Researchers have developed a method for quantitatively assessing atherosclerotic plaque buildup in mice. They transplanted X-ray-irradiated low-density-lipoprotein-knockout mice with bone marrow cells expressing near-infrared fluorescent protein, which subsequently developed into fluorescent macrophages. These macrophages congregated specifically in atherosclerotic plaques that arose after feeding on a high-cholesterol diet. In vivo imaging detected the amount of aortic plaque formed and its change over time, which could help in assessing the efficacy of anti-atherosclerotic drugs.

In a long-term study, marine scientists for the first time observed the colonization of a deep-sea mud volcano after its eruption. Only slowly, rich life develops around the crater. The first settlers are tiny organisms that eat methane escaping from the volcano. Thereby, they keep this greenhouse gas from reaching the atmosphere. The present study describes how the colonization of the mud volcano proceeds and when the tiny methane-munchers get going.

Zoologists exposed hundreds of burying beetles to two levels of parental care, for 13 generations. The researchers found that when parents fed meat to their babies’ mouth-to-mouth, the larvae evolved relatively smaller mandibles. By contrast, when the parents were removed from their young and larvae were forced to self-feed, the larvae evolved significantly larger jaws to compensate for the lack of help.

Green algae that evolved to tolerate hostile and fluctuating conditions in salt marshes and inland salt flats are expected to survive climate change, thanks to hardy genes they stole from bacteria.