org/news/2021/06/they-were-destined-drown-how-scientists-found-these-seabirds-new-island-home
Mom’s powerful friends keep high-ranking hyenas on top Science Magazine 2021-07-23 | In hyenas as well as humans, it pays to be born to high-ranking parents. A new study reveals how power is passed down in these matriarchal mammals: Elite hyena cubs cultivate their mom’s friends, who help keep them fed and protected throughout their lives.Read the research: https://scim.ag/3eNg5qeRead the article: https://scim.ag/36XLG3S
Museum scientists race to preserve our plastic legacy Science Magazine 2021-07-14 | Conservators must figure out what their art is made of in order to save itRead the story: https://scim.ag/3hZOCSJ
How managed retreat can help communities facing sea level rise Science Magazine 2021-07-09 | In 2016, the residents of Isle de Jean Charles, a small strip of land off the coast of Louisiana, received a $48 million grant to relocate their entire community. Faced with sea level rise and rapid erosion, many made the decision to seek higher ground. Communities around the world—from Miami to Mumbai—will have to grapple with similar choices. Watch to learn how researchers approach climate-induced relocation and read more about the topic in Science’s special issue.Read the special issue: https://scim.ag/3wMUWCJRead Saleemul Huq's piece: https://scim.ag/3yYpBORRead Marjolijn Haasnoot's piece: https://scim.ag/3hCpFOs
Underwater robot may unearth climate mysteries Science Magazine 2021-07-02 | Two hundred meters under the sunny waves of the ocean lies the mesopelagic zone, a cold, dark section of water where humans rarely venture. This area, dubbed the “twilight zone” houses animals like krill, squid, and jellyfish. Twilight zone animals play a major part in the carbon cycle, bringing organic carbon from surface waters and trapping them deep beneath the tides. But these shy creatures are delicate and hard to observe, making it nearly impossible to trace their movements, let alone their impact on the Earth’s climate.Enter Mesobot. This autonomous underwater robot weighs in at just over 550 pounds, with a black and yellow tank-like exterior. It can track a single organism for over a day without human intervention, relying on a long-lasting battery and advanced tracking algorithms to follow creatures on their daily commutes. With an array of sensors and a high-definition camera, Mesobot could help scientists learn about this mysterious ocean area—and the creatures it contains.Read the research: https://scim.ag/3jGxGD8
Your body’s ‘hidden’ senses might help treat epilepsy, depression Science Magazine 2021-06-22 | When it comes to our senses, we frequently focus on the external—the crack of thunder, the glare of sunlight, the fragrance of flowers—that captured our attention in the first place. But our bodies also have a whole host of internal senses that tell our brains whether our hearts are beating at the right speed, for example, or whether our blood pressure is too high. These signals travel constantly via hormones and nerves, including a mysterious 100,000-fiber network called the vagus nerve. Now, new techniques are helping scientists map the thin, twisting branches of the vagus nerve—which connects the brain to the heart, intestines, and other internal organs—and make surprising discoveries about its role in memory and emotion. Read the story: https://scim.ag/3x0S7OY
Brood X cicadas, which come out every 17 years, may emerge more often in the future Science Magazine 2021-06-15 | This year, billions of cicadas descended on the eastern United States. Unlike other groups of the insects, which show up on a yearly basis, this year’s crop—known as Brood X—appears only every 17 years. Yet some people saw Brood X in 2017. Researchers suspect that a warmer climate could be triggering the “periodical cicadas” of Brood X and others to emerge four years early. Watch to learn how periodical cicadas permanently altered their lifecycles in the past—and why it might happen again.
Tragic spring surge leads India to crank up vaccine effort Science Magazine 2021-06-04 | In March 2021, Science staff writer Jon Cohen traveled to India to get an up-close look at the country’s response to COVID-19—and its plans to help vaccinate the world. But by the time he got there, India had entered the early stages of what would become one of the world’s largest coronavirus surges, reaching a tragic peak of more than 400,000 cases a day in early May and 4500 daily deaths several weeks later. In this video, Cohen describes—with the help of original recordings—India’s recent COVID-19 surge and the challenging effort to rapidly roll out vaccines.
Deadly river ‘earthquakes’ could be manageable Science Magazine 2021-05-20 | New techniques could help combat the flooding disasters triggered by sediment buildup.Read the full story: https://scim.ag/3u3n9DJ
Earth was once a planet of the apes—and they set the stage for human evolution Science Magazine 2021-05-18 | More than ten million years ago, the world was brimming with a wide variety of apes. Scientists studying the ones that are still alive today can learn a lot about human evolution—but they miss out on many clues that can only be found from the apes that went extinct. Watch to learn how fossil apes have strengthened ideas about how humans evolved, and what steps we can take to learn even more about our ancient ancestors. Read the review: https://scim.ag/3hw5PVx*Correction, 18 May, noon: This video has been updated to identify how a major climatic shift impacted Miocene apes, and to clarify the period during the Miocene where a limited number of fossil apes has been discovered in Africa.
A new twist on pasta dough could reshape food manufacturing Science Magazine 2021-05-14 | Mighty morphing power… pastas? They might not be as action packed as Power Rangers, but a new type of programmable dough could make packing pasta a whole lot easier, according to a new study in Science Advances. Bulky pastas—such as farfalle and fusilli—require more packaging than thinner varieties like angel hair, making them trickier to transport and leading to more waste. Scientists tackled the problem by designing flat pastas that can transform into 3D shapes. They scored flat dough made of semolina flour—a core ingredient of Italian cuisine—with grooves, whose depth and spacing determined how the pasta would form when boiled. Then, they fed their data into computer models, which could eventually automate the technique and make it easier for food manufacturers to produce and deliver a loaded menu of morphing pastas. The researchers captured their versatile culinary creations and delicious results on camera. Just don’t look at them on an empty stomach.Read the research: https://scim.ag/3oewl6O
These strange salt ‘creatures’ could help unclog power plant pipes Science Magazine 2021-04-28 | Behold the salt monsters. These twisted mineral crystals—formed from the buildup of slightly salty water in power plant pipes—come in many shapes and sizes. But the tiny monsters are a big problem: Each year, they cost the world’s power plants at least $100 billion, as workers have to purge the pipes and scrub them from filters. Now, a solution may be at hand. Read the research ($): https://scim.ag/3eFQhuX
