General Science Thread

Tundra study uncovers impact of climate warming in the Arctic

Researchers learn to measure aging process in young adults

Oorganization of human brain is nearly ideal

Engineers give invisibility cloaks a slimmer design

Brain imaging shows how children inherit their parents' anxiety

Why don't men live as long as women?

Using sonar to navigate: Bats do it, dolphins do it, and now humans can do it, too

Could black phosphorus be the next silicon?

Researchers build first working memcomputer prototype

Astronomers use cosmic gravity to create a 'black-hole-scope'

Aluminum clusters shut down molecular fuel factory

Need an energy boost? This enzyme may help

South Africa's Great Karoo reveals mass extinction

Bricks to build 'an Earth' found in every planetary system

Spectacular Moroccan fossils redefine evolutionary timelines

High fat diet changes gut microbe populations and brain's ability to recognize fullness

Record-breaking heavy rainfall events increased under global warming

Brawling badgers age faster

First images of dolphin brain circuitry hint at how they sense sound

Training Schrodinger's cat: Controlling the quantum properties of light

World record: Most powerful high-energy particle beam for a neutrino experiment ever generated

New research uncovers brain circuit in fruit fly that detects anti-aphrodisiac

Wave generator powers US electrical grid for the first time

Failed Mongol Armada Wreck Discovered off Japanese Coast

Volcanic rocks resembling Roman concrete explain record uplift in Italian caldera

New era in robotics: 3-D-printed robot is hard at heart, soft on the outside

Astronomers find a massive black hole that outgrew its galaxy

Global sea levels have risen six meters or more with just slight global warming

Human color vision gives people ability to see nanoscale differences

Basic computing elements created in bacteria

Neuroscientists establish brain-to-brain networks in primates, rodents

Is defeat sweeter than victory? Researchers reveal the science behind emotional eating

Overhydration potentially deadly for athletes, experts warn

Solar activity predicted to fall 60% in 2030s, to 'mini ice age' levels: Sun driven by double dynamo

Huge new survey to shine light on dark matter

Physicists propose new definition of time crystals—then prove such things don't exist

Researchers produce industry's first 7nm node test chips

Carnivorous plant's sound echoes draw bats in

Where does water go when it doesn’t flow? Three quarters doesn't make it to the ocean

A new wrinkle: Geometry of brain's outer surface correlates with genetic heritage

Cell structure discovery advances understanding of cancer development

Rhythm of cells: Daily changes in human cells

'Conjunction junction' for brain's navigation function

Black hole bull's-eye revealed

Atmosphere of Venus studied through rare transit images

Graphene-based sensor is tunable and highly sensitive

South African archaeological wonder-sites reveal more of the origins of our unity and diversity

Scientists separate medical benefits of cannabis from 'unwanted' side effects

Scientists simulate the space environment during New Horizons flyby

No, having more sex will not make you happier, study reveals

Genetic data storage approaching crisis point, growing faster than YouTube

NASA robots are exploring the mysterious depths of volcanoes

Early jellyfish-like creatures sported armor

edited 11th Jul '15 8:14:27 PM by rmctagg09

Do transgenic organisms that are not hybrids ^i.e. do not contain transplanted DNA from other organisms count as a form of "artificially created mutant"?

edited 12th Jul '15 8:59:18 PM by MarqFJA

If it contains novel genetic material, like a gene inspired by another gene found elsewhere in nature (but not a direct copy, per your condition) or a new CNV written by a person or a person's tools, then yes, definitely. If its code has been hobbled together solely from code observed in its parent species without any glitches which lead to variation, then it is one of the few non-mutants in existence and just a little creepy besides.

...We should come up with a word for such a creature. Devariant?

edited 12th Jul '15 9:30:22 PM by Artificius

... "Few non-mutants"?

Male black widow spiders destroy female’s web to deter rivals

Transistor built from a molecule and a few atoms

What happens when cosmic giants meet galactic dwarfs?

Tiny genetic tweak unlocked corn kernels during domestication

Submerged volcano cluster discovered off coast of Sydney

Worms hitch rides on slugs when traveling to far flung places

An elusive molecule—finally revealed

Nanoscale device that can emit light as powerfully as an object 10,000 times its size

Kuwait has become the first country to make DNA testing mandatory for all residents

edited 14th Jul '15 12:56:31 AM by rmctagg09

Advanced composites may borrow designs from deep-sea shrimp

With teeth like that, this pre-dinosaur vegetarian was no push over

Jupiter twin discovered around solar twin

Curiosity rover finds evidence of Mars' primitive continental crust

The sleep-deprived brain can mistake friends for foes

Gene associated with thinking skills

Scientists ‘watch’ rats string memories together

Kids expecting aggression from others become aggressive themselves

More precise estimate of Avogadro's number to help redefine kilogram

Human hand more primitive than chimp's, study says

A dark matter bridge in our cosmic neighborhood

The LHC has discovered a brand new class of particles

Watch: How scientists brought an extinct frog back to life

Turing Robotics prepares an unbreakable, unhackable, waterproof phone

Our Star Trek-Style Skin-Healing Technology Could Be The End Of Chronic Wounds

I meant that we're all mutants because of copying errors, to the tune of two-three hundred per generation for humans. Creating something that didn't have copying or recombination errors would make it a non-mutant, I'd think.

edited 15th Jul '15 5:17:21 PM by Artificius

Except that they'll end up becoming a mutant too through gene-replication errors during the course of natural cellular division for replacement of dying cells with new ones.

