The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made a significant advancement in the mission to save honeybees and will be using the world’s first vaccine produced to protect the insects from American foulbrood disease. Caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae, it’s a fatal disease for bees that’s easily spread between hives and has been devastating for honeybee colonies. Developed by the US-based biotech company Dalan …
Scientists at Rice University have successfully used a remote control to operate the wings of fruit flies, after hacking into their brains. To achieve this, the researchers genetically modified flies to express a specific heat-sensitive ion channel. Then they inserted a heat trigger—magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles that heat up in the presence of a magnetic charge—into the flies’ brains. When a magnetic field is switched …
Testing DMT to Treat Depression Psychoactive drug DMT (aka N, N-Dimethyltryptamine) is known for its life-altering, metaphysical trips, but scientists are now looking into its potential to treat depression. Small Pharma, a Canadian drug development company, is working on combining DMT with regular therapy to ease depression in treatment-resistant patients. In September, the company completed phase one of clinical trials—the first company to do so—by …
