Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Cell death the same in plants and animals
UPPSALA, Sweden, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- A Swedish-led team of European scientists says it has determined programmed cell death occurs in the same way in plants, animals and humans.
Herbicides, fibrates block human receptor
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've discovered common herbicides and some lipid-lowering drugs known as fibrates block a nutrient-sensing receptor found in humans.
Tiny motes sniff out chemical, biological threats
(PhysOrg.com) -- Research to develop a new method to detect biological and chemical threats may also lead to new approaches for removing pollutants from the environment.
Gene affecting hemoglobin is identified
LONDON, Oct. 12 (UPI) -- British scientists say they've identified a gene that has a significant effect on regulating hemoglobin in the body.
Study focuses on how synapses form
STANFORD, Calif., Oct. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. medical researchers say they've identified a molecule that plays a key role in the formation of brain synapses.
Anaemia causing gene found
Researchers have discovered a gene variant that helps to regulate iron levels, a finding which could lead to treatments for hereditary anaemia.
Juggling's 'white matter' effect boosts brain power
Oxford University scientists find that a complex skill such as juggling causes changes in the white matter of the brain.
Jaw bone created from stem cells
Scientists create a joint in the jaw from human adult stem cells, an advance which could revolutionise reconstructive surgery.
Epic cheetah hunt filmed in HD
Stunning footage has been captured of three cheetahs cooperating to hunt and bring down an adult ostrich.
Mechanism That Helps Bacteria Avoid Destruction In Cells Identified
Infectious diseases currently cause about one-third of all human deaths worldwide, more than all forms of cancer combined. Advances in cell biology and microbial genetics have greatly enhanced understanding of...
Big Cats Picky About Habitat
Many species of large cats, including the leopard, are particularly fussy about where they live.
World Will Miss 2010 Target To Stem Biodiversity Loss, Experts Say
The world will miss its agreed target to stem biodiversity loss by next year, according to experts convening in Cape Town for a landmark conference devoted to biodiversity science. Growing...
Parasite turns cells cancerous
Scientists have revealed that a human parasite contributes to the development of liver cancer by secreting a cell growth hormone.
Chemicals to seek out weeds
Australian researchers are developing a system that specifically detects and targets weeds, eliminating the need for blanket chemical spraying.
New fears for species extinctions
Scientists warn of an alarming increase in the extinction of animal species due to loss of biodiversity.
Scientists protest plan to loosen patent protection on genetic research
University of Wisconsin-Madison officials are lashing out at new recommendations from an influential federal panel that could dramatically weaken patent protection for the university's genetic research.
Taiwan scientists identify flood-tolerant gene in rice
A Taiwanese scientist has said her research team has found the gene that allows rice to grow under water and believes the breakthrough could help develop other flood-resistant crops.
No place like home: Africa's big cats show postcode preference
The secret lives of some of Africa's iconic carnivores, including big cats, are revealed in a new study in Animal Conservation, today...
Gene Data Tool Advances Prospects For Personalized Medicine
A sophisticated computational algorithm, applied to a large set of gene markers, has achieved greater accuracy than conventional methods in assessing individual risk for type 1 diabetes. The researchers suggest...
Enhanced Stem Cells Promote Tissue Regeneration
Engineers have boosted stem cells' ability to regenerate vascular tissue (such as blood vessels) by equipping them with genes that produce extra growth factors (naturally occurring compounds that stimulate tissue...
On The Belly: Evolution’s Hot Button
I need most of my body parts. I figure I have my various meaty chunks for good evolutionary reasons, and far be it from me to sell any, no matter...
Killer whales leave porpoises for dead
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Wildlife experts say they're trying to determine why fish-eating killer whales roughed up harbor porpoises and left them for dead off British...
New Tumor Suppressor Destroys Key Link In Cancer Chain
A tumor-suppressing protein snatches up an important cancer-promoting enzyme and tags it with molecules that condemn it to destruction, a research team reports.
When Being a Cuckold Makes Evolutionary Sense
(PhysOrg.com) -- Evolutionary biology theory predicts that males usually won't invest a lot of time raising offspring when there is a good chance they are not the fathers. Yale University...
How 'superswarms' of krill gather
Scientists have found out how trillions of individual krill gather together into gigantic 'superswarms' in the Southern Ocean.
How RNA polymerase II gets the go-ahead for gene transcription
All cells perform certain basic functions. Each must selectively transcribe parts of the DNA that makes up its genome into RNAs that specify the structure of proteins. The set of...
Proposed mouse habitat is controversial
ROCKY FLATS, Colo., Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Conservationists are cheering a proposal to expand a threatened mouse's protected habitat in Colorado, but developers say they'll challenge the plan in...
What Do Ardi, Raptorex, And Komodo Dragons Have In Common?
Paleontology doesn't always get the respect it deserves (or desires), in the molecular, genomic, evolutionary, quantitative genetic circles we run in around here. Blame the DNA. Sequence comparisons have proven...