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A gut-wrenching defense against parasitic worms
Mast cells in the gut help fight off parasitic worms in the early stages of infection.
Memory retrieval needs a neuronal connecting flight
Scientists use optogenetics to discover a part of the brain necessary for retrieving memories of personal experiences.
From egg to embryo
A newly discovered gene turns off an egg’s egginess, allowing it to become an embryo.
This nickel catalyst bats from both sides of the plate
Scientists discover that a nickel catalyst acts as both a acid and a base during molecule assembly.
New info about how chromosomes form
Fewer components are needed for chromosome assembly during cell division than previously supposed.
Tracking how stars grow up in a virtual playground
Amanda Alvarez writes about Steven Rieder and his research in modeling clusters of growing new stars.
Protons are lighter than previously thought
A new and most precise measurement of protons shows that they are lighter than previously thought.
Untangling depression in Huntington’s disease
New research implicates clumps of insoluble, misfolded proteins in the development of mental illness in people with Huntington’s disease
Imaging whole-body cancer metastasis at the single-cell level
A new optical clearing method allows imaging of cancer metastasis at incredibly high resolution.
Meet the editors: the growing pains of scientific publishing
Amanda Alvarez writes about the recent seminars at RIKEN by Philip Campbell and Emilie Marcus, the editors-in-chief of Nature and Cell.
Carbon nanotubes, what are they good for?
Kylius Wilkins talks to Urs Frey and his recent success manufacturing carbon nanotubes (CNTs).
Finding real rewards in a virtual world
A new study shows that mice who learn to find goals in virtual reality use their hippocampus the same was as in the real world.
RIKEN is looking for you
RIKEN is looking for you. Check out our new introductory videos! learn about exotic nuclei and much much more.
Promising mouse model for Ngly1 deficiency
A recent study of Ngly1 deficient mice used a secondary knockout to create double knockouts with symptoms similar to human NGLY1 deficiency.
Nihonium walk of fame
A nihonium walk of fame is being built to commemorate the discovery of the 113th element
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
The stars align
The stars align. That’s what you say, when things work out perfectly. In the case of an eclipse, of course, it’s not stars that align but rather the moon and sun.
Jun
15
Out on a limb: the many ‘brains’ of the octopus
Learn how (neurologically) cool octopus arms are (as if you didn’t already know).
Jun
12
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.
Jun
5
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.
Jun
5
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.
May
30
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.
May
16
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.
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