Too busy to keep track of all the science news during the week? Don’t fear Synapse is here. Check out this week's news.
Super-human workforce - Human advancement technologies, including brain stimulators, exoskeletons and eye implants could be routine in workplaces of the future as competition for jobs increases. Read more.
Rare whale seen for first time - The World’s rarest whale has been seen for the first time. The Spade-toothed beaked whale was discovered in 1872, based only on bone fragments. In 2010 a mother and her calf were found dead stranded on Opape Beach at the northern tip of New Zealand. DNA results published this week confirmed that these animals were Spade-toothed beaked whales. Full story.
Earth-like neighbour discovered - Three new large planets have been identified orbiting the nearby star HD 40307. They all exist in the habitable zone where liquid water can exist. The discovery team used the change in the frequency of light from the star it orbited to calculate the mass and distance from the star of the planet. Read more.
Ash plague takes hold - Ash dieback, a disease that threatens the UK's ash trees, cannot be eradicated and the government is opting for containment. Diseased young trees will be removed and destroyed. Scientists hope to identify resistant individual trees and identify a genetic marker. Find out more.
Felix Kennedy and Tom Stubbs