Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Rare plant uses camouflage
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 27 (UPI) -- A rare woodland plant, Monotropsis odorata, uses camouflage to hide from predators in much the way some animals do, scientists in Massachusetts said.
Mexico's GM maize a bad idea, say scientists
Scientists warn that Mexico is not prepared to protect its maize from transgenic varieties, and have called for trials to be blocked.
People Hear with Their Skin, As Well As Their Ears
The act of hearing is a group effort for the human body's organs, involving the ears, the eyes and also, according to the results of a new study,...
Ian sample on Commons inquiry into homeopathy
Ian sample on Commons inquiry into homeopathyIan Sample
Caltech scientists find emotion-like behaviors, regulated by dopamine, in fruit flies
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have uncovered evidence of a primitive emotion-like behavior in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster.
Brain's endocannabinoid signaling pathway kept in check by two enzymes
(PhysOrg.com) -- A research team has shown that blocking the degradation of two naturally occurring cannabinoids in the endocannabinoid signaling pathway of the brain produces marijuana-like behavioral effects in mice,...
Snails given mirror-image shells
Japanese researchers have created mirror-image snails whose shells coil in the opposite direction to what written in their genes.
New molecule implicated in diabetes-associated blindness
Scientists have demonstrated that the Wnt signaling pathway plays a role in diabetic retinopathy.
Beer Here
(PhysOrg.com) -- Drinking beer is a simple act, but making beer is not. It starts out with genetics and tens of thousands of barley varieties and ends with a clear...
Little push turns snail lefties to righties
Bumping an embryo’s cells can switch the direction of its spiral
First 'genetic map' of Han Chinese may aid search for disease susceptibility genes
The first genetic historical map of the Han Chinese, the largest ethnic population in the world, as they migrated from south to north over evolutionary time.
Video: Preview: The Great Explorer
Robert Ballard discovered the Titanic, the Bismarck and the PT 109 and now 60 Minutes cameras are there for his latest discovery. Lara Logan reports, Sunday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m....
Cells defend themselves from viruses, bacteria with armor of protein errors
When cells are confronted with an invading virus or bacteria or exposed to an irritating chemical, they protect themselves by going off their DNA recipe and inserting the wrong amino...
Crosstalk between critical cell-signaling pathways holds clues to tumor invasion and metastasis
Two signaling pathways essential to normal human development - the Wnt/Wingless (Wnt) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathways - interact in ways that can promote tumor cell invasion and...
Daredevil's winged flight across Gibraltar strait fails
A Swiss daredevil attempting to fly across the Strait of Gibraltar using just a homemade, jet-powered wing fell short of his goal and was rescued from the water on Wednesday.
Startled flies may provide insight into ADHD
It seems obvious that naturally waking up from sleep and being startled by something in the environment are two very different emotional states. However, the neuroscience that underlies these different...
Researchers discover biological basis of 'bacterial immune system'
Bacteria don't have easy lives. In addition to mammalian immune systems that besiege the bugs, they have natural enemies called bacteriophages, viruses that kill half the bacteria on Earth every...
Stanford scientists identify 2 molecules that affect brain plasticity in mice
You wouldn't want a car with no brakes. It turns out that the developing brain needs them, too.
Brain's fear center is equipped with a built-in suffocation sensor
The portion of our brains that is responsible for registering fear and even panic has a built-in chemical sensor that is triggered by a primordial terror – suffocation. A report...
Invasive Asian carp spread in Great Lakes
LONDON, Ontario, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Canadian environmental officials are concerned with the spread of invasive Asian carp in the Great Lakes where control measures don't seem to be...
Virus shells traps multiple proteins
Researchers boost the number of proteins that can be held inside the empty shell of a virus, bringing nanoreactors a step closer
Highly diverse DNA found in corn strains
GAINESVILLE, Fla., Nov. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say their discovery of genetic variations in two common types of corn could help biologists create strains of corn with specific...
Body ignores brain’s hunger
A recent study blocked the body’s ability to receive hunger signals in mice – making the mice lose fat, keep muscle, and eat normally.
Implant helps quit heroin
In a recent study, addicts who were trying to quit were given an implant that lowers cravings and blocks the effects of heroin.
Venomous Aussie redback spiders invading Japan
Australia's venomous redback spiders are on the march in Japan, where they are believed to have arrived years ago as stowaways on cargo ships, a wildlife expert warned Wednesday.
In Pictures: Bringing up baby
Intimate images captured for a BBC documentary show the struggle that animals go through to raise their offspring.
Insights Into The Molecular Basis Of Tumor Cell Behavior
A new study sheds light on the molecular basis by which tumor cells modulate their surroundings to favor cancer progression.
Meiosis: Chromosomes Dance And Pair Up On The Nuclear Membrane
Meiosis -- the pairing and recombination of chromosomes, followed by segregation of half to each egg or sperm cell -- is a major crossroads in all organisms reproducing sexually. Yet,...