Latest science news in Biology & Nature
How DNA Is Unwound So That Its Code Can Be Read
Researchers have figured out how a macromolecular machine is able to unwind the long and twisted tangles of DNA within a cell's nucleus so that genetic information can be "read"...
New Leprosy Bacterium: Scientists Use Genetic Fingerprint To Nail 'Killing Organism'
A new species of bacterium that causes leprosy has been identified through intensive genetic analysis of a pair of lethal infections, a research team reports.
Oceans becoming more acidic, study shows
CHICAGO, Nov. 26 (UPI) -- Ocean waters are growing more acidic faster than previously thought and pose a threat sea life, researchers from the University of Chicago said.
Old flies can become young moms
Female flies can turn back the biological clock and extend their lifespan at the same time, University of Southern California biologists report. Their study, published online this month in Molecular...
Scientists build 'roach motel' for nasty bugs of the bacterial variety
The vacancy sign is on, but the lowlifes who check in never check out. Scientists at the University of Florida and the University of New Mexico have created tiny microscopic...
Scientists plan to sequence turkey genome
During this Thanksgiving season, hungry diners won't be the only ones turning their attention to the tasty birds. Scientists plan to use the latest technology to sequence the turkey genome.
New Research Helps Explain Genetics Of Parkinson's Disease
A new study suggests that Parkin, the product of the Parkinson's disease-related gene Park2, prompts neuronal survival by clearing the cell of its damaged mitochondria.
Inherited Genetic Cause, Possible Treatment Found For Complex Lung Disorder
A tale of two sisters has helped researchers solve a medical mystery and discover a familial genetic mutation that causes an inherited form of the lung disease pulmonary alveolar proteinosis....
Ants may help researchers unlock mysteries of human aging process
NYU School of Medicine researcher Dr. Danny Reinberg was awarded a Howard Hughes Institute of Medicine Collaborative Innovation Award for new research on ant epigenetics- helping to unravel the impact...
Dolphin population stunted by fishing activities, Scripps/NOAA study finds
Despite broad "dolphin safe" practices, fishing activities have continued to restrict the growth of at least one Pacific Ocean dolphin population, a new report led by a researcher at Scripps...
The disappearance of pine trees is threatening the Cantabrian capercaillie
The crux of the problem about the revival and conservation of the Cantabrian capercaillie could be that the decline in pine forests has not been linked with its survival. This...
Scripps research team defines new painkilling chemical pathway
Marijuana kills pain by activating a set of proteins known as cannabinoid receptors, which can also regulate appetite, inflammation, and memory. The body also has chemicals known as endocannabinoids that...
China Fuels Illegal Wildlife Trade Across The Globe
Findings in several wildlife raids across the globe indicate China's involvement in strengthening illegal activities and hurting conservation goals. read more
Bush to Eviscerate the Endangered Species Act
Bush's burning of the midnight oil might spell the doom of the animals that the Endangered Species Act was designed to protect. read more
Scientists sequence genome of wooly mammoth
Scientists have sequenced the genome of the woolly mammoth, an extinct species of elephant that was adapted to living in the cold environment of the northern hemisphere. read more
Huge elephant seal washes up in Georgia Strait
Scientists are looking for more clues to determine what led a giant northern elephant seal into Nanaimo's Departure Bay.
Bug Spy: U.S. Develops Tiny Flying Robots
U.S. military engineers are trying to design flying robots disguised as insects that could one day spy on enemies and conduct dangerous missions without risking lives.
Deciphering the genetic code for an anticancer agent
A programmable gene cluster could offer a route to new antitumor drugs
Calif. stem cell researchers short on eggs
SAN DIEGO, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Stem cell scientists in California say they're having trouble finding enough human eggs to conduct their research.
First 3-D Images Inside Human Arteries
The walls that line human coronary arteries have been imaged for the first time in 3-D. Such images will allow cardiologists to visualize areas of inflammation and plaque deposits more...
Bioactive paper enlists llamas, tobacco to track down germs
Canadian researchers are working to develop specially treated 'bioactive' paper that can help in the battle against SARS, listeriosis and other deadly pathogens.
VIDEO: Old Fishing Technique on Wane
The Japanese fishing method of agiya, in which teams of fishermen dive into the ocean and drive schools of fish into a net, is dying out.
Panda bites student who just wanted a hug
A college student in southern China just needed a hug, but he probably shouldn't have picked a panda for his warm and fuzzy moment.
Letter: On the face of it, no guide to character
Letter: I would actually trust Gordon Brown over David Cameron and Nick Clegg any day
Naming Dangerous Chemical Facilities
Report lists sites where accidents, terrorist attacks could kill millions
Pharmaceutical Testing: Test Identifies Toxic Platinum And Palladium Without Time-consuming Sample Pretreatment
The painstaking process of detecting toxic species of platinum and palladium mixed in with the form of platinum essential to certain pharmaceuticals could be reduced to one simple step, researchers...
Hope For Treating Relapse To Methamphetamine Abuse
A new study suggests that vigabatrin blocks drug-seeking behavior in animals previously trained to associate methamphetamine with a particular environment.
Networks Of Small Habitat Patches Can Preserve Urban Biodiversity
Sets of small and seemingly insignificant habitat patches that are within reach for mobile species may under certain circumstances, as a group, provide an acceptable alternative to larger and contiguous...