Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Scientists discover second-oldest gene mutation
A new study has identified a gene mutation that researchers estimate dates back to 11,600 B.C., making it the second oldest human disease mutation known. The mutation was described in...
Sense of smell said driver of evolution
MUNICH, Germany, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Modern humans have a better sense of smell than Neanderthals did and differences in brain structure suggest improved brain functions, German researchers say.
Life on Kosterhavet's seabed analyzed
Kosterhavet National Park was created to provide a haven for both protected species and nature lovers. Now researchers have analyzed species living on the seabed (benthic species) in the marine...
The Jumping Cockroach
While cockroaches usually exhibit a scuttling form of locomotion, a new species, formally described last year, known as Saltoblatella montistabularis (see figure 1), jumps. Indeed, in its normal habitat, consisting...
Study could help crops adapt to climate
EDINBURGH, Scotland, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Scottish researchers say discoveries about the survival mechanisms of plants could lead to agricultural crops capable of adapting to sudden changes in climate.
Sugar pump in plants identified
Plants must supply their various tissues with the carbohydrates they produce through photosynthesis in the leaves. However, they do not have a muscular pump like the human heart to help...
Visualization of DNA synthesis in vivo
F-ara-Edu is injected into zebrafish eggs. Interactions of biological macromolecules are the central bases of living systems. Biological macromolecules are synthesized in living cells by linking many small molecules together....
Visualization of DNA-Synthesis in vivo
Researchers have discovered a new substance for labeling and visualization of DNA synthesis in whole animals. Applications for this technique include identifying the sites of virus infections and cancer growth,...
Green Blog: For Sparrows, Terror Has Grim Consequences
Mother birds that were exposed to predator sounds had 40 percent fewer offspring than birds that were not exposed to predator noises, researchers found.
Alzheimer's/Parkinson's: Unexpected signaling role for foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide in cell response to protein misfolding
CSHL scientists have discovered hydrogen sulfide -- the flammable, toxic gas associated with the smell of rotten eggs in landfills -- helps regulate a signaling pathway implicated in biological malfunctions...
Malaysia seizes million-dollar ivory shipment
Malaysia has seized elephant tusks and ivory handicrafts worth an estimated four million ringgit ($1.3 million) en route from Kenya to Cambodia, a customs official said Tuesday.
Animal Gallery: Fun in the Snow
From tigers to pandas, here's a gallery of animals frolicking in the snow.
Green Blog: Finding Nemo and His Fellow Travelers
One in every six families of marine species corresponding to characters in the animated film "Finding Nemo" is threatened with extinction, researchers say.
Thermotherapy rids azaleas of deadly fungal disease
Azalea web blight, caused by a species of the plant pathogen Rhizoctonia, occurs each year on some containerized azalea cultivars during nursery production, particularly in the southern and eastern United...
Microneedle sensors may allow real-time monitoring of body chemistry
Researchers from North Carolina State University, Sandia National Laboratories, and the University of California, San Diego have developed new technology that uses microneedles to allow doctors to detect real-time chemical...
Picture book portrays a 'hoppy' future for endangered frogs
Move over Kermit, there's a native frog rising in the West.
A good nose: Researchers decipher interaction of fragrances and olfactory receptors
Banana, mango or apricot - telling these smells apart is no problem for the human nose. How the olfactory organ distinguishes such similar smells has been uncovered by an interdisciplinary...
Green Blog: A New App for Sushi Lovers
A smartphone application provides information about the typical mercury levels in each fish.
The constant gardeners of the world's reefs
(PhysOrg.com) -- Australian scientists have urged greater consideration for the brilliantly-hued parrot fishes that tend and renew the worlds imperilled coral reefs.
New model suggests early humans lost fur after developing bipedalism
(PhysOrg.com) -- Two of the most basic questions in the study of human evolution revolve around why early people started walking around on two feet instead of four and why...
Immunity Against the Cold
Throughout the interior spaces of humans and other warm-blooded creatures is a special type of tissue known as brown fat, which may hold the secret to diets and weight-loss programs...
Not Finding Nemo becomes a reality
(PhysOrg.com) -- Three Simon Fraser University biologists and an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) scientist say its no longer fiction but fact. No one will be able to...
Adding vast forests to cut climate change could boomerang, study says
Planting a tree is always a good thing, right? After all, trees provide natural beauty and wildlife habitat, and are good for the environment.
Birds benefit from knowing their neighbors
Being on good terms with your neighbors well certainly has its benefits. They might water your plants while you're on holiday, feed the cat, or even put your bins out.
Green Blog: Warming World Abets a Fish Parasite, Study Suggests
Tapeworm larvae grew four times faster in fish raised at 68 degrees Fahrenheit than in those raised at 59 degrees, researchers report.
Creating the Tree of Life
(PhysOrg.com) -- Imagine the wealth of information that would be at our fingertips if we could understand the genetic basis and evolutionary history that underlies the vast diversity in form...
DNA damage across a cellular barrier depends on barrier thickness
(PhysOrg.com) -- The use of nanoparticles in medicine is ever increasing and it is important to understand the effects these particles might have on human tissues and health in general.
Airlines can improve bottom line by compensating captive passengers
(PhysOrg.com) -- Instead of holding customers captive on a tarmac during unforeseen delays, airlines should give passengers the choice to leave or stay and compensate them appropriately.