Monthly Archives: October 2016

Predator or prey? Paleolithic people may have hunted Eurasian cave lions for their pelts

October 27, 2016 0 Beth Baker (née Jones)

New evidence suggests that Upper Paleolithic humans hunted massive cave lions in order to obtain their pelts. If you have a healthy respect for the modern lion, you’ll be relieved to hear that its larger cousin, the Eurasian cave lion…

Author Interview

No Longer Seeing Stars: Disease decimates sunflower sea star population in the Salish Sea

October 26, 2016 1 Tessa Gregory

Sea star wasting disease broke out in 2013, causing large-scale population decline in several species of sea stars along the west coast of North America, from Mexico to Alaska. Previous research on the disease has mainly focused on intertidal populations,…

News Summaries

SciBites: Week of Oct 21st

October 21, 2016 0 Jen Laloup

Hospital infections place big burden on Europe More than 2.5 million cases of healthcare-associated infections are estimated to occur in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) per year, resulting in approximately 2.5 million years lost due to illness,…

New Research

Worming Our Way into the Genome: Genetic manipulation of parasite could help improve schistosomiasis treatment

October 20, 2016 0 Tessa Gregory

Schistosomiasis, a disease caused by the infestation of parasitic flatworms, afflicts more than 200 million people worldwide, mostly in developing countries. Researchers hope to expand existing medication options by developing new treatments that target key genes in the parasite. However,…

Author Interview

So Long, Congo’s King Kong? Dramatic Population Decline of World’s Largest Gorilla

October 19, 2016 2 Beth Baker (née Jones)

The largest living primate, Grauer’s gorilla, lives only in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Before civil war broke out in the region in 1996, the population was estimated at 16,900 individuals, but it has since been difficult to conduct…

Author Interview

Modeling Measles Monitoring: Simulations suggest new triggers for vaccination programs

October 13, 2016 0 Beth Baker (née Jones)

While measles vaccination programs have been effective in reducing cases and deaths worldwide, large, unexpected measles outbreaks continue to occur, and research is needed to help inform additional immunization campaigns. Justin Lessler, associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology at…

New Research

An 8 Million-Year Journey: Coastal spider ancestors may have crossed Southern Hemisphere oceans

October 12, 2016 0 Tessa Gregory

Amaurobioides is a genus of coastal spiders found on three Southern Hemisphere continents: Australasia, Africa and South America. It was previously unclear how they got to these continents; an ancestral population may have existed on the ancient supercontinent Gondwana and…

New Research

Starling colonies create wildlife hot spots in Australia

October 11, 2016 0 Robin Meadows

During the wet season, metallic starlings – which have bright red eyes and a blue-green sheen – migrate from New Guinea to breed in Australian rainforests. As many as 1,000 of the raucous birds may descend on a single poison-dart…

New Research

Tsetse flies show highly selective feeding preferences in Serengeti National Park

October 10, 2016 0 Sara Kassabian

The tsetse fly, which serves as the vector for human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), may have very selective feeding preferences when choosing its wildlife hosts, according to a PLOS ONE study by Harriet Auty of the Epidemiology Research Unit at Scotland’s…

News Summaries

SciBites: Week of October 7th

October 7, 2016 0 Beth Baker (née Jones)

Antibodies may protect against complications of P. vivax malaria The malarial parasite Plasmodium vivax can cause complications in pregnancy, including low infant birth weight. Researchers tested blood samples from 1,056 pregnant women from five countries to assess the prevalence and…

Monthly Archives: October 2016

Predator or prey? Paleolithic people may have hunted Eurasian cave lions for their pelts

No Longer Seeing Stars: Disease decimates sunflower sea star population in the Salish Sea

SciBites: Week of Oct 21st

Worming Our Way into the Genome: Genetic manipulation of parasite could help improve schistosomiasis treatment

So Long, Congo’s King Kong? Dramatic Population Decline of World’s Largest Gorilla

Modeling Measles Monitoring: Simulations suggest new triggers for vaccination programs

An 8 Million-Year Journey: Coastal spider ancestors may have crossed Southern Hemisphere oceans

Starling colonies create wildlife hot spots in Australia

Tsetse flies show highly selective feeding preferences in Serengeti National Park

SciBites: Week of October 7th

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