Latest science news in Biology & Nature
MGH study shows how amyloid plaques may damage brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease
One of the major unanswered questions surrounding Alzheimer’s disease – whether and how the amyloid plaques found in the brains of patients with the neurodegenerative disorder actually damage neurons –...
What Do Squid Hear? Scientists Learn How Sensitive The Translucent Animals Are To Noise
The ocean is a noisy place. Although we don't hear much when we stick our heads underwater, the right instruments can reveal a symphony of sound. The noisemakers range from...
Bee's Future As Queen Or Worker May Rest With Parasitic Fly
Strange things are happening in the lowland tropical forests of Panama and Costa Rica. A tiny parasitic fly is affecting the social behavior of a nocturnal bee, helping to determine...
Detector IDs birdsongs of various species
BONN, Germany, July 30 (UPI) -- German computer scientists say they've developed a computerized detector that can identify the songs of various bird species.
Fungi might be used to kill verroa mites
COVENTRY, England, July 30 (UPI) -- British scientists say they are testing naturally occurring fungi as a possible way of eliminating the varroa mite that's threatening the world's...
Defining DNA Differences To Track And Tackle Typhoid
For the first time, next-generation DNA sequencing technologies have been turned on typhoid fever -- a disease that kills 600,000 people each year. The study sets a new standard for...
Acidification of the sea hampers reproduction of marine species
Within 100 years, it is reckoned that the world's seas will be three times as acidic as they are now. The lower pH may strike a severe blow to the...
Rare new Tanzania monkey "at risk of extinction"
NAIROBI (Reuters) - A new species of Tanzanian monkey is threatened with extinction just two years after it was formally identified, conservationists have warned.
Structure Of Heart Can Be Changed Through Exercise
Just like any other muscle, the structure of the heart can be changed through exercise. However, this adaptation process takes longer than it takes the muscle to revert to its...
Structure Of Hepatitis B Mapped By Spraying Virus
Using a newly developed method, Utrecht University researchers have mapped the structure and composition of the hepatitis B virus. The researchers were able to map the structure by spraying the...
Protection built to scale--fish scale, that is
Scientists seeking to protect the soldier of the future can learn a lot from a relic of the past, according to an MIT study of a primitive fish that could...
Toward designer bourbon whiskeys with custom-tailored aromas
In the latest chapter in a 40-year scientific quest to unravel the flavor and aroma secrets of the world's whiskeys, scientists in Germany are reporting discovery of key substances responsible...
British scientist hopes for 'yeti hair' breakthrough
A British scientist said Monday he was anxiously awaiting the results of DNA tests on hair claimed to be from a yeti after initial examinations showed it had human and...
GM crop trials 'should be secret'
Senior researchers have called for the location of small open-air trials of GM crops to be kept secret.
Biofilms deploy chemical weapons
Tough microbe communes produce compounds that kill predators
Avalon songbirds endangered by utility's cutting: activist
Newfoundland Power has been putting nesting songbirds at risk with work in the southern Avalon Peninsula, a conservationist warns.
Bacteria reveal secret of adaptation at Evolution Canyon
Bacteria living on opposite sides of a canyon have evolved to cope with different temperatures by altering the make-up of their 'skin', or cell membranes. Scientists have found that bacteria...
Baby boom at China panda centre: state media
Four giant panda cubs have been born within just 14 hours in China, giving a rare boost to the population of the endangered species, state media said Sunday.
Francisella tularensis: Stopping a biological weapon
Scientists hope a vaccine is on the horizon for tularemia, a fatal disease caused by the pathogen Francisella tularensis, an organism of concern as a potential biological warfare agent. Until...
New Human Tissue Bank 'A Tremendous Research Resource'
The University of Bradford has unveiled a new facility to provide UK biomedical researchers access to a wide range of human tissue and tissue products.
Gene scientists lift veil on devastating plant parasite
An international team of 27 laboratories said on Sunday they had laid bare the genetic code of a tiny parasite responsible for billions of dollars in crop losses each year.
Magnets repel sharks
Sharks are repelled by magnets thanks to sensory organs for magnetic fields, offering a means of keeping them away from fishing nets, according to research.
Worms do calculus to find food
Like humans with a nose for the best restaurants, roundworms also use their senses of taste and smell to navigate. And now, researchers may have found how a worm's brain...
Mexico finds dozens of dead sea turtles
(AP) -- Environmental officials in Mexico say dozens of dead sea turtles apparently killed in fishing nets have washed up on beaches in recent days.
U.S. Auctions Wild Horses Online
The Bureau of Land Management is running an online adoption of wild horses through July 30.
Night Lights Turned Off to Save Migrating Birds
Birds, like moths, are attracted to light at night and can become disoriented.
Rare seahorses born at aquarium
More than 120 endangered baby short-snouted seahorses are born at a Hampshire aquarium as part of a breeding programme.
Mixologists with bad breath: SmartMouth may be for you
The alcohol-free mouthwash is said to work after combining two liquid chemicals and rinsing with the mixture. ...