articles

Are males truly essential for reproduction? Female birds, reptiles and sharks living in captivity have sometimes surprised their keepers by giving birth even though, as far as anyone can remember, they have never been housed with a male. Scientists used DNA analysis to solve this mystery some time ago, showing that these offspring were produced by asexual reproduction, a process called parthenogenesis, or “virgin birth.” Although these events have captured tremendous public interest, it was unknown if this ever occurred in wild populations of these animals.

If someone were to set up a telephone booth sized box on your street filled with unwanted items — such as books, toys and small knick knacks, perhaps — and then topped it off with a “Free” sign, what do you think would happen? If Switzerland is any indication, passersby turned salvagers and recyclers would appear out of nowhere, sifting their way through other people’s unwanted discards, thinking up ways to put their newfound discoveries to good (re)use. Some would even add their own unwanted items to the box. Neighborhood exchange boxes have helped Geneva, Switzerland reuse 32 tons of goods thus far thanks to a program called BOÎTES D’ÉCHANGE ENTRE VOISINS–A box for exchange between neighbors. But can it work in other cities?

Northeastern University researchers have found that the bacterium that causes Lyme disease forms dormant persister cells, which are known to evade antibiotics. This significant finding, they said, could help explain why it’s so difficult to treat the infection in some patients.

One of the more famous images in biology is known as "Photo 51," an image of DNA that chemist Rosalind Franklin and Raymond Gosling created in 1952 by shooting X-rays through fibers of DNA and analyzing the patterns they left behind on film.

X-ray diffraction image of the double helix structure of the DNA molecule, taken in 1952. The image, famously known as "Photo 51," led to greater understanding of DNA and gave rise to the field of molecular biology. Image by Raymond Gosling/King's College London

El sector aéreo está tratando de reducir su huella de carbono. A mediados de junio, el Salón Aeronáutico de París será sede de la COP21…se verá la conferencia desde el cielo. Boeing y Airbus están concentrando sus esfuerzos comerciales en el medio ambiente que ahora es un punto de venta.

"El CO2 afecta nuestra capacidad de crecimiento", dijo Jonathon Counsell, director de Medio Ambiente para British Airways, durante una jornada dedicada al medio ambiente organizada por Airbus en su sitio de Toulouse, Francia.