Research suggests that aural pain is caused by spinal fluid
Science and Education in the absence of a clear winner in the French Parliamentary elections: a case study of the KAKENHI government
Scientists in France who spoke to Nature have expressed relief that the right-wing party National Rally was defeated in yesterday’s parliamentary elections. But the absence of a clear winner presents uncertainty for scientists, and many do not believe that the new government will make a positive difference to research and higher education. “Science and education were absent from the European and French parliamentary election campaigns, and budget constraints mean that research will not be a priority,” says paediatric immunologist and French Academy of Sciences president Alain Fischer.
The government of Japan’s most important source of basic science funding, kaKENHI, has become the subject of a petition signed by hundreds of thousands of scientists. For the past decade, KAKENHI’s budget has remained basically stagnant, hovering around a little over 220 billion (US$ 1.5 billion). The petition’s organizers say double this amount is needed to regain country’s competitiveness on the international stage. Others argue that the country needs to restructure its funding mechanisms.
Brain activity heralded by blind spots, flashes and other migraine ‘auras’ seems to trigger a change in cerebrospinal fluid. A Frog sauna can be used to help protect against killer fungal disease and keep the body free of harmful toxins.
Nature is read for 8 minutes: How to grow a green and golden bell Frog, and why don’t you want to grow one? (The three science topics of Andrew Robinson)
The narrow scope of many science degrees — without social science, humanities or arts modules — hamper researchers’ abilities to build trust, do work relevant to the public and be innovative and creative, says interdisciplinary scholar Furaha Asani. (Nature | 12 min read)
Engineers are arguing full-body, continuous Wearable Urola will benefit health care and research. Data collection from existing Wearables, such as smart watches and blood sugar monitors, takes place at the surface of the skin. Ultrasound, which uses sound waves to image inside the body like sonar does underwater, could make medical imaging accessible and affordable. The flexibility and accuracy of these devices need to be made better in order to make them more comfortable to wear. Nature is read for 8 minutes.
The green and golden bell Frogs of Australia can potentially develop resistance to chytridiomycosis, a disease that has driven at least 90 amphibian species to extinction. As a bonus, it helps them to become resistant to future infections at cooler temperatures — and anyone can build one in their backyard. “This is one of those examples of a very elegant piece of scientific research that is so obvious and intuitive when you read it, you think ‘why didn’t I do that?’” says biologist Anna Savage, who co-wrote an accompanying Nature News & Views article.
A fascinating history of 30 European scientists who were turned away from the UK during World War II as well as a fascinating book on whether climate anxiety affects peoples’ decisions about fertilization are three books Andrew Robinson wants to read this week.
Source: Daily briefing: Spinal fluid causes aural migraine pain, suggests research in mice
Bringing back the thylacine: How to save a mouse-like animal with a complete genome and establish a method for its fertilization
Lynn Brielmaier was a 59-year-old father with a demanding, physical job as a maritime electronics engineer when he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). As he became progressively more paralyzed, he gained hope from a US programme to allow expanded access to experimental therapies. But “the track is now filled with bureaucratic hurdles”, he writes. “People living with ALS — and those with other fatal diseases — deserve a seamless system that helps them get access to treatments that might extend their lives.”
Andrew Pask is looking at the stem cells of the fat-tailed dunnart, a mouse-like animal that is the nearest living relative of the thylacine. “Our main project is to bring back the thylacine,” says Pask. To achieve that, the team is trying to produce a complete genome for the species and develop methods for fertilization of the animals. People say we are playing with God. But we played God when we wiped out the thylacine. My research is looking at ways to heal lost biodiversity.” Nature takes 3 minutes to read.
Source: Daily briefing: 15-minute reaction turns old clothes into useful molecules
A dream come true: how scientists cope with the devastating failures of the United Kingdom Infected Blood Inquiry and how to stop being an endangered species
On 29 May, Stuart Cantrill (the editorial director of the physics and chemistry Nature journals) was present when the final report of the United Kingdom’s Infected Blood Inquiry was delivered. The report’s damning verdict: a litany of failures in the country’s National Health Service, more than 30,000 people infected with HIV and hepatitis from blood and blood products, and successive governments who failed to respond adequately to the unfolding scandal. “Of course, many died long before the inquiry was even set up, including my dad,” writes Cantrill. “The devastation wrought on my family cannot be undone, but if lessons are actually learned and real change implemented in patient safety culture, that will at least bring some comfort.”
In the latest Nature Careers advice column, a biology postdoc who wants to break into industry keeps receiving impersonal, early-stage rejections even for jobs they were well suited for. An industry scientist, a career development leader and a sales specialist give tips on how to stop your application from vanishing.
When he was a junior researcher, climate scientist Peter Stott was present at the climate summit where the landmark Kyoto Protocol was agreed. A new stage play is based on the 1997 summit and feels as relevant today as it did in 1997. The play was as exciting in Kyoto as it was in the city.
Endangered-species biologists face tough challenges, from the psychological weight of studying a disappearing species to the bureaucratic hurdle of getting the animal listed as endangered in the first place. Humour, collaborations and connecting with local communities helps them to cope. And occasionally, a small miracle — such as when ecologist Luis Coloma saw evidence of an iconic Ecuadorian jambato toad (Atelopus ignescens) that was thought to be extinct. “I couldn’t believe it. I lost the faith that I would see these frogs again,” he says. It was a dream.
Source: Daily briefing: 15-minute reaction turns old clothes into useful molecules
Chemically Processing the Oldest Termite Mounds to Reuse Cotton and Polymer for Clothing Reuse: The Case of the Buffels River
Since woolly mammoths ruled the Earth, the Southern harvester termites have been living their best lives in mounds along the Buffels River in South Africa. Using radiocarbon dating, researchers estimate the mounds to be 34,000 years old — making them the oldest known inhabited mounds by some thirty thousand years. “We knew they were old, but not that old,” says soil scientist Michele Francis.
A chemical-processing technique breaks down polyester fabrics into reusable molecules in only 15 minutes. It can even tackle mixed materials such as polycotton, breaking down the polyester and leaving the cotton to be recovered. The researchers estimate that a refined version of the process could recycle 88% of clothing worldwide. “We have a simple process that we can scale to treat large quantities of clothing,” says chemical engineer and study co-author Dionisios Vlachos. We are very hopeful that this can be seen in the real world.
Scientists have claimed to have discovered a new chemical process that could turn old clothes into useful molecules within three minutes. Researchers used radiocarbon dating to estimate the age of the mounds to be 34,000 years old. Using the method, they estimated the mounds to be 3,000 years old, making them the oldest known known inhabited mounds by some 3,000 years.