Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Butterfly migration linked to El Nino
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. ecologists studying the effects of climate change on insects say they've determined El Nino affects the long-distance migration of some butterflies.
Genetic Mutation A Strong Indicator Of Age-related Hearing Loss Risk
Patients who exhibited a certain genetic mutation of anti-oxidant enzymes are three times more likely to develop age-related hearing loss, according to new research.
Two Men Plus Two Cell Membrane Channels Plus Two Synchrotrons: One Nobel Prize
Soon the world will learn who won the 2009 Nobel Prize in chemistry. Do you remember Peter Agre and Roderick MacKinnon of the following announcement? The Nobel Prize in Chemistry...
Breeding Super-Hygienic Bees to Take the Offensive in Colony Collapse Fight
For almost two years, the honeybees that support almost all human agriculture have fought a plague right out of a sci-fi movie. Varroa mites, a deadly parasite, have hid in the labyrinthine...
New tracer for better melanoma image
The Australian research published this week in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Medicinal Chemistry describes a new radiopharmaceutical tracer that promises to give clearer pictures of melanoma and...
Light shed on the secret behind probiotic bacteria promoting health
Functional food is the food industry's fastest-growing product group, its leading products including dairy products which contain probiotics, that is, bacteria promoting health. Valio's Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG(R)) is the...
Tiger rescue highlights poaching threat in Malaysia
(PhysOrg.com) -- A five-year-old male Tiger was freed from a poacher`s snare on Sunday after it was found by WWF`s Wildlife Protection Unit (WPU) just off a highway that cuts...
Clear fish help brain research
Researchers have recently found a way to activate or deactivate areas of the brain, using light-sensitive brain cells and transparent fish.
7 new luminescent mushroom species discovered
Seven new glow-in-the-dark mushroom species have been discovered, increasing the number of known luminescent fungi species from 64 to 71. Reported today in the journal Mycologia, the new finds...
New technology detects chemical weapons in seconds
Scientists at Queen's University Belfast are developing new sensors to detect chemical agents and illegal drugs which will help in the fight against the threat of terrorist attacks.
Inventive combination of research approaches identifies new target for treating leukemia
New research integrates sophisticated interdisciplinary approaches to solve a molecular mystery that may lead to alternative therapeutic strategies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
UQ researcher on the hunt for viruses
(PhysOrg.com) -- UQ scientist Ian Mackay is always on the lookout for that lucky find - well, if you consider unknown strains of the common cold virus lucky.
Rare condors endangered by lead in carrion
SALT LAKE CITY, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Rare California condors living in Arizona and Utah are at risk due to lead bullets found inside the carrion the birds feed...
Why motorway bridges could replace bat caves
Concrete bridges could make better roosts for some species of bat than natural caves, according to research.
African Cattle To Be Protected From Killer Disease
Millions of African families could be saved from destitution, thanks to a much-needed vaccine that is being mass-produced in a drive to protect cattle against a deadly parasite.
And the beat goes on: Scientists jump-start the heart by gene transfer
Scientists from the Universities of Michigan and Minnesota show in a research report published online in the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) that gene therapy may be used to improve an ailing...
Animal research deserves defending, say our members
In a recent commentary, We must face the threats, in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers Dario Ringach and David Jentsch spoke out against animal rights extremism. They urged the scientific...
Scientists say nanoparticles may help kill tumors
LONDON (Reuters) - British scientists are developing ways to use nanoparticles as tiny magnets that can heat up and kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells around them.
Bird guardians turn an eye to computer monitoring
Seabirds on an island off the Welsh coast are at the forefront of a project to use computers to monitor vulnerable habitats.
Animals survived apocalypse by burrowing
When the going gets tough, putting your head in the sand isn't always a bad idea. According to a new study, that's exactly how a group of animals living 250...
Scientists Study Holstein Milk Production, Fertility
(PhysOrg.com) -- Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have discovered why Holsteins -bred to produce more milk -are less fertile than before breeding efforts were stepped up to increase dairy production:...
Scientists Use Inkjet Printer to Manipulate Genes in New Ways
(PhysOrg.com) -- With recent advances in biochemistry, researchers can control the circuitry in a developing cell, thereby influencing cells to develop into specific phenotypes. Taking a step forward in this...
More sex and grapefruit to keep you young?
A simple naturally occurring polyamine has been found to prolong the lifespan of a number of organisms
Extreme squirreling teams sought
People are being asked to take part in a project looking out for red squirrels in areas of the Highlands where few records of them exist.
Team finds a better way to watch bacteria swim
Researchers have developed a new method for studying bacterial swimming, one that allows them to trap Escherichia coli bacteria and modify the microbes' environment without hindering the way they move...
Understanding a cell's split personality aids synthetic circuits
As scientists work toward making genetically altered bacteria create living 'circuits' to produce a myriad of useful proteins and chemicals, they have logically assumed that the single-celled organisms would always...
Hidden Diversity In Key Environmental Cleanup Microbes Found By Systems Biology Assessment
Researchers analyzed the gene sequences, proteins expressed and physiology of 10 strains of bioremediation microbes called Shewanella. Results showed surprising diversity not seen using traditional microbiology approaches.
Smart meters 'need live displays'
The government must insist that power companies provide clear visual displays when they install smart-meters, says a report