Latest science news in Biology & Nature
McKusick, pioneer in medical genetics, dies at 86
Dr. Victor A. McKusick, a key architect of the Human Genome Project and a winner of the National Medal of Science, has died. He was 86.
1 missing gene leads to fruitless mating rituals
Male fruit flies missing a gene for one particular odor receptor become clueless in matters of love, scientists at Duke University Medical Center have discovered.
Biology enters 'The Matrix' through new computer language
Ever since the human genome was sequenced less than 10 years ago, researchers have been able to access a dizzying plethora of genomic information with a simple click of a...
Bacteria Fight Back: Biofilms Use Chemical Weapons To Neutralize Or Kill Attacking Amoebae
Biofilms develop on any surface that bacteria can attach themselves to. The dilemma we face is that neither disinfectants and antibiotics, nor phagocytes and our immune system can destroy these...
Sex And Lifespan Linked In Worms
In findings published in Nature, scientists have discovered that smaller, but more structurally diverse chemicals are a significant part of a living thing's biology. When food is scarce or colonies...
Want A Reason To Love Your Lower Belly Fat? It's Rich In Stem Cells
Fat removed from the lower abdomen and inner thigh through liposuction was found to be an excellent source of stem cells, with higher stem cell concentrations than other areas of...
Stowaway frog to land in Fredericton science centre
The same day Fredericton's Science East centre found its missing White's tree frog, it received the offer of a new exotic amphibian.
Instant insight: Disease snapshots
Hye Jin Lee and Robert Corn look at the latest breakthroughs in the use of microarray technology for the fast detection of cancer
Safety of cloned animal products uncertain: EU agency
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's top food safety agency said on Thursday cloned animal products may not be safe and further study was needed.
Parasites Vastly Outweigh Predators In Estuaries: Could Have Significant Ecological Implications
In a study of free-living and parasitic species in three estuaries on the Pacific coast of California and Baja California, researchers have determined that parasite biomass in those habitats exceeds...
Feature: New role for sharks - saving lives
Scientists are pioneering the use of modified shark antibodies to fight disease.
Agriculture stops insect sex
Agricultural environments drive insects to reproduce without sex but may provide methods for controlling their damaging effects, according to research.
Unknown disease killing off Florida's state tree
(AP) -- The sabal palm, Florida's state tree, is under attack by a microscopic killer that has scientists stumped. An unknown but growing number of sabal palms in the...
As Farmers' Markets Grow, So Should Management, Indicates OSU Study
Farmers' markets are rapidly growing in number in Oregon and throughout the United States and a key to their potential success can be found in how they approach growth and...
FDA needs recall authority, group says
WASHINGTON, July 23 (UPI) -- U.S. food stores' mixed reaction to possibly tainted jalapeno and serrano peppers demonstrates the regulators' limited recall authority, a watchdog group says.
Cincy Zoo to open endangered-cat facility
CINCINNATI, July 23 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Zoo will use $1.5 million in state funds for an endangered-cat breeding facility, the only such program in North American zoos,...
New Membrane Model May Unlock Secrets of Early-Stage Alzheimer's
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and three collaborating institutions are using a new laboratory model of the membrane surrounding neurons in the brain to study how...
Commercially-bred Bees Responsible for Decline in Bee Population?
Commercially-bred bees -- which are used to pollinate plants in greenhouses -- may be the cause of the drop in wild bee population, according to a Reuters story published today. read...
Scientists tackle DNA barcoding 'resistance'
Scientists are proposing a set of guidelines to tackle developing countries' resistance to take up DNA barcoding for biodiversity mapping.
Hybrid 'Muttsucker' Has Genes of Three Species
In the murky waters of an inconspicuous stream in a remote area of Wyoming, researchers detail the potential impact that an introduced fish, the white sucker, could have on the...
Migrant worker becomes brain surgeon
Two decades ago, Dr. Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa used his hands to pick vegetables for $22 a day; now he's one of the world's best brain surgeons.. TODAY’s Bob Dotson reports on...
'Stuffy Nose' Mouse: A Promise To Help Treat 31 Million With Sinusitis
Mice with inflamed nasal tissue may be unable to tell if something smells bad or good, but their sensory deficit is nothing to turn up a nose at. That is...
Cod in the act: food fishery opens off Newfoundland
Boats puttered out of harbours along coastal Newfoundland early Wednesday morning, as participants in the annual recreational fishery sought a feed of cod for supper.
Researchers target Chesapeake Bay invaders
BALTIMORE , July 22 (UPI) -- A new research center focused on killing invasive species in Chesapeake Bay was announced Wednesday in Maryland.
Massachusetts may ban salvia plant
BOSTON, July 22 (UPI) -- The Massachusetts Legislature is considering a bill that would outlaw the hallucinogenic plant salvia divinorum.
Black and white twins born in Germany
NEW YORK, July 22 (UPI) -- The mother of twin boys born in Germany with dramatically different skin color said she was surprised to see her "black and...
Pollination Habits Of Endangered Texas Rice Revealed To Help Preservation
A type of wild rice that only grows in a small stretch of the San Marcos River is likely so rare because it plays the sexual reproduction game poorly.
Parasitic worms may help fuel AIDS epidemic: study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People infected with parasitic worms may be much more susceptible to the AIDS virus, according to a study published on Tuesday that may help explain why HIV...