Weekly Science Digest: Stars, Smart Drugs & Salmonella

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has peered 9 billion years back in time and uncovered 18 young dwarf galaxies filled with forming stars. The galaxies, all of which are on average a hundred times smaller than the Milky Way, appear to produce stars at such a phenomenal pace that their stellar content would double in a mere 10 million years. By comparison, the Milky Way would take a thousand times longer to double its star population. The data, acquired using Hubble’s near-infrared vision, could push astronomers to readdress their understanding of the way in which galaxies form.

Scientists from Brown University recently determined the structure of p38alpha:HePTP, an enzyme complex that plays a key role in regulating cell functions. Whilst it was known that the disregulation of these types of complexes can be associated with diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, little was known about the structures themselves. By combining techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering, the team have been able to provide the clearest picture yet of a MAP kinase complex. The findings provide drug developers with a new target in their efforts to find new treatments for a variety of diseases.

Little is know about the long-term effects cognitive-enhancing drugs can have on the brains of healthy people; even less is known about the impact these drugs have on society. Commonly prescribed to treat medical conditions, ‘smart drugs’ are increasingly being bought over the internet by a seemingly broad demographic. In this piece, the BBC’s Susan Watts looks at what these drugs are, how they work and who is using them.

A University of Florida study has shown that it is possible for Salmonella to enter tomatoes through the plant’s leaves. Previously, food-safety experts believed Salmonella was only able to enter the fruit through wounds in the stem or the fruit itself. The researcher behind the findings, Ariena van Bruggen, has however stressed that the risk of this happening is so low that consumers have no need to worry - you’re more likely to catch it by not washing your hands...

In this video, Professor Michael Shattock delves into the make-up of the human heart, or more precisely, of a single heartbeat, giving us an insight into what it takes to pump blood to every part of the body.

2011 saw the number of migrating whales reach a 50-year high. The 5,000km round trip sees the whales leave Antarctica to give birth off the coast of Australia, before heading back to their main feeding grounds, only to do it all again the following year. Be sure to check out this video on the whole process.  

The 'Weekly Science Digest' is a compilation of science news from around the world. News suggestions are always welcome: mark.howardbanks (at) researchgate.net