Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Natural Chemical From Sea Sponges Induces Death In Cancer Cells Via Unusual Pathway
A chemical called candidaspongiolide (CAN) inhibits protein synthesis but also kills cancer cells by triggering caspase 12-dependent programmed cell death, according to an article in the Aug. 26 online issue...
ANIMAL PHOTOS WEEKLY: Albino Whale, Baby Giraffe, More
A rare albino right whale frolics in the water, a mother giraffe nuzzles its baby, and more in our new weekly roundup of animal photos.
Moo North: Cattle and Deer May Sense Earth's Magnetic Field
Forget cow tipping--next time you want to mess with a bovine friend, try waving a magnet in its face. [More]
UBC scientist unveils secret of newborn's first words
A new study could explain why "daddy" and "mommy" are often a baby's first words – the human brain may be hard-wired to recognize certain repetition patterns.
Study of islands reveals surprising extinction results
It's no secret that humans are having a huge impact on the life cycles of plants and animals. UC Santa Barbara's Steven D. Gaines and fellow researcher Dov Sax decided...
Protein misprediction uncovered by new technique
A new bioinformatics tool is capable of identifying and correcting abnormal, incomplete and mispredicted protein annotations in public databases. The MisPred tool, described today in the open access journal BMC...
Sea squirts have carefree sex
The simple sea squirt could be the envy of many, as new research has found the organism never has to worry about contraceptives or fertility problems.
PHOTOS: Birds Best Hope for Pest-Ridden Coffee Crops?
Millions of dollars have funded research to eradicate the destructive coffee berry borer, and for years, coffee farmers the world over have been battling the pest with insecticides. But a...
How Nemo really finds his way home
How does the orange clownfish — aka Nemo from the movie "Finding Nemo" — really find its way home?
World's Largest Marine Sanctuary Proposed by U.S.
The U.S. is likely to grant national-monument status to Pacific island regions that together are larger than Alaska and Texas combined—a "great choice," conservationists say, if the areas are actually...
Scientists Tie Chickpea Disease To Fungal Culprit
The fungus Sclerotinia trifoliorum plagues legume crops worldwide. But chickpeas seem to have escaped its wrath, with the exception of Australia's crop. Now, that's no longer the case, report scientists.
DNA Barcoding In Danger Of 'Ringing Up' Wrong Species
DNA barcoding is a movement to catalog all life on earth by a simple standardized genetic tag, similar to stores labeling products with unique barcodes. But the approach as currently...
Rare Earth Elements Excite Protein Probes
UIC biochemist Lawrence Miller has received a four-year, $1.16 million grant to develop a way to image single biological molecules in living cells by using lanthanide molecules to tag proteins...
Speak up! Animals can adjust chatter
Animals know how to speak up, pipe down, cut to the chase or spin a long yarn in order to stand out amidst the din when it comes to communicating...
Genome sequence deepens mystery of inconspicuous sea creature
(PhysOrg.com) -- Resembling a smudge more than an animal, a mysterious life form known as a placozoan has now joined other obscure and primitive creatures whose genomes are providing insight...
'Natural' anthrax kills Saskatchewan bison: Parks Canada
Even though anthrax bacteria was likely responsible for the death of 13 bison in Saskatchewan, Parks Canada officials said there is no reason for alarm.
Global Update: Virus That Infects Mosquitoes Could Lead to Weapon Against Disease
A new virus that infects the world’s most dangerous mosquito could one day be manipulated to kill it or prevent it from transmitting malaria.
Bats Can Fly Silently to Avoid Jamming Sonar Signals
Some bats prevent crossed signals when flying with others by shutting down their natural sonar, new research reports.
Why do eyelids sag with age? UCLA study answers mystery
Many theories have sought to explain what causes the baggy lower eyelids that come with aging, but UCLA researchers have now found that fat expansion in the eye socket is...
Python kills Venezuelan zookeeper
A three-metre (10-foot) python kills a student zookeeper who let the snake out of its enclosure in Caracas, Venezuela.
'Best hope at sustainable fisheries' short-changed by conservation efforts
Small scale fisheries produce as much annual catch for human consumption and use less than one-eighth the fuel as their industrial counterparts, but they are dealt a double-whammy by well-intentioned...
New Virus Threatens High Plains Wheat Crop
Triticum mosaic virus poses a new threat to Texas wheat, according to Texas AgriLife Research scientists in Amarillo. Researchers are working on a variety of studies to determine how big...
Science Weekly: Flying saucers and Prince Charles
We missed it so much last week, we're devoting this show's entire format to the Newsjam
Japanese study says loss of fat in whales may be result of climate change
Data from Japan's widely condemned scientific whaling programme suggests a loss of fat over the last 20 years may be due to climate change, but some claim the research is...
Explaining a genetic disorder's unique shift
Findings reported in this week's PLoS Biology give insight into the unique characteristics of the birth defect known as Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), and at the same time, may help explain...
'Slick' Gene Helps Cattle Beat The Heat
Pinpointing the chromosomal location of the "slick" gene identified by scientists could help breeders develop cattle with shorter, slick hair that helps keep them cool in the subtropical heat.
Hydrogen-Producing Bacteria Provide Clean Energy
A new "green" technology developed cooperatively by scientists with the Agricultural Research Service and North Carolina State University could lead to production of hydrogen from nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Drought-tolerant Corn Developed
At the end of the day, drought tolerance in corn has to equate to good yields and good quality, not just good looks, said a Texas AgriLife Research scientist. Corn...