Science Tuesday: March’s Science News 2018

Happy Tuesday, Aledan Merfolk! I have updates for you later this week or early next week, but since today is the first Tuesday of the month, it’s time for all of last month’s science news! (Yes, I missed February, but I’ll tell you why in my update post) Let’s go!

Researchers discover hydrogen signature of universe’s first stars

Moss in concrete parking lot home to new species of tardigrade

Ancient skull among artifacts found in North Sea

Makeup of gut microbiome is most influenced by environment

Synthetic molecule can light up TB bacteria for easier detection

Scientists create device for tumor-specific extracellular vesicle capture

7,000-year-old Native American burial ground found submerged near Fla.

Huge family tree gives researchers clues about human movements, relationships (there’s a couple partial graphics of the family tree in the article and it looks really cool)

Mummies show ancient Egyptians had tattoos earlier than thought

Second powerful weather-tracking satellite launched

Researchers seek new ways to limit when CRISPR editing goes off-target

and…

Researchers develop technique for more precise CRISPR targeting

and…

Follow-up study reverses controversial CRISPR-Cas9 findings

🙂

Skin bacteria chemical may be able to help treat certain cancers

Pacific island’s settlement focus of genetic studies

Females much larger than males in many species

Hallucinogenic drugs can induce dreamlike state in users

Research teams put crystals’ electrons into Higgs-like state

Researchers study whether teaching dogs to use touchscreens slows aging

Lab sees use for monovalent manganese in sodium-ion batteries (hear that sci-fi folks? Batteries for your novels!)

Upbeat music spurs longer treadmill runs (did we really need a whole study on this?)

Sunken WWII US aircraft carrier found

Rare baby bird fossil dates back 127 million years

Diminished coral reefs could lead to rising waves

Study explores synesthesia phenomenon

Ill health in animals connected to social dominance (Animals in socially dominant positions are more susceptible to parasite infection)

Message in a bottle from 1886 said to be oldest ever found (this is just BEGGING to become a book)

Viking settlement likely in New Brunswick, archaeologist says

New England storm uncovers wreckage of Revolutionary War-era boat

Some vision restored in mice with prosthetic retinas

Backyard soil able to absorb carbon well

Humans can’t hear black hummingbird’s high-pitched song

Bits of superconducting material found in pair of meteorites

No new neuron growth seen in adult human brains

289-million-year-old reptile escaped predators by losing tail

Humans sleep a lot less than other primates (no wonder everyone’s always tired)

Increased sun exposure in childhood may reduce risk of MS as adult

Ancient home uncovered during Rome subway dig

Same color variations show up in spiders on different Hawaiian islands

Blood-brain barrier may be easier to break through at specific times (night)

Cyclones on Jupiter run deep, Juno space probe finds

Graphene layers with a twist offer superconductive possibilities

Researchers re-create exoplanets’ atmospheric chemistry in lab

Black hole questions might be answered with superconductors

X-ray examination may help researchers preserve ancient cannonballs

520-million-year-old ocean predator had simple brain

Flamingos native to Fla.

Diabetes patients benefit from high-fiber diets in study

Research ramping up on postpartum depression

High levels of microplastics found in UK riverbeds

Study of how moon was formed suggests water could exist there

Humans along S. Africa coast survived ancient supervolcano eruption

DNA suggests elongated skulls found in Germany belonged to Huns

Foreign dogs better at protecting livestock (even dogs in the US are lazy :P)

Famed physicist Stephen Hawking dies at 76

Archaeopteryx capable of bursts of flight

Ancient stars, not dark matter, behind signal from Milky Way’s center

Clouds over Mars may be made of bits of dust from comet tails

Doubling information speed theoretically possible, quantum physicists say

Studies assess brain waves’ role in information assessment

Coral threatened by rise in oceans’ CO2 levels

Interaction between python mothers, offspring observed

Astronomers puzzled by galaxy lacking blue globular clusters

Ice formation observed on Ceres

Size, shape and color of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot changing

A look at doubt’s role in science

Humans evolved quickly after environmental change 500,000 years ago

Unique protein with antibacterial properties found in platypus milk

Microfluidic device shows researchers cell divisions, mutations

New pipette inspired by liverwort plant’s sex organs (I can’t wait to use this at work!)

