The evolution of ‘warm bloodedness’ allowed mammals to live in a more diverse range of habitats, but working out when this occurred has been difficult. To try and pin down a date, researchers have studied the fossilised remains of ancient mammals' inner ears, which suggest that this key evolutionary leap appeared around 230 million years ago.
Research Article: Araujo et al.
News and Views: Evolution of thermoregulation as told by ear
A new surgical glue that’s both strong and easy to remove, and southern fin whales return to Antarctica after being hunted to near extinction.
Research Highlight: This adhesive bandage sticks strongly — even to hairy skin
Research Highlight: A feeding frenzy of 150 whales marks a species’ comeback
Hydrogen dependent CO2 reductase is an enzyme that can convert CO2 from the air into formic acid that can be used as fuel. It also does this extremely efficiently, but nobody has been quite sure how. Now researchers have an idea based on a detailed structural analysis.
Research Article: Dietrich et al.
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the findings of some big biodiversity reports, and how woodpeckers don’t end up with headaches from their pecking.
Nature News: More than dollars: mega-review finds 50 ways to value nature
Nature News: Major wildlife report struggles to tally humanity’s exploitation of species
Science: Contrary to popular belief, woodpeckers don’t protect their brains when headbanging trees
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Alphafold 3.0: the AI protein predictor gets an upgrade
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Dad's microbiome can affect offsprings' health — in mice
Audio long read: Why loneliness is bad for your health
How gliding marsupials got their 'wings'
Living on Mars would probably suck — here's why
Keys, wallet, phone: the neuroscience behind working memory
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Audio long read: Why are so many young people getting cancer? What the data say
Pregnancy's effect on 'biological' age, polite birds, and the carbon cost of home-grown veg
How climate change is affecting global timekeeping
AI hears hidden X factor in zebra finch love songs
Killer whales have menopause. Now scientists think they know why
These tiny fish combine electric pulses to probe the environment
Could this one-time ‘epigenetic’ treatment control cholesterol?
Audio long read: Chimpanzees are dying from our colds — these scientists are trying to save them
How whales sing without drowning, an anatomical mystery solved
Why are we nice? Altruism's origins are put to the test
Smoking changes your immune system, even years after quitting
Why we need to rethink how we talk about cancer
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