Biosciences | Bluesci

POSTS FROM 2024

How Human Connections Have Shaped Our Evolution Rachel Duke explores how our connections with one another have formed the human evolutionary trajectory, discussing examples such as lactose tolerance and language in early hominids, to question the future of human evolution. Wednesday, 4 September 2024

Mental Maps In her exploration of connectomics, Rachel McKeown reflects on the rapidly advancing field dedicated to mapping intricate physical connections of neurones in diverse networks, and what this holds for the future. Thursday, 25 July 2024

The Evolutionary Roots of Metabolic Regulation in the Immune System: Tracing the Path from Primordial Mechanisms to Modern Complexity Swetha Kannan discusses the interaction between immune and metabolic processes from an evolutionary perspective. Wednesday, 22 May 2024

Unlocking the Gut-Brain Connection: The Invincible Army Modulating Brain Activity Goitseone Thamae shines light on the invincible army modulating brain activity Thursday, 9 May 2024

Keeping Mental Score: This is Your Brain on Music Yuthika Pillai outlines how the brain responds to music and why this is so essential to our lives Wednesday, 24 April 2024

The Magic in Mushrooms: A Quick Dose of The History of Psychedelics Isabella Bentham-Clark explores psychedelically altered states of perception and cognition. Thursday, 21 March 2024

Review: How Emotions are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett Rachel Mckeown reviews the book "How Emotions are Made" by Lisa Feldman Barrett Tuesday, 20 February 2024

Diabolically Ironclad Tasmin Wood explains what makes the diabolical ironclad beetle so tough Monday, 15 January 2024

POSTS FROM 2023

Genome Sequencing: its Promises, its Impact Merissa Hickman and Rachel Duke discuss the societal implications of advancements in genomic medicine Wednesday, 20 December 2023

GM brought us Golden Rice, but is it a Golden Solution? Hayoung Choi explores whether GM crops are a solution to the food crisis Monday, 18 December 2023

Why Plant-Based Just Makes Sense William Smith presents the environmental benefits of a plant-based diet Thursday, 14 December 2023

New Realities Ailie McWhinnie explores the ways our brains build our unique experiences of reality Thursday, 2 November 2023

Coughs and Sneezes or Attention Seekers? Libby Brown discusses how captive gorillas may be using complex vocal learning Monday, 9 October 2023

Bioreceptive Architecture Bartek Witek explores how architects are designing building materials that combine plants and concrete Monday, 7 August 2023

Moon Plants Barbara Neto-Bradley describes how scientists have managed to grow seedlings in moon dirt Wednesday, 26 July 2023

The Green Revolution – How a Jellyfish Transformed Cell Biology Andrew Smith explores the origins of GFP and how it became the versatile tool that we know today Thursday, 8 June 2023

In Search of the Missing Jawbone – Solving an Evolutionary Riddle Hayoung Choi explores various approaches to solving the long-studied evolutionary riddle on the mysterious structures that were repurposed to build the middle ear Monday, 5 June 2023

Review: Prehistoric Planet (BBC, Apple TV) Adiyant Lamba reviews the BBC paleobiology series featuring photorealistic CGI dinosaurs and narration by David Attenborough Thursday, 1 June 2023

POSTS FROM 2022

A Less Glamorous 'Circle of Life' Philip Myers describes parasites and fungi that hijack animals' brains Tuesday, 4 October 2022

The Mystery of Stabilimenta Laura Chilver describes an unusual feature of spider webs Thursday, 29 September 2022

Genes, Carpets, and Mediaeval Manuscripts Bartek Witek discusses the broad applications of phylogenetic techniques Saturday, 24 September 2022

A Portrait of the Scientist as a Young Artist: the Diary and Drawings of Santiago Ramón y Cajal Livia E. Lisi-Vega reveals how Ramón y Cajal's artistic inclination fueled with Nobel-winning work Tuesday, 6 September 2022

Q&A with Stephen Braren Maria Bolevich interviews a fellow researcher about his personal journey in scientific discovery Thursday, 25 August 2022

Conservation: Subjective, but Still Science Kate Howlett illustrates how applied science is firmly rooted in its social context Thursday, 18 August 2022

Weird and Wonderful - The Large Blue(Sci) Butterfly Matt Hayes writes about Phengaris arion Thursday, 14 July 2022

Tiny Owls and Tiny Snakes: Strangest of Bedfellows? Alexandra Howard explores the relationship between the eastern screech owls and blind snakes of central Texas Thursday, 30 June 2022

The Dating Game: What Role Does the Major Histocompatibility Complex Play In Sexual Compatibility? How do we choose our perfect partner? Clodagh Bottomley suggests our DNA has a greater role to play than we might think Thursday, 9 June 2022

Hedging Your Bets: Is Single Cell Variability Functionally Important? Roberta Cacioppo delves into the surprising variation between cells and what this might mean at the population level Thursday, 5 May 2022

Something To Declare: Australia’s Cane Toad Problem Monica Killen uses the example of cane toads to explore complexities around introduced species and the importance of research into their impact Thursday, 28 April 2022

Same But Different: A Short History of the Human Genome Bartek Witek discusses our surprising lack of genetic diversity and its clinical consequences Thursday, 14 April 2022

Wilding – Isabella Tree A review of the rewilding of Britain, as explored in Isabella Tree's Wilding Thursday, 24 March 2022

Weird and Wonderful: Is ASMR Real? Denise Tran explores the research behind ASMR. Thursday, 17 February 2022

It’s Getting Hot in Here, so Override Your Chromosomes Sarah Lindsay explains the mechanism behind temperature-dependant sex determination Thursday, 10 February 2022

POSTS FROM 2021

What Have We Learnt by Searching for "Gay Genes"? Chay Graham argues that research into the DNA ancestry of gay sex is really a study of the relationship between LGBT+people, STEM and profit. Thursday, 2 December 2021

How To Avoid Being Seen: Learning From the Octopus Sona Popat explains how scientists are uncovering the secrets of camouflage Tuesday, 14 September 2021

Being baby-faced Hannah Lin observes the evolution of the face Tuesday, 7 September 2021

Weird and Wonderful: Is Seeing Truly Believing? Mirlinda Ademi talks about visual illusions Tuesday, 31 August 2021

Stereoisomers Why position matters, the difference of a bond Thursday, 24 June 2021

Cutting Edge: CRISPR/Cas9’s Molecular Scissors Hazel Walker explores the Nobel Prize-winning innovation of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing Thursday, 15 April 2021

Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Vanquisher Or Accomplice Of Osteoarthritis? Minji Ai discusses osteoarthritis, mesenchymal stem cells, and and how our mechanistic understanding of them both is bringing us closer to a therapy currently just out of reach. Thursday, 8 April 2021

Breaking Symmetry: The First Steps from Cell to Being Adiyant Lamba describes how cell polarity breaks the symmetry of the embryo to lay down a template for subsequent development Thursday, 18 February 2021

A Spoonful of Jelly Makes the RNA Go Down Benedetta Spadaro explains how bees learn their fate Tuesday, 2 February 2021

A Watery Twist to the Dinosaur Tale Adiyant Lamba dives into the newly found past-times of our favourite prehistoric creatures Tuesday, 26 January 2021

POSTS FROM 2020

Weird and Wonderful: Let’s Talk Baby Talk Jonathan Lam explains the importance of baby talk Tuesday, 8 September 2020

Weird and Wonderful: Genealogy Through Genitals Billy Morris talks about how genital morphology can be used to distinguish cryptic species Thursday, 6 August 2020

Why there are no ant traffic jams? Serene Dhawan on the recent research into ant migration by Toulouse University and the University of Adelaide Friday, 12 June 2020

Fake It 'Til You Make It Ruby Coates looks at the rise of meat and dairy alternatives Monday, 8 June 2020

Flying - a Story of Success Felicitas Pamatat looks into the emergence of flying species Sunday, 31 May 2020

Aphenotypical: the House Mouse’s Dark Secret Anna Tran takes a close look at Marion Island, where the mice have developed a taste for albatross meat Monday, 18 May 2020

