A snake roaming evergreen forests 47 million years ago in what is now India may have stretched to 15 meters in length and weighed 1,000 kilograms, rivaling Titanoboa, a 13-meter snake thought to live in what is now Colombia 60 million years ago. Scientists describe backbone fossils of the species, named Vasuki indicus, in Scientific Reports, noting it probably moved slowly and constricted prey, which may have included turtles, primitive whales, crocodiles and catfish.

When a drink goes down the wrong way or reflux gurgles up, neuroendocrine cells in the upper airway set off coughing or other reflexes by telling the nervous system to expel the water or acid, according to findings in Science. "This study gives us a lot of insight into not only how our bodies are protecting our airways in this profoundly surprising way, but also more broadly how internal organs can act as gatekeepers to the outside world," says David Julius, an author of the study based on mouse cell experiments.

Almost half of 82 major cities in China are sinking, according to systematic satellite measurements in the journal Science that indicate more significant subsidence than similar data for Europe and the US. Tens of millions of China's urban-dwellers live in sinking areas, and scientists say the study and further, more localized, work can help urban planners with prevention and reversal efforts.

Life may have arrived on Earth from space, say researchers whose work challenges previous ideas, demonstrating that water in molecular ice that covers cosmic dust particles does not prevent basic peptide formation. Experiments in a vacuum chamber that simulates outer space, gauged by precise mass spectrometric analyses, have found that the water slows peptide formation by 50% but does not stop it, the researchers write in Science Advances.

Researchers reconstructed the assembly of the human centriole for the first time using imaging techniques, shedding light on its role in cell organization and disease pathology, according to a study in Cell. The findings also showed that combining expansion microscopy with kinematic reconstruction offers a novel approach to study organelle genesis, opening new options for cellular and molecular biology research.

Two studies published in the journal Menopause that evaluated women participating in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults cohort explored the connection between migraines, vasomotor symptoms and cardiovascular risk. Women with a history of persistent vasomotor symptoms and migraine had a two-fold higher risk of CV events.

Heart failure is a more common complication than stroke after atrial fibrillation, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. The lifetime risk of post-AFib complications was higher in men, while the lifetime risk of post-AFib stroke was higher in women than in men.

A Syracuse University professor plans to research context-sensitive fuzzing for computer networks, looking to improve the vulnerability detection method and build on his progress toward an automated solution to enhance network security. Endadul Hoque, an assistant professor in computer science and electrical engineering, has received an NSF grant for the work, which will include cybersecurity training and awareness initiatives.

Sigma Xi's 3rd annual International Forum on Research Excellence (IFoRE) will take place November 14-17, 2024 at The Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Special early bird registration rates will be available for all professional and student attendees. Visit experienceIFoRE.org for more information and updates on prospective speakers, themes, sessions, and registration information. We hope to see you there! LEARN MORE