Oldest relative to universal ancestor found
The remains of a man who died in 315 B.C. in southern Africa have identified him as the closest known relative to humanity's common female ancestor, a study published in Genome Biology and Evolution reports. "He belongs to the earliest diverged lineage -- the oldest we know of," said study leader Vanessa Hayes of the Garvan Institute in Australia. He lived more than 100,000 years after his female ancestor, and is the first ancient human from sub-Saharan Africa to undergo DNA sequencing, researchers say. New Scientist (10/9)
The remains of a man who died in 315 B.C. in southern Africa have identified him as the closest known relative to humanity's common female ancestor, a study published in Genome Biology and Evolution reports. "He belongs to the earliest diverged lineage -- the oldest we know of," said study leader Vanessa Hayes of the Garvan Institute in Australia. He lived more than 100,000 years after his female ancestor, and is the first ancient human from sub-Saharan Africa to undergo DNA sequencing, researchers say. New Scientist (10/9)
Invasive species evolutionarily predisposed to compete
Some plants and creatures are evolutionarily predisposed to do well in non-native environments while others are not, according to a study inGlobal Ecology and Biogeography. Researchers studied locations where many invasive species originate and found they had a high diversity of competing species, making them predisposed to adapt to different environments. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (10/9)
Some plants and creatures are evolutionarily predisposed to do well in non-native environments while others are not, according to a study inGlobal Ecology and Biogeography. Researchers studied locations where many invasive species originate and found they had a high diversity of competing species, making them predisposed to adapt to different environments. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (10/9)
“Grace Silva has a horrible form of thyroid cancer that is considered untreatable — usually, patients are sent to a hospice and die within months of learning they have the disease. But she is still alive four years after her diagnosis. She is what cancer doctors call an exceptional responder: someone who defies all expectations by responding dramatically to a drug tried not with a real rationale but more out of a doctor’s desperate urge to do something.” NY Times (10/9)
“When his infant son Sam was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes two decades ago, Doug Melton made himself a promise: He would cure it. When his daughter Emma was diagnosed with the same autoimmune disease at 14, he redoubled his efforts. Finally he can see the finish line. In a paper published Thursday in the journal Cell, Melton announces that he has created a virtually unlimited supply of the cells that are missing in people with type 1 diabetes.” National Geographic (10/10)
“Lipids, the chemical family that includes fats and related molecules, get blamed for clogged arteries and heart attacks. But thanks to careful detective work tracking the effects of a particular protein, researchers have discovered a class of lipids that prevent or reverse some of the harmful metabolic changes of diabetes and similar disorders in mice. These molecules might be therapeutic themselves, or they could lead researchers to new drugs.” Science NOW (10/10)
“Mirrors are often used to elicit aggression in animal behavioural studies, with the assumption being that creatures unable to recognize themselves will react as if encountering a rival. But research suggests that such work may simply reflect what scientists expect to see, and not actual aggression. For most people, looking in a mirror does not trigger a bout of snarling hostility at the face staring back. But many animals do seem to react aggressively to their mirror image, and for years mirrors have been used to trigger such responses for behavioural research on species ranging from birds to fish.” Nature News and Comment (10/10)
Sidewinder snakes show researchers how to climb slippery sand
Scientists have turned to sidewinder snakes and their robotic counterparts to discover how the creatures navigate sandy terrain without sliding. Researchers hope that learning how the snakes traverse the tricky terrain may one day lead to robots that can easily navigate rubble in search-and-rescue missions or archaeological sites. National Geographic News (free registration)/Weird & Wild blog (10/9) NY Times(10/9)
Scientists have turned to sidewinder snakes and their robotic counterparts to discover how the creatures navigate sandy terrain without sliding. Researchers hope that learning how the snakes traverse the tricky terrain may one day lead to robots that can easily navigate rubble in search-and-rescue missions or archaeological sites. National Geographic News (free registration)/Weird & Wild blog (10/9) NY Times(10/9)
“When most people think about biodiversity they envision rainforests or coral reefs. Filmmaker Jeremy Monroe is on a mission to change that and teach about the amazing species that live in freshwater. Many people know only the freshwater animals that are commonly caught as sport fish, such as the largemouth bass.” Scientific American (10/10)
Study: Responses to various types of humor change with age
What people find funny can depend on their age, according to a study in Psychology and Aging. Researchers showed comedy clips to subjects of various ages and found that older adults disapprove of jokes they consider aggressive or mean. The Washington Post (tiered subscription model) (10/9)
What people find funny can depend on their age, according to a study in Psychology and Aging. Researchers showed comedy clips to subjects of various ages and found that older adults disapprove of jokes they consider aggressive or mean. The Washington Post (tiered subscription model) (10/9)
“By day, Dan Chitwood of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis is a plant morphologist who studies how the form and structure of tomatoes evolves differently as they adapt to new environments. By night, when he needs to think through a problem or take a break, he plays the viola. Chitwood has now crossed his passions for plants and stringed instruments by publishing a study that documents the evolution of violin shapes using the same methods that he uses for charting the evolving form of leaves. The study published Oct. 8 inPLoS One used these methods to examine the shape of 9,000 instruments built over a period of 400 years.” Scientific American (10/10)
NASA ready to track comet as it flies by Mars
In a little over a week, a mountain-sized comet will zip by Mars, and NASA is ready for its close-up. The space agency has an array of spacecraft, the Mars rovers and myriad telescopes set to track comet Siding Spring from various angles and lights as it passes the red planetOct. 19. "This particular comet has never before entered the inner solar system, so it will provide a fresh source of clues to our solar system's earliest days," said NASA's John Grunsfield. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (10/9)
In a little over a week, a mountain-sized comet will zip by Mars, and NASA is ready for its close-up. The space agency has an array of spacecraft, the Mars rovers and myriad telescopes set to track comet Siding Spring from various angles and lights as it passes the red planetOct. 19. "This particular comet has never before entered the inner solar system, so it will provide a fresh source of clues to our solar system's earliest days," said NASA's John Grunsfield. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (10/9)
Drought reveals remains of once-submerged Oregon town
A drought has revealed the remnants of a community in Oregon that had once been submerged in a man-made reservoir, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Archaeologists are excavating the buildings, dating back to 1920, which were left behind in the 1960s when the reservoir was constructed and residents of Klamath Junction were relocated. Depending on the findings, the site may be considered for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Reuters (10/10)
A drought has revealed the remnants of a community in Oregon that had once been submerged in a man-made reservoir, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Archaeologists are excavating the buildings, dating back to 1920, which were left behind in the 1960s when the reservoir was constructed and residents of Klamath Junction were relocated. Depending on the findings, the site may be considered for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Reuters (10/10)
Researchers excavating the 2,000-year-old wreckage of the Antikythera in Greece have found a treasure trove ancient goods. "The evidence shows this is the largest ancient shipwreck ever discovered," said marine archaeologist Brendan Foley. The wreckage was discovered more than a century ago but the current excavation has found it covers a larger area than was previously thought. LiveScience.com (10/9)
Nearby galaxy offers clues about how universe went from dark to light
A nearby galaxy densely packed with young stars is helping researchers understand how the early universe went from dark to light, according to a study published in Science. Stars forming in the galaxy J0921+4509 emit high levels of extreme-ultraviolet light, some of which escapes the dense fog of hydrogen gas. The Christian Science Monitor (10/9)
A nearby galaxy densely packed with young stars is helping researchers understand how the early universe went from dark to light, according to a study published in Science. Stars forming in the galaxy J0921+4509 emit high levels of extreme-ultraviolet light, some of which escapes the dense fog of hydrogen gas. The Christian Science Monitor (10/9)
