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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:
A new strategy to beat Ebola virus at its own game
We investigated how Ebola virus interacts with proteins in human cells. Doing this, we identified a human protein called RBBP6 that reduces the virus’ growth. Using a small part of RBBP6, we could slow down the infection in the lab – a promising finding for future treatments.
Jul 17, 2019 | 4 min readGenetic determinants of thinness and obesity: cards of the same deck
Obesity is a major public health concern. While most genetic studies have focused on obesity, we opted to look at the contribution of genetic variation to healthy thinness. In this study, we found that propensity to obesity or thinness is affected mostly by the same genes.
Jul 12, 2019 | 3.5 min readA timeline for the Denisovans, an enigmatic group of archaic humans
The Denisovans are a mysterious group of archaic humans named after the type locality of Denisova Cave in southern Siberia. The site was also occupied at times by Neanderthals and modern humans. Thanks to optical dating and environmental reconstructions we defined a robust chronology for these archaic humans.
Jul 10, 2019 | 3.5 min readOverturning the hypothesis for how humans evolved language
Few traits are as uniquely human as complex spoken language. Language, therefore, has interested evolutionary biologists and neuroscientists seeking to understand what makes us, and in particular our brains, distinct from other animals.
Jul 8, 2019 | 4 min readHigh extinction risk for wild coffee species and implications for coffee sector sustainability
Coffee is a globally significant commodity and the source of livliehoods for millions of farmers worldwide. Our coffee crop plants, represent very recent domestication events. We found that at least 60% of all coffee species are threatened with extinction, 45% are not held in any germplasm collection, and 28% are not known to occur in any protected area.
Jul 5, 2019 | 4 min readWhat can science tell us about mortality and survival in Game of Thrones?
Fatal injuries caused by assault and operations of war are commonplace in the lands of Westeros and Essos. Switching allegiances is a key factor in increasing the chances of survival.
Jul 1, 2019 | 3.5 min read