The wild faba - today, fava - bean is thought to be extinct. Now, however, Dr. Elisabeth Boaretto has identified the oldest known beans - about 14,000 years old. Understanding how the wild fabas survived can help scientists grow hardier fava crops today. Favas are a major source of nutrition in many parts of the world.
December 07, 2016
Following up on earlier research - and using technologies that did not exist then - Profs. Lia Addadi and Steve Weiner answered long-held questions: where do sea urchins get the calcium ions they need to build their spines? The answer: they ""drink"" sea water, even as larvae. And it turns out that other organisms use the same surprising process.
Triple-negative breast cancer is particularly hard to treat because, as its name suggests, it lacks three receptors that usually serve as targets for anti-cancer drugs. Now, Prof. Sima Lev has identified a promising new combination therapy that not only inhibits tumor growth and survival, but gets around the problem of drug-induced resistance.
Two new databases - WeizMass and MatchWeiz - created in the lab of Prof. Asaph Aharoni help scientists identify the majority of metabolites in a plant, including fruits such as tomatoes. This helps provide targeted nutritional information and reveals that biologically active plant substances are much more prevalent across the plant kingdom than was previously thought.
November 30, 2016
Yet again, new research from Dr. Eran Elinav and Prof. Eran Segal is making global headlines and potentially changing lives. Most people have experienced the rebound effect of dieting - losing weight only to regain it, and then some. Now the Weizmann team has determined why this happens, and has identified potential solutions.
November 24, 2016
The low pressure in airplanes can make traveling unpleasant – but it could also ease jetlag, finds Dr. Gad Asher. Every cell in the body contains a circadian clock, and when these clocks are disrupted, imbalances result. Dr. Asher's findings could affect how airlines moderate cabin pressure. He and his team are now seeking ways to help travelers.
October 27, 2016
A potentially habitable planet – Proxima Centauri b – has been found virtually next door to Earth: about four light years away. Dr. Aviv Ofir, who is in Prof. Oded Aharonson's lab, is a member of the "Pale Red Dot" project; the team found that the new planet likely has balmy temperatures and liquid water, albeit a fast orbit. Further research is underway.
August 26, 2016
What makes us reluctant or willing to leave our social comfort zones? Prof. Alon Chen and his team in the Department of Neurobiology found that a molecule that helps the brain cope with stress appeared to act as a ""social switch"" in mice, causing them to either increase interactions with ""friends"" or seek to meet ""strangers."" Since a similar system exists in the human brain, the findings may help explain why some people are better at making new friends, and shed light on the social difficulties experienced by those with autism, schizophrenia, and more.
July 19, 2016
What makes us reluctant or willing to leave our social comfort zones? Prof. Alon Chen and his team in the Department of Neurobiology found that a molecule that helps the brain cope with stress appeared to act as a ""social switch"" in mice, causing them to either increase interactions with ""friends"" or seek to meet ""strangers."" Since a similar system exists in the human brain, the findings may help explain why some people are better at making new friends, and shed light on the social difficulties experienced by those with autism, schizophrenia, and more.
July 19, 2016
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