A Case for Plant Intelligence Ivan L. Simpson-Kent argues against the stereotypical definition of intelligence, illustrating this case with the wondrous abilities of plants Tuesday, 28 April 2020

A Look at the Modern Interactions between Humans and Crops Eleanor McCartney highlights the importance of agrobiodiversity in our changing world. Thursday, 12 March 2020

Bee-tween Here and There HONEYBEES - Group Decision-Making in Animals Monday, 17 February 2020

Aphenotypical: Moulding the Future Aphenotypical: an exploration of inhuman "intelligence" Thursday, 13 February 2020

POSTS FROM 2019

I need my sleep Insights from flies challenge traditional notions, reports Matthew Brady Sunday, 21 July 2019

Let's Talk About Soil Kasparas Vasiliauskas looks under our feet at some of the Earth's most overlooked material. Thursday, 9 May 2019

Walking in the footsteps of robotic fossils Robot of ancient fossil enables scientists to model gait Monday, 6 May 2019

POSTS FROM 2018

Pharmaceutical Companies Unite to Advance Nucleotide-Based Medicines Scientists work together to create more effective medicines Wednesday, 24 October 2018

Stick Spiders from Different Hawaiian Islands Evolve in Parallel Esther Pilla reports on a discovery in evolution Thursday, 30 August 2018

A Day In The Life: A Scientist With Wings Laura Nunez-Mulder interviews Prof. Nicky Clayton Tuesday, 27 February 2018

Pterodactyls lived like seagulls Jack McMinn investigates pterosaur parenting Sunday, 11 February 2018

Lady of the Diptera Matthew Brady talks to Dr Erica McAlister about her work exploring the world for some of science’s smallest animals Sunday, 11 February 2018

Judged by your Genes Katherine Dudman introduces genetic discrimination, the sly cousin of racism and sexism Sunday, 11 February 2018

Weird and Wonderful: Giving a Fig about Wasps While many plants entice pollinators with nectar, fig trees do so with the promise of safety and food for the... Sunday, 11 February 2018

Why care about the Polar Bear? Rachael Beasley reveals how there is more to polar bears than meets the eye Sunday, 11 February 2018

Read, learn, and inwardly digest Joy Thompson studies the links between the lavatory and the literary Sunday, 11 February 2018

Can Birds Read Minds? Rachel Crosby puts herself inside the mind of the Eurasian Jay Sunday, 11 February 2018

POSTS FROM 2017

The Inexpert Ape Laura Van Holstein explains why none of us is a specialist, and why this makes us so successful. Friday, 7 July 2017

Planting Ideas: an Interview with Professor Beverly Glover Ramya Gurunathan and Caitlin Walker talk to Professor Beverly Glover about communication, collaboration, and botanical research. Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Understanding the Irrational Laura Nunez-Mulder discusses psychiatry's future with Professor Paul Fletcher Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Food for Thought: Fake News and the Diet Industry Zi Ran Shen talks fad diets and pseudoscience with Cambridge's Dr Giles Yeo. Tuesday, 4 July 2017

Our Neanderthal Ancestry Alba Landra uncovers the ancient ancestry that underlies modern human evolution. Tuesday, 21 March 2017

Driving Away Mosquitos Zohaib Arain explains the potential for new genetic tools to tackle deadly diseases. Tuesday, 21 March 2017

The World Is What We Eat Jacob Ashton tackles one of the biggest challenges facing mankind. Tuesday, 21 March 2017

FOCUS: AI and the power of the neuron Alex Bates looks at how neurobiology has inspired the rise of artificial intelligence Monday, 13 March 2017

How our experiences affect our children Jiali Gao looks at what toad sex, a suicide and starvation have taught genetics Sunday, 5 March 2017

Does Your Brain Have a Sex? Does your brain have a sex? Sunday, 5 March 2017

Travel and Conservation – Steppes Beyond Travel and Conservation – Steppes Beyond Sunday, 29 January 2017

Nature Matters 2016 Nature Matters 2016 Sunday, 29 January 2017

Review: Before the Wilderness Edited by Thomas Blackburn & Kat Anderson. Published by Malki Press-Ballena Press (1993) Friday, 27 January 2017

POSTS FROM 2016

A “Periodic Table” of Protein Complexes A scientific collaboration involving Cambridge researchers has identified simple rules underlying the assembly of multi-protein complexes, and based on these rules, created a “periodic table” classification scheme for these complexes. Monday, 4 January 2016

POSTS FROM 2015

Technology: Do-It-Yourself Biology Verena Brucklacher-Waldert discusses how stay-at-home biologists want to democratize experimental research Tuesday, 3 November 2015

New compound offers hope for Ebola A new compound has been found to protect rhesus monkeys from Ebola when administered three days after infection. The small molecule, known as GS-5734, led to 100% survival rate against the deadly virus, showing promise for further development. Thursday, 29 October 2015

Month of birth linked to natal and adult differences, study suggests An adult's behaviour, morphology and physiology develops throughout its life, and their development depends on the interaction between the genes... Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Is our marine food chain collapsing? A first-time global analysis looking into the way ocean habitats respond to projected effects of climate change finds that marine... Friday, 16 October 2015

Improving the treatment of urinary infections using DNA sequencing A DNA sequencing device the size of a USB stick could be used to improve the diagnosis and treatment of... Friday, 25 September 2015

Train the brain – improving memory in schizophrenia with an iPad game Schizophrenic patients struggle with many symptoms. They have hallucinations, delusional beliefs, and often lack motivation. Apart from these “classical” symptoms,... Friday, 7 August 2015

The unique roughness of screams directly activates fear centres in the brain A group led by David Poeppel from New York University has investigated what makes screaming different from other human vocalisations... Monday, 3 August 2015

Three Ebola virus variants identified in Guinea Following the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic in March last year, beginning in Guinea it has spread throughout West Africa... Tuesday, 7 July 2015

Scientists call for measures to improve research quality Cases of scientific misconduct and unreplicable results, such as the infamous study (now debunked) linking MMR vaccines to autism, have... Thursday, 2 July 2015

Parental smoking puts nearly half a million UK children into poverty It is well known that tobacco smoking causes health problems for children passively exposed, but there is now proof it... Monday, 22 June 2015

Activities can have good or bad impact on sleep depending on their type Have you ever slept like a stone after training or racing? A new study by the University of Pennsylvania used... Friday, 19 June 2015

Earth organisms survive under low-pressure Martian conditions Methanogens are among the oldest and simplest organisms on earth having evolved approximately 3.5 billion years ago. They are highly resilient microbes... Monday, 15 June 2015

Brain's reaction to certain words could lead to new passwords With 19 passwords on average per person, it is unsurprising that people often struggle with remembering them all. However, a new study, “Brainprint”, suggests that unique brain responses to a set of particular words could replace traditional passwords. Friday, 12 June 2015

Artificial Intelligence discovers how worms regenerate body parts Many dream of the day when medicine finds a way to regenerate organs. But to successfully recreate complex body parts,... Tuesday, 9 June 2015

First test of gene-editing method using CRISPR/Cas9 in non-viable human embryos Last week, a group from China led by Pupin Liang reported the testing of a gene-editing method in human tri-pronuclear... Friday, 1 May 2015

Two millennia glow-in-the-dark mushroom mystery solved If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise… If these woods are home to... Wednesday, 15 April 2015

Comfort eating may make you worse We all know that fatty and sugary foods are bad for us- increasing our risk of diabetes and heart disease.... Monday, 30 March 2015

So you have your father’s eyes, your mother’s hair….. and your blood type from a bacteria?! Researchers from the University of Cambridge have discovered that we acquire ‘foreign’ genes from other organisms as part of our development as a species. Friday, 13 March 2015

POSTS FROM 2014

Flu: How viral infection causes intestinal disease Why do we often suffer from vomiting and diarrhoea during an influenza? Influenza is an infectious respiratory disease, whereas vomiting and diarrhoea are symptoms of a gastrointestinal disease. Researches have now found the mechanism by which they are connected. Monday, 15 December 2014

