Delayed clamping
Healthy newborn babies whose umbilical cords were clamped 3 minutes after birth had higher iron levels at 4 months old and a lower rate of neonatal anaemia compared with babies who had their cord clamped 10 seconds after birth. Delayed clamping was not associated with any adverse side effects ().
Stalled probe
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The world鈥檚 radio dishes were still trying to make contact with Russia鈥檚 Phobos-Grunt probe when New 杏吧原创 went to press. The craft, built to visit Mars鈥檚 moon Phobos, has been stranded in Earth orbit since its launch on 8 November. If it does not respond, Russian news reports suggest it could fall back to Earth in January, carrying toxic fuel.
Space paper
The first paper to be submitted from space has been published by the journal Europhysics Letters. The publication of the paper, on plasma research carried out on the International Space Station, led Michael Schreiber, the journal鈥檚 editor-in-chief, to say it has 鈥済one beyond the limits of globalisation鈥�.
Fishy massage
Surgeonfish can rely on cleaner wrasse to soothe their stress 鈥� the first non-primate known to do so. Marta Soares of the University Institute in Lisbon, Portugal, found that levels of the stress hormone cortisol in surgeonfish fell when they were able to rely on a model of a cleaner wrasse for a back rub (Nature Communications, ).
Lost lands
Two sunken islands, each nearly as big as Tasmania, have been . They may have once formed a land link between Australia and India. When the two landmasses broke apart, the link was left stranded and eventually sank.