SciGlow | All Science News In One Place
SciGlow is a newsletter of science stories from the major research labs. Headlines link to in-depth articles and editorials. SciGlow keeps scientists and others up-to-date on current research.
Crows can voluntarily control the release and onset of their calls, suggesting that songbird vocalizations are under cognitive control, according to a study published August 27 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Katharina Brecht of the University of Tübingen, and colleagues. Songbirds are renowned for their acoustically elaborate songs; these show a degree of flexibility, potentially … Read more
A team of Argentinian scientists from the National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET) made the discovery after studying a coprolite taken from a rock-shelter in the country’s mountainous Catamarca Province, where the remains of now extinct megafauna have previously been recovered in stratigraphic excavations. Radiocarbon dating revealed that the coprolite and thus the … Read more
Meet the world’s first gene-edited reptiles: albino lizards roughly the size of your index finger. Researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 to make the lizards, providing a technique for gene editing outside of major animal models. In their study, publishing August 27 in the journal Cell Reports, the researchers also show that the lizards can successfully pass gene-edited alleles … Read more
When it comes to historical fashion, nothing stands out more than an item woven with shiny metal threads. These threads have been woven into textiles since ancient times and have been used by cultures around the world. However, the historical record has limited insight into how these materials were made, and conservation efforts limit scientists’ … Read more
How does ice form? Surprisingly, science hasn’t fully answered that question. Differences in ice formation on various surfaces still aren’t well understood, but researchers today will explain their finding that the arrangements that surface atoms impose on water molecules are the key. The work has implications for preventing ice formation where it isn’t wanted (windshields, … Read more
Anyone who has gone through the stress and discomfort of raw, irritated skin knows the relief that comes with slathering on a creamy lotion. Topical creams generally contain a few standard ingredients, but manufacturers know little about how these components interact to influence the performance of the product. Now, researchers report the first direct glimpse … Read more
Movies featuring heroes with superpowers, such as flight, X-ray vision or extraordinary strength, are all the rage. But while these popular characters are mere flights of fancy, scientists have used nanoparticles to confer a real superpower on ordinary mice: the ability to see near-infrared light. Today, scientists report progress in making versions of these nanoparticles … Read more
Allergic reactions are common side effects of tattoos and pigments have been blamed for this. Now researchers prove, for the first time, that particles wear from the needle during the tattooing process and contain the allergens nickel and chromium and therefore could also induce allergies. The number of tattooed people has increased substantially in recent … Read more
The Moon is thought to have formed after a planetary embryo hit the Earth ~4.5 billion years ago. This produced a phenomenom that has never been observed by any human being. This so called ‘giant impact’ generated a lot of heat and some matter was ejected into space to form a large cloud of vapor … Read more
There is a growing dam removal movement in the United States, driven in part by environmental, safety and cost considerations. These include electricity-producing hydro-dams, many of which are ageing and will be increasingly vulnerable to climate-stoked storms, after which will require substantial maintenance or removal over the coming decades. However, hydropower has been and remains … Read more