Wallace Franklin

Science on a Daily Basis

Posted on May 30, 2018May 30, 2018 by Wallace Franklin

Increased risk of birth defects in babies after first-trimester exposure to lithium June 19, 2018
Researchers have found an elevated risk of major congenital malformations in fetuses after first-trimester exposure to lithium, in the largest study ever to examine the risk of birth defects in lithium-exposed babies.
Local interventions boost coral's resilience to bleaching June 19, 2018
Local conservation actions can significantly boost coral's resilience to, and recovery from, climate-induced thermal bleaching by reducing other energy-sapping stresses the coral faces, a new study finds. Scientists found they could reduce the extent of bleaching by half if they removed or reduced populations of coral-eating snails from affected reefs. The coral's recovery from bleaching […]
Two new creatures discovered from dawn of animal life June 18, 2018
Earth's first complex animals were an eclectic bunch that lived in the shallow oceans between 580-540 million years ago.
BPA can induce multigenerational effects on ability to communicate June 18, 2018
Past studies have shown that biparental care of offspring can be affected negatively when females and males are exposed to bisphenol A (BPA); however, previous studies have not characterized how long-term effects of BPA exposure in grandmothers and grandfathers might affect offspring communication ability.
22,000-year-old panda from cave in Southern China belongs to distinct, long-lost lineage June 18, 2018
Researchers who've analyzed ancient mitochondrial (mt)DNA isolated from a 22,000-year-old panda found in Cizhutuo Cave in the Guangxi Province of China -- a place where no pandas live today -- have revealed a new lineage of giant panda. The report shows that the ancient panda separated from present-day pandas 144,000 to 227,000 years ago, suggesting […]
Faster, cheaper, better: A new way to synthesize DNA June 18, 2018
Researchers have pioneered a new way to synthesize DNA sequences through a creative use of enzymes that promises to be faster, cheaper, and more accurate. DNA synthesis is a fundamental tool in the rapidly growing field of synthetic biology, in which organisms can be engineered to do things like decompose plastic and manufacture biofuels and […]
Best evidence of rare black hole captured June 18, 2018
Scientists have been able to prove the existence of small black holes and those that are super-massive but the existence of an elusive type of black hole, known as intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) is hotly debated. New research shows the strongest evidence to date that this middle-of-the-road black hole exists, by serendipitously capturing one in […]
Daily fasting works for weight loss, finds report on 16:8 diet June 18, 2018
Daily fasting is an effective tool to reduce weight and lower blood pressure, according to a new study that examines the effect of time-restricted eating on weight loss in obese individuals.
Hunting molecules to find new planets June 18, 2018
It's been impossible to obtain images of an exoplanet, so dazzling is the light of its star. However, astronomers have the idea of detecting molecules that are present in the planet's atmosphere in order to make it visible, provided that these same molecules are absent from its star. Thanks to this innovative technique, the device […]
In the gaping mouth of ancient crocodiles June 18, 2018
A new study has endeavoured to further explore the mouth of one of the earliest occurring and least understood groups of crocodilians, the shartegosuchids.