Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Twenty Disease-specific Stem Cell Lines Created
A set of new stem cell lines will make it possible for researchers to explore ten different genetic disorders—including muscular dystrophy, juvenile diabetes, and Parkinson's disease—in a variety of cell...
Researchers find cancer-inhibiting compound under the sea
University of Florida College of Pharmacy researchers have discovered a marine compound off the coast of Key Largo that inhibits cancer cell growth in laboratory tests, a finding they hope...
Inherited Form Of Hearing Loss Stems From Gene Mutation
Researchers have pinpointed a gene mutation that accounts for a previously unidentified form of hearing loss. Scientists found the same mutation in two unrelated families, indicating the mutation may be...
Entomologists Use 'Love Potion' To Detect Hidden Cerambycid Beetles
Pest cerambycids can cause severe damage to standing trees, logs and lumber. How then might they be promptly detected and their numbers swiftly controlled? The new discovery of inexpensive blends...
ANIMAL PHOTOS WEEKLY: Hot Cranes, Baby Penguin, Gorilla
A black-crowned crane cools off; a Siberian tiger cub takes its first steps, and more in our new weekly roundup of animal news photos.
In Lean Times, Flies Can’t Survive Without Their Sense Of Smell
It's not just bomb-sniffing dogs; animals everywhere rely on their sense of smell. Now, Rockefeller University researchers show just how important olfaction is, proving that fruit flies with a normal...
Clue to cause of womb condition
Scientists have identified a possible cause of the painful womb condition endometriosis.
Pancreatic cancer gene therapy is created
RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. cancer researchers say they have developed a chemoprevention gene therapy that successfully kills pancreatic cancer cells.
Tuning in to a new language on the fly: Effects of context and seasonality on songbird brain
Research conducted at Rutgers University has shown that exposure to a changed acoustic and social environment can rewire the way the brain processes sounds. Beginning in the cochlea of the...
Puppies cloned for cash in South Korea
SEOUL, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Five clones of a California woman's dead pit bull terrier were born in a laboratory in South Korea, scientists said Tuesday.
A rare glimpse of schizophrenia's genetic roots
The delusions and hallucinations of schizophrenia can be devastating for the 1% of the population struck by the disease. The condition clearly has a genetic component, evidenced by its tendency to run in...
Fido's not just yawning -- he's empathizing
LONDON (Reuters) - Dogs find human yawns contagious, suggesting they have a rudimentary capacity for empathy, British scientists said on Wednesday.
Biological 'Clock' Influences Damage Done by Oxidative Stress
(PhysOrg.com) -- Swing shift workers and frequent fliers beware - scientists have identified yet another biological issue that relates to the “circadian clock” found in almost every species from...
Site Converts Text Into MP3s
Hearwho converts any text you feed it into a downloadable MP3 file.
Endangered potoroos enjoy sex
Research has found that Australia's most endangered mammals are highly promiscuous, and will breed their way to survival if protected from other threats.
Navy exercise used to study whales
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. government used the Navy's annual Rim of the Pacific exercise this year to conduct large-scale research on the effects of sonar...
Feature: Boxing clever
Australian scientists are making sure that what we think is good for box-gum woodland restoration, actually is.
Malaria cannot be halted on its own
Malaria control efforts should be joined with those of neglected tropical diseases to achieve eradication, say Peter J. Hotez and David H. Molyneux.
Metabolic insight to illuminate causes of iron imbalance
New insight into key players in iron metabolism has yielded a novel tool for distinguishing among root causes of iron overload or deficiency in humans, the researchers report in the...
Pandas: Evolution's big fat (adorable) mistake?
Pandas don’t seem to care for sex or proper nutrition, raising questions about whether the fittest have survived.
Chameleons: Masters of Disguise or Display?
Which has driven the evolution of the chameleon's ability to change its livery — camouflage or communication?
Cancer cells follow evolutionary laws
PRINCETON, N.J., Aug. 5 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have determined every type of cancer contains unique gene mutations that give it Darwin's "survival of the fittest"...
BASF To Boost Crop Protection Spending
Strong demand for commodities spurs two-year expansion project
Observatory: Seeking Mate, Male Fish Throws Rivals Off Scent
New findings suggests that male Atlantic mollies try to deceive rivals by steering them away from their preferred mates.
For Aquariums, the Small Fry Swept North Become a Big Catch
Aquariums in the Northeast have recently started to collect more -- and more kinds -- of the tropical fish in nearby waters.
Olives protected from frost
A natural product used on other crops was successful when it was recently trialled in New Zealand as a spray to reduce the significant damage frost causes to olives.
Feature: Great wall of fungus comes tumbling down
A biochemist has demonstrated that a protein from ornamental tobacco is able to break through cell walls and kill a fungal cell that causes major disease and crop losses in...
New Panel Of Mice Helps Predict How Drugs Are Broken Down In Humans
Humans express several proteins that breakdown the synthetic chemicals and drugs (collectively known as xenobiotics) that we ingest or are administered. Expression of these proteins is itself regulated by the...