Hurricane Maria: Living through the storm accelerated the ageing process for monkeys

In 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated Caribbean communities, and we now know it had an impact on monkeys too – macaques that lived through the stressful experience have aged at an accelerated rate Life 7 February 2022 By Luke Taylor Rhesus macaques resting in the remnants of a forest that was destroyed when Hurricane Maria directly … Read more

How Gut Microbe Symbiosis Helps Squirrels Keep Their Muscles During Hibernation

Ground squirrels spend the end of summer gorging on food, preparing for hibernation. They need to store a lot of energy as fat, which becomes their primary fuel source underground in their hibernation burrows all winter long.   While hibernating, ground squirrels enter a state called torpor. Their metabolism drops to as low as just … Read more

A Fetus Was Preserved Within an Egyptian Mummy Because It ‘Pickled’, Scientists Say

Last year, archaeologists presented an incredible first: the discovery of a mummified fetus within the abdomen of its mummified ancient Egyptian mother. Who the woman was, and how she died just over 2,000 years ago are both still mysteries – hence she is known as the Mysterious Lady. But now we know how the fetus … Read more

Vaccine development: Process could be fast-tracked using antibody imaging tool

A new imaging approach monitors antibody responses to vaccines more quickly than current techniques, which could accelerate vaccine design 19 January 2022 By Carissa Wong An artist’s illustration of antibodies (red and blue) responding to an infection with SARS-CoV-2 (purple) SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY By analysing high-resolution images, a computer can quickly predict the sequence of … Read more

We Thought This Cell Death Phenomenon Was Irreversible, But We Were Wrong

Pyroptosis, a type of programmed cell death related to infection and an inflammation response, can actually be stopped and managed, according to new research – whereas it was previously thought that the process was irreversible once it gets going.   Killing off cells with pyroptosis is something the body uses to stay healthy, though such … Read more

The Brain’s Secrets May Be Hidden in Its Folds And Wrinkles. How Are They Made?

The human brain has been called the most complex object in the known universe. And with good reason: It has around 86 billion neurons and several hundred thousand miles of axon fibers connecting them.   Unsurprisingly, the process of brain folding that results in the brain’s characteristic bumps and grooves is also highly complex. Despite … Read more