Zika’s shape-shifting machinery, and a possible vulnerability
Viruses have limited genetic material — and few proteins — so all the pieces must work extra hard. Zika is a great example; the virus only produces 10 proteins. Now,…
What happens when the brain loses a hub?
A University of Iowa-led team of international neuroscientists have obtained the first direct recordings of the human brain in the minutes before and after a brain hub crucial for language…
Major breakthrough for severe asthma treatment
A landmark study has shown that severe asthma can be controlled using biologic therapies, without the addition of regular high-dose inhaled steroids which can have significant side effects. The findings…
ChatGPT often won’t defend its answers — even when it is right
ChatGPT may do an impressive job at correctly answering complex questions, but a new study suggests it may be absurdly easy to convince the AI chatbot that it’s in the…
Molecular fossils shed light on ancient life
Paleontologists are getting a glimpse at life over a billion years in the past based on chemical traces in ancient rocks and the genetics of living animals. Research published Dec.…
Feathered friends can become unlikely helpers for tropical coral reefs facing climate change threat
Tropical coral reefs are among our most spectacular ecosystems, yet a rapidly warming planet threatens the future survival of many reefs. However, there may be hope for some tropical reefs…
Researchers develop grassroots framework for managing environmental commons
A team of sustainability scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently announced in the journal PLOS ONE that they have developed a community-based framework, founded on extensive local and…
Fungus-fighting protein could help overcome severe autoimmune disease and cancer
A protein in the immune system programmed to protect the body from fungal infections is also responsible for exacerbating the severity of certain autoimmune diseases such as irritable bowel disease…
Limitations of asteroid crater lakes as climate archives
In southern Germany just north of the Danube, there lies a large circular depression between the hilly surroundings: the Nördlinger Ries. Almost 15 million years ago, an asteroid struck this…
Bacteria’s mucus maneuvers: Study reveals how snot facilitates infection
Sniffles, snorts and blows of runny noses are the hallmarks of cold and flu season — and that increase in mucus is exactly what bacteria use to mount a coordinated…