Inflammation: New regulatory gene identified Researchers have identified the gene Ccdc88b as a new regulator for inflammation. Factors affecting this gene might be responsible for onset, progression, and severity of several inflammatory diseases, such as encephalitis or multiple sclerosis. Monday, 24 November 2014

Communities of ferns communicate to decide an individual’s sex Sex-determination, the process by which organisms develop into males, females, or hermaphrodites, happens in many different ways across nature. In... Friday, 14 November 2014

New software allows to live-track cells Since the discovery of the cell by Robert Hook in the 1665, biologists have been studying cells under microscopes. Currently... Friday, 17 October 2014

Science and Policy: The Pint is Right Robin Lamboll debates whether the price of alcohol should be raised Monday, 13 October 2014

Technology: Solitary cell confinement Verena Brucklacher-Waldert discusses the challenges and benefits of chips that analyse individual body cells separately Monday, 13 October 2014

Top Headline Grabbers of the Past Ten Years In celebration of BlueSci’s tenth anniversary, Joanna-Marie Howes revisits the past ten years of influential scientific stories Monday, 13 October 2014

Top Ten Scientific Discoveries of the Past Ten Years In celebration of BlueSci’s tenth anniversary, Joanna-Marie Howes revisits the past ten years of influential scientific stories Monday, 13 October 2014

Ten Years of Nobels For over 100 years, Nobel Prizes have recognised those conferring “the greatest benefit on mankind”. Meanwhile, the Ig Nobel Prizes... Monday, 13 October 2014

Feature: You are your genes and your environment Alex O’Bryan-Tear discusses the long-standing nature versus nurture debate Saturday, 11 October 2014

Feature: Measles: The return of an ‘eliminated’ virus Sarah Smith investigates the return of measles and developments in vaccines Saturday, 11 October 2014

Feature: I heal the body electric Joy Thompson uncovers the importance of bioelectricity in medicine Saturday, 11 October 2014

Feature: Our Colourful History Rhian Holvey explores how colour has shaped our history Saturday, 11 October 2014

Can sugar affect your memory? Western diet consumption, high in fat and sugar, is known to be linked to many negative health outcomes including diabetes... Wednesday, 8 October 2014

Elucidating functions of mutant genes in a deadly cancer Bile duct cancer is one of the most common types of liver cancer. For bile duct cancer, unfortunately, there is... Tuesday, 26 August 2014

Heated nanoparticles awaken the immune response to attack cancer Nanoparticles, far too small to be seen by the naked eye, have been the subjects of lots of research recently.... Friday, 1 August 2014

Feature: Pulling all-nighters is harming your brain Camilla d’Angelo looks into some of the beneficial effects of sleep and why skimping on those precious hours can be damaging Wednesday, 16 July 2014

A touching story? How touch can trigger emotion Scientists have described how light, gentle touch conveys events to our brain that are pleasant or rewarding. Wednesday, 4 June 2014

The importance of timing in Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects one in six people over the age of 80. Along with... Tuesday, 3 June 2014

Science and Policy: Stem Cells: with great power comes great responsibility Alessandro Bertero discusses the controversy behind stem cell therapies Tuesday, 20 May 2014

Behind the Science: Frederick Sanger Virginia Rutten reviews the life of Frederick Sanger, the British Biochemist and double Nobel Prize winner Tuesday, 20 May 2014

Perspective: The Psychology of Discrimination Alex O’Bryan Tear discusses the psychology behind racism Tuesday, 20 May 2014

Focus: Decision making and cognitive biases BlueSci explores biases in human cognition, from their evolutionary background to their socio-political implications Friday, 16 May 2014

Feature: Health-boosting Greens? Ricardo Milho examines the evidence behind the ‘superfood’ claims of cruciferous vegetables Friday, 16 May 2014

Feature: On the Origin of (a Virus) Species Michael Nicoll investigates the recent outbreak of a new virus in the Middle East Thursday, 15 May 2014

Feature: Blood Groups and Infection Sarah Caddy discusses how your blood type can alter your susceptibility to infectious diseases Wednesday, 14 May 2014

Cover: Open Access Sarah Smith discusses the advantages of open access images Tuesday, 13 May 2014

New metal-eating plant discovered in the Philippines Researchers from the University of the Philippines, Los Banos, have discovered a new plant species that accumulates enormous amounts of... Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Gene responsible for weight gain identified A multinational researcher team discovered the gene Nnmt as being required for body fat accumulation. Inactivation of Nnmt, which encodes the enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), protected mice from diet-induced obesity. Monday, 28 April 2014

Review: Building Bridges in Medical Sciences Symposium 2014 Stimulating; diverse, top-notch and passionate speakers; inspirational – these were some of the reflections of participants of the 6th edition... Sunday, 13 April 2014

Slow-growing bacteria resist antibiotic treatment A team of Swiss and British scientists have provided new insights into the underlying mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics are important to treat bacterial infections. However, today’s widespread antibiotic resistance poses a serious threat to human health. Friday, 11 April 2014

Withdrawal of “revolutionary” stem cells research A few months ago, a paper published in Nature revealed what was described as a “major scientific breakthrough”. Dr. Haruko... Thursday, 3 April 2014

A face-specific mechanism for recognising people in the brain? Humans are amazingly skilled at recognising faces. A recent study suggests that the brain has a unique mechanism specialized for... Monday, 31 March 2014

Five second rule does indeed save dropped slices of toast How often have you dropped a piece of lovingly prepared food on the floor, then hurriedly picked it up whilst muttering ‘five second rule...’? Well, now new research has shown that there is a scientific basis to this habit. Friday, 14 March 2014

Focus: Lines of Communication BlueSci explores how the natural world communicates, from single cells to the birth of the digital era Monday, 3 February 2014

Feature: Bubbles of Trouble Robin Lamboll explores how different organisms have coped with life in boiling water Monday, 3 February 2014

Feature: Making Sense of the Senses Toby McMaster explains how the quest to understand hormones changed our appreciation of sensation Monday, 3 February 2014

Feature: Genomes from Beyond the Grave Charlotte Houldcroft discusses the search for ancient pathogen genomes Monday, 3 February 2014

Cover: Discovering Cell Fate Mubeen Goolam discusses the advancing technology used to generate this issue’s cover image Monday, 3 February 2014

POSTS FROM 2013

Muscle protein keeps blood stem cells alive A protein known to allow muscle contraction is now also thought to maintain our blood stem cells. Dennis Discher’s lab... Monday, 2 December 2013

Initiatives: The End of Extinction? Emily Pycroft summarises decisions of the CITES meeting on animal trading practices Monday, 25 November 2013

Feature: No Pain, No Gain Christopher Tsantoulas explains why a world without pain is not as good as it sounds Monday, 25 November 2013

Feature: Bug Off! Joy Thompson investigates how bacteria within insect cells are harnessed to combat dengue fever Monday, 25 November 2013

Feature: Sleep - Keeping Scientists Awake at Night Toby McMaster discusses why we need to sleep at night—and for how long Monday, 25 November 2013

Cover: Visualising Vision Xana Almeida discusses the 4D imaging method used to generate this issue’s cover image Monday, 25 November 2013

Birds pay attention to speed limits, study shows European birds decide how soon to fly away from a car according to the speed limit of the road, a... Friday, 8 November 2013

Relatively well connected What makes a genius? This is the question Professor Dean Falk is attempting to answer through her studies on the... Friday, 11 October 2013

Social networks shape monkey ‘culture’ too In our over-connected digital lives, we all think of social networks as a synonym for Facebook and Twitter, but actually... Wednesday, 14 August 2013

Away from the Bench: Altitude Science Two weeks before he treks out, Elly Smith talks to Dr Andrew Murray about science on Everest Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Focus: A World of Music BlueSci explores the phenomenon of music—what it is, where it comes from and why we do it Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Feature: Commemorating a Commission Felicity Davies celebrates the centenary of the Medical Research Council Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Cover: Electron Microscopy Nicola Love explains the technique used to obtain this issue’s cover image Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Music is my drug A new study reveals that pleasurable music engages reward-related neurocircuitry. Scientists found that discovering a new favourite song activates similar... Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Bacteria commit suicide to protect others Escherichia coli bacteria commit suicide to protect other bacteria, even when they don’t share many genes with them; a study... Wednesday, 17 April 2013

