Although it may sound illogical, destruction of cells is as essential as their creation in the course of proper formation, growth and development of multi-cellular organisms. For this reason, cells program deliberately their suicide through a very controlled process, named apoptosis (from the Greek, “fall off”). Our research group at the University of Tübingen, Germany […]
M ethodological developments in medical imaging, computer sciences and rapid prototyping technologies offer new possibilities for research and formation in anthropology, archaeology and curation procedures but also for the benefit of the cultural heritage. To conduct their studies on rare fossil specimens, anthropologists and archaeologists have to deal with two challenges. First, the specimens of […]
We got it wrong. Media have outlined a rosy picture of Oxytocin as the “love hormone” that floods our brain when we interact with toddlers, puppies and beloved ones. However, scientific evidence portrays a dark side of Oxytocin, which better matches the ambivalences of human nature. In addition, Oxytocin has a long time ignored sibling […]
Why some people believe in ghosts, haunted houses, or telepathy, while others remain skeptical? This question has been present in the scientific literature for decades and still remains unanswered. Research has discarded several candidate causes for this difference, such as deficits in intelligence or lack of reasoning skills . According to our current scientific knowledge […]
Authors: Ana Martín-Sánchez is currently pursuing her PhD at the Department of Functional Biology and Physical Anthropology of the University of Valencia, Spain Carmen Agustín-Pavón is a lecturer and researcher at the Functional Neuroanatomy group of the Department of Medicine of the Jaume I University, Spain Motherhood is a vital and challenging job for most […]
Author: Miguel A. Vadillo joined University College London in 2012 as a research associate after working more than ten years at the University of Deusto. Currently, he is a lecturer in decision psychology at the Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King’s College London. He also remains affiliated with UCL as an honorary […]
Authors: Maria-José Iriarte-Chiapusso is an Ikerbasque research professor at the Department of Geography, Prehistory and Archaeology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Álvaro Arrizabalaga is a lecturer of Prehistory in the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Archaeology has been defined as the “Science of Trash”. However fortunate or unfortunate that definition might be, it […]
A uthor: Kepa Ruiz-Mirazo, Permanent Researcher, University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU) Although «cracking the origins-of-life puzzle», regardless of the reputation of the journalist who tells the news, is clearly not within the reach of science quite yet, the article published a few weeks ago by Sutherland and colleagues in the UK , does constitute […]
Our solar system frequently seems a beauty competition where each planet proudly exhibits an attractive fingertip. Jupiter is a huge gaseous giant dressing with contrasted belts and zones and an ancient reddish spot. Saturn dances hula hoop with an impressive system of rings while loves to celebrate its birthdays triggering the biggest storms of the […]
Sad as it may be, every star must die. At some point during its life it stops burning nuclear elements to sustain itself via radiation pressure, and collapses. Its ultimate fate depends on its mass; most of them are not massive enough to produce a supernova by themselves, but they die in an equally spectacular […]