Why do furry animals do the “wet dog shake?”
Researchers found mice have special neurons that sense disturbances to their fur, causing them to shake and groom themselves when wet.
Category: Biology
How do microbes prepare for winter?
Researchers discovered that when cyanobacteria sense shorter days they change their cell walls to survive freezing temperatures.
Lightning reacts with minerals to create the building blocks of life
Scientists stimulated atmospheric gases with electricity and found they reacted with common salts and minerals to form complex chemicals…
When did the Galápagos tortoises become giant?
Researchers analyzed new fossils from Ecuador that suggested the ancestors of Galápagos giant tortoises inhabited northern South America…
Exercise boosts tumor-killing immune cells
Scientists showed that breast cancer patients who exercised for 30 minutes had more tumor-killing immune cells in their bloodstreams.
This new adrenal cell makes mice better parents
Scientists found a new type of cell in the adrenal glands of monogamous mice that promotes parenting behaviors.
Spinal stimulation helps stroke patients hit their stride
Researchers combined spinal cord stimulation with walking exercises to improve stroke survivors’ balance, walking symmetry, speed, and…
How complex life arose under extreme stress
Scientists discovered molecules that helped the first complex life forms build strong cell membranes to withstand extreme environments.
Could tardigrades survive on Mars?
Researchers found tiny, indestructible “water bears” survived exposure to high levels of toxic salts similar to those found in Martian…
An interactive virtual assistant for cancer research
Scientists developed an Alexa-based virtual assistant to help researchers and clinicians understand and interpret cancer genome data.