SCIENCE AND NATURE BRIEFS
PRINT LIFE
US researchers have created a 3D-print skin that could lead to lasting skin grafts without collateral damage. The scientists at Yale University, Connecticut, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, turned living human skin cells into a liquid bio ink to print artificial skin, which can grow its own blood vessels. In rodent studies using the 3D printing grafts, blood vessels began working within four weeks.
SAME OLD SONG
Music from every culture in the world falls into four well-defined categories, say Harvard University researchers who analysed songs from 315 cultures. Four song types recurred: dance tunes, healing songs, love ballads and lullabies. They share similar characteristics – dance songs are faster and more rhythmic, and love songs use more pitches. The major variations were within, rather than between, cultural groups.
LOO SAVER
With water scarcity an increasing global threat, scientists at Pennsylvania State University have invented a product that halves the amount needed for toilet flushing. The silicon-like coating prevents the contents of the toilet sticking to the sides, reducing the need for water. The veneer is antibacterial, reducing odours and the need for cleaning material.
GRANDMA WHALE KNOWS BEST
Studies have shown a living grandmother helps a child’s chances of survival, an effect known as the “grandmother hypothesis”. The same can now be said for granny killer whales. They provide young whales with salmon and knowledge on feeding grounds, increasing the chances of survival. They are one of the few non-human species whose females greatly outlive their fertility period, most likely in order to support descendants.