science news 9.4.2019

Today's selection of science news. Links are normally to press releases on EurekAlert (at the bottom end I may also add a couple of newspaper stories). I include quotes from the summary (using quotation marks) in cases where the title alone doesn't reveal what the story is about. My own thoughts appear without quotation marks, if I have any.


astrobiology

Astronomers find evidence of a planet with a mass almost 13 times that of Jupiter



Brazilian researchers have identified robust signs of the existence of a giant object in the Cygnus constellation orbiting a binary system of a live star and a white dwarf.
Credit: Leandro Almeida


ecology

Excellent catering: How a bacterium feeds an entire flatworm

Earth's recovery from mass extinction could take millions of years


conservation

World-first study shows Indigenous skills vital to conservation research outcomes


bio-inspired

Slug glue reveals clues for making better medical adhesives

Study shows dogs can accurately sniff out cancer in blood


archaeology

Declassified U2 spy plane images reveal bygone Middle Eastern archaeological features


humans

Dietary supplement boosts cognitive function in vegetarians
"Vegetarians who take the dietary supplement creatine may enjoy improved brain function, according to a new study. The research will be presented today at the American Physiological Society's (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology 2019 in Orlando, Fla."