New neurological disease discovered in three children

A neurological disorder affecting speech and coordination has been identified in three children. It is believed the condition is caused by a genetic mutation that affects the ability of neurons to carry out autophagy, a cellular recycling function.

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Bats rely on whiskers for super-fast feeding sessions

Using high-speed infrared cameras, researchers have discovered that the whiskers on long-tongued bats help them expertly extract nectar from flowers, sometimes as quickly as a half-second. The finding could help inform conservation efforts.

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CRISPR study questions everything we know about “love hormone” oxytocin

Using gene editing, researchers have engineered prairie voles with no oxytocin receptors. These monogamous mammals were thought to rely on oxytocin to form social bonds but new results suggest this "love hormone" may be less important than suspected.

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Single-celled bacteria exhibit previously unknown “multicellularity”

E. coli is arguably the most well-studied organism on Earth, but scientists have now discovered a new behavior that’s almost never seen in bacteria. The normally single-celled organisms have shown signs of previously unknown multicellular phases.

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Epigenetic “reboot” reverses aging in mice and could extend lifespan

Harvard scientists have investigated why we age, and how we could stop it. In tests in mice, the team showed that epigenetic “software glitches” drive the symptoms of aging – and a system reboot can reverse them, potentially extending lifespan.

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Resurrected 2.6-billion-year-old CRISPR enzymes can still edit cells

Researchers have resurrected ancient CRISPR proteins from millions and even billions of years ago. Not only can they still edit human cells, but they’re more versatile than modern versions, paving the way for new synthetic CRISPR gene-editing tools.

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Glassfrogs turn transparent by moving red blood cells into liver

When glassfrogs sleep, they turn their bodies transparent in order to evade predators. Scientists have now discovered that they do so by moving their red blood cells into their liver – and the finding could have implications for human medicine.

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Fossil evidence shows that a dinosaur included mammals in its diet

It has long been known that some of the earliest mammals coexisted with the later-period dinosaurs. Now, for just the second time ever, scientists have documented fossil evidence of a dinosaur having actually eaten one of those mammals.

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Signs of Alzheimer’s found in brains of beached dolphins

Could the phenomenon of whale and dolphin strandings be due to Alzheimer's-like cognitive deficits in pod leaders that draw groups into shallow waters? A new study found pathological signs of Alzheimer's disease in brain tissue from stranded dolphins.

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New branch on Tree of Life contains organisms unlike any others on Earth

Scientists have discovered a completely new branch on the tree of life. This “supergroup” contains an incredibly diverse range of predatory microbes that are extremely different genetically from any other form of life on Earth.

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