Latest science news in Biology & Nature
'Barren' Seafloor Teeming With Microbial Life
Seafloor bacteria are more abundant and diverse than previously thought, appearing to "eat" the planet's oceanic crust, according to a new study in Nature. The findings pose intriguing questions about...
Scientists Announce Top 10 New Species In Last Year
Scientists responsible for species exploration and classification -- have just announced the top 10 new species described in 2007. The taxonomists are also issuing a SOS -- State of Observed...
Stabilizing Cancer-fighting P53 Can Also Shield A Metastasis-promoter
Efforts to protect the tumor-suppressor p53 could just as easily shelter a mutant version of the protein, causing cancer cells to thrive and spread rather than die, according to new...
Real-time Observation Of DNA-repair Mechanism
For the first time, researchers have witnessed the spontaneous repair of damage to DNA molecules in real time. They observed this at the level of a single DNA molecule. Insight...
Over 50 Percent Of Oceanic Shark Species Threatened With Extinction
The first study to determine the global threat status of 21 species of wide-ranging oceanic pelagic sharks and rays reveals serious overfishing and recommends key steps that governments can take...
Miracle leaves that may help protect against liver damage
Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berries are well known for their cholesterol busting properties, but scientists in India say that its leaves are also rich in anti-oxidants and may help ward...
Scientists remove thousands of aspens to glimpse forest's future
Armed with chainsaws and pry bars, University of Michigan researchers and their colleagues recently hastened the end for nearly 7,000 mature aspen and birch trees in a large-scale, long-term experiment...
Report says nation's wildlife refuges underfunded
(AP) -- America's wildlife refuges are so short of money that one-third have no staff, boardwalks and buildings are in disrepair, and drug dealers are using them to grow...
Science Extra podcast: Simon Singh
Science writer Simon Singh on his new book, Treat or Treatment - in which he questions the veracity of alternative therapies such as homeopathy and acupuncture
New statistical method reveals surprises about our ancestry
A statistical approach to studying genetic variation promises to shed new light on the history of human migration.
Food-related Clock In The Brain Identified
In investigating the intricacies of the body's biological rhythms, scientists have discovered the existence of a "food-related clock" which can supersede the "light-based" master clock that serves as the body's...
Your belly's very own body clock
Food availability can shift sleep patterns, though researchers aren't sure how.
Insect release proposed to control exotic strawberry guava
U.S. Forest Service scientists with the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry have submitted a proposal to release a Brazilian insect to control the spread of strawberry guava, a South American...
Big Reptiles, Alien Trees Hamper Everglades Fire Fight
As they steer clear of pythons and alligators, crews are battling to keep the flames away from stands of invasive, and highly flammable, melaleuca trees.
Experiment advances understanding of cell reprogramming
The announcement last year by scientists in Japan, at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), and at the Whitehead Institute that they had each — independently — coaxed adult cells...
Getting to the Roots of Sunflower Cultivation
Global warming could affect one of the world's major oil seed crops, the sunflower. Drawing on genetic information from early plant stocks is key to improving future harvests.
Physicists Demonstrate Precise Manipulation Of DNA-Drug Interactions
Being able to target the genetic code to develop an effective treatment of a disease is the ultimate goal for many scientists. Focusing on how the DNA interacts with a...
Major 'Missed' Biochemical Pathway Emerges As Important In Virtually All Cells
A new study in Science provides compelling evidence that the nitric oxide system in cells is very broad-based and important, resembling in its essence the much-studied system of phosphorylation. The...
New Family Of Gecko Discovered
A new family of gecko, the charismatic large-eyed lizard popularized by car insurance commercials, has been discovered. Scientists have long been interested in geckos and their evolution because they are...
VIDEO: Australia Sharks in Danger
Sharks and other creatures in the Coral Sea are vulnerable to human activities and could be wiped out if the area isn't protected, conservationists warn.
Rapid escalation characterizes virus/host arms race
The interaction between a virus and its host is often portrayed as an arms race, with each new viral attack parried by the host and each new defense by the...
Enzyme for ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation linked to cellular senescence
A new study, published by Cell Press in the May 23rd issue of the journal Molecular Cell, identifies a pivotal role for the CUL7 E3 ubiquitin ligase in growth control....
Metagenomics of skin reveals insights into the human microbiome
The human body is home to a diverse range of microorganisms, estimated to outnumber human cells in a healthy adult by ten fold. The importance of characterizing human...
Sub-Saharan Africa news in brief: 9–28 May 2008
Free HIV drugs drop Malawi mortality, farmers struggle to access adapted maize, radio initiative fails to reach Nigeria farmers, and more.
Foot-and-mouth plan used flawed study
(AP) -- The Bush administration relied on a flawed study to conclude that research on a highly infectious animal disease could safely be moved from an isolated island laboratory...
Scientists gather to review tunicate fight
Scientists attending a conference at a P.E.I. resort this week are planning a number of summer projects to help mussel growers battle the growing threat of an invasive species.
Technology improves crops faster
New technology that predicts plant breeding outcomes is putting improved crop strains in the field faster, and could aid the dwindling global food supply.