Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Scientists find human, bird brain parallel
SAN DIEGO, July 6 (UPI) -- Human brains are more similar to bird brains than once thought, scientists at the University of California-San Diego discovered. ...
Thermal-powered, insect-like robot crawls into microrobot contenders' ring
Engineers have built an insect-like robot with hundreds of tiny legs. Compared to other such microrobots, this new model excels in its ability to carry heavy loads -- more than...
Video: RIP Sidekick
Google hopes to simplify flight searches with its acquisition of ITA, Sex.com is offering itself up yet again, and T-Mobile kills off the Sidekick.
Cold snap halts advancing pythons
A cold snap last winter may have helped arrest the spread of Burmese pythons through the US.
Mountain mice show adaptation to altitude
Mice at altitude have adapted to use oxygen more efficiently during exercise than their low-altitude counterparts by showing a fuel preference for carbohydrates over fats, Canadian and Peruvian scientists reveal....
Wallabies and bats harbor 'fossil' genes from the most deadly family of human viruses
Modern marsupials may be popular animals at the zoo and in children's books, but new findings reveal that they harbor a "fossil" copy of a gene that codes for filoviruses,...
Caltech biologists discover how T cells make a commitment
When does a cell decide its particular identity? According to biologists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), in the case of T cells - immune system cells that help...
Cell signalling classification system gives researchers new tool
Using ever-growing genome data, scientists with the Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee are tracing the evolution of the bacterial regulatory system that...
Scientists uncover novel role for DNA repair protein linked to cancer
Researchers report that DNA polymerase theta, or PolQ, promotes an inaccurate repair process, which can ultimately cause mutations, cell death or cancer.
Rockefeller postdoc named finalist for Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists
Agnel Sfeir, a postdoctoral fellow in Titia de Lange's Laboratory of Cell Biology and Genetics, has been named a finalist in the fourth annual Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists competition,...
Stem-cell work closes a door to AIDS virus
Lab work on mice has opened up a novel way of closing a gateway to the AIDS virus, according to a study published on Friday.
Study says cellphones affecting beehives
CHANDIGARH, India, July 2 (UPI) -- Scientists in India say they are examining a possible cause of declines in bee populations around the world -- cellphones. ...
Bald eaglets returned to wild in P.E.I.
Eight-week-old bald eaglets are back in the wild after a successful stay at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown.
African nations rarely team up on biomed, finds study
Although there is good African biomedical research around, few studies involve collaborations within the continent.
Recorded wild calls have zoo birds mating
NEW YORK, July 2 (UPI) -- Endangered birds in a New York zoo produced offspring after recorded mating calls of wild birds put them in the mood, zoo...
Grandmothers link orcas to humans
Scientists discover a common trait in humans and whales that explains why both groups have grandmothers.
Pear pest's chemical 'come hither' identified
Pear psylla is a cicada-like pest with a vexing tendency to develop resistance to insecticides. But now, a new weapon could be in the works.
Well adapted livestock key to sustainable productivity
A better understanding of the wide genetic diversity of indigenous African livestock is needed to secure current and future productivity.
Study will look at oil spill's effect on whales
(AP) -- Tags, tissue samples and sound are among methods being used on a scientific cruise to study the Gulf of Mexico oil spill's effects on whales and other...
Dolphin 'superpod' seen off Skye
A massive pod of dolphins thrills a group of wildlife spotters on a tourist boat trip off the north coast of Skye.
In pictures: Jersey birds
Conservationists are encouraging a range of birds to return to Jersey's coasts, including the UK's rarest crow.
Farmers defend way of life with Facebook, Twitter
(AP) -- When a video of dairy cows being punched and prodded with pitchforks was recently released by an animal rights group, it made the rounds on YouTube and...
Warmer is better: Invasive cane toads set to thrive under global warming
As global warming threatens many animal species with extinction, the cane toad is set to flourish with increasing temperature. This is a major cause for concern as the cane toad,...
Fish look for mates who 'smell like dad'
WASHINGTON, July 1 (UPI) -- Two similar kinds of Canadian fish that could interbreed don't because females are looking for mates just like their own fathers, researchers say. ...
Public Swimming Pools: How Dirty Are They?
Public swimming pools have earned a bad rep as unsanitary – but is this reputation unfounded or well deserved?
Solving the Madagascar Biodiversity Puzzle
At the American Museum of Natural History, Christopher J. Raxworthy juggles paperwork and examines specimens brought back from Madagascar.
How Humans Shape Evolution of Fish Populations
David Reznick studies guppy populations to answer questions about evolution and the environment.
Scientists Cite Fastest Instance of Human Evolution Yet
In a study of the human genome, biologists in China cite Tibetans’ unique ability to breathe air that has 40 percent less oxygen than is available at sea level.