Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Observatory: Birds Rely on Surface Tension to Eat Dinner
Some small shorebirds peck at water to eat, but the question was how the droplets defy gravity to get into the mouth.
New Tool To Understand Evolution Of Multi-domain Genes Developed
Computational biologists have for the first time tackled the dilemma of how to study the ancestry of multidomain genes, which encode an important class of proteins called multidomain proteins that...
Disabling mouse enzyme increases fertility
Changing the sugars attached to a hormone produced in the pituitary gland increased fertility levels in mice nearly 50 percent, a research group at Washington University School of Medicine in...
HIV infection stems from few viruses
A new study reveals the genetic identity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the version responsible for sexual transmission, in unprecedented detail.
Immune Cells Kill Foes By Disrupting Mitochondria Two Ways
T cells can initiate cellular suicide, also known as apoptosis, by a previously unrecognized pathway that starts with the destruction of a key enzyme in mitochondria, the power plant of...
New Drug Combination Kills Leukemia Cells By Shutting Down Their Energy Source
Researchers have discovered a drug combination that kills leukemia cells by shutting down their energy source and hastening cell starvation.
Researchers identify proteins that help develop mammalian hearts
The absence of two proteins in mammalian embryos prevents the development of a healthy heart, a new study by researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, has found.
How small molecule can take apart Alzheimer's disease protein fibers
Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have shown, in unprecedented detail, how a small molecule is able to selectively take apart abnormally folded protein fibers connected to...
Biosensor For Measuring Stress In Cells
Reactive oxygen compounds, including the well-known "free radicals," have an oxidation effect and, thereby, damage cells. However, at low levels, they also regulate key life processes. Scientists have developed a...
Novel enzyme inhibitor paves way for new cancer drug
Combining natural organic atoms with metal complexes, scientists at The Wistar Institute have developed a new type of enzyme inhibitor capable of blocking a biochemical pathway that plays a key...
Inject rational argument into embryo debate, says expert
In the week that the UK parliament debates controversial amendments to the 1990 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, Professor John Burn asks at what point a cell becomes a human.
India looks to nanotechnology to boost agriculture
A recent report recommends investing in nanotechnology R&D to boost Indian agricultural productivity.
The 10 smartest animals
Humans top the list of the most intelligent creatures But don't underestimate the other members of the animal kingdom. Scientists say the definition of animal vs. human intelligence is merely...
Simple Artificial Cell Created From Scratch To Study Cell Complexity
Researchers have developed a simple artificial cell with which to investigate the organization and function of two of the most basic cell components: the cell membrane and the cytoplasm --...
Giant pythons invade southeastern Florida: study
Giant pythons capable of swallowing a dog and even an alligator are rapidly making south Florida their home, potentially threatening other southeastern states, a study said.
Body clock reset clue discovered
A small molecule may have a big role in making the body clock tick, say UK researchers.
Bluetongue animal vaccination starts in most of EU
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU farmers have mostly started vaccinating animals against bluetongue, the virus that ravaged northern Europe's cattle and sheep in 2007, but success depends on vaccine supply and...
Florida warns of pig frog risk
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., May 16 (UPI) -- Florida health and wildlife officials are warning residents of elevated mercury levels in pig frogs.
Cargill study supports stevia sweetener
NEW YORK, May 16 (UPI) -- Cargill and The Coca-Cola Co. said new research establishes the safety of rebiana, a sweetener from the stevia plant.
An ancient protein balances gene activity and silences foreign DNA in bacteria
Compared to humans, bacteria have a much tidier genome. The tiny microorganisms pack their genes closely together, and don’t carry around a lot of extraneous DNA, so-called junk DNA that...
Bears And Hibernation: New Insights Into Metabolism In Extreme Conditions
Due to their ability to produce a potent inhibitor of protein degradation, hibernating bears do not lose muscle mass after long periods of hibernation. The team researched for the first...
'Mitochondrial Eve' Research: Humanity Was Genetically Divided For 100,000 Years
Humanity was genetically divided for as much as 100,000 years, according to new findings. Climate change, reduction in populations and harsh conditions may have caused and maintained the separation.
Wildlife populations 'plummeting'
Between a quarter and a third of the world’s wildlife has been lost since 1970, says the Living Planet Index.
El Nino may have helped Magellan cross the Pacific
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The El Nino phenomenon that has puzzled climate scientists in recent decades may have assisted the first trip around the world nearly 500 years ago....
The Singularity: A Special Report
If you're waiting to upload your consciousness into a computer, don't hold your breath; the rapture of the geeks could be a long time in coming.
First evidence of native dendritic cells in brain
In a finding that has the potential to change the way researchers think about the brain, scientists at Rockefeller University have found dendritic cells where they`ve never been seen before:...
Victimless Leather?
The Museum of Modern Art in New York has had to kill one of the works currently on display in its recent Design and the Elastic mind show. Literally. The...
Larger horns a gamble for young Soay sheep
When it comes to winning mates, larger horns are an asset for male Soay sheep. But those that grow them may be putting their young lives on the line, according...