# gene: the ability of the newt to safely regenerate parts of itself

<< This is the first time that an entire newt [the Iberian ribbed newt Pleurodeles waltl] genome has been sequenced, an achievement that can give rise to new discoveries on the amphibian's ability to recreate brain neurons as well as entire body parts. Amongst the first findings are a multitude of copies of a certain microRNA group, which in mammals is mainly found in embryonic stem cells, but also in tumour cells >>

Salamander genome gives clues about unique regenerative ability. Dec 22, 2017

https://m.phys.org/news/2017-12-salamander-genome-clues-unique-regenerative.html

Ahmed Elewa, Heng Wang, et al. Reading and editing the Pleurodeles waltl genome reveals novel features of tetrapod regeneration. Nature Comm 2017;  8 (2286). doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-01964-9. Dec 22, 2017

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-01964-9

# trade: precision predictions around bitcoin, from zero to 60k usd

<< A Morgan Stanley analyst said bitcoin may be worth $0, given that very few online retailers accept it. Bitcoin also can't be considered a true currency, the analyst (James Faucette) said, because it doesn't have an interest rate >>

Aylin Woodward. The Real Price of Bitcoin? According to Morgan Stanley, It’s Zero. Dec 27, 2017.

https://futurism.com/real-price-bitcoin-according-morgan-stanley-its-zero/

<< Experts predict that, a year from now, the price of bitcoin could grow more than triple its record value. “Bitcoin can reach $60,000 by [December] 2018,” Mike Dumont, a senior editor for Bitcoin.com, told Futurism >>

Dom Galeon. Experts: Each Bitcoin Could be Worth $60,000 by December 2018. Dec 22, 2017

https://futurism.com/experts-bitcoin-worth-60000-december-2018/

# gst: the fastest fall of Mr. Felix' irregular shape

<< Felix Baumgartner jumped from the stratosphere 39 kilometers (24 miles) above Earth on Oct. 14, 2012, and landed safely on the ground near Roswell, New Mexico, nine minutes later >>

<< Baumgartner, whose protective suit and backpack gave him a very irregular shape, reached speeds of up to 1,357.6 kph (843.6 mph)—higher than scientists had expected even for smooth objects in freefall >>

AA << said irregular shapes appear to reduce the aerodynamic drag that increases as objects near the sound barrier >>

Scientists solve speed surprise in stratospheric stunt. Dec 14, 2017.

https://m.phys.org/news/2017-12-scientists-stratospheric-stunt.html

Markus Guerster, Ulrich Walter. Aerodynamics of a highly irregular body at transonic speeds—Analysis of STRATOS flight data. PLoS ONE 2017; 12 (12): e0187798. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187798. Dec 7, 2017.

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0187798

# behav: a form of modified oxytocin (a molecule of love), with less adverse effects

<< Oxytocin is clinically used to induce labor, and there is interest in using this peptide to treat social disorders. However, oxytocin triggers adverse cardiovascular side effects  >>

AA << generated ligands based on oxytocin with subtle modifications >>

this new molecular form << reduced social fear in mice and induced contractile activity in human myometrial strips without affecting cultured cardiomyocytes >>

Markus Muttenthaler, Asa Andersson, et al.  Subtle modifications to oxytocin produce ligands that retain potency and improved selectivity across species. Sci. Signal.  2017; 10 (508): eaan3398. 10.1126/scisignal.aan3398. Dec 05, 2017.

http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/10/508/eaan3398

Scientists create molecule of love with less complications. Dec 12, 2017.

https://m.phys.org/news/2017-12-scientists-molecule-complications.html

# gst: a case of stabilization by weak noise

<< An elusive state of matter - quantum spin liquid - may actually be enhanced rather than suppressed by disorder as seen in a compound that contains praseodymium, zirconium, and oxygen (Pr2Zr2O7) >>

<< Disorder is generally thought to be detrimental to creating materials with unusual magnetism or other quantum phenomena. However, a team found that weak disorder surprisingly stabilizes a rare quantum state called a quantum spin liquid >>

Stirring up a quantum spin-liquid with disorder. Dec 13, 2017.

https://m.phys.org/news/2017-12-quantum-spin-liquid-disorder.html

J.-J. Wen, S. M. Koohpayeh, et al. Disordered Route to the Coulomb Quantum Spin Liquid: Random Transverse Fields on Spin Ice in Pr2Zr2O7. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2017; 118 (107206). doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.107206. Mar 8, 2017.

https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.107206

# behav: Calanoid copepods swim freely and jump in turbulence

AA << provide evidence for an active adaptation that allows these small organisms [Calanoid copepods] to adjust their motility in response to background flow >>

Francois-Gael Michalec, Itzhak Fouxon, et al. Zooplankton can actively adjust their motility to turbulent flow. PNAS. doi:10.1073/pnas.1708888114

http://m.pnas.org/content/early/2017/12/05/1708888114

<< These jumps enable the plankton to hunt their prey and the males to catch a female >> Markus Holzner.

Plankton swim against the current.
Dec 12, 2017.

https://m.phys.org/news/2017-12-plankton-current.html

# soc: storytelling and cooperation

AA << explore the impact of storytelling on hunter-gatherer cooperative behaviour and the individual-level fitness benefits to being a skilled storyteller >>

Daniel Smith, Philip Schlaepfer, et al.   Cooperation and the evolution of hunter-gatherer storytelling. Nature Communications. 2017; 8 (1853). doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-02036-8. Dec 5, 2017.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-02036-8

Storytellers promoted cooperation among hunter-gatherers before advent of religion. Dec 5, 2017.

https://m.phys.org/news/2017-12-storytellers-cooperation-hunter-gatherers-advent-religion.html