Sci-Tech

Environmental conditions are primarily responsible for the survival of the bacteria | Photo Credit: Dr. Todd Parker Globally, research on climate/environmentally driven infectious diseases has been largely biased towards vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, etc. Melioidosis is a bacterial infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, and is primarily acquired by inoculation, inhalation and/or ingestion of soil- and…

In a new study in the journal Evolution, researchers compared the feathers and bodies of different species of flightless birds and their closest relatives who can still fly. They were able to determine which features change first when birds evolve to be flightless, versus which traits take more time for evolution to alter. All of the…

Living symbiotically with sea anemones that shelter them from predators, anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) drive away organisms that nibble at their hosts. Anemonefish have also shown they will provide their hosts with the food given to them by humans. A new study shows such feeding behaviour does happen in the wild by investigating food provisioning by…

Intake of excessive selenium leads to a condition called selenosis, which is characterised by sudden hair loss | Photo Credit: CDC Three Zika virus cases in Gujarat detected between November 2016 and February 2017 were kept under wraps till WHO announced the outbreak on May 26, 2017; the Health Ministry had informed WHO about the three…

Some people wake up vividly recalling their dreams from the night, and can tell precise stories experienced during the night, while others struggle to remember even a single detail. A new study has explored the factors that influence ‘dream recall’ — the ability to remember dreams upon awakening — and uncovers which individual traits and sleep…

Flightless Antarctic midge (Belgica antarctica) is the only known insect native to Antarctica that is able to survive the extreme climate. Researchers have uncovered a part of the mystery of how the Antarctic midge copes with freezing temperatures. They found that the midge deals with the seasons during its two-year life cycle by undergoing quiescence…

The loggerhead turtle can learn and remember the magnetic signature of an area and does a ‘turtle dance’ when in a location that they associate with food, a study in Nature reports. The research presents mechanisms of how migratory species navigate using the magnetic field of the Earth. Sea turtles are renowned for their long-distance migrations and…

Wandering salamanders are known for gliding high through the canopies of coastal redwood forests, but how the small amphibians stick their landing and take off with ease remains something of a mystery. As per a new study, the answer may have a lot to do with blood-powered toes of wandering salamanders. Researchers discovered that wandering…

Women who go through menopause later in life have healthier blood vessels for years to come than those who go through it earlier, a study by the University of Colorado Boulder researchers found. The study published in the journal Circulation Research, offers new insight into why females who stop menstruating at age 55 or later are significantly…