Wednesday, 23 May, 2012

Many of the tastiest crops can’t pollinate themselves: melons, cucumbers, strawberries, almonds, cacao. But pollinators — both native and managed — are under threat from diseases and pesticides. They aren’t finding enough to eat. Their colonies are dying. What can we do?

Fruit flies have a signaling pathway that helps them choose protein or carbohydrate, depending on the situation. The switch, which is also implicated in aging and cancer, exists in a wide variety of animals, including you. Does a new study explain why so many cultures eat rice and beans?

Journal of Psycho-pharmacology. How do hallucinogens change consciousness? Psilocybin relieves terror of PTSD, death. Ecstasy may ease OCD. What’s new in psychedelic research?

When everybody exploits a common resource without limit, we get the tragedy of the commons: Benefiting the individuals burns through the resource. A new economic strategy game, based on how animals and plants grow, suggests that communication helps players allocate the resource and still take home a bigger harvest.

Salamanders and fish can regrow perfect limbs and fins after amputation. We can’t grow a replacement arm, but can the salamander’s natural regeneration teach about faster wound healing? The latest research on limb regeneration suggests growth factors and equipment that could be ready for the clinic in a few years.

The science behind medical marijuana is emerging. Some tests show that it dulls pain in cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and AIDS. Why is medical marijuana so difficult to explore? What’s coming to the market?

For some people, laughter is a threat, conveying anger, disapproval and humiliation. In the strange world of the gelotophobe, laughter can actually make you feel worse. If you fear laughter, you tend to stay away from crowds, groups, restaurants — and the pranksters afoot on April Fools’ Day.

Pythons and boas are already breeding in South Florida and could get established in Southern U.S. Feds want to ban import and transport of nine species of boas, pythons and anacondas. What will these snakes eat? Can they be trapped, hunted, poisoned? Don’t count on predators: Burmese pythons can kill alligators!

The long rise may be inflated by redefinition of autism, social acceptance of the disabled and desire for services. If this is a real epidemic, it’s even more critical to find the cause.

People have been controlling fermentation for at least 9,000 years. What were the ancients brewing, and how did alcohol change society?