Topics
Evolution of the inner ear: insights from jawless fish
A new story for inner ear evolution based on the developmental patterning found in hagfish, one of two extant jawless vertebrates and a link to the last common ancestor of modern jawed vertebrates.
Tumor detection during breast cancer surgery
Scientists have developed a new way to accurately detect the margins between cancerous and non-cancerous tissue during breast cancer surgery.
Smarter AI: machine learning without negative data
Scientists have developed a new method for machine learning that allows an AI to make better classifications without negative data.
Nerdnite recap: When the brainbow met the boson
Fun times at nerdnite tokyo. Brains, bosons, and math, oh my!
Mutations, CRISPR, and spinocerebellar ataxia
Scientists discover that mutations causing the degenerative movement disorder spinocerebellar ataxia type 29 work by disrupting calcium release of neurons inside the brain.
Gene regulator that allows plant rehydration after drought
New genetic insights into the plant rehydration process: this is why your plants don’t die after you forgot to water them.
Researchers create a functional salivary gland organoid ?
Scientists have succeeded in growing three-dimensional salivary gland tissue that produced saliva like normal glands when implanted into mice.
Getting a grip on slow but unique shark evolution
Scientists have decoded the genomes of two species of shark, bringing the grand total of sequenced shark genomes to three.
Ig Nobel awards: Silly experiments that strike gold
Amanda writes about the Ig Nobel awards after founder Marc Abrahams visited nerdnite Tokyo. Science at its best!
A self-powered heart monitor taped to the skin
A group of scientists have developed a human-friendly, ultra-flexible organic sensor powered by sunlight, which acts as a self-powered heart monitor.
Protostars that exhibit large diversity in organic compounds
A survey of a molecular cloud has found that the organic chemical makeup of protostars varies considerably.
Scientists solve epigenetic barriers to cloning
Scientists show that two epigenetic factors improve the success rate of cloning via somatic cell nuclear transfer.
Transgenic plants 🌱🌿on acid survive without water
Scientists designed transgenic plants that survive drought-like conditions by bumping up acetic acid production only when water is scarce.
Two genes that regulate how much we dream
An international research team led by RIKEN BDR has identified a pair of genes that regulate how much REM (dream) and non-REM sleep an animal experiences.
Flies use fecal deposits as pheromones
Bioluminescence imaging of fly brains reveals neurons sensitive to fly poo laced with pheromones (you can see the fecal “landmark” in the dotted circle). Need we say more?
Hippocampal memory isn’t all about place cells
Scientists have found evidence that hippocampal memories of experience are not stored in place cells.
Summer fun: how plants beat the heat
Scientists have discovered a gene that allows plants to cope with extreme heat by changing the composition of chloroplast membranes.
Freedom from fear ?♀️
Researchers discover a dopaminergic circuit in the brain that allows fear associations to disappear when there isn’t anything to be afraid of anymore.
Blue gene regulation helps plants respond properly to light
Blue light alters some gene expression in plants by changing the transcription start sites to downstream locations.
Out on a limb: the many ‘brains’ of the octopus
Learn how (neurologically) cool octopus arms are (as if you didn’t already know).
Mutation links bipolar disorder to mitochondrial disease
ANT1 mutations found in bipolar disease that affect mitochondria lead to hyperexcitable serotonergic neuronal activity in the brain.
My science communication journey in Tokyo
New contributor and nuclear physicist Sarah Naimi talks about her recent experience in science communication at a recent scicom event in Tokyo.
Gene linked to intellectual ability affects memory replay in mice
Scientists have discovered a gene in mice that allows memory replay at rest, a process necessary for forming long-lasting memories in mice.
Quick, call Spiderman: scientists discover how spider silk is formed
A group of scientists led by researchers have discovered a key mechanism through which spider silk is formed.
Mutation protects against Alzheimer’s disease in mice
Scientists discover a deletion mutation that reduces amyloid-beta plaque formation in Alzheimer’s disease model mice.
Plant peptide spells relief from salty stress
Newly discovered plant peptide hormone can be used to protect plants from excessive environmental salt.
Putting E. coli to work for us
Specially engineered bacteria can produce an industrially significant chemical from renewable sources in a much gentler process than the one currently used by industry.
