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About Massimo
Massimo, molecular biologist, is constantly on a mission to inspire scientists and laypeople around him with his passion for science. During the time spent on the bench, he followed his natural all-around curiosity, investigating several topics from medical diseases to plant physiology. Head of TheScienceBreaker, Massimo proudly chases his naïve dream of an engaged society where scientists and citizens are facing together the upcoming challenges for human civilizations.
Massimo is the editor of 321 Breaks:
The taste for human sweat
Mosquitoes transmit diseases due to their attraction to humans. Here we discuss our paper where we show that mosquitoes lacking a particular receptor, do not sense lactic acid, a component of sweat and have their attraction to humans reduced by half.
Nov 4, 2019 | 3 min readRegime Change at Jakobshavn
Observations by NASA of Greenland’s biggest glacier and largest contributor to sea-level rise reveal how vulnerable the ice sheets can be to changes in ocean temperatures, with implications for their future ice loss to the ocean.
Nov 1, 2019 | 3.5 min readAncient feasts drew people and animals from across Neolithic Britain
Biomolecular analysis of pig remains from the Stonehenge complex and other monuments have demonstrated that people and animals from across Neolithic Britain came to Wessex for vast feasting events. These were probably the builders of the Stonehenge.
Oct 30, 2019 | 4 min readGlobal warming blamed for Earth’s largest mass extinction
The cause of the largest mass extinction in Earth history – termed “the Great Dying” – has long remained elusive. Our research demonstrates a causal link between global warming, ocean oxygen loss, and extinction, with dramatic implications for marine life under future climate change.
Oct 28, 2019 | 3.5 min readRainfall is changing: when and where we need to be ready to adapt?
Climate model projections for the 21st century, suggest varied rainfall changes around the world with associated impacts on wheat, soybean, rice, and maize crops. Arid and wet regions of the world will become (and are already) dryer and wetter, respectively. Since large crop-producing areas are located within these regions, this is of major concern for the global food supply.
Oct 21, 2019 | 4 min readSharks, Seals, and the Balance of Power at Sea
Fur seals and penguins show up in the Southern Hemisphere; seals, puffins, and porpoises in the north. As icebergs appear on the horizon, large active sharks have vanished; orcas and leopard seals are the apex predators. The structure of marine life has changed dramatically with latitude. Why?
Oct 16, 2019 | 4 min read