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About Massimo
Harnessing his dual expertise in molecular biology and digital communications, Massimo is a steadfast advocate for science, striving to weave it into the fabric of everyday life. As the founder and editor-in-chief of TheScienceBreaker, he is not just chasing a dream, but actively building a reality where society and science walk hand-in-hand. His aspiration is not one of distant admiration, but of close collaboration: empowering every individual with scientific understanding and fostering a collective enthusiasm for discovery. His vision is one of unity, where society acknowledges the integral role of science and technology in shaping our shared future.
Massimo is the editor of 352 Breaks:
Beware of humans and glacial maximums – the story of cave bear extinction
We found indications that humans may have had a major impact on the extinction of cave bears in Europe during the last ice age. In our study, we found a drastic decline of cave bear populations starting around 40,000 years ago based on 59 newly reconstructed mitochondrial genomes of cave bears from the Late Pleistocene.
Mar 25, 2020 | 3 min readEnglish and Welsh hospital patients in the Lyme-light
A description of the socio-demographic characteristics of hospital admissions for Lyme disease. Cases were predominately female, and in children or retirement age adults. They mainly lived in rural affluent areas with a clear hotpot in southern England.
Mar 23, 2020 | 3.5 min readThe bumpy-effect of climate change on transatlantic flights
Using data based on observations, we find the vertical wind shear (the change in wind speed with height) over the North Atlantic Ocean has increased by 15% since 1979 at a typical transatlantic flight cruising altitude. As wind shear is a crucial driver of clear-air turbulence – a major aviation hazard – this result supports findings of increased turbulence in future climate model projections.
Mar 20, 2020 | 4 min readInfants expect leaders to right wrongs
We associate the quote “With great power comes great responsibility” with super-heroes, such as Spiderman, but in fact, we expect leaders to abide by it too. Must we be taught, or might these expectations be part of our human endowment in how we reason about leadership? It appears infants in the second year of life, already hold these expectations, well before they can be taught.
Mar 18, 2020 | 3.5 min readViruses are spilling over from managed honey bees to wild bumble bees
Viruses, once thought specific to managed honey bees, have now been detected in wild bee species, including bumble bees. Our study tested whether virus infection in wild bees was directly related to the presence of managed honey bees. We found that viruses are spilling over from honey bees into wild bumble bees, and this is likely occurring through shared flowers.
Mar 13, 2020 | 4 min readIt's not just how the game is played - it's whether you win or lose
How much people's perceptions of inequality reflect the distribution of opportunities in society and how much they reflect people's own social position? We answer these questions by means of a novel experiment, based on a card game.
Mar 10, 2020 | 4 min read