First Tuatara Nest Found in 200 Years
The sole survivor of the reptilian order Rhynchocephalia, the tuatara is a rare reptile with lineage dating back to the age of dinosaurs. They are found only on certain islands off New Zealand and in wildlife sanctuaries cleared of predators such as rats. The introduction of such predators to the country’s three main islands nearly drove the reptiles to extinction in the 1700s. The discovery of four small eggs in a nest on New Zealand’s mainland was the first such find in about 200 years and is the first concrete proof that the tuatara there are breeding. The unique, dragon-like reptiles have remained unchanged for 220 million years and are considered to be "living fossils

Bad Bosses Hurt the Heart

The longer you work for an inconsiderate boss, the more damage your heart may suffer. A recent study of 3,000 men found a strong link between poor leadership and the risk of heart attack and serious heart disease. Previous studies have shown that unfair bosses can drive up employees’ blood pressure, increasing heart disease risk. In addition, stress can foster unhealthy behaviors like smoking and eating a poor diet, which can also lead to heart disease. Of the men surveyed, those who viewed their senior managers as least competent had a 25% higher risk of serious heart problems. Those who had worked for a bad boss for four years or more had a 64% higher risk

Scientists Develop Mind-Reading Technology

Scientists are one step closer to reading people’s minds, showing for the first time that they can interpret a person’s thoughts simply by looking at brain activity. Using a technology known as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which highlights brain regions as they become active, researchers were able to tell where volunteers were located within a computer-generated virtual reality environment. While the prospect of reading a person’s intimate thoughts is still a long way off, this research helps explain how the hippocampus records memories and may help experts understand memory disorders such as Alzheimer's.