MI weekly selection #71
Slow shaking under Tokyo could mean a giant earthquake
Slow-motion earthquakes beneath Tokyo are becoming more common, raising concerns of another megaquake like the one in 2011. GPS sensors are being used to track the slow shifts, which are unreadable by seismographs, and scientists have found that the shifts are coming more frequently but seismologists can’t predict when or where a massive quake will occur.
New Scientist
Stem cells created from adult skin cells
Scientists have used a cloning technique to produce a patient-specific stem cell line from the skin cells of a pair of adults. The technique may one day lead to treatments for ailments such as heart failure or impaired vision. The technique is the first “therapeutic cloning” of cells in adults, according to the researchers.
Kenya honeybees resistant to viruses, parasites that kill U.S., European bees
Bees in Kenya aren’t as susceptible to parasites and viruses that have decimated bee colonies in the U.S. and Europe. While genetic differences may be one explanation, researchers also think that African farm practices may play a large role in the resilience.
Ancient, tiny fossilized embryos found in China
Fossilized embryos of a previously unknown creature have been found in southern China, dating back between 521 million and 541 million years, during the Cambrian period.
Why the rich are working harder
Overall working hours have fallen over the past century. But the rich have begun to work longer hours than the poor.