Feature: Food for Thought? Brianne Kent investigates the links between appetite and brain development. Tuesday, 9 April 2013

A stroke of genius Feeling the pinch? This expression shows how negatively we view the sensation of being pinched. Scientists have known for some time about the existence of specific neurons, cells of the nervous system, dedicated to detecting this nasty event. Tuesday, 19 March 2013

A sea of possibilities for new antibiotics The collaborative project PharmaSea aims to combat the growing problem of antibiotic resistance by looking for new drugs in our ocean trenches. Friday, 15 February 2013

Generating new ear cells- yes you heard right! Mammalian ear hair cells are not regenerated, and so deafness due to their loss is an irreversible condition, or so... Friday, 8 February 2013

Behind the Science: Craig Venter vs The World Jordan Ramsey looks at the life of one of modern science’s most divisive figures. Friday, 25 January 2013

Perspective: Babies with Three Parents? Nicola Love looks into the science and ethics of Mitochondrial Replacement Friday, 25 January 2013

Focus: Lazy Universe BlueSci explores the universal principle of energy minimisation across the sciences Friday, 25 January 2013

Feature: One to Another Alessandro Bertero looks at our increasing ability to change the fate of our cells Friday, 25 January 2013

Feature: Living in Fear Sarah Smith examines biological terrorism and its effect on science Friday, 25 January 2013

Feature: Senses in Symphony Shi Khoo and Vanda Ho take a look at the cognitive perspective of synaesthesia Friday, 25 January 2013

Cover: Synthetic Biology Haydn King explains the scientific discipline behind this issue’s cover image Friday, 25 January 2013

POSTS FROM 2012

Obese but happy? All too often, we find ourselves feeling pity toward clinically obese individuals, trying to navigate their way about normal life.... Friday, 14 December 2012

Genetic engineers flying high - A novel Drosophila model sheds light upon human Epilepsy Scientists at Brown University and the University of California-Irvine made use of elegant genetic techniques to introduce a single key mutation into a Drosophila gene and thus create a fly model for human epilepsy. Monday, 5 November 2012

A Nobel pursuit Cambridge biologist John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, Japan have become this year’s Nobel Prize winners for Physiology or Medicine, for “the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent". Wednesday, 10 October 2012

Bumblebees could teach robots how to navigate Bumblebees are surprisingly efficient navigators. With simple brains and no mental map to guide them, bumblebees must learn routes to... Friday, 5 October 2012

History: Life on Mars Hugo Schmidt reveals the advances made in the field of Astrobiology Wednesday, 3 October 2012

2012 Graduate School of Life Sciences Image Competition The graduate school of Life Sciences (GSLS) image competition is a celebration of the variety of biological research that is ongoing here... Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Feature: Balm or Burden? Isaac Elliot finds out how sleep deprivation influences our mood. Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Feature: Through the Looking Glass Jonathan Lawson reflects on the two faces of handedness. Wednesday, 3 October 2012

Superhuman medicine The latest Spider-Man film features researchers attempting to re-grow human body parts by combining lizard DNA with that of humans.... Wednesday, 29 August 2012

BlueSci Film: Bioblitz at Cambridge University Starting at 3pm on Friday June 22nd 2012, experts, volunteers and members of the public raced against time to count... Wednesday, 11 July 2012

Feature: Your Love is my Drug Brianne Kent explores the similarities between love and drug addiction. Sunday, 17 June 2012

Tiny mammoth once roamed Crete Scientists from London’s Natural History Museum predict that millions of years ago a dwarf mammoth once roamed on the Mediterranean... Friday, 1 June 2012

Feature: Holistic Biology – it’s science alright, but not as we know it.... Aoife O’Shaughnessy discusses how systems biology may help to shape the future of medical research. Sunday, 27 May 2012

Bionic eye gives hope for blindness Scientists at Stanford University in California have invented a wireless retinal implant which can help to cure blindness. Illnesses such... Friday, 25 May 2012

Giant feather dinosaur discovered Three almost complete skeletons of a huge feathered dinosaur have been unearthed in north-eastern China. The new species has been... Monday, 14 May 2012

Feature: Coming of AGE - how molecular strategies may soon improve quality of life Rhian Grainger explains how small drug-like molecules may soon help us tackle the biological impacts of ageing. Sunday, 13 May 2012

Tiny hitchhikers target cancer cells Scientists at Northwestern University, Illinois have been the first to develop a nanoparticle that can deliver anti-cancer drugs directly to... Friday, 11 May 2012

Leeches can track jungle mammals Monitoring the abundance of mammalian species in tropical rain forests is difficult due to the uncooperative environment. Not only does... Tuesday, 8 May 2012

Perspective: The Genome Generation Nicola Stead reveals what we have learnt from a decade of the human genome. Friday, 27 April 2012

History: From Herbs to Hormones Vicki Moignard explores how approaches to contraception have evolved over time. Friday, 27 April 2012

Focus: Higher, Faster, Stronger BlueSci explores the role of science in pushing the boundaries of human physical ability. Friday, 27 April 2012

Feature: Turbocharged Thinking Camilla d’Angelo asks whether society will become dependent on brain‑enhancing drugs to function. Friday, 27 April 2012

Feature: Type ‘L’ for Love Jordan Ramsey reveals how computers are being used to simulate love and investigate our choice of life partners. Friday, 27 April 2012

News: Issue 24 Promising Alzheimer’s Treatment Friday, 27 April 2012

New compounds trigger dramatic weight loss Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida have developed two synthetic compounds that could potentially treat obesity, plus many... Wednesday, 18 April 2012

Genes shape our response to flu Researchers at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge, have uncovered the genetic basis behind individual variation in response to influenza infection. Saturday, 14 April 2012

A step in the right direction Bipedalism, or walking upright, is one of the key features to distinguish humans from the great apes. However, exactly why... Monday, 9 April 2012

How the zebra got its stripes Existing theories as to why zebras have evolved stripes centre on their role in combating predators. Stripes may provide camouflage... Thursday, 29 March 2012

New blood When asked their blood group, many people would probably be able to reply “A”, “B”, “AB” or “O”, with some... Monday, 26 March 2012

Synthetic steak It seems that the promise of regenerative medicine is no longer enough. Not satisfied with preventing ageing and curing disease, stem cells are now also being charged with solving the impending global food crisis. Thursday, 15 March 2012

Do you hear what I hear? It may one day be possible to listen to the “imagined speech” of patients who have been left unable to communicate following strokes or paralysis, thanks to the work of researchers at the University of Berkeley. Sunday, 11 March 2012

When the heart skips a beat Despite the claims of Olly Murs, the heart is in fact most likely ‘to skip a beat’ during the morning in accordance with the internal body clock, a recent study in Nature has revealed. Thursday, 8 March 2012

Short-term memory based on synchronised brain oscillations Holding a picture you’ve just seen in your 'mind's eye' is a task that requires long-distance communication between visual and... Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Listening in on lysozyme Researchers from the University of California have used a ‘molecular microphone’ to listen to a single protein molecule at work. Sunday, 4 March 2012

Review: Wednesday is Indigo Blue - Discovering the Brain of Synaesthesia As you listen to the voice of a weather forecaster describing the highs and lows of tomorrow’s temperature, a kaleidoscope... Thursday, 1 March 2012

Towards a universal flu vaccine New research suggests that vaccines targeting key influenza proteins could provide immunity against multiple strains of flu. Wednesday, 29 February 2012

Males and females run on different programmes Variations in gene expression within the brain have been implicated in some of the fundamental behavioural differences between the sexes. Sunday, 26 February 2012

