Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Reef fish face double danger
The fish that inhabit the worlds coral reefs are not only being overfished to death, but habitat destruction is leaving them homeless, new research has found.
Pure insulin-producing cells produced in mouse
Singapore researchers have developed an unlimited number of pure insulin-producing cells from mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs).
Common cold virus came from birds
A virus that causes cold-like symptoms in humans originated in birds and may have crossed the species barrier around 200 years ago, according to an article published in the December...
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
Observatory: Invasive Plants in Galápagos May Really Be Native
Some plants that were thought to be invasive species in the Galapagos Islands predate humans by thousands of years.
Small GEO Programme moves forward with contract-signing
Today, ESA has signed the Small GEO Platform and Small GEO Mission contracts with the respective industrial primes, namely: OHB- System AG (Germany) and Hispasat S.A. (Spain)...
How do bacteria swim?
Imagine yourself swimming in a pool: It's the movement of your arms and legs, not the viscosity of the water, that mostly dictates the speed and direction that you swim...
New insight into the controls on a go-to enzyme
Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have gained new insights into regulation of one of the body's enzyme workhorses called calpains. As the cell's molecular overachievers, calpains function in...
Potential Sources Of 'Rain-Making' Bacteria In The Atmosphere Identified
Scientists recently found evidence that bacteria and biological cells are the most efficient ice-forming catalysts in precipitation from locations around the globe. The formation of ice in clouds is important...
Darwin Was Right About How Evolution Can Affect Whole Group
Worker ants of the world, unite! You have nothing to lose but your fertility. The highly specialized worker castes in ants represent the pinnacle of social organization in the insect...
Research Consortium to Sequence Turkey Genome
An international consortium of researchers has begun an effort to sequence the genome of the domesticated turkey. The genomic resources that will be developed should provide turkey breeders with tools...
Scientists sequence woolly-mammoth genome
Scientists at Penn State are leaders of a team that is the first to report the genome-wide sequence of an extinct animal, according to Webb Miller, professor of biology and...
Hops Extract May Reduce Clostridium In Chickens
Hops contain substances that control pathogenic bacteria in the intestines of chickens, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and cooperators have reported.
Jumonjd3: A Key For Unlocking Neuronal Stem Cell Fate
A novel role for the protein, Jumonjd3, as an epigenetic modulator in the neuronal differentiation of embryonic stem cells, has recently been uncovered -- a step forward in the understanding...
Rhesus Factor Controls Renal Function And Male Fertility
The "Rhesus" blood group is well-known from the public for its importance in the field of transfusion medicine. New observations have implications in human medicine. They suggest that in man,...
Plastic Additives Leach Into Medical Experiments, Research Shows
Researchers have shown that using plastic lab equipment can skew or ruin the results of medical experiments. The researchers identified two classes of chemical compounds in commonly-used plastic lab ware...
Turtles Alter Nesting Dates Due To Temperature Change
Researchers say turtles nesting along the Mississippi River and other areas are altering their nesting dates in response to rising temperatures.
Genome-wide Association Scan For Genetic Determinants Of Warfarin Dose
A growing number of geneticists are using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to systematically search for and identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are single base changes in the human DNA...
Mammoth Genome Decoded -- Clones on the Way?
The first genetic blueprint from an extinct animal could reveal what separates the fuzzy giants from elephants—and may open the door to a "resurrection."
Minus one gene, male mouse is Mr. Mom
Instead of killing mouse pups, he makes a nest and gets the pups cozy.
Genetic Biobanks: Deposits, Withdrawals, and Consumer Protection
Panelists will examine the proliferation of genetic research databases to study genetic contributions to disease, the policies governing biobanks, and the conditions under which people are willing to contribute genetic...
Animal and Biological Science: Highlights of San Antonio Fluid Dynamics Conference, November 23-25
From dolphins to clams to flying creatures like hummingbirds and bats, many of nature's most fascinating creatures exhibit forms of fluid flow. When the 61st Annual Meeting of the American...
Why Can't Human Beings Breathe Underwater?
When you breathe in air, the air travels from your nose, down your trachea (windpipe), and into your lungs.
Ton of Illegal Ivory, Hippo Teeth Seized in Kenya
Africa's largest undercover investigation of wildlife crime may lead police to smugglers, Kenyan officials said this week. But conservationists claim such stings are futile.
Uncovering secrets of life in the ocean
The best-selling novel 'The swarm' captured the imagination of countless readers with the fascination of marine life. But it also showed how little we understand life in the depth of...
Group seeks to protect British bug habitat
LONDON, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Efforts are under way to try to save a plot of land described as one of Britain's top three habitats for insects from...
Darwin 200: Beneath the surface
You might think that once evolution has found one way to get something done, it will stick with it. But similar physical forms can hide radically different wiring, finds Tanguy...
Over-stressing Already Taxed Cancer Cells May Kill Them
Cancer cells are already stressed by the fast pace they require to grow and spread and scientists believe a little more stress just may kill them.