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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences


Fossil illuminates hagfish evolution

A new fossil discovery reveals defining characteristics of hagfish appeared before the Cretaceous period, resolving a longstanding debate on their evolutionary position. The study suggests that hagfish and lampreys form a distinct clade, implying that living jawless vertebrates may not be as primitive as initially thought.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 21, 2019

Accelerating mass loss from Greenland

A study analyzing GRACE and GPS data found that ice mass loss in southwest Greenland was driven by changes in surface mass balance, rather than glacial discharge. The Greenland Ice Sheet is highly sensitive to atmospheric forcing, and this region may contribute significantly to sea level rise under continued climate warming.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 21, 2019

Touch and neural processing

Researchers discovered significant differences in neural processing between self-touch and touch from others at the cortical and spinal cord levels. This finding has implications for understanding perception and social behavior, highlighting the brain's unique response to self-produced versus external tactile input.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 21, 2019

Political ideology and minority accomplishments

Researchers found that liberals are more likely to publicize the achievements of minorities, including women and black individuals. The study suggests a link between political ideology and the amplification of minority accomplishments, highlighting differences in liberal and conservative Twitter posts and panel preferences.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 14, 2019

Risk-taking bias in the brain

Researchers discovered that individuals with epilepsy exhibit increased high-frequency brain activity in the right hemisphere when making risky bets and the left hemisphere when avoiding risks. The findings suggest a brain-based mechanism for risk-taking biases, which can be influenced by past behaviors.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 7, 2019

Origin of magnetite in Hadean zircons

Researchers found that magnetite in Hadean zircons is likely a secondary deposit, formed after crystallization, precluding analysis of the Earth's earliest magnetic field. The presence of secondary magnetite indicates that a magnetic field may have existed during the Hadean Eon, but more evidence is needed to confirm this.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 31, 2018

Nontraditional genetic code in parasitic plant

Researchers sequenced and analyzed the plastid genomes of two species of Balanophora, a fully parasitic mushroom-like plant, revealing a nontraditional genetic code. The discovery includes a novel stop codon TAG that encodes tryptophan, and most genes involved in protein synthesis reside outside the traditional plastid genome.

SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 31, 2018