Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Key protein revealed as trigger for stem cell development
A natural trigger that enables stem cells to become any cell type in the body has been discovered by scientists. Researchers have identified a protein that kick-starts the process by...
European Parliament Approves Ambitious Fisheries Reform
Science would play a bigger role in setting catch quotas
'Zombie' replica cells may outperform live ones as catalysts and conductors
(Phys.org)— "Zombie" mammalian cells that may function better after they die have been created by researchers at Sandia National Laboratories and the University of New Mexico (UNM).
Birds migrate using magnetic map
Migrating birds use magnetic particles within their body to create a 'map' with which to navigate using the earth's magnetic field, according to new research published today in Journal of...
India, Nepal to conduct Bengal tiger count
LUCKNOW, India, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Wildlife officials in Nepal and India say a new census of tigers in the region will be the first-ever joint survey of the...
Predicting Disease Vectors In A Population
How, when and where a pathogen is transmitted between two individuals in a population is crucial in understanding and predicting how a disease will spread and a new model seeks...
No clear evidence that celiac disease increasing because farmers growing higher-gluten wheat
No clear evidence exists to support the idea that celiac disease is increasing in prevalence because farmers are growing strains of wheat that contain more gluten. That's the conclusion of...
Dinosaur-bird connection
The return of the American robin to back yards across the country is a lovely sign of coming spring. But the little songbird with the orange-red breast and bright blue...
Klondike, puppy born from a frozen embryo, fetches good news for endangered animals
Meet Klondike, the western hemisphere's first puppy born from a frozen embryo. He's a beagle-Labrador retriever mix, and although neither of those breeds are endangered, Klondike's very existence is exciting...
When the cell’s two genomes collide
Diseases from a mutation in one genome are complicated enough, but some illnesses arise from errant interactions between two genomes: [...]
Evidence moles can smell in stereo
Most mammals, including humans, see in stereo and hear in stereo. But whether they can also smell in stereo is [...]
Caring for dogs to reduce spread of parasite eggs harmful to humans
New research has shown that dogs act as a major source of the parasite egg, Toxocara, which can potentially contaminate the public environment and infect humans.
Nanostructures with living cells
The behavior of cells strongly depends on their environment. If they are to be researched an manipulated, it is crucial to embed them in suitable surroundings. Aleksandr Ovsianikov is developing...
Biologists map rare case of fitness-reducing interaction in nuclear, mitochondrial DNA
Biologists believe they have discovered the mechanism by which interacting mutations in mitochondrial and nuclear DNA produce an incompatible genotype that reduces reproductive fitness and delays development in fruit flies.
Protein that allows safe recycling of iron from old red blood cells identified
Scientists have long hypothesized that our bodies must have a special protein 'container' for transporting heme -- the form of iron found in living things -- during the breakdown and...
Next-gen e-readers: Improved 'peacock' technology could lock in color for high-res displays
Iridescence, or sheen that shifts color depending on your viewing angle, is pretty in peacock feathers. But it's been a nuisance for engineers trying to mimic the birds' unique color...
Healthy seeds -- treated environmentally friendly
Farmers treat seeds chemically in order to rid them of pest infestation. Now researchers have developed a method that kills pathogens without harming the environment. Pioneering seed suppliers are already...
Newly discovered plant structure may lead to improved biofuel processing
When a botanist approached his colleagues with some unusual data he had collected, they initially seemed convinced that his experiment had become contaminated; what he was seeing simply didn't make...
'It's like Richard III wanted to be found'
Screenwriter Philippa Langley, creator of the Looking For Richard project, explains her lifelong passion for the monarchSince Philippa Langley, an Edinburgh-based screenwriter and producer, read a biography of Richard III 15 years ago,...
Colorful Men's Undies Signal Healthy Economy
What does the color of a man’s underpants say about where the economy is headed?
Giving Transplanted Cells A Nanotech Checkup
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have devised a way to detect whether cells previously transplanted into a living animal are alive or dead, an innovation they say is likely to speed...
Paper giant APP promises no Indonesia deforestation
The world's third-largest paper producer Asia Pulp and Paper said Tuesday it had stopped using logs from Indonesia's natural forests, after fierce campaigning by green groups against the company.
How Leeches Can Track Down The World's Rarest Animals
Blood Bank Leeches can store blood while taking months off between meals. Simon Mahood/WWFPlus: zoology's most wanted. THE PROBLEM Many animals are still almost complete mysteries to science. According to the International Union...
New insight into memory
Different regions of the human brain process recognition memories in different ways, new research using data from live patients has revealed.
EU proposes neonicotinoid pesticide ban
Clothianidin, thiamethoxam and imidacloprid at centre of debate over declining bee populations
Researchers learn from nature
A research team of scientists from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory of Grenoble and the Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC) in Strasbourg have now, for...
'Otter' eats £10,000 of pond fish
A couple are blaming an otter for eating its way through £10,000-worth of fish from their pond.
Jawbone adds muscle for fitness push
UP fitness wristband maker Jawbone on Monday announced the acquisition of a pair of young mobile app firms that add muscle to its push make smartphone lifestyles healthier.