Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Cloning of woolly mammoths no longer sci-fi
Researchers say it will be possible to resurrect the extinct animals within the next half century
Study finds mutating stem cells
A new study finds 138 stem cell lines that change genetically after growing in the laboratory, allowing for their elimination.
How cells remove bits of RNA from DNA strands
When RNA component units called ribonucleotides become embedded in genomic DNA, which contains the complete genetic data for an organism, they can cause problems for cells. It is known that...
Genome of Controversial Arsenic Bacterium Sequenced
Our data show evidence for arsenate in macromolecules that normally contain phosphate, most notably...
Panda pair jet-lagged after flight to Britain
A pair of giant pandas are a bit jet-lagged after a long-haul flight from China but are already "frolicking around" in their new surroundings, a spokesman for Edinburgh Zoo said...
Video: International Cell Race Clocks Cells Speeding Along Microscopic Race Tracks, For Science
Cell Race World Cell RaceOn your mark ... get set ... mitosis! A clump of bone marrow cells are the fastest cells in the world, moving at a glacial pace of 5.2...
Study shows frequent gene mutation in kidney cancer
December 4th, 2011, Cambridge, MA and Shenzhen, China -- BGI, the world's largest genomics organization, announced that a study on frequent mutation of genes encoding ubiquitin-mediated...
New gene study of ADHD points to defects in brain signaling pathways
Pediatric researchers analyzing genetic influences in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have found alterations in specific genes involved in important brain signaling pathways. The...
Bacteria convert wastewater chemicals into toxic form
(PhysOrg.com) -- While traces of pharmaceutical compounds are commonly present in wastewater, interactions with bacteria during the treatment process could transform them from non-toxic to toxic forms, a new study...
Insight: Stem cell therapy poised to come in from the cold
(Reuters) - A rogue surgeon injects stem cells from a fetus into a sick man's brain. The cells morph and form body parts. When the man dies, the pathologist finds...
Study finds evidence of sperm whale culture
Differences in the patterned clicks that sperm whales use to communicate with each other seem to be down to culture and not genetics, say researchers.
Human cells build protein cages to trap invading Shigella
In research on the never-ending war between pathogen and host, scientists at the Pasteur Institute in Paris have discovered a novel defensive weapon, a cytoskeletal protein called septin, that humans...
Sierra Leone Gola Rainforest becomes national park
(AP) -- Sierra Leone's president is officially declaring the Gola Rainforest a national park.
Sick Ants Behave Less Social
Living in groups has several benefits, such as more efficient foraging, cooperative breeding, predator defense, and so on. Yet the high degree of social interactions and, typically, high levels of...
Life's Extremes: Atheists vs. Believers
Nature and nurture play roles in where a person ends up on this spectrum.
You can lead a penguin to water, but can you make him swim?
Maryland Zoo keepers act as coaches for newborns in their efforts to help save an endangered African species.When it comes to water, penguins aren't naturals.
T. Franklin Williams, Early Geriatric Specialist, Dies at 90
Dr. Williams was a former director of the National Institute on Aging and a longtime professor at the University of Rochester.
Big cat sounds [video] | @GrrlScientist
This caturday video smile shares some of the many sounds that big (and not so big) cats can make If you like housecats, you probably love BIG cats! And if that's the...
Inflammatory cues modulate goblet cell products important for intestinal barrier function
In a paper published in the December 2011 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine, a team of scientists at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign led by Rex Gaskins, PhD have...
Boom and Bust in Acorns Will Affect Many Creatures, Including Humans
A dearth this year of the familiar autumn seeds will probably lead to a steep drop in the population of field mice, and a particularly dangerous season for Lyme disease.
Da Vinci masterpiece under threat
MILAN, Italy, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Leonardo da Vinci's painting The Last Supper is threatened by tourists who come to Italy to view it and leave behind compounds from...
Activists sue to free whale from captivity
Lolita, a killer whale captured from Puget Sound, has been performing at Miami Seaquarium for 40 years
Human Genome Untangled in 3-D [Video]
Erez Lieberman Aiden was an undergraduate at Princeton University in 2000 when scientists announced with great fanfare that they had sequenced the first human genome , yielding a...
Green Blog: Nurturing Wildlife in War-Torn Afghanistan
About 80 percent of Afghans live near wildlife and depend upon natural resources for survival, but war has degraded the country to the point of threatening those lifelines. By training...
Dutch Researcher Retracts First Paper, Offers 'Apologies'
Today's issue of Science contains the first official retraction of a paper by Diedrik Stapel,...
Engineering cartilage replacements
A lab discovery is a step toward implantable replacement cartilage, holding promise for knees, shoulders, ears and noses damaged by osteoarthritis, sports injuries and accidents. Self-assembling...
The week in wildlife – in pictures
Albino squirrels, snow-diving foxes and a storm of starlings - the pick of this week's images from the natural world
Plant seeds protect their genetic material against dehydration
Plant seeds represent a special biological system: They remain in a dormant state with a significantly reduced metabolism and are thus able to withstand harsh environmental conditions for extended periods....