MI weekly selection #217
Hydrogen transformed into metal under extremely high pressures
Hydrogen has been pressed into a metallic form using extremely high pressures. Researchers squeezed the hydrogen between two diamonds in a special apparatus.
Chimera embryos developed in sows for 28 days
Human stem cells injected into pig embryos created chimera embryos that developed in sows for about a month. Only 186 of the 2,075 embryos developed over 28 days, but they did show that the human cells could function as a small part of the mostly pig tissue.
Enstatite chondrites’ role in Earth formation
Enstatite chondrites were a major part of Earth’s formation, and water came to the planet gradually, rather than all at once, according to a pair of new studies published in Nature. Both studies looked at the varying isotopic abundances in Earth’s rocks and meteorites.
Unlinking memories could lead to PTSD treatments
Unrelated memories that somehow become linked can be disconnected by deactivating specific neurons. The study, conducted on mice, could lead to possible treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder by preventing flashbacks.
Avian influenza’s geographic reach and diversity of strains raises risk of human pandemic
Numerous strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza are circulating, and new outbreaks have been reported in almost 40 countries since November, putting the world at “unprecedented” risk of a human pandemic. Scientists have detected signs of aerosol transmission across miles, increased viral shedding and a particular capacity for sustained transmission in the H5 strains.