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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 344 Breaks:
Capturing the past using DNA from Sacred Ibis Mummies
Millions of Egyptian Sacred Ibis were found mummified and stored in vast catacombs. Thoth priests sold the mummified Ibis to pilgrims for offerings. Did they mass farmed the Ibises? Our analysis of the bird’s DNA did not identify the tell-tale genetic signs of farming. Priests tamed Ibises by feeding them.
Jul 6, 2020 | 3.5 min readYour biological age within a drop of your blood
When is aging occurring? Why do I look younger/older than my age? What is my biological age? These are just a few questions that can be answered using a single drop of your blood!
Jul 3, 2020 | 3.5 min readLife after death? Fossil survival strategy rediscovered in living corals
Corals are impacted by climate change worldwide. Monitoring the Mediterranean coral Cladocora caespitosa during 16 yrs allowed us to discover that some colonies were able to recover after warming-induced death. The recovery was possible thanks to rejuvenescence, a survival strategy only known from extinct fossil corals. It was described for the first time in a living coral.
Jul 2, 2020 | 3.5 min readClimatic Changes for Earths in Sun-like Stellar Binaries
Climate cycles are influenced by the changes in a planet's axial tilt or obliquity. Stellar binary companions can alter a planet's obliquity quite substantially through gravitational tugs. The climate on an Earth twin orbiting Alpha Centauri B is especially vulnerable to large changes in obliquity, and a large moon doesn't help. Telescopes could soon identify the spin and tilt of nearby planets.
Jun 29, 2020 | 3.5 min readGroundwater pumping poses worldwide threat to riverine ecosystems
We pump too much water out of the ground, impacting our rivers worldwide. Our study estimates that almost 20% of the catchments where groundwater is pumped for drinking water or to grow food suffer from low flows - too low to sustain healthy freshwater ecosystems. This number is expected to increase to 50% by 2050.
Jun 25, 2020 | 3 min readTreating Alzheimer's disease with a known anticoagulant: insights from lab mice
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with vascular alterations such as reduced brain blood flow. Treatment with a direct oral anticoagulant available in the market delays the onset of AD in mice: animals did not show memory loss or decreased cerebral circulation, and they presented reduced brain inflammation, vascular damage, and decreased amyloid deposits, typical signs of AD.
Jun 23, 2020 | 3.5 min read