The Sciences
Seed-Scattering Birds May Help Trees Cope with Climate Change
A new review paper emphasizes the crucial role birds play in helping trees colonize new habitats—especially in the face of a changing climate. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Stories by Christopher Intagliata
Environment
Plastic Pollution Perturbs Oyster Offspring
Laboratory tests suggest that when the shellfish suck in tiny plastic particles, their reproductive success suffers. Christopher Intagliata reports.
The Sciences
Allergies May Have Been Bequeathed by Neandertals
Many non-African humans today have genes—which apparently made it into us via Neandertals—that ramp up resistance to pathogens, but bring on allergies, too. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Technology
Asphalt Roads Could De-Ice Themselves
Researchers engineered bitumen—the sticky black stuff in asphalt—to release its own salt, to battle the formation of ice. Christopher Intagliata reports
Environment
Southwest's Conifers Face Trial by Climate Change
Using climate models and tree physiological data, researchers forecast a near-complete annihilation of evergreens in the southwest by the year 2100. Christopher Intagliata reports
Technology
Superfast Computer Chip Transmits Data with Light
Researchers designed a chip that transfers data not with electrons but with photons—resulting in a potential 10-fold boost in speed. Christopher Intagliata reports
Health
Drugged Gut Microbiome Cuts Heart Risk in Mice
A compound found in extra virgin olive oil and red wine reduced mice’s risk of clogged arteries. Christopher Intagliata reports
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
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
