Latest science news in Biology & Nature
'Vampire' spiders use blood as perfume
Jumping spiders use blood they get from eating mosquitoes as a perfume to attract the opposite sex, researchers say.
Scientists Are First To Observe The Global Motions Of An Enzyme Copying DNA
Scientists here have identified how the motions of an enzyme are related to correctly copying genetic instructions, setting the stage for studies that can uncover what happens when DNA copying...
Fishery Impact Test Developed
Researchers have developed an 'ecological risk assessment' a three-step method that considers targeted and incidentally caught species, as well as threatened, endangered and protected species. Ongoing research is further developing...
Pumpkins Pack Natural Fungus Fighter
Scientists have found a new anti-fungal protein in pumpkin skin, a new study says
Cancerless rodent has genetic defense
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've discovered how the naked mole rat -- the only known animal that never develops cancer -- defends itself against...
UC Davis researchers identify dominant chemical that attracts mosquitoes to humans
Scientists at the University of California, Davis, have identified the dominant odour naturally produced in humans and birds that attracts the blood-feeding Culex mosquitoes, which transmit West Nile virus and...
Common weed could provide clues on ageing and cancer
A common weed and human cancer cells could provide some very uncommon details about DNA structure and its relationship with telomeres and how they affect cellular ageing and cancer, according...
Animals now picking up bugs from people, study shows
Globalisation and industrialisation are causing diseases to spread from humans to animals, a study has shown...
First evidence for a second breeding season among migratory songbirds
Biologists for the first time have documented a second breeding season during the annual cycle of five songbird species that spend summers in temperate North America and winters in tropical...
New study reveals first ever method to genetically identify all 8 tuna species
A new paper published October 27 in PLoS ONE, the online, open-access scientific journal, unveils for the first time a method to accurately distinguish between all eight tuna species from...
Surveys for major neglected tropical diseases in sub-Saharan Africa can be integrated
It is possible to simultaneously survey a number of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in the challenging environment of Southern Sudan, according to a new study published October 27 in the...
New American Chemical Society podcast: Tiny sea creature and a new medical adhesive
Scientists questing after a long-sought new medical adhesive describe copying the natural glue secreted by a tiny sea creature called the sandcastle worm in the latest episode in the American...
Genes keep close species from reproducing
ITHACA, N.Y., Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Cornell University researchers say they have discovered a genetic mechanism in fruit flies that prevents two closely related species from reproducing.
Nepotism rules among spiders
Favoring relatives in the workplace is socially taboo, but working with kin may have evolutionary advantages, according to a new study on spiders.
The skeleton: Size matters
Vertebrates have in common a skeleton made of segments, the vertebrae. During development of the embryo, each segment is added in a time dependent manner, from the head-end to the...
Genes hold colour markers
Researchers are looking for the genetic cause of dark alpacas, to help people breed the colour they need for fiber production.
New 'schizophrenia gene' prompts researchers to test potential drug target
Johns Hopkins scientists report having used a commercially available drug to successfully "rescue" animal brain cells that they had intentionally damaged by manipulating a newly discovered gene tha
Northern Brown Bears Discovered Feeding On Whitefish Runs
It is well documented that brown (grizzly) bears prey on major runs of salmon, charr and trout. In 2007, researchers were surprised to spot a brown bear caching whitefish near...
Catching A Killer One Spore At A Time: Monitor The Spread Of A Deadly Frog Disease
A workshop at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama has nearly doubled the number of people capable of quatitatively testing for chytridiomycosis, dramatically improving the ability of conservationists and...
Fish oil may fight depression
A new study will investigate whether fish oil can treat depression in people with heart disease, conditions that are commonly linked.
Marine Lab Team Seeks To Understand Coral Bleaching
With technology similar to that used by physicians to perform magnetic resonance imaging scans, researchers are studying the metabolic activity of a pathogen shown to cause coral bleaching, a serious...
Well: The Human Body Is Built for Distance
Does running a marathon push the body further than it is meant to go?.
Wild pigs and deer do not spread GM corn via feces or accumulate transgenic residues in meat
Deer stew, roast of wild boar, venison ragout - come fall, all varieties of game are in season for gourmets. However, ever since the worldwide surge in genetically modified corn,...
Ancient 'Monster' Insect: 'Unicorn' Fly Never Before Observed
Just in time for Halloween, researchers have announced the discovery of a new, real-world "monster" -- what they are calling a "unicorn" fly that lived about 100 million years ago...
Test Detects Insect Carriers of Citrus Greening Disease
(PhysOrg.com) -- With their pleasing flavor, cheerful color, and health-imparting dose of vitamin C, it's not surprising that oranges are one of America's Top 10 favorite fruits. But some of...
Gene makes flies more alcohol tolerant
RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 26 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have found a gene in fruit flies that can make the flies more tolerant to alcohol.
Herbal Tonic For Radiotherapy? Gingko Biloba Tree May Protect Cells From Radiation Damage
Antioxidant extracts of the leaves of the Gingko biloba tree may protect cells from radiation damage, according to a new study. The discovery may one day be used to help...
A Solution To Biology's 'Mystery Of The Mysteries'?
"Speciation is one of the most fascinating, unsolved problems in biology," says Harmit Malik, Ph.D., an associate member of the Hutchinson Center's Basic Sciences Division. The first appearance of...