The world of cats is fascinating, especially when it comes to their sleeping habits. Researchers from Italy, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, and Turkey have made an intriguing discovery – cats prefer to sleep on their left side. This bias towards one side might seem trivial at first, but the team behind this study believes it holds a significant evolutionary advantage.

Cats are notorious for spending around 12 to 16 hours a day snoozing. They often find elevated places to rest, making it difficult for predators to access them from below. The research team, led by Dr. Sevim Isparta and Professor Onur Güntürkün, aimed to understand the behavior behind this preference. They analyzed over 400 YouTube videos featuring cats sleeping on one side or the other.

The results showed that two-thirds of these videos had cats sleeping on their left side. So, what’s the explanation? According to the researchers, when a cat sleeps on its left side and wakes up, it perceives its surroundings with its left visual field. This visual information is processed in the right hemisphere of the brain, which specializes in spatial awareness and threat processing.

This might seem like an insignificant detail, but for cats, it’s a crucial aspect of survival. By sleeping on their left side, they can quickly respond to potential threats or prey upon waking up. The researchers conclude that this preference could be a key survival strategy for cats.

The study published in the journal Current Biology provides valuable insights into the fascinating world of cat behavior and evolution. As we continue to learn more about our feline friends, we might just uncover even more surprising advantages behind their seemingly ordinary habits.

The discovery of killer whales using seaweed tools for grooming has left scientists stunned. For the first time, researchers have observed this behavior in an endangered population of resident killer whales living in the Salish Sea, which is part of the Pacific Ocean between British Columbia and Washington.

According to Dr. Michael Weiss, a whale expert from the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor, WA, the southern resident killer whales regularly use lengths of bull kelp during social interactions as a tool to groom one another. This behavior was observed across all social groups, both sexes, and all age classes, with the whales creating tools by breaking off the ends of bull kelp stalks.

“We were amazed to find that the whales not only used but also manufactured these tools,” says Dr. Weiss. “What’s more remarkable is that despite this being a common behavior, it hadn’t been discovered in this population despite nearly 50 years of dedicated observation.”

The researchers found that whales were more likely to groom closely related whales or similarly aged partners. They also observed some evidence that whales with more molting or dead skin were more likely to engage in grooming, suggesting it may have a hygienic function.

“This finding highlights yet another way these whales’ society and culture is unique,” says Dr. Weiss. “The importance of recovering the southern resident killer whale population cannot be overstated.”

This research has significant implications for our understanding of tool use in marine mammals and demonstrates that tools can be used in a wide array of contexts.

“The discovery of this behavior opens new avenues for understanding tool use in marine mammals,” says Dr. Weiss. “It also underscores the importance of continued observation and monitoring of these incredible animals.”

The study was supported by several organizations, including the UK Natural Environment Research Council, the Orca Fund, and the Wild Fish Conservancy.

As scientists continue to learn more about this fascinating behavior, it’s clear that there is still much to discover about these intelligent and social creatures.

In a groundbreaking study led by researchers at RMIT University in Australia, a protein that gives fleas their remarkable elasticity has been used to prevent bacterial infection on medical implants. The resilin-mimetic proteins, which are derived from the insect resilin, have shown 100% effectiveness in repelling E.coli bacteria and human skin cells in lab conditions.

The study’s lead author, Professor Namita Roy Choudhury, said that this finding is a crucial step towards creating smart surfaces that stop dangerous bacteria, especially antibiotic-resistant ones like MRSA, from growing on medical implants. “This work shows how these coatings can be adjusted to effectively fight bacteria – not just in the short term, but possibly over a long period,” she added.

The potential applications of this research are vast and include spray coatings for surgical tools, medical implants, catheters, and wound dressings. The resilin-mimetic proteins have exceptional properties such as elasticity, resilience, and biocompatibility, making them ideal for many applications requiring flexible, durable materials and coatings.

Study lead author Dr Nisal Wanasingha said that the nano droplets’ high surface area made them especially good at interacting with and repelling bacteria. “Once they come in contact, the coating interacts with the negatively charged bacterial cell membranes through electrostatic forces, disrupting their integrity, leading to leakage of cellular contents and eventual cell death,” he explained.

Unlike antibiotics, which can lead to resistance, the mechanical disruption caused by the resilin coatings may prevent bacteria from establishing resistance mechanisms. Meanwhile, resilin’s natural origin and biocompatibility reduce the risk of adverse reactions in human tissues, making them more environmentally friendly than alternatives based on silver nanoparticles.

Future work includes attaching antimicrobial peptide segments during recombinant synthesis of resilin-mimics and incorporating additional antimicrobial agents to broaden the spectrum of activity. Transitioning from lab research to clinical use will require ensuring the formula’s stability and scalability, conducting extensive safety and efficacy trials, while developing affordable production methods for widespread distribution.

The study was in collaboration with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). The team used ANSTO’s Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering facilities, and RMIT University’s Micro Nano Research Facility and Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility. The work was funded by the Australia India Strategic Research Fund, Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering top-up Postgraduate Research Award (PGRA) and supported by the Australian Research Council.