DIAGNOSING DISEASES
You’re more closely related to flies than you might think. Fruit flies in particular share 75 per cent of the genes that cause disease in humans. As quick breeders and with a smaller genome than people, fruit flies are a great test subject for scientists to work with to understand diseases that affect humans. Fruit flies have been particularly useful in understanding the aberrant proteins associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease.
Similarly, these flies have shown scientists some fundamental mechanisms that lead to the development of cancers and tumours. In the late 1920s, scientists also uncovered the mutative effects of X-rays on an organism’s DNA through tests with fruit flies.
MOSQUITO MICRONEEDLES
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Denne historien er fra Issue 179-utgaven av How It Works UK.
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RESCUE IN SPACE
Fortunately, space emergencies are a rare occurrence, but astronauts and space agencies need to be prepared for any eventuality that might arise
NEANDERTHAL LIVING
Why our prehistoric cousins were pioneers, not clueless apes
BUILDING ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER
One World Trade Center rose from the ashes of the Twin Towers. Now, as the tallest building in New York City, it looks to the skies and the future. Here's how this sustainable and secure record-breaker was built
BECOME A SMARTPHONE SCIENTIST
Amazing tips and tricks to transform your smartphone into a bug-finding, star-spotting, data-gathering device
LIFTING THE LID ON ANTARCTICA
What was the coldest continent like without ice?
URBAN WILDLIFE
How wild animals have evolved to thrive alongside humans in towns and cities
WHAT IS SUNBURN?
How solar rays can leave us red, sore and irritated
ALL ABOUT FAT
Fat is a complex, active organ. Here's how genetics, evolution, lifestyle and diet dictate how much we have beneath our skin
The Space Force is launching lasers into orbit
The Space Force aims to better pinpoint the location of Earth's true centre using lasers on GPS satellites, slated to launch in 2025. A set of Laser Retroreflector Arrays, or LRAS, will be installed onto two GPS III satellites, SV9 and SV10, as part of NASA's Space Geodesy Program. The lasers are designed to make precise sub-centimetre measurements using a technique called Satellite Laser Ranging, which will allow researchers to more accurately determine Earth's centre.
Eating too much sugar may accelerate cellular ageing
A nutrient-rich diet with few added sugars may slow the rate of biological ageing in women. Scientists found that middle-aged women who ate more foods packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants had 'younger looking' cells than those who consumed less nutrient-rich diets.