5 Most Incredible Discoveries of the Week

Including a newly identified part of the brain
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 1, 2014 5:52 AM CST
Updated Feb 1, 2014 6:49 AM CST
5 Most Incredible Discoveries of the Week
   (Shutterstock)

A newly found area of the brain related to decision-making and an intriguing discovery about multiple sclerosis make the list:

  • Scientists Discover 'New' Area of Brain: Introducing the lateral frontal pole, located behind your eyebrows. It's a newly identified part of your brain which, scientists believe, helps us recognize when we've made poor decisions. "There are a few brain areas that monitor how good our choices are," says one, "but this region monitors how good the choices are that we didn't take."
  • Food Poisoning May Trigger Multiple Sclerosis: Scientists still don't know what causes multiple sclerosis, but new research suggests that a particular strain of food poisoning may play a role. It seems that a rare strain of a common food bacterium produces a toxin that attacks the brain in the same way that MS does. It could be a major trigger for the disease, and the find and raises hope of a vaccine.
  • Scientists Hail 'Revolutionary' Stem Cell Breakthrough: A new discovery promises to make stem cell research cheaper, faster, and less controversial to boot. Scientists in Japan have shown that stem cells can be created in less than 30 minutes—by dipping blood cells in acid.
  • Obesity Sets in by Kindergarten: Kids who are obese by the time they start kindergarten are likely to stay that way through childhood and into adulthood, according to a new study that suggests efforts to combat childhood obesity need to start a lot sooner. Kids who are obese at 5 are four times more likely to be obese by 8th grade.
  • Monarch Migration in Danger of Dying Out: A stunning phenomenon is in danger of disappearing: The annual migration of millions of monarch butterflies from Canada and the US to Mexico every year has sunk to its lowest level on record and is in grave danger of dying out, say researchers. Herbicides and modified crops may be to blame.
Click for more incredible discoveries, including a secret of the Hope Diamond. (More discoveries stories.)

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