Drug power

Having marijuana may help you enhance your intellect. While alcohol, nicotine and cocaine have been shown to suppress the growth of new nerve cells (responsible for memory, learning, anxiety and depression) in mammalian brain, a synthetic chemical, HU210, similar to an ingredient of marijuana, was found to increase the cell-growth by about 40 per cent in rat brains, say University of Saskatchewan researchers in Canada.

Killer host

Japanese scientists have found a colourless organism, Hatena, which alternates between two phases: one that allows it to host a green alga and another that makes it gulp an alga. According to the scientists, this remarkably quick changes could have played a key role in the evolution of photosynthesis, reports Science.

Deep secrets

With the aid of sophisticated software at the University of Cardiff’s 3-D Lab scientists can rotate, slice, dice and pra-ctically jumble rock formations to gain glimpses into earth’s core. The deep layers of the planet’s rocky guts under terrestrial and marine sediments are yielding important clues about its geologic past.