Latest science news in Biology & Nature
New types of fungi found in Britain
LONDON, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- New types of mushrooms, some tasty, some possibly deadly, are cropping up in Britain, experts say.
Deadly by the Dozen: 12 Diseases Climate Change May Worsen
Bird flu, cholera, Ebola, plague and tuberculosis are just a few of the diseases likely to spread and get worse as a result of climate change, according to a report...
Future Looks Bleak For One Of World’s Smallest Seal Species
One of the smallest seals -- the Caspian -- has joined a growing list of mammal species in danger of extinction.
Gamblers ashamed to seek help
Research has found problem gamblers often wait until it's too late to seek help, as feelings of shame and denial hold them back.
Evolution more than skin deep
Genetic evolution is not always reflected in an animal's physical appearance, new research on the history of Antarctic penguins has found.
Scientists Trace A Novel Way Cells Are Disrupted In Cancer
A research team at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is clarifying a previously unappreciated way that cellular processes are disrupted in cancer. Following upon previous work showing that a splicing factor...
Bird Diversity Lessens Human Exposure To West Nile Virus
This one's for the birds. A study by biologists shows that the more diverse a bird population is in an area, the less chance humans have of exposure to West...
Deepest-Ever Fish Caught Alive on Camera
Life thrives at nearly five miles under the sea, researchers found. A group of snailfish are the deepest species ever seen alive.
MSU scientists find new gene that helps plants beat the heat
Michigan State University plant scientists have discovered another piece of the genetic puzzle that controls how plants respond to high temperatures. That may allow plant breeders to create new varieties...
Early-stage gene transcription creates access to DNA
A gene contained in laboratory yeast has helped an international team of researchers uncover new findings about the process by which protein molecules bind to control sequences in genes in...
Discovering drugs, biofuels in tropical seas
The National Institutes of Health has awarded $4 million to a group of Philippine and American scientists led by Oregon Health & Science University to aid in the discovery of...
Sequencing DNA prices slashed
A company in California to offer a 'complete, low-cost' reading of your DNA sequence
Humans have reached a genetic zenith, says evolution expert
Humans have reached a genetic utopia due to high life expectancy and racial mixing
Gene discovery may help hunt for blindness cure
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have discovered a gene mutation linked to the most common cause of blindness in the developed world, holding out the prospect of better treatments and perhaps...
Battling Cancer, One Cell At A Time
New research suggests that the identification and examination of key cell signaling events required for initiation and progression of cancer might be best accomplished at the single cell level. The...
Success for plants' pest control
Researchers develop a potential new method of making plants significantly more resistant to pests.
Key To Rapid Evolution In Plants: Reproduce Early And Often
Researchers have harnessed the power of 21st century computing to confirm an idea first proposed in 1916 -- that plants with rapid reproductive cycles evolve faster.
Blood test for Down's syndrome unveiled
Genetic technology used to comb mother's blood for fetal DNA.
VIDEO: New Endangered Species List
The African elephant, Cuban crocodile, and Asian fishing cat are among species elevated to more critical categories on the updated global Red List of Threatened Species.
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Spacecraft finds strange object in space … Protein might be important in causing MS … Study: Insecticide decimates tadpoles … Low-frequency human brain signal studied ... Health/Science news from UPI.
Extinction Crisis Worsens; "Dow Jones" Approach Touted
The 2008 Red List of Threatened Species details dismaying trends. A new "Dow Jones index" approach aims to stem the tide by tracking selected species like stocks.
DNA might predict harmful algae blooms
STORRS, Conn., Oct. 6 (UPI) -- A U.S. scientist says DNA tests could help predict and prevent harmful algae blooms around the globe, thereby reducing such blooms' economic...
Low-frequency human brain signal studied
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've taken one of the first "direct looks" at a human brain signal that never switches off and might...
Surface Tension Drives Segregation within Cell Mixtures
What does a mixture of two different kinds of cells have in common with a mixture of oil and water? The same basic force causes both mixtures to separate into...
Quadruplex binding clicks into place
Ureas that shun the double helix for four-stranded DNA could lead to new anticancer drugs, say UK scientists
Zambian import agencies deny GM 'violation' claims
Two seed import agencies have denied breaking Zambia's ban on genetically modified maize.
'Two In One' Enzyme: Unusually Flexible
Scientists have solved the structure of an unusually flexible enzyme in a virus that infects marine bacteria.
Genetic Damage In Minibacteria In Aphids And Ants Repaired By Faulty Copying
Aphids (plant lice) and ants carry minibacteria that produce essential amino acids and vitamins. These minibacteria have very limited genetic material and many broken genes. Now, researchers have found that...