The Sciences
Microbiome Studies Contaminated by Sequencing Supplies
Nonsterile lab reagents and DNA extraction kits add their own assortment of DNA to microbiome samples. Christopher Intagliata reports
Stories by Christopher Intagliata
The Sciences
Bats Jam Rivals’ Sonar to Steal a Meal
Mexican free-tailed bats make calls that interfere with fellow bats’ echolocation, causing them to miss their insect targets. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Health
Bacteria Lowers Mosquito-Transmission of Malaria, Dengue
Mosquitoes that harbor a soil microbe called Chromobacterium Csp_P have a harder time catching dengue virus and the malarial parasite. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Technology
Online Personalization Means Prices Are Tailored to You, Too
Christo Wilson, a computer scientist at Northeastern University, says prices online are "super subjective" and vary according to your past clicks and purchases or whether you are shopping on a mobile phone...
Health
Fecal Transplanters Fish Out Key Ingredient
The bacterium Clostridium scindens , a member of the gut’s microbiome, appears to ward off the hospital-acquired infection C. difficile. Christopher Intagliata reports...
The Sciences
Crustal Chemistry May Aid in Earthquake Prediction
Researchers say chemical changes in groundwater may someday be used to predict quakes four to six months in advance. Christopher Intagliata reports
Evolution
Dino Devastator Also Ravaged Veggies
After the Chicxulub meteorite, more than half the plant species in temperate North America perished along with the dinosaurs, and the composition of post-impact vegetation changed markedly...
The Sciences
Synthetic Fabrics Host More Stench-Producing Bacteria
Micrococcus bacteria thrive on the open-air lattice of synthetic fibers—where they sit chomping on the fatty acids in our sweat, turning them into shorter, stinkier molecules. Christopher Intagliata reports...
The Sciences
Turtles Not Among the "Silent Majority" of Reptiles
Biologists have identified at least 11 different sounds in the turtle repertoire—but they still have no idea what they mean. Christopher Intagliata reports
The Sciences
Google Searches Linked to Stock Market Moves
When Web searches related to business and politics go up, the market tends to take a dive—although that connection may already be fading. Christopher Intagliata reports
Space & Physics
Andromeda Snickers at Milky Way Mass
A new estimate finds that the Milky Way, once thought to be twice as massive as Andromeda, may actually only have half our neighbor galaxy's mass. Christopher Intagliata reports
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The Sciences
Ocean Plastic Particles Could Get in Gills
Sea creatures eat plastic dumped in the ocean, but they also might be accumulating plastic by sucking up tiny particles with their siphons and gills. Christopher Intagliata reports
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The Sciences
Mobile Phones Carry Owners' Microbiomes
The bacteria found on someone's mobile phone is a good match for the most common kinds of bacteria that live on their hands. Christopher Intagliata reports
The Sciences
Wild Beluga Whales Pass Hearing Test
Wild beluga whales were found to have hearing comparable with whales in captivity, which sets up a baseline test for hearing damage in other whales in noisy waters. Christopher Intagliata reports
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The Sciences
Oenophiles Confirm Fruity Flavors Finish First
Wine researchers find that fruity flavors tend to finish quickest on the palate, whereas oaky flavors linger longer--as aficionados have long claimed. Christopher Intagliata reports
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Technology
Smartphones Vulnerable to App Attack
Certain HTML5 apps that run across platforms can carry JavaScript attack codes that your smartphone will happily execute. Christopher Intagliata reports
Health
Hand Soap Ingredient Can Up Body Bacteria Burden
Residues of the antimicrobial agent triclosan can paradoxically boost bacterial growth in our bodies, by giving microbes a comfortable biofilm in which to rest. Christopher Intagliata reports
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The Sciences
Health Insurance Mystifies Many Americans
A survey finds that sizeable percentages of Americans don't know how health insurance works and what various options mean. Christopher Intagliata reports
Health
Muscle Mass Beats BMI as Longevity Predictor
A long-term study of more than 3,600 seniors found that more muscle mass was a better predictor of survival than was moderate body mass index. Christopher Intagliata reports
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The Sciences
Pain Pills May Be Future Antibiotics
By interfering with bacterial DNA repair and reproduction, some NSAID pain drugs could find future use as antibiotics. Christopher Intagliata reports