The immortal devil’s contagious cancer Cancer is still one of the biggest killers worldwide, arising when our own cells turn against us and grow out of control. As human life expectancy continues to increase, so too does our risk of cancer. Thursday, 23 February 2012

New insights into malaria mechanisms A recent study in Cell reveals the way deadly malaria parasites transport proteins in infected red blood cells. Targeting this transport pathway may offer new opportunities for malaria treatment. Sunday, 19 February 2012

Turning a mouse into an elephant “Animals get bigger through time”. This, in a nutshell, is the evolutionary ‘rule’ named after the American palaeontologist Edward Drinker... Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Feature: Psychedelic Psychiatry Ecstasy and magic mushrooms have recently been shown to help people with treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. Camilla dʼAngelo explores how these drugs could radically change the landscape of psychiatry. Saturday, 11 February 2012

New cancer drug target discovered Scientists at the University of Leicester have identified a new molecule that could serve as a target for an entire family of future cancer drugs. Thursday, 9 February 2012

Solving a monkey puzzle In a study published recently in the journal Cell, scientists at the Oregon National Primate Research Center in the USA announced that they have created the first chimeric primates. Monday, 6 February 2012

Bacterial bio-pixels could detect poisons Researchers led by Prof. Jeff Hasty at the University of California have created “bacterial bio-pixels” by combining two methods used by Escherichia coli... Wednesday, 1 February 2012

Clever corvids: quoth the raven 'look at this' Ravens have recently been seen to use the types of gestures previously thought limited to just the great apes and... Sunday, 29 January 2012

Using antibodies to help prevent HIV infection Researchers in California have developed a novel form of gene therapy for preventing HIV infection. In a recent Nature paper,... Sunday, 22 January 2012

BlueSciFilm: We are Sitting in the Mollusc Store Snails, clams, squids and octopoda... Dr. Richard Preece took BlueSci film editor Nick Crumpton behind the scenes in the University... Saturday, 21 January 2012

Weird and Wonderful A selection of the wackiest research in the world of science Wednesday, 18 January 2012

History: Science’s Royal Beginnings Nicola Stead takes a look back at the origins of the Royal Society and its founding members Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Focus: Intelligence BlueSci looks at the science of human intelligence: how do we test it, what controls it, and how do we even define it? Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Feature: Aspects of Ageing Andrew Szopa-Comley explores possible explanations for why humans age at the molecular level Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Feature: Warning - Contains Peanuts Mrinalini Dey investigates our attempts to alleviate the anxiety of allergy sufferers Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Feature: Neglecting Vets Peter Moore explores the importance of Veterinary Medicine for mankind Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Feature: The Need for Sex Anna Wilson looks at the evolutionary benefits of sexual reproduction Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Reviews The God Species - Mark Lynas Wednesday, 18 January 2012

News: Issue 23 …and this little piggy corrected mutations Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Cover: Creating Crystals Lindsey Nield looks into the story behind this issue’s cover image Wednesday, 18 January 2012

Dreaming, not time, is the healer of all wounds Researchers at the University of California have found that spending time in rapid eye movement (REM) or “dreaming” sleep can make painful memories more bearable. Tuesday, 17 January 2012

Dopamine-deficient worms join the fight against Parkinson's Scientists at the University of Texas, Austin, have found a way to use dopamine-deficient worms to identify new drugs for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Sunday, 8 January 2012

POSTS FROM 2011

Paracetamol no longer a mystery The common painkiller’s mechanism of action has finally been identified Wednesday, 28 December 2011

Genetically engineered E. coli could be used to make biofuels In a discovery that pushes the dream of worldwide implementation of renewable energy towards reality, researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) in Berkeley, California have synthesised three advanced biofuels using genetically engineered Escherichia coli (E. coli). Friday, 23 December 2011

Interview: Dr Rupert Soar - Fungus Farming to Freeform Construction. Nick Crumpton talks to Rupert Soar about termite-inspired buildings, sustainable architecture and the future of construction. Tuesday, 20 December 2011

Synthetic spider silk for water-catching webs Dew-drops on spider webs are a common sight on foggy mornings, but only recently have scientists realised their implications for... Monday, 19 December 2011

A bug in the programme Scientists have discovered a parasite that can alter behaviour by manipulating brain chemistry. Tuesday, 13 December 2011

Pythons with big hearts can help protect ours Fatty acids that appear in the bloodstream of pythons after eating have been found to promote healthy heart growth. Friday, 9 December 2011

Biosensors help to detect neurodegenerative diseases Shalini Prasad and colleagues at the University of Texas, Dallas, have developed a biosensor that can differentiate between Alzheimer's disease... Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Making a CASE for PhDs In an exciting new development for interdisciplinary research and development, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has today announced the recipient of the first ever GSK Oncology collaborative awards in science and engineering (CASE) PhD scholarship. Monday, 5 December 2011

Interview: Filming Frozen Planet - Capturing the Public Imagination Frozen Planet director Adam Scott talks to Nick Crumpton about one of the most extreme environments on Earth. Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Being bilingual may help delay Alzheimer's disease Speaking more than one language may help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease according to a new study published in “Cortex”. Friday, 25 November 2011

Children, but not chimps, prefer teamwork A new study has shown that children display a preference for cooperation that is not shared by chimpanzees. Friday, 18 November 2011

Review: Parasite Rex (Carl Zimmer) Sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis and hundreds of other parasitic diseases plague millions of people across the world. We have no clear... Monday, 14 November 2011

It's not all about the snap The world's largest lizard, Indonesia's Komodo Dragon, is well adapted for a carnivorous, ambush-hunting lifestyle, with serrated teeth, a venomous... Friday, 11 November 2011

Review: Ten Top Tips for Televisual Triumph Why do journalists often get their facts wrong when they report on science stories? Thursday, 10 November 2011

Feature: Life on Air - Listening in on Natural Science Some sort of bubbled ‘moo’: that’s what I assumed manatees were going to sound like. A muffled Chewbacca would have... Wednesday, 9 November 2011

Polymer plug "LeGoo" approved in US for use during surgery Blood vessels are traditionally blocked during surgery using clamps to pinch the vessel and stop blood flow. This can lead to damage and trauma of the artery. However, a new product called 'LeGoo' may make clamps a thing of the past. Sunday, 6 November 2011

Review: The Future - A Mini-retreat Where does the Future lie for PostDocs and Graduate Students? This was the focus of the 2011 Biochemistry Mini-Retreat organised... Thursday, 3 November 2011

Raising the alarm against viruses Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) have identified the precise mechanism by which the detection of foreign agents in cells can lead to a rapid immune response. Thursday, 3 November 2011

Abusive boobies may prove a good model for human ‘cycle of violence’ Scientists studying the Nazca booby in the wild have observed the same ‘cycle of violence’ as seen in humans: birds that get abused as youngsters are more likely to go on to abuse nestlings when they grow up. Friday, 28 October 2011

That Friday feeling Looking forward to the weekend? Scientists at Cornell University have used Twitter to explore changes in people's moods over the course of the day, week and year. Tuesday, 25 October 2011

Review: Virtual Water (Tony Allan) How much water do you need to make a cup of coffee? According to Tony Allan, Professor of Geography at... Monday, 24 October 2011

A step closer to artificial intelligence Scientists at Tel Aviv University, Israel, have restored lost brain function in rats using an artificial cerebellum. Like a real... Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Nobel Prize awarded for insights into the immune system Major breakthroughs in understanding the way in which our immune system is activated have seen Bruce A. Beutler, Jules A. Hoffmann and Ralph M. Steinman awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Monday, 17 October 2011

Review: Principles of social evolution (Andrew F. Bourke) Ed: In the first of our new online Review section, which will incorporate reviews of books, games, talks, events and... Friday, 14 October 2011

Weird and Wonderful A selection of the wackiest research in the world of science Monday, 3 October 2011

Away from the Bench: Skeletons and Flame Tornadoes Aaron Barker explains how certain types of CHaOS can be fun and informative Monday, 3 October 2011

History: Science in Print Helen Gaffney explores the rise of popular science magazines Monday, 3 October 2011

