The Sciences
Small Fish Takes Fast-Evolution Track
Stickleback fish in Alaska evolved from living in seawater to freshwater in just 50 years, with the help of freshwater traits in their genome. Christopher Intagliata reports
Stories by Christopher Intagliata
The Sciences
Cockroach Caca Contains Chemical Messages Made by Microbes
Roaches get the signal to gather together from pheromones produced by their gut microbes and released in the insects’ excrement. Christopher Intagliata reports
Environment
New African Highways Have a High Environmental Price
An analysis determines that many road-building projects in Africa would bring only modest benefits to people, while devastating the environment. Christopher Intagliata reports
The Sciences
Obese Dad's Sperm May Influence Offspring's Weight
Overweight men’s sperm undergo epigenetic changes that may alter a child’s brain development and appetite control. Christopher Intagliata reports
Environment
Pollination Isn't Just for the Bees
Flies, beetles, butterflies and moths may account for some 40 percent of the world’s pollination. Christopher Intagliata reports
Health
Espresso Machines Brew a Microbiome of Their Own
Researchers sampled 10 espresso machines and found that most of them harbored coffee residues rich in bacteria—including some potentially pathogenic strains. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Fitness
Why We Live in a Cloud of Microbes
Pets and people shed clouds of microbes as unique and personal as their fingerprints, but the clouds can change over time.
Mind & Brain
Gut Bacteria Signal Your Brain When They're Full
Twenty minutes into a meal, E. coli pump out appetite-suppressing proteins, which could influence our feeling of hunger. Christopher Intagliata reports
Mind & Brain
Your Brain Can Taste without Your Tongue
Stimulating the "taste cortex" was enough to trick mice into thinking they'd tasted sweet or bitter substances, when in fact their tongues tasted nothing at all. Christopher Intagliata reports...
The Sciences
Eat Slowly and Breathe Smoothly to Enhance Taste
Slow, steady breathing lofts minute food particles into the nasal cavity, where they contribute to your perception of flavor. Christopher Intagliata reports
The Sciences
What Makes Sand Dunes Sing
Engineers at Caltech discovered that for sand dunes to produce sound they need a dry layer on top that amplifies internal frequencies during sand movement. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Environment
Arctic Marine Mammals Swim Up to the Microphone
As Arctic sea ice melts, an underwater recording project reveals that the submerged ecology is undergoing change, with humpbacks and killer whales staying north later in the year. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Environment
Decoy Mating Call Battles Citrus Pest
Researchers developed a call that effectively mimics the citrus psyllid's mating song, which could be a weapon against a devastating crop scourge. Christopher Intagliata reports
Environment
Whale Poop Drives Global Nutrient Cycling
Whales fertilize ocean surface waters with key nutrients like phosphorus, which move through the food chain, and eventually, onto land. Christopher Intagliata reports
Health
Beet Juice Could Help Body Beat Altitude
Beet juice contains nitrates, which the body can convert to nitric oxide, a chemical that relaxes blood vessels and makes it easier to function in conditions of low oxygen. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Mind & Brain
Babies Move Tongue to Learn New Tongues
Infants seemed to be able to differentiate between two different "D" sounds in Hindi—but only when their tongue movements weren't blocked by a teething device. Christopher Intagliata reports...
The Sciences
Magnetic Field May Be a Map for Migratory Birds
It's well known birds can use Earth's magnetic field as their compass, but they may also use magnetism as their map. Christopher Intagliata reports
Environment
Wildlife Tourism Could Be "Domesticating" Wild Animals
Human tourism—no matter how well-intentioned—might desensitize wild animals to poachers and predators, affecting their odds of survival. Christopher Intagliata reports
Health
Sitting Not the New Smoking for Fidgeters
Sitting for more than seven hours a day is linked to a 30 percent higher risk of death, but that association disappears among the in-place movers and shakers. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Mind & Brain
Nonpolitical Tweets May Reveal Political Bias
Word selection among Twitter users who could be identified as likely members of one or the other political party showed specific usage patterns. Christopher Intagliata reports
