The Friday Five

Highlighting some of the coolest science news we’ve seen lately.

1. We recently reported on the usage of stem cells to produce insulin. A new study published in the Lancet shows that injection of stem cells into the eyes of nearly blind patients helped improve vision in several of them.

2. A paralyzed man has been able to walk again after a pioneering therapy that involved transplanting cells from his nasal cavity into his spinal cord.

Scientists did the reverse experiment and made his nose run!

3. We live in a sea of information and “scientific studies”. How can you tell the good ones from the bogus ones? Here are some good rules of thumb, even if you do not have a background in science.

 

4. Sex has been around a long time, but sex that involved one member of the species penetrating another is now thought to have appeared about 385 million years ago in Scotland among armored fish called Microbrachius dicki (of course). You can read about the study here and even watch an imagination of the fish sex below (it doesn't take long...they're Scottish after all!).

5. Did all of that ancient fish sex get you overheated? Cool off now with some crazy (but risky!) experiments you can do with dry ice.
 

BONUS!

In our ongoing coverage of celebrities getting newly found organisms named after them, here is the latest:  a new species of tarantula from South America was named Bumba lennoni to commemorate John Lennon.

Science quote of the week:

“Captain, the most elementary and valuable statement in science, the beginning of wisdom, is, ‘I do not know’.” -- Lt.Cmdr. Data, Star Trek The Next Generation

Contributed by:  Bill Sullivan

Follow Bill on Twitter: @wjsullivan
 

Schwartz, S., Regillo, C., Lam, B., Eliott, D., Rosenfeld, P., Gregori, N., Hubschman, J., Davis, J., Heilwell, G., Spirn, M., Maguire, J., Gay, R., Bateman, J., Ostrick, R., Morris, D., Vincent, M., Anglade, E., Del Priore, L., & Lanza, R. (2014). Human embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium in patients with age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt's macular dystrophy: follow-up of two open-label phase 1/2 studies The Lancet DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61376-3

Long, J., Mark-Kurik, E., Johanson, Z., Lee, M., Young, G., Min, Z., Ahlberg, P., Newman, M., Jones, R., Blaauwen, J., Choo, B., & Trinajstic, K. (2014). Copulation in antiarch placoderms and the origin of gnathostome internal fertilization Nature DOI: 10.1038/nature13825

Perez-Miles, F., Bragio Bonaldo, A., & Miglio, L. (2014). Bumba, a replacement name for Maraca Pérez-Miles, 2005 and Bumba lennoni, a new tarantula species from western Amazonia (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae) ZooKeys, 448, 1-8 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.448.7920

The Friday Five

Highlighting some of the coolest science news we’ve seen lately.

1. We are one step closer to helping paralyzed people walk again. Neuroscientists in Switzerland are using electronics to restore movement in paralyzed rats – so far, these rats have been able to take 1,000 computer-controlled steps. 

 

2. The AIDS epidemic gained notoriety in the 1980s, but by using genetics and historical records, scientists have traced the “epidemic ignition” of the HIV virus back to the 1920s in the Congo (called Kinshasa at the time). An excellent piece describing the study is here.

3. Having trouble recognizing the smells coming from the kitchen? Or the flower garden? It could mean your number is up. A new study published in PLoS ONE has found a link between olfactory dysfunction and death.

If something stinks, at least take comfort that you can smell since loss of this sense is a predictor of death!

 

4. Does anything really ever “touch” another thing? Physics says NO! Watch this remarkable video addressing this “touchy” subject:

 

5. Ever wonder why most people instinctively tilt their head to the right when leaning in for a smooch? Find out the answer to that as you learn “The Scientifically Best Way to Kiss”:

 

Science quote of the week:

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.” –Richard P. Feynman

Contributed by:  Bill Sullivan

Follow Bill on Twitter: @wjsullivan

Wenger N, Moraud EM, Raspopovic S, Bonizzato M, DiGiovanna J, Musienko P, Morari M, Micera S, & Courtine G (2014). Closed-loop neuromodulation of spinal sensorimotor circuits controls refined locomotion after complete spinal cord injury. Science translational medicine, 6 (255) PMID: 25253676

Pinto, J., Wroblewski, K., Kern, D., Schumm, L., & McClintock, M. (2014). Olfactory Dysfunction Predicts 5-Year Mortality in Older Adults PLoS ONE, 9 (10) DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107541

Faria, N., Rambaut, A., Suchard, M., Baele, G., Bedford, T., Ward, M., Tatem, A., Sousa, J., Arinaminpathy, N., Pepin, J., Posada, D., Peeters, M., Pybus, O., & Lemey, P. (2014). The early spread and epidemic ignition of HIV-1 in human populations Science, 346 (6205), 56-61 DOI: 10.1126/science.1256739