... Are they truly errors rather than purposeful deviations to inject variety into the gene pool, anyway?

edited 15th Jul '15 9:45:41 PM by MarqFJA

Smart cornfields of the future

New antibody treats traumatic brain injury and prevents long-term neurodegeneration

Researchers stimulate human amygdala to gain key insight into sudden unexpected death in epilepsy

Trustworthiness of an inmate's face may seal his fate

Brain network that controls, redirects attention identified

Drug shows promise as single-dose cure and as preventive treatment for malaria

Old astronomic riddle on the way to be solved: Absorption of starlight in space

Acoustical metamaterial with near-zero density

Evolution of our mammalian ancestor's ear bone detailed

Astronomers bring a new hope to find 'Tatooine' planets

Researchers successfully combine two different materials to create new hyper-efficient light-emitting crystal

Fastest-ever flexible diode provides 'last missing piece' needed to realize bendable phones

50 million year old sperm cells found in fossilized cocoon

Boeing just patented a jet engine powered by lasers and nuclear explosions

'Speed cells' in brain track how fast animals run

Good point on the first. On the second, errors in a lighter sense. Those changes are necessary for adaptation and growth on a larger scale, but any individual change is unintentional and more likely to hurt than help the daughter organism.

How birds learn foreign languages

Futuristic brain probe allows for wireless control of neurons

Massive study: Birth order has no meaningful effect on personality or IQ

Jurassic saw fastest mammal evolution

Bilinguals of two spoken languages have more gray matter than monolinguals

Miniature brains made from patient skin cells reveal insights into autism

No bones about it: Cannabis may be used to treat fractures

The mosquito smells, before it sees, a bloody feast

Scientist develops model for robots with bacteria-controlled brains

After 85-year search, massless particle with promise for next-generation electronics found

A new strain of 'flesh-eating' bacteria is spreading globally, scientists warn

'Big Bird' dino: Researchers discover largest ever winged dinosaur

Oldest Dentistry Found in 14,000-Year-Old Tooth

edited 16th Jul '15 4:32:33 PM by rmctagg09

Sun's activity controls Greenland temperatures

Polar bears threatened: Experience limited energy savings in summer

Low chance of obese people recovering normal body weight

Oceans slowed global temperature rise, until now

Plant defense hormones help sculpt root microbiome

Genetically modified moths pass greenhouse testing, ready for the wild

Done with Pluto, New Horizons will drift in endless sea of space

Gaia satellite and amateur astronomers spot one in a billion star

Magnetic pulses to the brain deliver long-lasting relief for tinnitus patients

Intestinal parasites are common cause of diarrhea in cats: Giardia may be transmitted to humans

The emerging science of human screams

Sitting time not associated with poorer diets in US adults

New Seaweed Tastes Just Like Bacon When Fried

Researchers Have Developed A Stretchable Loudspeaker

Classic ancient Maya “collapse” not caused by overpopulation and deforestation, say researchers

Global study of seed consumption uncovers wider risk to plant species

Finding the origins of life in a drying puddle

Poverty's most insidious damage is to a child's brain

Why bad genes don't always lead to bad diseases

Rare form: Novel structures built from DNA emerge

Dead galaxies in Coma Cluster may be packed with dark matter

Fossil fuel emissions will complicate radiocarbon dating

Why offspring cope better with climate change: It's all in the genes

21st century technology deciphers ancient Hebrew scroll

Scientists propose 3D graphene-like 'hyper-honeycomb' structures

edited 21st Jul '15 1:14:28 AM by rmctagg09

Shallow fracking raises questions for drinking water

Genome analysis pins down arrival and spread of first Americans

Ancient life in three dimensions

Altering RNA helicases in roundworms doubles their lifespan: similar technique could be used on human cells, experts say

Evolution, not just mutation, drives development of cancer

Virus-like particle vaccine protects mice from many flu strains

Gut worms protect babies' brains from inflammation

One night of sleep loss can alter clock genes in your tissues

Seeing triple: New 3-D model could solve supernova mystery

Glimmer of hope: Fertile corals discovered in deeper waters off US Virgin Islands

A DNA Search for the First Americans Links Amazon Groups to Indigenous Australians

New evidence of cultural diversification between neighboring chimpanzee communities

