The conventional wisdom on why some antibiotics don’t work rests on the concept of persistence. A small subset of bacteria sometimes hides out and escapes the effects of the drugs meant to kill them. These persisters can then come back with a vengeance and may no longer respond to the same antibiotic, the theory goes.For example, antibiotics are only partially effective against infections caused by the Salmonella bacteria. The persistence of that infection can lead to other conditions, such as ...read more
The Grand Canyon on Earth versus the ones on the Moon are a study in contrasts. The terrestrial version was slowly carved over millions of years by wind and water. The lunar equivalents appear to have been ripped open within minutes, by the geological version of two massive fingernails, according to a study in Nature Communications.Although the Moon’s canyons are well hidden on the dark side of the satellite, they are as impressive as the one in Arizona. They measure about 16 miles wide, over ...read more
The human-canine bond began more than 30,000 years ago, leading to the extensive domestication of dogs to serve human needs in hunting, protection, and herding. Over time, intentional breeding practices have created hundreds of dog breeds with a wide variety of appearances and behaviors. The prevailing belief has been that selective breeding enhances a dog’s ability to perform specific tasks, but new research challenges this assumption, at least when it comes to skills associated with the shap ...read more
Ancient DNA analysis has allowed us to make some groundbreaking discoveries, and it’s time to add a new one to the list.Ron Pinhasi and his team in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Vienna have uncovered new details about our linguistic roots. In collaboration with Harvard University’s ancient DNA lab, the team has filled a gap in the Indo-European linguistic record that has puzzled scientists and historians for centuries in a new study published in Nature.What ...read more
We tend to think of connectivity as a good thing. For instance, the more connections one has on LinkedIn, the better one’s job prospects would appear. But in people who appear to have lost interest in things they once found pleasurable, too much brain connectivity may actually fuel the condition, according to a study in the Journal of Affective Disorders.Knowing that this condition — which doctors call anhedonia — is associated with mental illnesses could improve diagnosis, by providing ph ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine