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How a key Alzheimer's gene wreaks havoc in the brain

Nature Podcast

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The Australian Stromatolites Could Have Been Made by Microorganisms

Stromatolites are sometimes considered the oldest evidence for life on Earth. But proving that they were formed by biological and not simply chemical processes hasn't always been easy. Now a team of scientists has taken two and three dimensional images of the microstructure inside some stromatolite from Australia. One of the significant features they found were dome-like shapes. These are very similar to structures made by modern photosynthetic microorganisms as they grow towards the sun. As well as being a fascinating glimpse of early life, this work could also aid the search for life on other planets. The techniques used to analyse these rocks could also be applied to Martian specimens in the future.

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