Fish living in dark caves have rapidly adapted to their environment during evolution. New research shows that some of those changes occur within two years, without mutations to the DNA.
Tag Archives: English
The link between motivation and biochemistry allows for lifelong learning
The ability to learn does not stop with childhood. It is possible to acquire new skills with motivation, even in old age, brain researchers report.
Fluorescent beads show the structure of food
Researchers have developed a method that determines the structure of foodstuffs at a molecular level with the help of tiny fluorescent beads.
An apple or a pill per day, which keeps the doctor away?
Vitamins and minerals are very important for our health, but it is not so easy to eat enough fruits and vegetables. Nutrient pills are a welcome alternative, but can they compensate for a balanced diet?
Decision making without a brain – The secret messengers of plants
How do you make decisions if you cannot think? How do you respond to danger if you cannot run or hide? Plants know the answer to these questions. And fundamental researchers all over the world try to understand them as well.
First lure, then kill: beating the malaria mosquito
A new malaria control method focuses on female mosquitoes and her eggs.
Unborn fruit
Laatst zag ik een klein glazen potje met iets behoorlijk bizars erin.
Sun cream for trees?!
Last month, in the Dutch town of Doetinchem, nature managers applied sun cream onto the bark of beech trees. Is that really necessary?
Sleep study on fruit flies helps to understand brain development
The brains of adolescent fruit flies are wired to make them sleep longer than adults, which is important for brain development. Scientists believe that human brains work similarly and that this is the reason why children and teenagers sleep longer.
I was wrong – online conferences
A few years ago one of my colleagues wondered why we still travel the world to attend conferences. I immediately jumped on the conversation and passionately argued that physical gatherings are necessary for science. I was completely convinced that I was right.
Are 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day really necessary?
The body needs vitamins and minerals to carry out many vital processes. We therefore must eat them regularly, but in which quantities?
Exposed – the imposter syndrome
Do you know that feeling that everyone around you knows exactly what they are doing, while you’re just muddling on? Many people, in all kinds of professions, suffer from this so-called imposter syndrome. Even scientists, and especially PhD students, struggle with this.
Corona virus crisis: necessity is the mother of invention
Time pressure for the development of a corona virus vaccine makes researchers utilize new techniques. These promise shorter production times. But how will scientists know whether they are affective?
Making a Lava Lamp
Here, we will show you how you can make your own temporary lava lamp with household items. It is a fun and easy experiment suitable for those in need to entertain their kids in these corona isolation times and those who want to let out their inner child and be mesmerized by science.
Salamander wears coat of toxic bacteria
The poisonous rough-skinned newt Taricha granulosa, which can kill an adult human, turns out not to be poisonous itself. The poison is made by its little helpers.
Shedding light on butterflies
Butterflies come in all shapes and colors. Mother Nature has tricks to color those butterflies as well as the rest of the world.
Scientists forge weapons for the fight against corona virus
Scientists are researching feverishly to find solutions for the corona crisis. And they seem to have found a promising one.
How knowledge of photosynthesis leads to production of clean energy.
From fundamental research to an application
Are honey and maple syrup healthy replacements for refined sugars?
Studies have shown that natural sweeteners (honey and maple syrup) interfere less with our blood glucose levels than refined sugar. They are thus considered to be healthy. However, this is only a small piece in the puzzle of nutritional science, the overall picture looks a little different.
The latest news in Alzheimer’s research
Methods that allow an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease are as important as a good therapy
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