Among wild chimpanzees, mothers of sons spend more time interacting with other chimpanzees than mothers of daughters, according to a new study. In early infancy (0-6 months) when an infant is in almost constant contact with its mother, mothers of sons spent more time socializing with non-immediate family members than those with daughters. Additionally, mothers […]
Category: Paper of Interest
Playing by EAR – how acoustics could help study proteins
A new technique called electronic acoustic Raman (EAR) spectroscopy could improve the way we study proteins, which in turn could help fight diseases like cystic fibrosis. The technique involves using a laser to excite small molecules like proteins; when excited they vibrate and give off sound at a specific frequency. By analysing the sound, researchers […]
Only half of patients take their medications as prescribed
A new comprehensive review shows that only about half of all patients who are prescribed medication actually take their medication as prescribed. Interventions such as support from family members or pharmacists, education and text messaging were not found to improve the situation in a reliable manner. The authors are now encouraging collaboration between researchers so […]
World’s first mass extinction was many events, not one
The world’s first mass extinction 444 million years ago was likely caused by a series of freeze-ups, and not a single massive ice age as previously thought. The extinction, which marks the boundary between the Ordovician and Silurian ages, wiped out 85 per cent of life in the oceans. In the new paper, fossil records […]
Silver nanoparticles could upset gut bacteria
Silver nanoparticles that leak from water filters could alter the community of bacteria in the human gut, according to a new study. Silver nanoparticles are meant to kill harmful bacteria in portable water filters, but if they leak into drinking water they could also kill beneficial bacteria in our digestive systems. A simulated gut bacterial […]
Behaviour: Does banking culture increase dishonesty?
The business culture in the banking industry may favour dishonest behaviour, a new study suggests. The authors asked 128 employees from a large international bank to play a game where they could keep the money they earned in a coin tossing game. The employees that were asked job-related questions before the experiment started cheated and […]
The ‘jellification’ of Canada’s freshwater lakes
A strange jelly-covered organism is taking over various lakes in Canada, and the cause is a kind of ‘aquatic osteoporosis’ due to low calcium levels, according to a new study. Researchers studied two kinds of tiny crustaceans about 1 mm or less in size: Daphnia – AKA water fleas – have a hard shell, while Holopedium […]
Towards carbon neutral wheat production
Improved practices in the farming of wheat could lead to a significant reduction in its carbon footprint according to a new study. With the changes suggested by the researchers, the carbon footprint of wheat could potentially be lowered to the extent that it removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than is emitted during production. The […]
Mapping unconcious memories of a lost language
A new study shows that our brains light up when we hear a language we once knew, even if we no longer understand it. The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study the brains of three groups of children: those who spoke only French, those who were bilingual in French and Chinese, and […]
How ZMapp fights Ebola
A new study highlights the biochemical mechanisms behind ZMapp, a promising experimental treatment against Ebola virus infection developed with the involvement of the Public Health Agency of Canada. Using single-particle electron microscopy, researchers determined the structures of each monoclonal antibody in the Zmapp cocktail and how each one binds to vulnerable sites on the Ebola […]
Virus could be the cause of sea star die-offs
Researchers announced they have found a virus that may be the cause of a mysterious disease that infects dozens of sea star species along the Pacific coast between Alaska and Mexico, including off the coast of Vancouver since 2013. A study shows that sea star wasting disease (SSWD) could be caused by a very small virus (∼25 nm) […]
Kissing transfers 80 million bacteria
A new study shows that a kiss lasting only ten seconds can transfer an average of 80 million bacteria between partners. That may sound like a lot, but the study goes on to show that a single kiss doesn’t noticeably change the similarity of the bacterial community in the mouths of two partners. However, repeated kisses […]
International collaboration needed to protect endangered species
A new study uses models to show that international collaboration is critically needed to prevent catastrophic habitat loss for some of the world’s most threatened species. The authors analyzed the distribution of almost 25,000 threatened species across the world and found that expanding the global protected area network to cover 17% of the world’s land […]
Does ecology influence religion?
A new study suggests that environmental factors, alongside social and cultural factors, may play a strong role in determining the type of religion associated with a particular society. Researchers analysed 583 societies around the world to determine the role played by linguistic, historical, cultural and environmental factors in the dominant religion. In particular, they found […]
Genes and cat domestication
International scientists compared the full genome of a domestic cat, a female Abyssinian cat named Cinnamon, to the genome of other domestic cats and wild cat species and found that the genes of felines have evolved to help them live with us. Compared to their wild counterparts, domestic cats have changes in genes involved in […]
Thin coating could boost solar efficiency
A thin layer of metal oxides could significantly boost the efficiency of solar cells, according to a new study. Researchers have been working on a material made of the elements bismuth, iron, chromium and oxygen, which absorbs solar radiation. They discovered that by changing the temperature and pressure at which they deposit thin films of […]