Behind the Science: The Father of Forecasting Lindsey Nield reflects on the life and voyages of Admiral Robert Fitzroy Monday, 3 October 2011

Feature: Beyond Darwin Jamie Hackett examines whether it is possible to inherit the experiences of our parents Monday, 3 October 2011

Feature: A Clean Slate Yinchu Wang looks back to a life unknowingly dedicated to science Monday, 3 October 2011

Reviews Cool It - Bjorn Lomborg Monday, 3 October 2011

News: Issue 22 Bat wing hairs act as airflow detectors Monday, 3 October 2011

Cover: Cultured Brains Jonathan Lawson looks into the story behind this issue’s cover image Monday, 3 October 2011

Overconfidence is a winning trait Scientists in Edinburgh and California have found that being overconfident can help you succeed. Monday, 26 September 2011

iGEM 2011: Squid to E. coli - Bactiridescence Squids and octopi (cephalopods) are renowned for their stunning ability to change their skin colour, as a means of camouflage... Monday, 19 September 2011

Plant circadian clock mystery solved Researchers at Yale University have identified a key component of the plant circadian clock, solving one of the final mysteries that remained in understanding this process. Thursday, 15 September 2011

The internet tells children to love pandas but not their back gardens The increased reliance of children on virtual media rather than hands-on outdoor activities means their consideration in protecting species along... Monday, 15 August 2011

Ageing of the brain differs between chimpanzees and humans A recent study of the brain size of humans and their closest living relatives has found important differences relating to aging. Saturday, 6 August 2011

Genome of the potato sequenced A group of international scientists have recently published the genome sequence of the humble potato, Solanum tuberosum. It is hoped that the sequence will aid better breeding of this disease-susceptible plant. Sunday, 31 July 2011

Symptoms of climate change become apparent in European oceans A species of plankton, Neodenticula seminae, has returned to the North Atlantic for the first time since going extinct 8 million years ago. This is the latest example of how changing climate conditions cause species to move or change their behaviour. Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Turtles finally find their place in the evolutionary tree A genetic analysis of turtles has shown that they come from the same branch of the tree of life as lizards. Saturday, 23 July 2011

Surplus metabolic capacities indicate history of yo-yo diet A recent analysis of digestive capacities shows that predators in the wild are able to capitalise on pulses of food abundance, and suggests an evolutionary history of feast and famine. Wednesday, 20 July 2011

A genetic history of coconuts A new genetic analysis shows that modern coconuts were brought into cultivation in two independent regions, and discusses how human trade and travel has influenced genetic diversity in coconut populations. Saturday, 2 July 2011

Hummingbird tongues don’t suck but ‘trap’ nectar Hummingbirds have evolved an extraordinarily ingenious mechanism that allows them to feed with barely any work being performed at all. Thursday, 9 June 2011

UV vision helps reindeer survive in the harsh Arctic Sensitivity to the UV spectrum gives reindeer crucial extra visual information, new research shows. Thursday, 2 June 2011

The bright lights attract bats too Greater numbers of bat species are found in areas associated with human populations, according to a study published in the journal Mammalian Biology. Tuesday, 31 May 2011

Blind legless lizard declared a new species Zoologists in Cambodia have discovered a new species of legless lizard sheltering under a log in the Cardamom Mountains of the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary. Friday, 13 May 2011

Study identifies recall memory in monkeys A study by scientists at Emory University suggests that rhesus monkeys are capable not only of recognising images, but also recalling them from memory. Thursday, 12 May 2011

Feature: What is going on in schizophrenic brains? Daniel Martins-de-Souza investigates the role of protein expression in cases of Schizophrenia. Monday, 9 May 2011

BlueSciFilm: Understanding ocean currents BlueSciFilm interview Natalie Roberts, PhD student in the Department of Earth Sciences at Cambridge University, about her work as a paleoceanographer, studying circulation of water around the Atlantic and its association with climate change. Monday, 9 May 2011

Weird and Wonderful A selection of the wackiest research in the world of science Saturday, 7 May 2011

History: Immortal Hearts and Henrietta Nicola Stead looks back at the beginnings of cell culture Saturday, 7 May 2011

Behind the Science: Women Who Led the Way Jessica Robinson uncovers some of the pioneering female scientists Saturday, 7 May 2011

Feature: Superheroes, Fact or Fiction? Mark Nicholson discovers how nature has turned fantasy into reality Saturday, 7 May 2011

Feature: Bird’s Eye View Ian Le Guillou finds out about the ‘biological compass’ of cows, crocodiles and migrating birds Saturday, 7 May 2011

Feature: The Challenge of Chocolate Rachel Berkowitz looks at the science that will allow us to make chocolate better: healthier, cheaper and as tasty as before Saturday, 7 May 2011

Feature: Between You and Me Louisa Lyon examines how distinct genomes can co-exist in an individual Saturday, 7 May 2011

News: Issue 21 The Sun as we’ve never seen it before Saturday, 7 May 2011

Cover: A Prettier Shell than Ordinary Tom Ash looks into the story behind this issue’s cover image Saturday, 7 May 2011

The singular origin of the melanic moth Scientists have identified the gene region that controls melanism in the peppered moth, a famous example of natural selection in action. They also suggest that the mutation responsible for the dark melanic form arose just once and spread throughout British populations. Friday, 6 May 2011

Late Stone-Age enclosures for gazelle hunting identified Archaeologists have found evidence of large-scale culling of hundreds of gazelles by humans 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. Tuesday, 3 May 2011

'King of rabbits' unearthed on Minorca Palaeontologists have discovered an enormous fossil rabbit on the Spanish island of Minorca. It has been officially named Nuralagus rex, meaning ‘Minorcan hare king’. Saturday, 23 April 2011

Earliest tooth decay linked to teeth evolution A fossil recently discovered in Texas provides the earliest evidence of tooth decay in a terrestrial vertebrate. The fossilized remains... Thursday, 21 April 2011

Catchy whale tunes Humpback whale songs have been found to be transmitted culturally on a huge scale from west to east. Tuesday, 19 April 2011

Feature: The ‘Map of Life’ Further to our recent news story, Tim Middleton interviews creators of the new ‘Map of Life’ website ((http://www.mapoflife.org/index/)) and looks into the apparent absurdities and controversies of convergent evolution. Monday, 18 April 2011

Zoos urged to join forces in conserving biodiversity A team of scientists based in Germany are urging zoos and aquariums to collaborate in establishing breeding programmes for endangered animal species. Wednesday, 30 March 2011

A new family tree for primates A report published in the journal PLoS Genetics has produced a much-needed update of primate phylogeny. The study, which is the fruit of an international collaboration, greatly clarifies the evolutionary history of humans and our closest relatives. Sunday, 27 March 2011

Loss of a special bear The famous polar bear Knut died last Saturday at Berlin Zoo aged four years and three months. A necropsy in progress suggests he died of brain damage. Friday, 25 March 2011

Mass extinction imminent? A mass extinction on a scale only witnessed five times in the last 540 million years could be just around the corner, scientists warn. Tuesday, 15 March 2011

Cambridge launches the 'Map of Life' The University of Cambridge’s Map of Life project has gone online, aiming to draw fresh attention to the remarkable stories told by convergent evolution. Saturday, 12 March 2011

How much is too much? Phosphorus is now one of the major causes of water pollution in the Western world. A new study has found... Wednesday, 2 March 2011

Disease epidemic endangers bats Bats play an important role in controlling insect pests and are an integral part of cave ecosystems, but some populations in North America are facing endangerment or extinction due to a disease epidemic. Monday, 28 February 2011

The 'bear' necessities of hibernation “I wish I could hibernate like a bear this winter!” This sentiment is often expressed by Cambridge University students as they slog through the darkest moments of their degrees. But they might want to reassess what “hibernate like a bear” really means. Thursday, 24 February 2011

Pollen discovered to be a new line of plant defence Ecologists from Zurich have shown that flowering plants produce chemical defences in their pollen that prevent bees from being too... Tuesday, 22 February 2011

Weird and Wonderful A selection of the wackiest research in the world of science Saturday, 29 January 2011