Why being sick can create anxiety
Researchers have linked changes in mouse immune-cell metabolism to anxiety-related behavior and alterations in brain chemistry.
Plant hormone combats dehydration
Scientists show that CLE25 is a plant hormone that travels from roots to leaves and helps close stomata in times of dehydration stress.
Heat shock system helps dried up bug come back to life
An international collaboration has determined that cooption of the Heat Shock Factor (HSF) gene system is what allows larvae of the sleeping chironomid to be able to survive severe desiccation.
In living color: imaging the brain with synthetic bioluminescence
A new way to image the brain from outside the head using bioluminescence.
Deep-brain exploration with nanomaterials
A new way to optogenetically activate neurons deep in the brain using infrared light and upconversion nanoparticles. It’s non-invasive!
Running away from carbon dioxide: the terminal connection
Even fish want to avoid carbon dioxide. Now we know that they can because of chemosensation and the Terminal Nerve.
Rainbow engineering to make the brain glow
Bar talk about tinkering with bioluminescent molecules from jellyfish, corals, and algae, figuring out how they work, and making them more useful for brain science.
Geostationary satellite enables better precipitation and flood predictions
Data from the Himawari-8 geosynchronous satellite was used in weather simulations to improve forecasts of sudden precipitation and tropical storm development.
Clean and green: a moss that removes lead (Pb) from water
Scientists show that the moss Funaria hygrometrica can remove harmful lead from water when in the protonema stage of development.
The brain’s GPS has a buddy system
In addition to encoding self location, brain cells in the rat hippocampus act like a GPS that encodes the location of other rats.
Leaky plants bad for drought resistance
The KAI2 receptor for compounds found in smoke helps plants retain water and survive during drought.
Helping the body clock keep its cool
Two parallel temperature-responsive mechanisms ensure that circadian rhythms are not skewed by changes in temperature
Tape and vermilion: ingredients for mapping artifact origins
Vermilion samples taken from ancient artifacts with sulfur-free tape can tell us about trade patterns 3000 years ago.
Are you “at risk” of being a habitual coffee drinker?
Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are related to dietary habits, including coffee, tea, tofu, and yogurt consumption.
Astrocytes powered by norepinephrine during fear-memory formation
Norepinephrine released in the locus coeruleus during fear learning is accompanied by increased calcium and cAMP levels in nearby astrocytes.
Brain wave synchrony can predict memory age
The degree of neuronal synchrony between the anterior cingulate cortex and the hippocampus during recall is an indication of memory age (in mice).
AI identifies features associated with cancer recurrence
Artificial intelligence has successfully identified features relevant to cancer prognosis that were not previously noted by pathologists
Longevity in supercentenarians linked to cytotoxic T-cells
Blood analysis in supercentenarians showed that they have many more cytotoxic CD4 T-cells than people with average life spans.
Schizophrenia biomarker (hydrogen sulfide) in human hair
Not only is hydrogen sulfide a good biomarker for schizophrenia, it’s also the culprit and a new starting point for drug discovery.
Brain tissue kept alive for weeks with new microfluidic device
A new microfluidic device can keep tissue cultures functional for weeks on an artificial membrane
Massive filaments, galaxies, and supermassive black holes
Big telescopes yield big data! Detailed observations gas filaments connecting galaxies in a distant proto-cluster in the early Universe.
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Low-protein diet changes sperm and health of future offspring
Low-protein diets in male mice alter sperm and result in offspring that have metabolic problems like diabetes in adulthood.
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Physiological origami and proper body development in flies
Genetics and mechanical origami in the fly embryo helps proper body development by fighting off “noisy” fluctuations is the environment.
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Efficient and durable ultra-thin solar cells
Ultra-thin, flexible, organic solar cells that degrade less than 5 percent after 3,000 hours and an energy conversion ratio of 13%.
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Tape and vermilion: ingredients for mapping artifact origins
Vermilion samples taken from ancient artifacts with sulfur-free tape can tell us about trade patterns 3000 years ago.
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Are you “at risk” of being a habitual coffee drinker?
Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are related to dietary habits, including coffee, tea, tofu, and yogurt consumption.
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Astrocytes powered by norepinephrine during fear-memory formation
Norepinephrine released in the locus coeruleus during fear learning is accompanied by increased calcium and cAMP levels in nearby astrocytes.