From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
- Brain
A ‘cocktail’ in the brain can trigger sleep
A new study finds that a ‘cocktail’ of chemicals in the brain can directly cause mice to fall asleep or waken.
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Taking science to the track
An athlete took on science research with a few friends and a heart monitor.
- Brain
Left brain stands guard during sleepovers
Part of the left half of the brain remains on alert while the rest of the brain and body snooze.
- Animals
Insects can patch their broken ‘bones’
When insects suffer wounds, they can mend their ‘skeleton’ with a patch on the inside. This makes the leg strong again, new data show.
- Health & Medicine
The cool science of hot peppers
Why are chili peppers spicy? Why does anyone crave food that burns? Uncovering this fiery veggie’s secrets could help fight pain and obesity.
- Computing
DNA can now store images, video and other types of data
Tiny test tubes might one day replace sprawling data-storage centers, thanks to a new way to encode and retrieve information on strands of synthetic DNA.
- Brain
Explainer: When loud becomes dangerous
Many people don’t realize that sounds — even those of the music they love — can prove harmful when they get too loud.
- Materials Science
How to make window ‘glass’ from wood
Scientists have come up with a way to make wood transparent. The new material could be used in everything from windows to packaging.
- Chemistry
Gotcha! New test stalks diseases early
Chemists screen blood for disease markers by adapting a common DNA test. The test can find disease earlier, when it also may be easier to treat.
- Fossils
How to tell if a T. rex is expecting
A chemical test of tyrannosaur bone can determine whether the dino was pregnant — and therefore a female.
- Genetics
Pacific islanders got a double dose of Stone Age DNA
Unlike other people, certain Pacific Islanders inherited DNA from two ancient human ‘cousins.’
- Genetics
Genes: How few needed for life?
Scientists rebuilt a microbe using its old genes. But not all of them. They used as few building-blocks as they could get away with and still have the life-form survive.
