Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Male antelopes trick females into extra sex opportunities
Scientists have caught male topi antelopes in the act of faking fear in front of females in heat as a way to improve their chances of having sex. The male...
Why Is the Gulf Oil Slick Red?
The vivid red color of the Gulf oil slick puzzles scientists.
Fishing restrictions bring better catches, says study
Fishermen benefit from closed fishing areas and equipment restrictions but acceptance is still an issue, says a study.
In pictures: The week in wildlife
The world's smallest lily saved by Kew Gardens, the world's smallest wallaby - all creatures, flora and fauna great and small are celebrated this week to mark the the International...
Unexpectedly high rate of multiple strains in fungal infection
New research shows that nearly 1 in 5 cases of infection with the potentially deadly fungus Cryptococcus neoformans are caused by not one but multiple strains of the pathogen.
New method could stop shark oil being used in cosmetics and vaccines
A new method of analysing squalene and squalane, oils often used in the production of cosmetics and vaccines, can show whether they came originally from the liver oil of deepwater...
Commonly used atrazine herbicide adversely affects fish reproduction
Atrazine, one of the most commonly used herbicides in the world, has been shown to affect reproduction of fish, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study...
Parallel brainstem circuit discovery suggests new path in Parkinson's research
Chicago and Montreal researchers studying the lowly lamprey eel have identified an overlooked nervous system pathway running parallel to known brainstem locomotor command circuitry in vertebrates such as birds, fishes...
UCSD researcher finds new role for zebrafish in human studies
Michael E. Baker, PhD, a researcher at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has discovered that zebrafish - an important animal model in disease and environmental studies...
Common birds pass on organic seed
The nutritional benefits of organic food have been called into question by new research which shows wild garden birds prefer conventional seed to that which has been organically- grown...
Extending lifespan has mixed effects on learning and memory
Decreasing the intake of calories and tweaking the activity of the hormone insulin are two methods long known to increase lifespan in a wide range of organisms...
National Briefing | West: California: DNA Tests Criticized
The Center for Genetics and Society is calling for the University of California, Berkeley, to suspend a project in which freshmen will be asked to provide samples of their DNA...
Scientists offer new take on selective fishing
A new, less selective approach to commercial fishing is needed to ensure the ongoing productivity of marine ecosystems and to maintain biodiversity, according to new research.
Spanish Scientists Clone First Bull for Fighting
Fighting Bull Cloned Got, a cloned fighting bull, was born Tuesday at a farm in northern Spain. AP, via Washington Post Vets hope little Got is as tough a fighter as his...
Neuroscience: The rat pack
Studying primates is the only way to understand human cognition — or so neuroscientists thought. But there may be much to learn from rats and mice, finds Alison Abbott.
Easily blocked protein may help stop parasites
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a parasite protein that has all the makings of a microbial glass jaw: it's essential, it's vulnerable and...
Sub-Saharan Africa news in brief: 6-19 May 2010
Africa could learn from India's ICT experiences, biodiversity in Africa is in decline, Nigeria pledges more for R&D, and more.
Life in the Third Realm
Fringe-frequenting, abundant, yet undeservedly obscure, archaea are the third great lineage of living beings.
New faculty member seeks secrets of intestinal immunity
Newly named assistant professor Daniel Mucida studies the balance between tolerance and immunity by observing what happens in the intestinal tract. It’s there that the body must cope with a...
ScienceShot: A Duck Identity Crisis
Ducks raised by another species choose the wrong mates later in life
Extinct water lily successfully grown from seed
A delicate African water lily declared extinct in the wild has been resurrected at Britain's Royal Botanic Garden, Kew.
New type of artificial tissue developed
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 19 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have created a way to encapsulate living cells into cubes, arranging them into 3D structures to be assembled as...
Fish Oil Could Reduce Bone Loss for Astronauts in Space
A group of nutrients found in fish oil, known as omega-3 fatty acids, may help mitigate bone breakdown that occurs during spaceflight and in those who suffer from osteoporosis, a...
Academies (Again) Seek Climate Action
The nation's top scientific advisers affirm risks from warming and propose ways to limit the downside.
New moorings to save seagrass
Anchor chains in Moreton Bay Marine Park have damaged seagrass habitat, so ecologists are testing eco-friendly alternatives.
The Turtles' Midwife
If an endangered turtle has a mother figure, it might be Donna J. Shaver, chief of sea turtle science and recovery for the National Park Service at Padre Island
ScienceShot: The Last Sightings of the Yangtze River Dolphin
Scientists surprised by distribution of cetacean before it went extinct
ScienceShot: Brittle Shell Keeps Octopuses Afloat
Scuba divers solve 2000-year-old argonaut octopus mystery