life
Which is the tiniest micromammal, i.e. the smallest mammal on the planet? Up until almost half a century ago, it was Italian, or rather, Etruscan. The Etruscan shrew (Suncus etruscus) may look like a mouse but it is an entirely…
life
This year has been designated by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IYFV). Promoting a healthy diet and lifestyle, reducing food waste and losses, improving food production and making…
life
DNA was first isolated by Friedrich Miescher, a Swiss biochemist in 1869. It was a brilliant, but not complicated operation: DNA can be extracted from a mixture of any cells, even your own, even at home. The recipe for the…
life
International Polar Bear Day, set up by Polar Bears International, a non-profit organisation, was held on 27 February. The aim of day is to increase awareness in all of us of the challenges that polar bears must face daily due…
life
Some people call them "monkeys with feathers" because they can do clever things comparable to many of our monkey cousins. They use tools, or rather, modify small sticks and leaves to obtain the tools most suitable for carrying out simple…
life
A plant that symbolises the Christmas season, decorating homes and shops and featured prominently by the florists and garden centres in our cities. We are talking about the Poinsettia, better known to everyone in Italy as the Stella di Natale…
life
It's easy to answer "which is the strangest animal?". The answer: the platypus. These strange creatures live only in Australia and that is the reason for their unique characteristics. Platypuses have remained isolated for millions of years and have evolved…
life
Nobel 2020. The biochemists Emmanuelle Charpentier, French, and Jennifer A. Doudna, from the United States, were awarded the most important prize in science with equal merit and with the following motivation: "For the development of a method for genome editing."…
life
What are viruses Virus is a Latin word meaning poison. Viruses do not eat, breathe, move or reproduce on their own. So then, what kind of life is it? None, viruses are not technically alive. A virus is a little…