Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Too Few Asian Vultures in Captivity to Save Species?
Genetic testing of captive oriental white-backed vultures suggests the diversity needed to ensure the species' future will taper within three years, a scientist says.
Habitation harms turtle fertility
Research has found that turtles nesting on beaches with permanent human development lay less eggs than turtles on other beaches.
How Plants Fine Tune Their Natural Chemical Defenses
Even closely related plants produce their own natural chemical cocktails, each set uniquely adapted to the individual plant's specific habitat. Comparing antifungals produced by tobacco and henbane, researchers have discovered...
Bacteria Stop Sheep Dip From Poisoning Fish And Bees
Bacteria can be used to break down used sheep dip, preventing bees and fish from dying because of soil and river contamination, scientists report.
Small size helps giant male weta mate
MISSISSAUGA , Ontario, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Canadian scientists have discovered lightweight giant male weta insects are most successful at mating by traveling greater distances each night.
The Way S/he Moves
Regardless of their true motion, male figures appear to walk toward you while female figures appear to walk away
Barbadians gripe over snake 'find'
They long knew about the world's smallest snake, which just made its scientific debut. ...
Atomic structure of the mammalian 'fatty acid factory' determined
Mammalian fatty acid synthase is one of the most complex molecular synthetic machines in human cells. It is also a promising target for the development of anti-cancer and anti-obesity drugs...
Old before their time? Aging in flies under natural vs. laboratory conditions
A marked T. angusticollis female on an Acacia trunk in Sydney. Evolutionary studies of aging typically utilize small, short-lived animals (insects, worms, mice) under benign conditions – constant temperature and...
Bacteria can consume and warn of arsenic
DUBLIN, Ireland, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- British scientists say they've discovered bacteria that can live in cold areas, remove arsenic from food or water and also warn of...
Rare frog caught on film during Manchester rainforest expedition
An incredibly rare frog has been captured on camera for the first time during an expedition by University of Manchester scientists to the rain forests of Central America.
Flying discs turn exercise into play
Reviewed: Innova Valkyrie golf disc; Hyperflite Jawz dog disc; Aerobie Pro, the Astonishing Flying Ring; Wham-O Frisbee Pro-Classic
Green polar bears puzzle zoo visitors
Three normally white polar bears at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in central Japan changed their color in July after swimming in a pond with an overgrowth of algae.
Oldest gorilla in captivity dies in Dallas at 55
The oldest gorilla in captivity, a 55-year-old female named Jenny, has died at the Dallas Zoo — her home for more than half a century, a spokesman said Friday.
Coupled proteins to reveal drug hits
Fusion proteins could offer a new tool for drug screening and biosensors
New Evidence On The Robustness Of Metabolic Networks
Biological systems evolve in ways that increase their fitness for survival amidst environmental fluctuations and internal errors. Now researchers have found new evidence that evolution has produced cell metabolisms that...
Trichoplax Genome Sequenced: 'Rosetta Stone' For Understanding Evolution
Molecular and evolutionary biologists have produced the full genome sequence of Trichoplax, one of nature's most primitive multicellular organisms, providing a new insight into the evolution of all higher animals.
Naomi Alderman on Spore: the new game based on evolutionary theory
Naomi Alderman: Salesof Spore in the US predicted to soar, which is surprising, considering that the game is based on evolutionary theory
Like the Taste of Chalk? You're in Luck--Humans May Be Able to Taste Calcium
Mice, and most likely humans, have the ability to taste calcium--and most do not like it, according to new research presented today at the American Chemical Society's semiannual national meeting,...
On a Wing and Low Air: The Surprising Way Wind Turbines Kill Bats
Scientists have known since 2004 that wind farms kill bats, just as they kill birds, even though the flying mammals should be able to avoid them. Many biologists thought that...
Personal Best: When Training Backfires: Hard Work That’s Too Hard
Overtraining is rare. But when it occurs, it's a long road back.
Bison gift helped protect animals
OCEANSIDE, Calif., Sept. 7 (UPI) -- A gift of 14 bison from the San Diego Zoo nearly 30 years ago has helped in restoring the species' population, experts...
Understanding Algae As An Alternative Fuel Source: Will The Real Algae X Please Stand Up
The recent creation of AXI, LLC is an alliance between Allied Minds, Inc. a seed investment company and the University of Washington. The alliance came about because of Professor Rose...
Test could lead to better BSE detection
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Canadian researchers said changes in protein levels in urine can detect mad cow disease in live animals.
Some Congo Troops Leave Troubled Wildlife Park
An agreement between the country's wildlife authority and the army to move troops may help preservation efforts at Virunga National Park, home to rare mountain gorillas.
Oldest Sheep Contribute Most To Population Growth When Climate Changes Making Conditions Harsh
Researchers show how sheep on a remote island off the west coast of Scotland respond to two consequences of climate change: altered food availability and the unpredictability of winter storms....
Chemical screening centers get funding boost
Nine centres in the United States receive $280 million to hunt for useful biochemicals.
Government to protect tiny snail
One of the world's smallest and rarest snails, measuring less than a millimetre in width, gets special protection.