Arts & Reviews: This is Your Brain on Mozart Lindsey Nield discovers the hidden power of music Saturday, 29 January 2011

Perspective: Test Tube Babies Sara Lejon gives her perspective on Nobel prize winning in vitro fertilisation technology Saturday, 29 January 2011

Focus: Life Will Find a Way Worlds on worlds are rolling ever Saturday, 29 January 2011

Feature: Eradicating Rinderpest Paul Simpson looks at the history of a quietly devastating disease Saturday, 29 January 2011

Feature: The Science of Significance Annabelle Painter shows how the amygdala may be key to culture, spirituality and identity Saturday, 29 January 2011

Feature: Cell Talk Rhea Chatterjea explores the medical frontiers of gap junction research Saturday, 29 January 2011

News: Issue 20 Benefits to weaker immune system Saturday, 29 January 2011

The goldilocks body temperature A new mathematical model has shed light on why mammals spend so much energy staying warm-blooded, a phenomenon that has long been poorly understood. Friday, 7 January 2011

Feature: The secret life of an element Katarzyna Kopanska examines the importance of a well-known element. Monday, 3 January 2011

POSTS FROM 2010

Feature: Aliens found using arsenic - fact or fiction? Wendy Mak investigates the supposed arsenic loving bacteria. Tuesday, 28 December 2010

To soar or to flap? Large birds, such as storks and hawks, have long been known for choosing to soar and glide on thermal currents... Tuesday, 21 December 2010

Shrinking the mosquito population Another weapon in the war against mosquito-borne diseases could be on the horizon. Researchers at Riverside Lab in California have... Wednesday, 15 December 2010

Networks that make up the mind We spend much of our lives making decisions, most of which occur in a fraction of a second. This involves... Friday, 10 December 2010

Bacterial romance? A new study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that the bacteria living inside the guts of fruit flies have an effect on the choice of mates made by the host organism – potentially leading to the development of a new theory of evolution. Thursday, 9 December 2010

The mammals' time to shine It has long been suspected that the dinosaurs’ demise at the end of the Cretaceous period made way for the... Sunday, 28 November 2010

Weird and Wonderful A selection of the wackiest research in the world of science Tuesday, 9 November 2010

Perspective: Saving Species Imogen Ogilvie gives her perspective on conservation and asks whether it is worth trying to conserve species at all Sunday, 7 November 2010

Focus: Gene Therapy BlueSci explores the development of gene therapy, the remaining challenges and the recent triumphs Sunday, 7 November 2010

Feature: Cherish Your Enemies Olivier Restif explains why we should learn to live with our pathogens Sunday, 7 November 2010

Pavilion: Issue 19 Fish vertebrae – unlike mammalian bones – grow in a layered manner, much like tree rings. Isotopic analysis of the... Sunday, 7 November 2010

News: Issue 19 The first non-human, non-verbal dictionary has been created at the University of St Andrews. Erica Cartmill and Richard Byrne spent nine months observing orangutans and trying to discern a lexicon of gestures and signals. Sunday, 7 November 2010

Cover: Manipulating Behaviour Lindsey Nield looks into the story behind this issue’s cover image Sunday, 7 November 2010

New model for vertebrate jaw evolution A team of international scientists have proposed a novel model for jaw evolution that contradicts previous understanding. Tuesday, 12 October 2010

On the origin of complexity Theoretical models have suggested that complexity comes with a cost, and the simplest organisms are the best at adapting to their environment. How then, have the most complex plants and animals evolved? Friday, 8 October 2010

Early nutrition affects male maturity and differences between sexes Recent research from Northwestern University (Philippines) finds that early infant nutrition strongly shapes the sexual and biological fitness of adult males. Wednesday, 6 October 2010

Control your emotion or it will control you Although the Chinese adage does not allude to voluntarily controlling local brain activity, researchers have found that this is the key to tempering feelings. Tuesday, 5 October 2010

Human cytomegalovirus genome cloned By reconstructing a complete viral genome, British-based scientists have greatly improved the clinical relevance of fundamental research on a leading cause of congenital disability. Tuesday, 5 October 2010

New mathematical model to aid biodiversity conservation A new theory of species diversity has been developed that predicts the number of species in an ecological community by mathematically accounting for the interdependent properties of individual species as well as those of the environment. Thursday, 30 September 2010

A break-down in communications Climate change. Nuclear power. GM crops. Vaccines. Why is it that the general public is so often divided on issues that scientific experts largely agree on? Tuesday, 28 September 2010

Leaner, meaner, faster, stronger Wouldn't it be great if we can have denser, stronger bones, but also be leaner and weigh less? While it may sound like a gym advertisement, a group of researchers in Maine have found a protein that achieves this in mice. Tuesday, 14 September 2010

The vascular endothelial cell and its growth factor Both have been connected to lung diseases, and have therefore shed light on potential treatments. Tuesday, 14 September 2010

The Environmentalist's Paradox: Why are we still doing so well? Humankind is responsible for causing considerable damage to many of the planet's ecosystems. According to environmentalists, this degradation should also be having a negative effect on our own well-being. But it's not. What's going on? Thursday, 9 September 2010

New infrared technique could help to understand cancer Chemists have developed a new technique using infrared light to study the behaviour of lysosomes more clearly and extensively than ever before, potentially taking the fight against cancer and many other diseases to another level. Sunday, 5 September 2010

Nourishing the ageing brain Research findings suggest new links between B vitamin deficiency and the degeneration of the ageing brain. Thursday, 26 August 2010

Species in the Soil Research in the Panamanian rainforest shows that soil-dwelling organisms promote local species richness and keep the rare trees rare. Sunday, 15 August 2010

Disease and the dysfunctions of metabolism Researchers at Harvard and Boston University have found that the different pathways of the human metabolic network interact and induce deep epistasis, the suppression of a mutation by one or more seemingly unrelated genes. Monday, 9 August 2010

Temperature toggles learning in flies Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology in Germany have used a non-invasive technique to pinpoint neurons required for... Saturday, 31 July 2010

Continuing education can compensate for dementia symptoms Researchers have found that increased education is connected to reduced chance of showing dementia symptoms, suggesting increased schooling to have a compensatory effect on the brain. Tuesday, 27 July 2010

The passion and profession of Richard Ernst On Wednesday 7 July, an audience of over a thousand scientists gathered to hear Nobel laureate Richard Ernst talk about the scientific investigations on Tibetian religious paintings known as thangkas. Tuesday, 20 July 2010

Revolutionising life Researchers have discovered 2.1 billion year-old fossils that answer new questions about the origins of life on Earth ((Abderrazak El... Monday, 5 July 2010

The Casanova antidote: how testosterone increases skepticism in women's perception of men Dutch researchers have demonstrated that testosterone, which is suggested to have antagonistic properties to oxytocin, downgrades interpersonal trust and enhances... Wednesday, 30 June 2010

Pigeons carry harmful pathogens Feral pigeons could be asymptomatic or subclinical carriers of the pathogens Chlamydophila psittaci and Campylobacter jejuni, responsible for acute diarrhea in humans. Tuesday, 29 June 2010

Brain's Expectations A damaged prefrontal cortex leads to impaired preparation and reaction speeds in response to a stimulus. Monday, 21 June 2010

Natural selection in favour of specialisation Despite outliving the Ice Age, the Hundsheim rhinoceros rapidly disappeared without any effective changes to its environment, becoming foe to... Monday, 21 June 2010

Life on Mars? New evidence reinvigorates old questions. High-levels of carbonate minerals suggest a more favourable environment for life in the Red Planet's past. Friday, 18 June 2010

Reef restoration: cheap and simple solutions Researchers from the University of Rhode Island have found that coral reef conservation can be achieved successfully through transplantation of fragmented corals. Sunday, 13 June 2010

Call for citizen scientists An international team with researchers fthe UK, Australia and China consider how our views of biodiversity can be distorted by the data we look at. Monday, 7 June 2010