First evidence of farming in Mideast 23,000 years ago

Resolving social conflict is key to survival of bacterial communities

Assembly of galaxies in the early universe witnessed for the first time

'Bad' genes lead teens to binge-eating

DNA damage seen in patients undergoing CT scanning, study finds

Modified DNA building blocks are cancer's Achilles heel

Long-sought discovery fills in missing details of cell 'switchboard'

Why we live on Earth and not Venus

Drawing a line between quantum, classical world

Simulations lead to design of near-frictionless material

New battery technologies take on lithium-ion

Pulsar punches hole in stellar disk

Testing shows using microwaves to propel a craft into space might work

Kiwi bird genome sequenced

New photos show mutated daisies growing near Fukishima

Alarming new report warns coastal cities may be uninhabitable within 50 years

Overeating caused by a hormone deficiency in brain?

Simple flip of genetic switch determines aging or longevity in animals

Destructive high-energy electrons streaking into Earth's atmosphere from space

Small oxygen jump in atmosphere helped enable animals take first breaths

Stressed young birds stop learning from their parents and turn to wider flock

Female stink bugs 'select' color of their eggs

Bigger, older cousin to Earth discovered

Study finds abrupt climate change may have rocked the cradle of civilization

Bioengineering: Big Potential in Tiny 3D Heart Chambers

Dad bellies almost inevitable after babies are born, study finds

Scientists have finally discovered massless particles, and they could revolutionise electronics

Four-legged snake fossil stuns scientists—and ignites controversy

Eye drops could dissolve cataracts

Bossy rooster takes lead vocal of cock-a-doodle-do

Mammoths killed by abrupt climate change

Researchers pinpoint where the brain unites our eyes' double vision

Young scientist discovers magnetic material unnecessary to create spin current

Why do mitochondria retain their own genome?

Tic toc: Why pendulums swing in harmony

Moore's Law is now 50 years old, but will it continue?

New model suggests dark matter acts uncannily like particles found in the 1930s

Boa Constrictors Don't Actually Suffocate Their Prey To Death After All

edited 25th Jul '15 9:05:38 AM by rmctagg09

Why the Y in polar bears matters: For the first time, essential parts of the polar bear Y chromosome have been decoded

Link between intelligence and longevity is mostly genetic

Neural efficiency hypothesis confirmed

Mum’s the word: Maternal language has strong effect on children's social skills

Babies' brains show that social skills linked to second language learning

Non-genetic cancer mechanism found

Dust pillars of destruction reveal impact of cosmic wind on galaxy evolution

Quantum networks: Back and forth are not equal distances

Twin volcanic chains above a single hotspot with distinct roots

New blow for 'supersymmetry' physics theory

Scientists harvest energy from beam's self-induced, self-sustaining vibrations in airflow

Superfast fluorescence sets new speed record

Sorry, you don’t look the way you think you do, study reveals

Scientists Find Something Very Bizarre Behind Pluto

Sleep makes our memories more accessible, study shows

In CRISPR advance, scientists successfully edit human T cells

A cataclysmic event of a certain age

Salt water for lamp designed to serve people without electricity

Marine toxin puts mice to sleep

If we are to find life beyond Earth, we need to be explorers, not hunters

Plant light sensors came from ancient algae

Practice doesn't always make perfect (depending on your brain)

Early evidence suggests hybrid cochlear implants may benefit millions with common form of hearing loss

Pygmies show growth plasticity is key to human evolution

Arrow of time: New understanding of causality, free choice, and why we remember the past but not the future

'Carbon sink' detected underneath world's deserts

Origins of life: New model may explain emergence of self-replication on early Earth

Washington, DC sinking fast, adding to threat of sea-level rise

Reshaping the solar spectrum to turn light to electricity

'Expansion entropy': A new litmus test for chaos?

Unique tooth structure allowed predatory dinosaurs to efficiently crunch flesh and bone

Driving myelination by actin disassembly

Independent expert confirms that the "impossible" EM Drive actually works

Pluto’s atmosphere could collapse imminently, New Horizons data suggest

Ancient lizards in amber amaze scientists

First measurements taken of South Africa's Iron Age magnetic field history

Brain surgery saved Russian general who helped defeat Napoleon: Scientists 'rewrite' history books

Research grasps how brain plans gripping motion

World's first bilateral hand transplant on child

Link between intestinal bacteria, depression found

Secrets of stars unlocked through aluminium

First detection of lithium from an exploding star

Stressed out plants send animal-like signals

Chimpanzees binge on clay to detox and boost the minerals in their diet

Researchers demonstrate the world's first white lasers

New chemistry makes strong bonds weak

Researchers design first artificial ribosome

Yarn from slaughterhouse waste

Researchers mount successful attacks against Tor network—and show how to prevent them

Watch: Divers in Turkey stumble across a gelatinous blob the size of a car

New self-filling water bottle harvests drinking water from the air