Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Rice Plants That Resist Uptake of Arsenic Could Ease Shortage
Genetically engineered rice plants that resist the uptake of toxic metals could boost production and ease the shortage of this staple crop in Asia, India and Bangladesh, where irrigation with...
Bacteria Levels In Aircraft Shows Low Risk To Travelers, Study Shows
Popular wisdom says that aircraft provide the perfect environment for spreading disease, but few studies exist to confirm or deny this suspicion. Now, a team of researchers has measured concentrations...
Roaring Bats: New Scientific Results Show Bats Emitting More Decibels Than A Rock Concert
Researchers studying the echolocation behavior in bats have discovered that the diminutive flying mammals emit exceptionally loud sounds -- louder than any known animal in air.
Many Asian Vultures Close to Extinction, Survey Finds
The birds may be gone from the wild within a decade after years of being poisoned by a common veterinary drug in dead livestock, a primary food source.
Discovery has implications for heart disease
A study, led by University of Iowa researchers, reveals a new dimension for a key heart enzyme and sheds light on an important biological pathway involved in cell death in...
How safe are green cleaning products?
Plant-based or natural ingredients don't always mean a cleaning product is safe. The market is largely unregulated. ...
Scientists discover the double life of proteins
Scientists at The Australian National University are a step closer to understanding the rare Hartnup disorder after discovering a surprising link between blood pressure regulation and nutrition that could also...
Bison Can Thrive Again, Study Says
Bison can repopulate large areas from Alaska to Mexico over the next 100 years provided a series of conservation and restoration measures are taken, according to continental assessment of this...
New Findings Challenge Conventional Ideas On Evolution Of Human Diet, Natural Selection
New findings suggest that the ancient human "cousin" known as the "Nutcracker Man" wasn't regularly eating anything like nuts after all. Researchers used a combination of microscopy and fractal analysis...
Single-celled Bacterium Works 24/7
Researchers have gained the first detailed insight into the way circadian rhythms govern global gene expression in Cyanothece, a type of cyanobacterium (blue-green alga) known to cycle between photosynthesis during...
New Class Of Fatty Acids Discovered
Researchers have discovered a new class of fatty acids -- alpha-hydroxy polyacetylenic fatty acids -- that could be used as sensors for detecting changes in temperature and mechanical stress loads....
Free Public Lecture at Scripps Explores an Evolutionary Experiment with Bacteria
Rosenblatt lectureship by Richard Lenski to be held May 15.
Soap as good as disinfectant
Soapy water kills bacteria and cleans just as well as harsh household products and disinfectants, but is better for the environment, a new study has revealed.
Feds sued for taking gray wolves off endangered list
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) -- Environmental and animal rights groups sued the federal government Monday, seeking to restore endangered species status for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies....
Black grouse boost spreads wings
The successful rescue of one of Britain's most endangered birds is extending into new areas.
Tough Early Human Loved Fruit
An early human, the Nutcracker Man, preferred squishy fruits.
Hear the animal world's rising stars
You've heard birdsong — now listen and learn about up-and-coming mammal musicians.
Scientists sequence GM papaya genome
Scientists have produced a draft genome sequence of a genetically modified papaya that could benefit future cultivation of the fruit.
Honduras to push GM corn production
The Honduran agricultural minister has announced plans to push GM corn production, to face corn productivity crises.
Diagnostic test 'can distinguish leishmaniasis types'
Iranian scientists have found that a rapid diagnostic test for visceral leishmaniasis can discriminate between different forms of the disease.
South Asia News in brief: 16–30 April 2008
Genetic differences between Indian ethnic groups, Mongoose aids landmine detection, Bhutan to install glacial monitors, and more.
Global consortium to hunt for cancer genes
LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists from around the world are joining forces to hunt for key genetic mutations involved in cancer.
The Body in Depth
For more than 17 years, David L. Bassett was engaged in creating a painstaking and detailed set of images of the human body, inside and out. In 3-D.
New Study on Melanoma
Melanoma is much deadlier when it appears on the scalp or neck than somewhere else on the body, according to a study published Monday.
Observatory: Tiny Gardeners May Help Spread Invasive Species
New research indicates that leaf-cutter refuse piles can contribute to the spread of invasive plant species.
In the Garden: Humming Praises for the Wild Bee
The bumblebee and other native wild bees are all the more important in the garden now that the population of honeybees is in such decline.
What Darwin Saw Out Back
The New York Botanical Garden is replicating his work and experiments in a stunning, multipart exhibition called “Darwin’s Garden: An Evolutionary Adventure.”
Tests Confirm T. Rex Kinship With Birds
An analysis of proteins extracted from fossils has yielded the first molecular data confirming the hypothesis of a close dinosaur-bird ancestry, scientists say.