Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Female birds 'jam' their mates' flirtatious songs
When a single female is nearby, female antbirds will sing over the songs of their male partners in an apparent attempt to keep their messages from getting through, according to...
FDA OKs DNA test for two types of HPV
WASHINGTON, March 16 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it has approved the first DNA test that identifies the two types of human papillomavirus.
Biofilms: Even Stickier Than Suspected
Researchers find evidence for evolution in a single-species biofilm, a type of bacterial colony known to resist antibiotics and clog medical devices. Older cultures tend to be hardier.
Aging: Worms, Flies & Yeast Are More Like Us than Previously Expected
When it comes to the aging process, yeast, nematode worms and fruit flies have more in common with humans than previously expected. In addition to highlighting the similarities between species,...
Brain Scans Can Read Memories
Brain scans show how humans create memories of different locations.
Celebrity hippo calf won't be fed to zoo's tigers
A Swiss zoo on Friday rejected suggestions that a baby hippopotamus could be killed and fed to the big cats because of lack of space.
Illuminating the cell response to anticancer drugs
Revealing how cells handle platinum complexes could help in the search for better-targeted cancer therapies
Scientists create mouse model of melanoma that generates hope for the use of targeted therapies
Researchers have developed a new mouse model that allows them to replicate normal pigment cells at the earliest stages of conversion to malignant skin cancer in humans. After testing the...
Caltech scientists discover mechanism for wind detection in fruit flies
Tiny, lightweight fruit flies need to know when it's windy out so they can steady themselves and avoid being knocked off their feet or blown off course. But how do...
Missing piece of plant clock found
Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have identified a key protein that links the morning and evening components of the daily biological clock of plants.
Long, sexy tails not a drag on male birds
The long tails sported by many male birds in the tropics look like they're a drag to carry around and a distinct disadvantage when fleeing predators, but experiments by University...
Cells get two chances, not just one, to fix their mistakes
Cells have two chances to fix the same mistake in their protein-making process instead of just one – a so-called proofreading step – that had previously been identified, according to...
Microbial societies do not like oligarchy
Bacteria and humans tend to live in highly diverse and complex communities. Most interestingly, bacteria and humans appear to prefer to live in a democracy. This is the basic message...
Study shows Human Sounds may Kill Fish
(PhysOrg.com) -- Anthropogenic, or human generated, sounds have the potential to significantly affect the lives of aquatic animals - from the individual animal`s well-being, right through to its reproduction, migration...
Summer Burning May Be Option For Pasture Maintenance
The greater duration of heat in a summer-prescribed burn provides more effective management of encroaching woody or cactus species on rangeland, scientists report. Controlling encroachments of prickly pear, mesquite, juniper...
Danger Lurks Underground For Oak Seedlings
Scientists trying to understand why oaks are starting to disappear from North American forests may need to look just below the surface to find some answers. Researchers found that pine...
First Look At Genetic Dynamics Of Inbreeding Depression
Declines in reproductive success due to inbreeding are probably due to a few key genes that influence other genes, said an animal biology professor.
Variant form of amyloid beta hinders amyloidogenesis, development of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease causes misfolding and aggregation of a protein fragment known as amyloid beta and its deposition as plaques in the brain. This process triggers a cascade of event that...
Researchers develop a structural approach to exploring DNA
A team led by researchers from Boston University and the National Institutes of Health has developed a new method for uncovering functional areas of the human genome by studying DNA's...
Common drug 'could treat deadly bat viruses'
Two deadly viruses with no known cure can be rendered non-infectious by chloroquine — a well-established antimalarial.
Parkinson's-linked mutation makes neurons vulnerable to calcium-induced death
A new study reveals the mechanism by which a genetic mutation linked with Parkinson's disease (PD) renders dopamine neurons particularly vulnerable to cell injury and death. The research is published...
Fishy Fish Eyes
The brownsnout spookfish is not like other fish. This deep-sea dweller’s eyes have two segements, one of which, in contrast to all other vertebrates, has mirrors instead of lenses to...
PHOTOS: Spider-Killer Wasp, Eyeless Crustacean Found
Nineteen new species of tiny creatures have been discovered in Australia--most of them in biologically rich Western Australia, scientists say.
A diet rich in calcium aids weight loss
Boosting calcium consumption spurs weight loss, according to a study published in the most recent issue of the British Journal of Nutrition, but only in people whose diets are calcium...
New Technique Developed To Date Forensic Death Based On Corpse Microorganisms
This system, related to thermo-microbiology, will permit to determine more accurately the time of a death which has not occurred under controlled natural conditions or as a consequence of a...
Nerve Cell Experiment Soars to 31+ Kilometers
An experiment testing the effects of space radiation on human nerve cells was successfully flown more than 31 kilometers high (about 99,000 feet) and safely returned to Earth by The...
Antioxidants In Midwestern Black Raspberries Influenced By Where They Grow
Black raspberries have been studied for decades by scientists and medical researchers interested in the fruits' apparent ability to limit the onset or severity of degenerative diseases, including cancer. The...
Antibody Key To Treating Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD)
Scientists have determined the atomic structure of the "binding" between a brain protein and an antibody that could be key to treating patients with diseases such as variant CJD.