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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:
Reinventing a bacterial biopesticide: an old microbe with a fresh new look
Growing concerns over the use of synthetic pesticides in agriculture have sparked a renewed interest in natural alternatives. Our work revisits a formerly successful bacterial biological pesticide (biopesticide) that fell out of fashion over concerns of human pathogenicity.
Sep 24, 2019 | 3.5 min readCascading effects of a marine heatwave impact dolphin survival and reproduction
Extreme climatic events associated with climate change pose a serious threat to ecosystems around the world. A marine heatwave in 2011 causes drastic losses of seagrass and fish stocks in Shark Bay, Western Australia, with cascading effects on long-term survival and reproduction of the resident bottlenose dolphin population.
Sep 20, 2019 | 4 min readUnexpectedly stalled: the dynamics of brain blood flow in Alzheimer’s disease
A reduction in brain blood flow is a long-known symptom of Alzheimer’s disease that has remained unexplained. Using mouse models of Alzheimer’s, we discovered the cellular mechanism that causes this brain blood flow reduction and further showed that increasing brain blood flow improves memory function.
Sep 19, 2019 | 3.5 min readWhen gut bacteria spoil drug treatment
In many cases, doctors do not know why one patient responds well to a drug, while another experiences significant side effects for the same drug. We found that bacteria living in the gut can be partially responsible for such differences: they can break down certain drugs to small molecules that cause serious complications during drug therapy.
Sep 18, 2019 | 3.5 min readA four-legged ancestor led the way for early whales dispersal
The discovery of a four-legged whale in nearly 43 million years old marine deposits of coastal Peru provides insights on the early dispersal of modern whales, dolphins and porpoises' ancestors to the Americas. We could assess the timing of this dispersal, the route taken, and the locomotion abilities, of these early, hoofed-bearing amphibious whales.
Sep 16, 2019 | 4 min readIce sheet melting: it’s not just about sea level rise
Climate change is causing the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets to melt, which releases cold, fresh meltwater into the nearby ocean. This meltwater causes sea level rise, but a lesser-known side effect is the disruption of deep ocean currents and climate patterns worldwide. Our modelling study investigated these processes.
Sep 13, 2019 | 4 min read