Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Bush embryonic stem cell lines different from newly derived cell lines
Established human embryonic cell lines, including those approved for federal research funding under former President George W. Bush, are different than newly derived human embryonic stem cell lines, according to...
Bison on Konza Prairie Fuel Experiments to Restore Prairie Ecosystem
Several of the experiments at the Konza Prairie are to learn about the tallgrass prairie ecosystem by using the grazing patterns of bison. The role of the bison is similar...
Herbicide spurs reproductive problems in many animals
An international team of researchers has reviewed the evidence linking exposure to atrazine – an herbicide widely used in the U.S. and more than 60 other nations – to reproductive...
China prepares for big entry into vaccine market
(AP) -- The world should get ready for a new Made in China product - vaccines.
An unexpected player in a cancer defense system
Researchers have identified a new protein involved in a defense mechanism against cancer. The VCP/p97 complex is best known for its role in protein destruction and is involved in a...
Fungi: Another tool in bacteria's belt? Fungi and bacteria help one another stay mobile, say researchers
Fungal spores can attach themselves to bacteria and "hitch a ride" to wherever the bacteria can travel, say researchers. This discovery will help scientists fight disease-causing bacteria or promote the...
Cleft Lip Corrected Genetically in Mouse Model
Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College used genetic methods to successfully repair cleft lips in mice embryos specially engineered for the study of cleft lip and cleft palate. The research...
Counting cats: The endangered snow leopards of the Himalayas
The elusive snow leopard (Panthera uncia) lives high in the mountains across Central Asia. Despite potentially living across 12 countries the actual numbers of this beautiful large cat are largely...
New compound defeats drug-resistant bacteria
Chemists have synthesized a new compound that makes drug-resistant bacteria susceptible again to antibiotics. The compound -- BU-005 -- blocks pumps that a bacterium employs to expel an antibacterial agent...
International initiative to address safety issues in stem cell therapy
An international study, published today in the prestigious journal Nature Biotechnology, reveals more about human pluripotent stem cells and their genetic stability and has important implications for the development of...
When inflexibility is counterproductive: Mechanism of UV-induced DNA Dewar lesion revealed
Excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation of sunlight can result in skin damage and may even induce skin cancers. Irradiation with UV light causes mutations in the DNA, which can...
New database for vital model organism launched
A new database promises to be an invaluable resource to scientists who use a unique single-celled fungus to study human diseases.
Mystery bird: Ethiopian short-toed lark, Calandrella erlangeri | @GrrlScientist
This songbird is endemic to the Ethiopian highlands Ethiopian short-toed lark, Calandrella erlangeri, Neumann, 1906 (some authorities consider this bird to be a subspecies of Calandrella blanfordi (sensu lato); protonym, Tephrocorys cinerea erlangeri), also...
Microscopic Worlds Gallery: Fascinating Fungi
Up close, the microscopic world of fungi can be quite eye-catching.
These reptiles are ready for their (extreme) close-up
Using a technique known as macro photography, a U.K. photographer captures extraordinary images of chameleons, geckos, and frogs.
Great Lakes fish feed on invading shrimp
The latest invader of the Great Lakes—Hemimysis anomala, or more commonly the bloody red shrimp after its bright red spots—may become a new food source for fish, allaying concerns about...
New spin on spider silk
An insect repellent discovered in spider’s webs that wards off natural predators could keep ants out of houses
Monkeys join chorus to show off
Scientists trigger a monkey dawn chorus with a recording and find that monkeys show their dominance by joining in.
Skin cells may hold clues to autism
Potential clues to how autism miswires the brain are emerging from a study of a rare, purely genetic form of the disorders that affects fewer than 20 people worldwide. Using...
Anthropogenic Noise Prompts Both Short- And Long-term Changes In Birdsong
As increasingly more bird species are found to alter their vocalizations in the presence of anthropogenic noise, researchers are developing more detailed questions about the process by which this behavioral...
Friend and foe? How crabs avoid getting eaten
Despite their simple compound eyes crabs have evolved a smart way to tell the difference between friend and foe, new scientific research has revealed.
Stem cell study advances regenerative medicine research
Researchers from A*STAR Singapore took lead roles in a study that identified a portion of the genome mutated during long-term culture of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The study was...
To save a mockingbird
critically endangered"We have to change into a new set of clean clothes before we can go ashore," says my companion. Within five minutes of dropping anchor, we are both down to our...
Hong Kong's shark fin traders feel pressure to change
The owner of Shark's Fin City, a dried fin wholesaler in Hong Kong's quarter for all things shrivelled, says there are only a few people who know the truth about...
The ABCC9 of sleep: A genetic factor that regulates how long we sleep
A collaborative European study led by LMU researchers has shown that ABCC9, a known genetic factor in heart disease and diabetes, also influences the duration of sleep in humans. This...
Finger (mal)formation reveals surprise function of desert DNA
Scientists have discovered a genetic mechanism that defines the shape of our members in which, surprisingly, genes play only a secondary role. The research shows the mechanism is found in...
Artificial enzymes close in on nature
A de novo designed zinc-binding protein is the closest synthetic mimic yet of the carbonic anhydrase enzyme
Life's Extremes: Supertaster vs. Nontaster
If you add lots of cream and sugar to coffee you may be a supertaster.