ريتشارد دوكنز's Blog, page 673
October 5, 2015
Newly Identified Sperm-Specific Protein Bolsters Prospects Of Male Contraceptive
Photo credit:
3dmotus/shutterstock
Researchers have identified a sperm-specific protein, and by depleting this protein in mice, they’ve rendered the males infertile – but still quite capable of having sex. The findings, published in Science this week, could one day lead to a male contraceptive.
Plants Can Call Predators For Help When Threatened By Herbivores
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One day crops like these could call for support when threatened by pests. Credit: Sunny Forest/Shutterstock
Plant rescue calls could provide a more environmentally friendly way to protect crops from pests, an opinion piece in the journal Trends in Plant Science argues. The technique is widely used by wild plants, and applied by some gardeners, but so far has not been scaled for the use of broad scale crops.
October 4, 2015
This Week in Science: October 4th, 2015
Compiled by Mario Gruber
7 Myths About Your Body That You Probably Believe
Photo credit:
No, swimming soon after eating does not mean you'll cramp up and drown. Suzanne Tucker/Shutterstock
Some commonly known "facts" are in fact totally incorrect. Most of us know by now that colds are caught via viruses and bacteria, not because you went outside without a coat on or with wet hair, despite what your mother says.
But did you know it's okay to swim soon after eating? And that it's probably safer to wake up your sleep-walking roommate than leave them to wander the halls?
Take a look at Matthew Santoro's "7 Myths You (Probably) Believe About Your Body."
October 3, 2015
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I’m off to enjoy a glass of Whiskey and a Cigar.
Five Global Catastrophes That Could Happen Tomorrow
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Mount Colima volcano eruption, 2015. EPA/ULISES RUIZ BASURTO
It is an awe-inspiring and terrifying sight, a volcano spewing lava and millions of tons of ash and rock into a blackened sky. Mexico’s “fire volcano”, Mount Colima, recently began erupting … again, a reminder of the spectacularly destructive forces that can be unleashed by nature.
New Research Shows How To Trap Cancer By Turning Your Body Against The Tumour
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Shutterstock
Cancer happens when cells in the body start growing uncontrollably. But what if the tissue surrounding a tumour could be enlisted to stop the cancer spreading? New research gives the first evidence of how this might be possible by treating mice with a new drug that made cancer cells less likely to grow in other parts of the body.
Corporate Climate Scientists: Advocates For Science Or Protectors Of Status Quo?
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Exxon’s about-face on climate science exposes the critical role of internal corporate scientists. jeepersmedia/flickr, CC BY-SA
Exxon is well-known as a key architect of the fossil fuel industry’s campaign against the regulation of greenhouse gases, an effort that took off in 1989 with the founding of the Global Climate Coalition.
A Genetic Test Could Predict Future Troubles For Kidney Donors – Why Not Use It?
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Wellcome Photolibrary, Wellcome Images, CC BY-NC-ND
Over 100,000 people in the US are waiting for a kidney transplant. Most of the kidneys that were transplanted in 2014 (about 17,000 transplants) are from deceased donors. Kidneys donated from living donors last longer, but the number of living donors has dropped over the past decade.
Ethnic and racial disparities in getting a kidney transplant are common, and African Americans are the hardest hit.
Do Brain Interventions To Treat Disease Change The Essence Of Who We Are?
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Brains are physical organs, but also the seat of something essential about us. Heads via www.shutterstock.com. Orla/Shutterstock
These days, most of us accept that minds are dependent on brain function and wouldn’t object to the claim that “You are your brain.” After all, we’ve known for a long time that brains control how we behave, what we remember, even what we desire. But what does that mean? And is it really true?
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