Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Plant Steroids Offer New Paradigm For How Hormones Work
Steroids bulk up plants just as they do human athletes, but the molecular signals that tell the genes to boost growth and development in plant cells is far more complicated...
Mustard -- hot stuff for natural pest control
Researchers, growers and Industry specialists from 22 countries are sharing the latest research into the use of Brassica species, such as mustard, radish, or rapeseed, to manage soil-borne pests and...
New Cellular Pathway Linked To Cancer Identified
In the life of a cell, the response to DNA damage determines whether the cell is fated to pause and repair itself, commit suicide, or grow uncontrollably, a route leading...
Surgery Will Put Dog With Amputated Leg Back On All Fours Again
A pioneering collaboration between a veterinary surgeon and an engineer will give a deserving dog the ability to walk on four legs again. A German shepherd mix is having a...
Circadian rhythm-metabolism link discovered
UC Irvine researchers have found a molecular link between circadian rhythms – our own body clock – and metabolism. The discovery reveals new possibilities for the treatment of diabetes, obesity...
Various species' genes evolve to minimize protein production errors
Scientists at Harvard University and the University of Texas at Austin have found that genetic evolution is strongly shaped by genes' efforts to prevent or tolerate errors in protein production.
VIDEO: Stuck Polar Bears Eating Birds
The guillemot, a seabird that depends on ice, is losing its habitat and falling prey to polar bears desperate for food. Part of Wild Chronicles' Climate Connections series.
Study shows aging may be caused by renegade genes
Scientists studying worms found that metabolic processes important during development may shift later in life, causing unintentional sabotage. ...
Novel structure proteins could play a role in apoptosis
Isoforms from Novel Structure Proteins (NSP), a new family of genes discovered by researchers in the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine in Temple University's College of Science...
Ultrasonic Frog Tunes Its Ears Like a Radio Dial
The concave-eared torrent frog from China is the only known animal that can physically control which frequencies it hears using the biological equivalent of earmuffs, researchers say.
Great Whites Take Flight to Nab Seals at Night
First-of-its-kind video footage captures a great white shark breeching the water surface to snare a seal during nocturnal hunting, a newly identified phenomenon.
Modified proteins add colour to research
(PhysOrg.com) -- The subtleties between shades of celery or wasabi green sounds like a debate for an interior designer, but University of Alberta PhD student Huiwang Ai has been exploring...
Mapping The Human Mind
The famed molecular biologist Francis Crick turned to neuroscience in the 1970’s. But by 1993, he was so chagrined by the ignorance of his new field that he penned an...
Embassy: U.S. boosting Zimbabwe sanctions
The United States is in the process of strengthening sanctions against individual Zimbabweans blamed for deadly electoral violence, the U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe said Friday.
N.M. researchers hope to cultivate `calming herb'
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- The plant has been described by local residents as magical, its qualities almost mythical....
Zoo will reopen exhibit where 16 stingrays died
BROOKFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- A zoo in suburban Chicago plans to reopen an exhibit where 16 stingrays died last week when a malfunction let the tank's...
Adult stem cells activated in mammalian brain
Adult stem cells originate in a different part of the brain than is commonly believed, and with proper stimulation they can produce new brain cells to replace those lost to...
DNA "Scissors" Go Open Source
Consortium plans to make genome editing proteins widely available
Study: Gene directs traffic in DNA repair
SAN ANTONIO, July 24 (UPI) -- A gene called ATM prevents chromosomes from being mixed up by acting as a traffic cop during DNA repair, U.S. scientists reported.
Worm Study Challenges Prevailing Theory of Aging
May not happen in humans, but genes may determine course of the process
"Cross Dressing" Lemurs Appear Male to Avoid Conflict
Young female red-fronted lemurs adopt male coloration to dupe their aggressive female groupmates, a new study found.
Nanoparticles Detect Telomerase Activity
Telomerase, an enzyme that prevents chromosomes from shortening when they divide, is widely suspected of playing a key role in making cancer cells immortal. Though researchers have developed a variety...
ANIMAL PHOTOS WEEKLY: Albino Eagle, Cloned Pups, More
Cloned Labradors add up to quadruple cuteness, a rare lemur group is discovered in Africa, and more in our first weekly gallery of animal news photos.
New Method Enabling Routine Targeted Gene Modification Developed
Scientists have developed a powerful new tool for genomic research and medicine -- a robust method for generating synthetic enzymes that can target particular DNA sequences for inactivation or repair.
Controlling Invasive Cane Grass With Wasps?
Researchers are to investigate biological control for an invasive cane grass that is choking waterways across North America. Also known as Carrizo and giant cane, the grass is growing along...
Philippine mangrove planting strategy needs urgent rethink
Philippine researchers say the government is planting mangroves in unsuitable areas, leading to early death for the seedlings.
Millions of fish flies coat southern Manitoba
Bug-beleaguered southern Manitoba are enduring yet another insect invasion - this time one of the worst infestations of fish flies seen in years.
GlaxoSmithKline and Harvard Stem Cell Institute announce major collaboration agreement
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) today announced that they have entered into a five-year, $25 million-plus collaborative agreement to build a unique alliance in stem cell...