Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Lack Of Key Molecule Leads To Deafness
Researchers have identified tiny molecules that may lead to big breakthroughs in the treatment of hearing loss and deafness. Despite modern medicine, one in 1,000 American babies are born deaf....
Put This In Your Lungs And Smoke It
It's not quite as gross as a teratoma, but it is pretty nuts. Russian media are reporting that doctors found a 2-inch fir tree growing in a 28-year-old man's lungs....
Researchers discover new genetic variants associated with increased risk of stroke
Scientists have identified a previously unknown connection between two genetic variants and an increased risk of stroke, providing strong evidence for the existence of specific genes that help explain the...
Reversing effects of altered enzyme may fight brain tumour growth
An international team of scientists from the Moores Cancer Centre at the University of California, San Diego, the University of North Carolina and several institutions in China have explained how...
Cornell to repatriate fungus collection to China, after 70-year stewardship
After years of careful stewardship by Cornell scientists, a collection of more than 2,000 species of native Chinese fungi, spirited out of the country for safety before World War II,...
A cure for honey bee colony collapse?
For the first time, scientists have isolated the parasite Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia) from professional apiaries suffering from honey bee colony depopulation syndrome. They then went on to treat the infection...
Time record of marine species formation in the Baltic Sea
In 2005 researchers at the University of Gothenburg and Stockholm University discovered a new species of seaweed. The species, which was named Fucus radicans, evolved from a bladder wrack (Fucus...
Alzheimer Cell Death In Zebrafish: Demise Of Neurons Observed Live For The First Time
Alzheimer's disease has reached epidemic proportions in western society. Researchers have now developed the first animal model that directly traces the demise of neurons in the brain, and thereby allows...
'Pleasant Touch' Decoded: Signals From Stroking Skin Have Direct Route To Brain
Nerve signals that tell the brain that we are being slowly stroked on the skin have their own specialized nerve fibers in the skin. The discovery may explain why touching...
Once smartphones become truly common, so will the viruses that attack them
(PhysOrg.com) -- Northeastern researchers say that it`s only a matter of time before computer viruses attack smartphones, like the Blackberry and iPhone, on a massive scale. But their study may...
'First camel clone' born in Dubai
Scientists in Dubai say they have created the world's first cloned camel using DNA harvested from an adult camel.
Germany bans farming of genetically modified corn
Genetically modified corn can no longer be grown commercially in Germany.
Removing Toxic Mercury From Fish Oil While Retaining Beneficial Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Many people now take fish oil in supplements or foods, convinced of the benefits shown in a number of medical studies. However, there are also dangers associated with fish oils...
Owls' Dawn And Dusk Concerts Promote Visual Communication
Researchers in Spain describe the evolution of white throat badges in association with dawn and dusk vocal signals in certain species of nocturnal bird, which maximize the potential for these...
Reserves Found To Be 'Effective Tool' For Reducing Fires In Brazilian Rainforests
Rainforest reserves -- even those disturbed by roads -- provide an important buffer against fires that are devastating parts of the Brazilian Amazon, according to a new study.
Famed Nature editor Maddox dies
Sir John Maddox, who transformed the journal Nature through two stints as its editor, has died aged 83.
Eco-Islam: Malaysia's Imams to preach against poaching
Malaysia's Muslim preachers have been enlisted in the fight for wildlife conservation, using passages from the Koran to raise awareness and help protect some of the world's most endangered species...
Researchers identify how PCBs may alter in utero, neonatal brain development
In three new studies - including one appearing online today in the Public Library of Science - Biology (PLoS - Biology) - UC Davis researchers provide compelling evidence...
Discovery of variations in resistance to sulfadoxine across Africa
Researchers have discovered that malaria parasites in east and west Africa carry different resistance mutations, which suggests that the effectiveness of sulfadoxine as an antimalarial drug may vary across Africa...
Activists thwart Japan whale hunt
Japan's annual whale-hunting season falls short of its target catch due to disruptions by anti-whaling activists, officials say.
Mom's Diet Can Change Unborn Baby's Genetics
If a mother rat does not eat well, her offspring exhibit genetic changes that affect what they'll become.
New Parasite Found In Black Green Lizards In Spain, Portugal
An international team of scientists has discovered a new acarine species (Ophionyssus schreibericolus) that lives off black green lizards from the Iberian Peninsula. This involves the first recording of the...
How The Brain Processes Important Information
Researchers have shed light on how the neurotransmitter dopamine helps brain cells process important information.
Spring Fishing Season Arrives ... And With It, Amphibian Diseases
Waterdogs, they're called, these larvae of tiger salamanders used as live bait for freshwater fishing. With tiger salamander larvae, anglers hope to catch largemouth bass, channel catfish and other freshwater...
Well: Stomach Bug Crystallizes a Threat From Antibiotics
Drugs that solve one problem, only to open the door to another.
Observatory: Sonar Can Cause Temporary Deafness in Dolphins
Sonar has been implicated in some strandings of whales and dolphins, but the mechanism by which acoustic pings might cause disorientation is uncertain.
Hurt, Orphaned Wildlife Finds New Hope in Brazil
A Brazilian mountain animal rehabilitation center nurses everything from monkeys to wolves, birds to boas. Video.
Earthquakes’ Many Mysteries Stymie Efforts to Predict Them
While prediction remains elusive, scientists have learned that human activity can set off an earthquake.