Monkeys respond to sex, status in advertising

NASA offers a peek inside the Mars 2020 rover (see photo at the top of this page)

VR distracts, eases pain during medical treatment

Antarctica fossil forests may answer Permian extinction questions

Researchers struggle to rebuild after devastating hurricane season

Kepler mission could end in months as it runs out of fuel

Virtual particles may keep dead stars from becoming black holes

2 distinct Denisovan populations interbred with Homo sapiens

Bodies, environment affect workings of brain, new book suggests

Autism often comes with other conditions

Stem cell technique restores vision in 2 macular degeneration patients

TRAPPIST-1 worlds may have too much water to support life (I guess we know where the mermaids live! Mermaids can’t have “too much water” 😉 )

Scale model shows how Russian nuclear blasts could destroy asteroids

Discovery of gravitational waves has long, complex history

Mongolia’s drought history recorded in ancient tree rings

Oceans may have been on Mars much longer than once believed

Japan to use supercomputer to study nuclear fusion

USDA scientists find new uses for almond waste (possible replacement for high fructose corn syrup)

IVF technology might one day spare northern white rhino species

Researchers working to limit false positives in psychology studies

Metal with special electrical properties is based on weaving pattern

Expedition locates sunken WWII warship in South Pacific

ESA mission to study planets outside our solar system

Canadian mathematician wins Abel Prize for discovering math links

SSRIs may be more beneficial than SNRIs for pediatric anxiety disorders

Early humans likely glimpsed red dwarf star as it passed near sun

Researchers still learning about Saturn after Cassini’s fatal dive

Robotic fish may help scientists learn more about ocean life

Alzheimer’s patients produce tau protein faster

Test of male birth control pill shows few side effects

Rising mumps prevalence may be due to weakening vaccine protection

Unusual mummified skeleton belonged to newborn with genetic mutations

Genome structures in baby mice influenced by maternal attentiveness

Enzymes help bees defend themselves against pesticides

Eating meats cooked at high temps linked to high blood pressure

Plastic garbage patch in Pacific Ocean much larger than believed

“Nanospears” target cells for immuno-oncology and gene therapies

Preoperative ultrasound may avert unneeded lymph node dissection

Curiosity passes 2,000-day mark on Mars

Tiny electromagnetic force measured using one atom

Mount Etna’s slow slide toward Mediterranean charted by researchers

Many male creatures undergo physical changes to attract mates

Extensive flesh-eating bacteria wound treated with experimental spray

Flint youths’ blood lead levels decreasing (Flint still doesn’t have clean drinking water though!)

Kepler captures quick death of star in speedy supernova

Dimming of Tabby’s star newly observed

Waterfall driven by megaflood quenched ancient dry Mediterranean

Scientists looking into unusual bumps on humpback whales

Restricting calories may increase longevity

New fluid-filled organ found hiding throughout human body

Mummy found in ancient Egyptian coffin once thought to be empty

Garbage pile offers glimpse into Iron Age community’s party habits

More people were in old Amazon rainforest than once believed

No right whale newborns seen so far this year, researchers say

Thin, floating film created to block Great Barrier Reef from sun

Seeding atmosphere with salt may fight climate change

Brain size changes found in young children with ADHD

Ancient human footprints found in Canada

Remains of carnivorous Cretaceous Period dinosaur found in Argentina

Single source for all of Australia’s indigenous languages

Scandinavian bears staying with cubs longer due to hunting changes

Concertgoers have synchronized brain waves listening to live music

Scientists use light to enhance biofuel production

Equations break down how knuckle-cracking sounds are made

Earth-sized metal-heavy exoplanet found

MRSA in mice destroyed by new class of antibiotics

Frogs in Panama evolving resistance to deadly fungus

Researchers add sensory ability to robotic hand

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