Science Tuesday: All of January’s Science News
Ok, so Science Tuesday is coming to you on a Thursday because I couldn’t get into my blog for two days (I’m not sure why, but it’s letting me today, so I’m just going to shrug and go with it). I know we’re all VERY EXCITED (or bafflingly pissed off) about the car in space, but there’s a ton of other cool science stuff that’s been going on, so let’s get to it!
Ancient writings in mummy cases seen via new scanning technique
Snakes’ venom can be used to learn more about pain
Research projects focus on artificial ovaries to help cancer survivors conceive
Disoriented sea turtle hatchlings exhibit a lot of stamina
Pacific Northwest’s mountains may have been shaped with help from salmon
New egg for long-lived albatross Wisdom (Ok, someone needs to rewrite this headline because it’s worded so poorly, so here we go: Wisdom, a 67-year-old albatross, laid her 36th egg, which is pretty damn impressive)
Metalens uses nanofins to focus almost all of visible light spectrum
Jazz musicians’ improvisation gives their brains a creative edge
UK’s new AI system could help find heart, lung diseases sooner
Jellyfish collagen promising in wound treatment (Yes! I want to be part-jellyfish!)
Ancient baby’s DNA reveals previously unknown Native American ancestors
Massive bubbles observed on surface of distant red-giant star
Male Australian peacock spiders court females with abdominal rainbow
Bacteria genetically modified to create ultrasound-detectable noise
Ancient clay stamp found in Jerusalem hints at city’s government structure
Bleaching events in world’s coral reefs accelerating
Genes linked to exploration in birds may help them adapt to climate change
Bonobos seem to prefer hinderers over helpers
New prime number record holder more than 23M digits long
Mice treated with gene therapy see temporary relief from type 1 diabetes
Device may offer long-sought relief for tinnitus sufferers
Astronomers use new technique to spot alien planets
Adventure book fragments found in wreckage of Blackbeard’s ship
Story of Earth’s creation seen in ancient Mexico stone structure
Cooling drool may help blowflies regulate their temperatures (I LOVE Scientists. They want to know everything, including how flies keep cool in summer)
Debris from asteroid indicates impact in Southeast Asia
Fungus behind deadly white nose syndrome in bats sensitive to UV light
Hole in ozone layer is healing
Researchers learning how El Nino affects Antarctica’s melting ice shelves
Ancient shark species possibly megalodon ancestor
Scientists concerned about dolphins dying in Brazil
Longer brain rhythms could be seizure indicator
Ingestible capsule examines gastrointestinal system
Amazon home to rare hybrid bird species
Shipwrecks, lighthouse found off coast of Mexico
Huge endangered water lily pads bounce back in Paraguay
Working human muscle created using skin cells
Immune reactions may make CRISPR-Cas9 ineffective in humans
Self-healing muscle could be used in prostheses
New clues about fast radio bursts emerge
Dolphins seem to recognize themselves in mirrors at early age
Walruses, flying foxes prefer to keep their young on their left sides
Oldest butterfly-scale fossils found in Germany
Ointment shows promise in treating drug-resistant bacteria
Areas of subsurface water ice on Mars revealed by erosion
Distant supermassive black hole observed burping twice
Astronomers to use Hubble observations to learn about Europa water plumes
Fossils of 113-million-year-old dinosaur found in Australia
Study finds evidence that world’s freshwater is acidifying
Space travel can hurt astronauts’ eye nerves
Ancient desert farmers may have used Silk Road travelers’ irrigation advice
Banquet hall find reveals clues about ancient Moche civilization in Peru
Scientists identify new lemur species
Genome size may have played role in flowering plants’ global dominance
New model sheds light on eyes of hurricanes
161-million-year-old dinosaur boasted iridescent plumage
Illegal pot farms may be exposing Calif. owls to rat poison, researchers say
Private genetic testing for potential baby characteristics raises concerns
Creative thinking driven by key brain connections
Speed of stars at Milky Way’s center may help answer questions about bulge
Salmonella likely caused mystery 16th-century epidemic
