Periodico101: Feb 5, 2015

Feb 5, 2015

Scientists reprogram plants for drought tolerance

Plant biologists report that drought tolerance in plants can be improved by engineering them to activate water-conserving processes in response to an agrochemical already in use — an approach that could be broadly applied to other parts of the same drought-response pathway and a range of other agrochemicals. The finding illustrates the power of synthetic biological approaches for manipulating crops, opening new doors for crop improvement. … – Source

Scientists reprogram plants for drought tolerance

Fossils from heart of Amazon provide evidence that South American monkeys came from Africa

The early evolutionary history of monkeys in South America is cloaked in mystery. Long thought to have journeyed from Africa, evidence for this hypothesis was difficult to support without fossil data. A new discovery now unveils a key chapter of their evolutionary saga. The discovery of three new extinct monkeys from eastern Peru hints strongly that South American monkeys have an African ancestry. … – Source

Fossils from heart of Amazon provide evidence that South American monkeys came from Africa

Standardized approach to creation and use of antibodies urged: No more money down the drain

A worldwide group of antibody experts appeal for a standardized approach to the creation and use of antibodies in research and therapeutics. … – Source

Standardized approach to creation and use of antibodies urged: No more money down the drain

The brain's social network: Nerve cells interact like friends on Facebook

Neurons in the brain are wired like a social network, according to new research. Each nerve cell has links with many others, but the strongest bonds form between the few cells most similar to each other. … – Source

The brain's social network: Nerve cells interact like friends on Facebook

Anti-epilepsy drug preserves brain function after stroke, research suggests

New research suggests that an already-approved drug could dramatically reduce the debilitating impact of strokes, which affect nearly a million Americans every year. … – Source

Anti-epilepsy drug preserves brain function after stroke, research suggests

Williams ends Indian Wells boycott

Serena Williams ends her boycott of Indian Wells, 14 years after suffering racist abuse at the tournament. … – Source

Williams ends Indian Wells boycott

Bioengineered miniature structures could prevent heart failure

The delivery of tiny biodegradable microstructures to heart tissue damaged by heart attack may help repair the tissue and prevent future heart failure. … – Source

Bioengineered miniature structures could prevent heart failure

ArtsBeat: Taylor Swift Is Back at No. 1

The pop star’s album “1989” climbed back to No. 1 on Billboard’s album chart for a 10th week on top.

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ArtsBeat: Taylor Swift Is Back at No. 1

A leaf out of Newton’s notebook

Sometime between 1661 and 1665, an undergraduate Isaac Newton took an unlikely academic diversion from his pursuits of mathematics, optics and physics. A neat black-ink notebook jotting, sourced ba… … – Source

A leaf out of Newton’s notebook

Citizen scientists find missing link in star formation

In what can be seen as a stride for citizen science, participants of the Milky Way project have identified new structures which can be a stage in the formation of stars, be studying photographs ta… … – Source

Citizen scientists find missing link in star formation

Most Popular Humidifier: Crane

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F**k the Scale

Like other chubby kids, I was picked on. I went to a geeky high school where everyone had their own issues to worry about, so this didn’t last very long. There was one bully, however, that persisted. Even after losing weight, it took pleasure in shaming me as much as it could—that bully is the scale, and it’s probably still bullying you.

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F**k the Scale