Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/what-made-woolly-mammoths-ice-age-icons/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/foonz9c2Ep0

Summary: Scientists compared the genomes of extinct woolly mammoths to modern-day elephants to find out what made mammoths unique.

Abstract: What does it take to survive an ice age? Woolly mammoths are extinct today, but they thrived during the Late Pleistocene era. But what genetic adaptations separate woolly mammoths from their modern-day elephant relatives? To discover this, we analyzed the genomes of 23 woolly mammoths. This included one of the oldest woolly mammoth specimens ever discovered – 700,000 years old! We compared these to the genomes of living Asian and African elephants and looked for unique mutations in woolly mammoth genes. We found that woolly mammoths had changes in genes linked to hair growth and fat storage. These may have helped the woolly mammoth survive in its cold environment. The earliest woolly mammoths already had thick fur coats and large fat deposits. But these and other traits, like small ears, continued to evolve over time.

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Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-do-viruses-trick-their-hosts-into-feeding-them/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/NP9ugojMj8M

Summary: Researchers have discovered a new viral strategy that tricks their host organism into delivering glucose energy directly to the virus.

Abstract: Scientists estimate that mammals can be infected with more than 300 thousand virus species! All organisms need energy, but simple microorganisms like viruses cannot produce their own energy. Instead, viruses survive by redirecting energy from a host organism to their own benefit. Normally, viruses survive by infecting cells and forcing them to produce more viruses. However, we have discovered a new class of viruses that redirect energy in a unique and fascinating way! These viruses are able to trick their host organism by producing their own version of insulin, called “viral insulin”. This viral insulin is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing because the host organism cannot tell the difference between its own insulin and the viral insulin.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/when-and-where-did-humans-domesticate-wolves/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/uPLeMmMEBeE

Summary: Researchers analyzed the DNA of ancient wolves to uncover the ancestry of dogs and determine when and where wolf domestication occurred.

Abstract: Scientists recently discovered an 18,000-year-old preserved canine puppy. Could this incredible discovery be the earliest dog ever uncovered? And could he help us understand more about the origins of dogs and wolves?

We studied 70 ancient wolf specimens and found some possible answers. Dogs appear to have come from two separate ancient wolf populations. We believe that there are two possibilities for how this could have happened. By analyzing the DNA of ancient wolves, we can better understand wolves and dogs who live today!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/what-does-hummingbird-coloration-tell-us-about-competition/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/CfnDYnMacnI

Summary: Researchers examined mimicry of socially dominant males by female hummingbirds.

Abstract: Have you ever wondered why animals of the same species look different from each other? Think of the impressive tail and call of a rooster compared to the duller hens. Well, usually there’s a reason those differences have evolved. 

We examined white-necked jacobins to learn more about their coloration. Some of the females of this hummingbird species have a fancy coloration pattern like the males do. The males of this species are aggressive and socially dominant. Other birds think the fancy females are males and leave them alone to feed. We wanted to know if the fancy females just look fancy or if they are actually better competitors.

We found that fancy females are mimicking male coloration patterns. Otherwise they are more like other female jacobins. This is the first time we’ve seen females mimicking males to get the advantages of a socially dominant form.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/why-are-flights-getting-bumpier/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/PyKzTYndrYY

Summary: Researchers wanted to find out how turbulence affecting planes has changed over the last 40 years.

Abstract: Have you ever ridden on an airplane? If so, was there a moment when it suddenly started to shake? That unpleasant and sometimes scary shaking is called turbulence. If there is no storm, or even clouds, it can seem to come out of nowhere!

We wanted to find out whether clear-air turbulence has increased over the past 40 years. We analyzed data from 1979 to 2020 and found a big increase over the midlatitudes. The skies that most planes fly through are bumpier now than four decades ago. In fact, over the North Atlantic, severe turbulence increased by 55%. Our findings are important because they show that we are already seeing the impacts of climate change in unexpected ways.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-is-heart-disease-different-for-women-and-men/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/y1KdGp670Bw

Summary: Scientists looked at over 87,000 patients to find out if male and female bodies respond differently to heart disease.

Abstract: Did you know that your sex can change the way your body responds to disease? We wanted to know how the female body responds to serious heart problems. To do this, we looked through previous studies on heart disease. We tracked how many people died in the 30 days after we knew their heart wasn’t working well. Did female patients die more than male patients? Unfortunately, we found that they did. We think this could be because a higher percentage of female patients had the most serious condition, heart failure, after a heart attack. Heart failure means your heart isn’t pumping enough blood. However, we don’t understand exactly why there’s a difference between the sexes. If we can work this out, then doctors may be able to provide better treatment for their patients.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/why-is-it-so-hard-to-bring-back-extinct-species/  or watch at: https://youtu.be/VlMtsewvcQs

Summary: Researchers compared DNA from living and extinct species to explore the limits of de-extinction projects.

Abstract: De-extinction is the science of bringing back extinct species. But it’s very challenging. Scientists are testing out lots of different ideas. One promising idea is to use genetic engineering to piece together the DNA of an extinct species. We analyzed old, fragmented DNA of the Christmas Island rat, which went extinct about 100 years ago. For an extinct species, the only option is to use the genome of a similar, living species as a reference. By comparing DNA fragments to the reference, you can put the pieces in the right order. We used brown rats as a reference. Unfortunately, we found that some of the genes of the extinct species can’t be recovered. This means that an animal brought back by genetic engineering wouldn’t be an exact copy of the extinct species.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/what-kinds-of-foods-did-neanderthals-eat/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/DI73HcaKZHY

Summary: Scientists found clues about Neanderthal eating habits hidden in a tooth found in a mountain cave.

Abstract: Have you ever wondered what people in the Stone Age had for dinner? Food back then was very different from today! People gathered wild foods and hunted animals to eat. Scientists want to know what people ate long ago because it helps explain how people survived in difficult conditions. In the Stone Age, Neanderthals and modern humans (our species!) both lived in Europe. We don’t know why Neanderthals went extinct and why modern humans survived. Learning about what Neanderthals ate can help us answer this question. We tested a new method where we measured isotope ratios in tooth enamel. We learned that meat was a big part of Neanderthals’ diet!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com

Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-can-tardigrades-survive-without-water/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/4TacrV1zxeg

Summary: Researchers studied how different tardigrade species survive difficult conditions.

Abstract: Tardigrades (also called water bears) are tiny, eight-legged animals that live all over Earth. They need water to be active, but have an amazing ability to survive long times without water. Tardigrades can even survive being in space! They survive by drying out into a hard little lump called a tun. We wanted to know how different species of tardigrades handle drying out. We found that some tardigrade species recover from their tun stage faster than others.

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Read this article at: https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/what-can-we-learn-about-dinosaur-skin-using-a-laser/ or watch at: https://youtu.be/XnEJihYBR6E

Summary: Scientists used a new laser method to analyze a dinosaur fossil to learn more about its skin.

Abstract: Have you ever wondered how we know what dinosaurs looked like millions of years ago? We analyze fossils! When you think about dinosaur fossils, you might think about bones and footprints. But sometimes fossils contain pieces of skin. One example is the Psittacosaurus fossil located in a German museum. Many scientists examined the scaly skin of this specimen. We then re-examined this fossil using a technique called laser-stimulated fluorescence. This technique helped us gather information that was not visible under normal light. We found that the shape and size of the scales of the Psittacosaurus are not the same everywhere. We also learned that there are patterns in the scales. These patterns are unique to the family of dinosaurs to which the Psittacosaurus belongs.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sciencejournalforkids.substack.com