Disease resistance; not always a bonus. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Developmental Biology in Germany have explained an evolutionary dilemma in Nature ((Marco Todesco... Thursday, 3 June 2010

Bold geese trust themselves A team of researchers from the Netherlands have fround that the personality of barnacle geese can affect how they use social information ((Ralf H. J. M. Kurvers et al., “Personality predicts the use of social information,” Ecology Letters 13, no. 7 (2010): 829-837.)). Tuesday, 1 June 2010

How nature's colours could cut bank fraud Scientists have discovered a way of mimicking the stunningly bright and beautiful colours found on the wings of tropical butterflies. The findings could have important applications in the security printing industry, helping to make bank notes and credit cards harder to forge. Monday, 31 May 2010

The little things count Psychologists in California and North Carolina have conducted an in-depth study into how the emotion of gratitude can boost romantic... Thursday, 27 May 2010

Important enzyme for TB found Researchers from the USA and Singapore have demonstrated that the enzyme PEPCK (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), plays a pivotal role in the... Monday, 24 May 2010

Smallpox vaccine provides protection against HIV A research study published in Biomed Central (BMC) Immunology by scientists from George Mason University, George Washington University and the... Monday, 24 May 2010

Silk is the secret to honeycomb strength Engineers from China and Cardiff have uncovered the microscopic structure of honeycomb, which is responsible for its impressive mechanical properties... Thursday, 20 May 2010

Stop ageing. Run a marathon! Researchers in Italy have found that running a marathon stops the cellular processes which lead to cell death ((Gabriella Marfe... Monday, 17 May 2010

By the Pricking of My Thumbs, Something Fishy This Way Comes Sharks have a notoriously sensitive sense of smell and can smell a drop of blood from a kilometre away. Researchers have been finding out how. Friday, 14 May 2010

Bio-Gels for Drug Delivery Scientists at Ajou University in South Korea have designed a material that forms a gel in vivo and releases protein... Monday, 10 May 2010

Human Hybrid The first draft of the Neanderthal genome, published in Science this week, provides evidence of interbreeding with our Homo sapiens ancestors ((R. E. Green et al., “A Draft Sequence of the Neandertal Genome,” Science 328, no. 5979 (2010): 710-722.)). Sunday, 9 May 2010

Superhydrophobic fern gives clue to help ships economise on fuel Researchers from Bonn, Rostoc and Karlsruhe have deciphered how the water fern Salvinia molesta manages to keep its super hydrophobic... Friday, 7 May 2010

Elegant Folding of Pollen Grains The structures adopted by pollen grains as they dry out have been analysed and modelled by a team of physicists... Wednesday, 5 May 2010

Letters Your questions answered by Dr I.M. Derisive Monday, 3 May 2010

Book Reviews Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth Monday, 3 May 2010

Technology: Lighting Up Disease Lindsey Nield sheds light on the uses of biomarkers Monday, 3 May 2010

History: Increasing the Yield Alex Jenkin looks at the past, present and future of agriculture Monday, 3 May 2010

Arts & Reviews: Movements Frozen in Time Swetha Suresh examines a unique juxtaposition of science and art that reveals the intricacies of movement Monday, 3 May 2010

Perspective: Funding in Crisis? Gemma Thornton gives her perspective on the future of scientific funding Monday, 3 May 2010

Behind the Science: The People’s Palaeontologist Taylor Burns describes the life behind the science of Stephen Jay Gould Monday, 3 May 2010

Feature: I Think, Therefore I Am? Rupak Doshi investigates how scientists hope to find an answer to an ancient philosophical debate Monday, 3 May 2010

Feature: Never-Ending Hunger Kate McAllister looks into Prader-Willi Syndrome and the insatiable desire to eat Monday, 3 May 2010

Feature: In Search of the $1000 Genome Elizabeth Batty outlines the race for cheaper genome sequencing Monday, 3 May 2010

Pavilion: Issue 18 Sharks possess a skeleton that is made almost entirely of cartilage. Clearing the tissue and staining the remaining cartilage reveals forms of increasingly delicate intricacy. Monday, 3 May 2010

News: Issue 18 Morphogenesis on a tight leash Monday, 3 May 2010

Cover: New Neurons From Old Jessica Robinson reviews the story behind this issue’s cover image Monday, 3 May 2010

Haemophiliac mice lead the way to safer cures by eating their greens Researchers from Florida have developed a new way of delivering protein replacements for treating diseases such as haemophilia, without triggering... Friday, 30 April 2010

Smells classified by neuronal patterns Recent research by scientists at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) has shed new light upon the neurological mechanisms behind our sense of smell. Friday, 30 April 2010

Is That Egg Mine? At the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Germany, a flock of zebra finches are getting a little bit confused... Wednesday, 28 April 2010

Letters Your questions answered by Dr I M Derisive Monday, 4 January 2010

History: The Nature of the Beast Lindsey Nield traces the contributions and controversies in the history of animal research Monday, 4 January 2010

Arts & Reviews: A Significant Interaction Cat Davies talks to Nicola Clayton, Professor of Comparative Cognition and Fellow at Clare College, about her collaboration with the Rambert Dance Company Monday, 4 January 2010

Away from the Bench: An Ancestor's Tools Kathelijne Koops roams the African rainforest to study chimpanzee culture Monday, 4 January 2010

Focus: The End of Ageing? BlueSci looks at the biology of ageing, how research is helping us to understand and overcome it and the impact on society if we could live longer. Monday, 4 January 2010

Feature: Have We Got a Pill For You? Warren Hochfeld explores the inadequacies of prescription drugs Monday, 4 January 2010

Feature: Mind Over Matter Amy Miller considers why science and maths can be so hard to learn Monday, 4 January 2010

Feature: Getting the Girl Natalie Lawrence illustrates the bizarre mating habits of the animal kingdom Monday, 4 January 2010

News: Issue 17 The fall of the Nazcas Monday, 4 January 2010

Cover: Habitat Hopping Katherine Thomas examines how frogs are responding to conservation efforts Monday, 4 January 2010

POSTS FROM 2009

Away From the Bench Alison Peel braves the wilds of Africa to look at the spread of viruses in bats. Thursday, 1 October 2009

Initiatives: Tackling Tuberculosis Sahil Kirpekar and Ali Ansary introduce their innovative strategy for tackling the challenges of drug delivery for recovering turberculosis patients. Thursday, 1 October 2009

Feature: The Protecting Virus Chih-Chin (Kevin) Chen discusses the latest hope in the fight against the flu virus. Thursday, 1 October 2009

Feature: Evolution Inside Us Robert Williams looks at the incredible feat of B Lymphocytes. Thursday, 1 October 2009

Pavillion: Issue 16 The golden ratio is an irrational inherent aesthetic preference. It can be found in paintings by Leonardo Da Vinci, the violins of Stradivarius, the Pantheon, the Great Pyramids of Giza, Stonehenge, your body and all of nature. Thursday, 1 October 2009

News: Issue 16 Cambridge designed solar car unveiled Thursday, 1 October 2009

POSTS FROM 2007

Males evolved to die young Cambridge scientists have found that fighting for mates might have made males evolve to die young Saturday, 27 October 2007

First marsupial genome sequenced An international collaboration of researchers has successfully sequenced the genome of a female, grey, short-tailed opossum (Monodelphis domestica) Friday, 11 May 2007

Plants don't emit methane Dutch scientists have contested recent discoveries that plants emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas Friday, 4 May 2007

POSTS FROM 2006

Meerkats Ain't So Meek When pregnant, dominant female meerkats harass their subordinates so much that they become temporarily infertile, according to a new study from the Department of Zoology Thursday, 10 August 2006

The Bees and the Flowers Cambridge scientists have shown that bumblebees associate the colours of flowers with the temperature of their nectar and preferentially choose ‘warmer’ flowers Thursday, 10 August 2006

Infection with Salmonella can Prevent Diabetes in Mice A new study by Cambridge researchers has shown that infection with a live but weakened form of Salmonella typhimurium can prevent the onset of diabetes in a mouse model of the disease Thursday, 10 August 2006