Scientists chase elusive measurement of universe’s expansion speed
Scythian royals may be interred at ancient Siberian burial site
Tomb of Tut’s wife may be hidden in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings
Necropsy shows how dolphin was suffocated by octopus it was trying to eat
Gene encodes virus-like protein to transfer information between neurons
Prostate cancer’s spread may be spurred by high-fat diet
Small version of gamma ray burst created in lab
Pair of flooded cave systems join to create world’s largest underwater cavern
Images of DNA in action may lead to new cancer drugs
Periodic table created for 2D metals
Fluorescing bones discovered in chameleons
Environmental factors may have triggered antelopes’ mass die-off
NASA, NOAA scientists put 2017 in top 3 of world’s hottest years
Genetically modified yeasts engineered to not breed with natural plants
Distant stars may help spacecraft navigate in deep space
Hunter-gatherers can identify smells better
New swift moving robotic arm is composed of DNA
Changing weather in Arctic may threaten musk oxen
Researchers exploring use of self-healing fungi in concrete
Ancient Viking comb could hold clues to language evolution
Team works to re-create face of ancient woman (she looks familiar…)
Ancient underwater volcanoes revealed in 3D seismic reflection-produced map
Global sea level may be feature of Saturn moon Titan
West Nile virus lingers longer in sparrows exposed to light pollution
Microplastics pollution found on Scottish archipelago’s beaches
8 types of cancer found with CancerSeek (this is amazing! It can even detect cancers that currently have no screening test)
508-million-year-old worm fossil discovered
Eliminating dark matter DNA could solve scientific puzzle
Dust storms causing loss of water on Mars
Pair of research teams create ultra-thin mirrors with excitons
Rare blind golden-line barbel fish discovered in Chinese cavern
Device uses metamaterial to carry sound from underwater to air
Stars with extra lithium baffle astronomers
“Hot Jupiter” exoplanet’s winds blow in unusual direction
Scientists debate existence of pheromones
Scientists express concern that CWD will jump the gap from deer to people (cooking doesn’t destroy the prion)
Researchers clone monkeys for first time
Scientists rebuild rare mummified woolly rhino
Shape of human brains got more rounded over time
Battle between Irish fighters, Vikings described in medieval text
Researchers encouraged to look beyond oxygen for signs of alien life. “What’s exciting is that our suggestion is doable and may lead to the historic discovery of an extraterrestrial biosphere in the not-too-distant future,” said David Catling, a co-author of the study. (ALIENS YOU GUYS)
Distant dwarf planet Haumea boasts a super-fast spin
Ancient jawbone suggests earlier exit from Africa for modern humans
Plastics found on one-third of Asia-Pacific’s coral reefs
New population of rare red handfish found off Tasmania coast
Study finds hepatitis C drug sofosbuvir effectively treats Zika infections
Canadian study to use repurposed cancer drugs to treat cerebral malaria
Crystals within volcanoes may aid in eruption predictions
Storms may be exacerbated by airborne pollution particles
South Africa researchers concerned about city’s worsening water crisis
Book outlines benefits of swearing (Fuck Yeah!)
Milky Way’s dark matter could be forming in smaller clumps
Site of ancient temple found in China
Poor childhood sleep may increase obesity, cancer risk later
Food scientist to develop hypoallergenic peanut with $275,000 in grants
Rare dinosaur fossil uncovered in Egypt
Cats’ paw preference likely determined by sex
Birds conjure image of predator when they hear certain sounds
Small device used for human-genome sequencing
Proteins help cells pack chromosomes prior to division
Living in bat-filled caves may be spurring change of species in crocodiles
Killer whale displays ability to mimic human sounds (now get them out of the tiny pools and back into the wild, yes?)
Archaeopteryx fossil may be oldest of its kind ever found
New temperate conifer species found on Korean island
Rare super blue blood moon occurs
Brain-stimulation device may help slow progress of Alzheimer’s
Prenatal low-carb diet may increase neural tube defect risk, study finds
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