Brainpower May Lie in Complexity of Synapses

A whole new dimension of evolutionary complexity for the brain has now emerged from a cross-species study.

New ulcer-producing bacterium identified

GHENT, Belgium, June 10 (UPI) -- Belgian scientists have isolated and named a new bacterium that is believed to also cause stomach ulcers, along with Helicobacter pylori.

Caribbean Monk Seal Extinct, U.S. Officials Declare

Extensive hunting left the mammal's population unsustainable, say biologists, who warn that Mediterranean and Hawaiian monk seals could be the next to go.

Public funding impacts stem cell research

ATLANTA, June 10 (UPI) -- A new study finds the United States produces more embryonic stem cell research than any other nation, but when compared with other forms...

Organs can have multiple stem cell types

SALT LAKE CITY, June 9 (UPI) -- A U.S. scientist says an organ can contain more than one type of adult stem cell, complicating prospects for using the...

Humpback groups interact

Research investigating the migratory movements of humpbacks has found that Australian east coast whales interact with Pacific Ocean groups.

Film Content, Editing, And Directing Style Affect Brain Activity, Neuroscientists Show

Using advanced functional imaging methods, neuroscientists have found that certain motion pictures can exert considerable control over brain activity. Moreover, the impact of films varies according to movie content, editing,...

Study identifies brain pathway that shuts down seizures

Researchers at the University of Iowa and the Veterans Affairs Iowa City Health Care System have uncovered a brain pathway that shuts down seizures.

Drought, tourism endanger Marrakech palm grove

(AP) -- Abdellilah Meddich's childhood memories of the famous palm grove of Marrakech are of a "magical" place, a lush desert oasis of flowers, animals and farmers who tended...

Cane toads killing off crocs

Research has found a 75 per cent drop in freshwater crocodile numbers in an area recently invaded by cane toads, proving the pests' destructive effect on Australian predators.

Mouse Ovaries And Testes Age In Unique Ways

Aging leads to large changes in gene activity in the ovaries of mice, but only limited changes in testes, according to new research. A lifespan-extending calorie-restricted diet reversed some of...

Giant panda's sex secrets revealed

A BBC film crew captures the giant panda's full courtship and mating - from boisterous beginning to noisy ending.

Male bird at Smithsonian's National Zoo has special reason to celebrate Father's Day

Circadian math: 1 plus 1 doesn't always equal 2

Researchers have found that the circadian system may be able to distinguish between lights of different colors. Like a wristwatch that needs to be wound daily for accurate time-telling,...

Sour comes after a lemon has gone

The research group led by Professor Makoto Tominaga and Research Assistant Professor Hitoshi Inada (National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan) found that a sour taste receptor, PKD1L3-PKD2L1 channel complex,...

Endangered bird in Australia making comeback

(AP) -- Australian officials say they are having success with a captive breeding program aimed at saving an endangered native bird, the regent honeyeater.

Brazil creates 3 new Amazon reserves

(AP) -- President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva created three nature reserves in the Amazon on Thursday, while warning foreigners they lack the "moral authority" to tell Brazilians how...

Molecular Changes In Brain Fluid Give Insight Into Brain-damaging Disease

Researchers have developed a new approach to identify molecular changes in the fluid bathing the central nervous system and used it to obtain insight into the mechanisms of central nervous...

'Dandruff' could contaminate Phoenix landing site

Dead microbes and skin flakes from Earthlings may scupper the search for organic molecules.

Computer Model For Finding Mosquito Repellent Compounds

Summer reminds us that one of the most useful tools for preventing mosquito bites is insect repellent. Scientists have shown that a computer modeling program that looks at compounds' chemical...

Genome Of 150 Different Avian Influenza Viruses Released

The complete genetic coding sequences of 150 different avian influenza viruses have been released. The information improves scientific understanding of avian influenza, a virus that mainly infects birds but that...

'Clearwater': An Eco-Friendly Feed Barley

A new barley that benefits the environment as well as farm animals has just been developed. "Clearwater" hulless barley is rich in the kinds of phosphorus -- an essential nutrient...

Forum to Focus on Math and Mechanics Behind Life Processes

Developing fundamental math and mechanics to explain life processes like embryo development, cellular migration and growth could open doors to a new frontier in biology, many researchers say.

Caltech scientists decipher the neurological basis of timely movement

Contrary to what one might imagine, the way in which each of us interacts with the world is not a simple matter of seeing (or touching, or smelling) and then...

Brown Argus Butterfly Sees Positive Effects Of Climate Change

Global warming is generally thought to have a negative affect on the habitats of many animals and plants. Not for the Brown Argus butterfly however -- this insect seems to...

Creating a Safe Zone for Right Whales

There may be only 350 these right whales left in the Atlantic Ocean. Without measures to protect and grow their numbers, they could be extinct by 2020. A Dalhousie PhD...

VIDEO: Elephant Birth Control Vaccine

A wildlife preserve in Africa has too many elephants, and they've got a surprising solution for controlling their population.

Australian zoo artificially fertilises rhino egg

An Australian zoo on Friday said it had artificially fertilised a rhinoceros egg in a breakthrough that could be used in the future to ensure the critically endangered animal's survival.