Induction of a torpor-like state with ultrasound

Induction of a torpor-like state with ultrasound

Some mammals and birds have a clever way to preserve energy and heat by going into torpor, during which their body temperature and metabolic rate drop. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis safely and noninvasively induced a torpor-like state in mice and rats by using ultrasound to stimulate the hypothalamus preoptic area in the brain.
How to avoid mosquito bites

How to avoid mosquito bites

Katie Westby, a vector and disease ecologist at Tyson Research Center, applies a strong DEET repellant and wears treated clothing when she’s headed deep into the woods, but uses a lighter touch at home. She warns that pet dogs and cats can also be affected by mosquito bites.
Butterfly beginnings

Butterfly beginnings

Biologists including Michael Landis in Arts & Sciences worked with researchers from dozens of countries to reconstruct the origin and global spread of butterflies. The resulting butterfly tree of life reveals that they got their start in North America.
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