Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Study discovers how body size is regulated
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 13 (UPI) -- A German-U.S. study has discovered 10 new genes related to human growth in a finding scientists say might explain why people distinctly...
Antibiotic cuts neuronal brain cell death
RICHMOND, Va., May 13 (UPI) -- U.S. medical scientists say they have determined how an antibiotic is able to reduce neuronal cell death in the brain.
Studying "Fight or Flight" At the Cellular Level
C. elegans: Photo by Zeynep F. Altun (CC Licensed)It is well known how we humans respond to immediate stress—through a phenomenon we share with all animals known as fight...
New Cost-effective Means To Reconstruct Virus Populations
Researchers from the United States and Switzerland have developed mathematical and statistical tools for reconstructing viral populations using pyrosequencing, a novel and effective technique for sequencing DNA.
Feedstock Makes A Difference In Feeding Distiller's Grains
When it comes to using distiller's grains in finishing rations of High Plains cattle, scientists say the type of grain used makes all the difference. An AgriLife Research beef nutritionist...
Tomato Stands Firm In Face Of Fungus
Scientists have discovered how to keep one's tomatoes from wilting -- the answer lies at the molecular level. Farmers and fellow agriculturalists are continuously battling the ability of plant pathogens...
Worms Triple Sperm Transfer When Paternity Is At Risk
Scientists used to think that hermaphrodites, due to their low position in the evolutionary scale, did not have sufficiently developed sensory systems to assess the "quality" of their mates. A...
Chromosome 'Lassoing': A New Key Mechanism In Cell Division
Scientists have revealed the function of a protein that is indispensable for passing on an accurate copy of the genome from mother to daughter cells. This study opens up new...
Bread Mold May Unlock Secret To Eliminating Disease-causing Genes
Scientist have examined a new mechanism in the reproductive cycle of a certain species of mold. This mechanism protects the organism from genetic abnormalities by "silencing" unmatched genes during meiosis...
Dying Bats In The Northeast U.S. Remain A Mystery
Investigations continue into the cause of a mysterious illness that has killed thousands of bats since March 2008. At more than 25 caves and mines in the northeastern US, bats...
Edible Antifreeze
Edible Antifreeze: Photo by iStock/Getty/iStockPutting food back in the freezer after it thaws causes ice crystals to grow, imparting the unwelcome crunchy texture and mildew-like taste of freezer burn....
Don't turn your nose up at mouse urine
Urinary proteins are key to ultra-sensitive artificial noses.
News Bytes of the Week--Could Coastal Trees Have Saved Lives in Myanmar? [News]
Felled mangrove trees may have doomed the coast of Myanmar [More]
Designer Genes - Drew Endy uses DNA to make new and improved versions of life
When Drew Endy envisions the future, he sees giant gourds engineered to grow into four-bedroom, two-bathroom houses. He sees people alerted to nascent tumors in their bodies by internal biological...
Ivory Coast seeks $1 mln for three-headed coconut tree
ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Researchers in Ivory Coast are asking $1 million for a three-headed hybrid coconut tree they believe could substantially boost the tropical nut's yield.
Elusive protein protects malaria parasite from heme
Researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech have identified Heme Detoxification Protein, a unique protein encoded in the malaria genome that represents a potential target for developing new...
Captive breeding to save Kashmir's rare red deer
Kashmir's endangered red deer faces extinction without a captive breeding programme that will start this summer in the scenic Himalayan region, Indian wildlife officials said Friday.
Cats can help male mice get ladies
Cat odor is known scare mice away, but it also seems to act like an aphrodisiac for the rodents, a new study shows.
'Early birds' adapt to climate change
Individual birds can adjust their behaviour to take climate change in their stride, according to a study by scientists from the University of Oxford.
Debate on analyzing 'cold hit' DNA matches swirls in case before California Supreme Court
A long-time scientific controversy centers on how to calculate the probability that such a match would be the result of coincidence. ...
New batch of walruses get tagged
Ten of Greenland's walruses are fitted with sat-tags to confirm whether the blubbery beasts migrate to Canada.
Sub-Saharan Africa news in brief: 23 April–8 May 2008
Scientists sterilise malaria-carrying mosquitoes, farmers get their hands on brand new rice varieties, roll out of HIV drugs is urged, and more.
Cat Urine Makes Mice Macho
Tom and Jerry may never get along, but cats could help mice get lucky in love.
$271 Million for Research on Stem Cells in California
The awards represent the largest chunk of money given at one time by California’s taxpayer-backed stem cell program, which plans to spend about $3 billion over a decade.
Personal Best: For Peak Performance, 3 Is Not Better Than 1
To run faster, triathletes need to stop swimming and cycling.
Magnet Lab researchers make observing cell functions easier
Now that the genome (DNA) of humans and many other organisms have been sequenced, biologists are turning their attention to discovering how the many thousands of structural and control genes...
Web tool puts wildlife diseases on the map
A new online map makes it possible, for the first time, to track news of disease outbreaks around the world that threaten the health of wildlife, domestic animals, and people.
What's Our Connection to the Platypus? [News]
The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is an odd-looking creature whose features combine the furry torso and wide, flat tail of a beaver with the rubbery bill and webbed feet of a...