Back to The Team
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:
Emergent division of labor among clonal ants
Division of labor is thought to be central to the success of social species like ants and humans, but how does it arise? We used automated behavioral tracking in an unusual, clonal ant to show that division of labor can emerge in response to increasing group size. These behavioral changes were accompanied by rapid increases in colony performance.
Mar 11, 2019 | 4 min readBiodiversity – a double-edged sword for ecological stability?
Whether biodiversity increases or decreases ecosystem stability has intrigued ecologists for decades, without a final answer yet. Our research shows that both can be true and we present an approach called overall ecosystem stability to resolve this apparent paradox.
Mar 8, 2019 | 4 min readGene therapy and ALS: one step closer to the clinic
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a devastating, invariably fatal neurodegenerative disorder. Now researchers demonstrate that a novel gene therapy treatment that silences the toxic gene is safe in monkeys. This breakthrough treatment could soon be in the clinic.
Mar 6, 2019 | 4 min readSalmon are shrinking and you can see it in their genes
Atlantic salmon age at maturity has globally declined over the last four decades. This trait is strongly associated to survival and reproductive success. By monitoring temporal changes in the gene (vgll3) controlling age at maturity, we showed that Atlantic salmon have quickly evolved to mature earlier, at a smaller size, in the Teno river.
Mar 4, 2019 | 4 min readThe first interstellar immigrant of the solar system
The asteroids and comets of the solar system did not all form in situ as some were captured during the late stages of planet formation. Identifying asteroids that “immigrated” to the solar system from other star systems has now become possible.
Mar 1, 2019 | 4 min readBioBits™: Making Hands-on Biology Experiences Accessible for Everyone
With low-cost protein expression technology, we developed cheap and easy-to-use kits to teach molecular biology lessons, allowing access to hands-on biology activities for low-resource classrooms.
Feb 22, 2019 | 3.5 min read