Gene Mutations In Mice Mimic Human-like Sleep Disorder

Mutations in two genes that control electrical excitability in a portion of the brain involved in sleep create a human-like insomnia disorder in mice, researchers have found.

Unique Adaptive Evolution Found In Snake Proteins Provide New Insight Into Vertebrate Physiology

Before the advent of large sequence datasets, it was assumed that innovation and divergence at the morphological and physiological level would be explained at the molecular level. Molecular explanations for...

Male songbirds' sly tricks can get them girls

Males songbirds that cannot compete at singing one song will switch to another to try and trick females. The females comparison-shop for mates just as cell phone customers compare plans,...

Bone Cells Found to Influence Blood Stem Cell Replication and Migration

Using a novel investigatory technique, researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have established that osteoblasts, cells responsible for bone formation, are also directly involved in the proliferation and expansion of...

Puppy clones? Going once, going twice ...

Molecular Scaffold That Guides Connections Between Brain Cells Discovered

Brain cells known as neurons process information by joining into complex networks, transmitting signals to each other across junctions called synapses. But "neurons don't just connect to other neurons," emphasizes...

Japan to probe whale meat 'theft'

Investigations begin into claims that meat from Japan's whaling programme is being stolen with official knowledge.

VIDEO: Record Flying Fish Flight Seen

A TV crew in Japan has captured a 45-second glide believed to be the longest recorded flight of a flying fish.

RNA Toxicity Contributes To Neurodegenerative Disease, Scientists Say

Biologists have determined that faulty RNA, the blueprint that creates mutated, toxic proteins, contributes to a family of neurodegenerative disorders in humans. The study demonstrates that faulty RNA also assists...

Genetic 'Fix' For Problem In Some Sweet Corn Hybrids Developed

A genetic quirk discovered in some sweet corn hybrids is helping plant breeders make critical "repairs" to the crop's herbicide-degrading machinery. Several herbicides registered for use on sweet corn kill...

Iron Transport Protein Mapped

Scientists have mapped the human protein Steap3, which plays an important role in the absorption of iron into the bloodstream. Iron irregularities are some of the most common blood disorders...

Rare pygmy hogs head for wild

Pygmy hogs, the world's smallest and rarest species of wild pig, are being released in the wild in Assam, reports the BBC's Subir Bhaumik.

Television Review: Adventures in Hands-On Science

About five minutes into “Lord of the Ants,” on Tuesday on the PBS “Nova” series, certain preconceptions you may have about ivory-tower types are likely to be exploded.

Vital Signs: Patterns: Craving Sweets? It May Be in Your Genes

Researchers have found that people with a common variant of a gene that helps the body handle sugar are more likely to crave foods like soda and cake.

Turn Off Gene Regulators To Tune In To Development

For a fertilized egg to develop into an embryo a mass of identical cells must be directed to become a large number of distinct cell types with different functions and...

Poland eyes new GMO rules

WARSAW, Poland, May 20 (UPI) -- Poland's Environment Ministry says it has authored a bill that would keep genetically modified organisms out of some Polish regions.

Aviation impacts 'hotly disputed'

Green advisers tell the government airport expansion should be suspended pending an inquiry.

Some biofuel crops could become invasive species: experts

Countries thinking of joining the rush for biofuels run the risk of planting invasive plant species that could wreak environmental and economic havoc, biologists warned on Tuesday.

Scientists receive unexpected help in whale recovery

Researchers from the University of British Columbia working to unearth a blue whale on P.E.I. received some surprise assistance on the weekend.

Plant flavonoid found to reduce inflammatory response in the brain

Researchers at the University of Illinois report this week that a plant compound found in abundance in celery and green peppers can disrupt a key component of the inflammatory response...

Artificial Bladders Pass More Early Tests

A company called Tengion announced recently that its full-size, neo-bladder replacements performed well in large animal models. Tengion's technology - the commercialized version of the work of Anthony Atala -...

Giant kangaroo gives clues on climate

Scientists 'Paint' Viruses To Track Their Fate In The Body

Here's a new twist on the relationship between biology and art. Researchers describe how they were able to coat--or paint--viruses with proteins. This breakthrough should boost the efficiency of some...

A New Target To Fight Sleeping Sickness

Sleeping sickness affects more than 50,000 people around the world, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is caused by the Trypanosoma parasite, which is transmitted by the tsetse fly. A team...

Beyond the Male "Pill"

Last January, an Australian engineer announced a bizarre new contraceptive for men: a radio-controlled implant that could block the flow of sperm with the click of a button. The device,...

'Mind-Blowing' New Creature Discovered

Mysterious sea creatures grow into simple slug-like cell masses. These are no sea monkeys.

Gaming 'not green enough'

Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are not producing 'green' enough consoles, says Greenpeace.

Observatory: Telltale DNA Bits Give Away Presence of Secretive Invaders

Some animals are so secretive that finding them, to determine how far they have spread, is nearly impossible.