Latest science news in Biology & Nature
VIDEO: Killer Tiger Caught?
A tiger, believed to have killed at least three people in Indonesia, has been captured. Conservationists hope the cat can be returned to the wild.
Scientists focus on wrong bacterium toxin
MAYWOOD, Ill., March 3 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists discovered that researchers have been focusing on the wrong toxin in fighting the potentially deadly superbug Clostridium difficile.
From Stem Cells To New Organs: Scientists Cross Threshold In Regenerative Medicine
By now, most people have read stories about how to "grow your own organs" using stem cells is just a breakthrough away. Despite the hype, this breakthrough has been elusive....
Scripps research scientists develop general-purpose method for detecting trace chemicals
Described in an advance, online publication of the journal Nature Biotechnology on 22 February 2009, the team's general method could be adapted for detecting a wide variety of compounds, including...
New gene-searching method uncovers possible new targets for Crohn's disease drugs
Discovering the different genes that contribute to a complex disease is like searching in the proverbial haystack for an unknown number of needles - some much smaller than others, often...
UMMS researchers isolate gene mutations in patients with inherited ALS
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) have discovered a new gene whose mutations cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurological disorder. Discovery of the FUS/TLS...
Desert Ants Smell Their Way Home
Humans lost in the desert are well known for going around in circles, prompting scientists to ask how desert creatures find their way around without landmarks for guidance. New research...
Oral Microbiome: Spit Reveals A Lot About What Lives In Your Mouth
Your mouth is home to a thriving community of microbial life. More than 600 different species of bacteria reside in this "microbiome," yet everyone hosts a unique set of bugs,...
Genome sequencing of fungus with biotechnological applications
Researchers Antonio G. Pisabarro (Professor of Microbiology) as well as José Luis Lavín and José Antonio Oguiza, from the Genetic and Microbiology Group at the Public University of Navarre, have...
"PSYCHEDELIC" FISH PICTURE: New Species Bounces on Reef
A recently discovered "psychedelic" fish that bounces along reefs is bounding into the books as a new species, a new DNA study says.
Study of spit offers insight into human health
LONDON (Reuters) - Bacteria found in people's spit does not vary much around the world, a surprising finding that could provide insights into how diet and cultural factors affect human...
Experimental Vaccine Protects Animals From Deadly Ebola Virus; May Prove Effective In Developing The First Human Vaccine
Protection against Ebola, one of the world's deadliest viruses, can be achieved by a vaccine produced in insect cells, raising prospects for developing an effective vaccine for humans, according to...
Crafty Australian crayfish cheat
Nestled just off the east coast of Australia, picturesque North Stradbroke Island is a haven for local wildlife. Yet some of the inhabitants of the island's creeks and swamps are...
"Bodies" exhibition probed in Poland
WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish prosecutors are investigating whether a controversial exhibition displaying human cadavers amounts to desecration of the human body, a spokesman said Friday.
Doctor and Patient: Does Oversight Threaten the Doctor-Patient Bond?
In the highly regulated field of organ transplantation, third-party oversight actually strengthens a doctor’s connection with patients.
US shiitake market mushrooming
Shiitake mushrooms are the third most popular mushroom species in the U.S. In addition to taste, shiitake have a multitude of health benefits. Low in calories, glucose and sodium, shiitake...
Researchers isolate and purify mouse heart stem cells
(PhysOrg.com) -- A pioneering Cornell and University of Bonn study has isolated and purified mouse heart stem cells, settling a debate over whether such cells exist.
Complexity of Spit Revealed
A new study tries to clean up the mysteries around saliva, including the microbes that live in it and why we each have a salivary signature.
Fuel and Fun from Programmed Microbes
To brew fuel in beer vats, the new field of synthetic biology programs the genetic code of yeast the way you would program a computer -- one gene at a...
Micro-RNAs Are Life`s Genetic Sculptors
(PhysOrg.com) -- Yale scientists have found a way to study within a living organism the wonders of micro-RNAs - tiny bits of RNA that act like a sculptor and shape...
Busy Bs: Lymphocyte uses multiple mechanisms to shape immune response
New research expands our understanding of how a type of immune cell called a B lymphocyte enables the immune system to mount a successful defense against an intestinal parasite. The...
Anti-H5N1 rice could protect poultry, say scientists
Chinese scientists have engineered rice to protect poultry from bird flu — but work is still in the early stages.
Instant insight: Food for thought
How much does our diet have an effect on human memory and learning? Jeremy Spencer considers the case of the flavonoids
An impossible alloy now possible
What has been impossible has now been shown to be possible - an alloy between two incompatible elements. The findings are being published in this week's edition of Proceedings of...
Sneaky fish disguise revealed
Researchers have found a coral reef fish that changes colour to blend in with other fish – giving it the opportunity for a surprise attack.
Synthetic Biology Yields Clues To Evolution And Origin Of Life
Researchers in the field of synthetic biology are still a long way from being able to assemble living cells from scratch in the laboratory. But according tobiochemists, their efforts are...
Video Imaging Provides Dynamic View Of Airway Obstruction In Those With Sleep Breathing Disorder
A video imaging technique demonstrates that the soft palate, the tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth, is more elongated and angled in patients with obstructive sleep...
Vitamin C Production: Molecular Gatekeeper In Enzyme Discovered
Researchers have unraveled the mechanism that plays a role in the natural production of vitamin C. In this process, a molecular gatekeeper blocks the entrance to the reaction center of...