Latest science news in Biology & Nature
British butterfly is evolving to respond to climate change
As global temperatures rise and climatic zones move polewards, species will need to find different environments to prevent extinction. New research, published today in the journal Molecular Ecology, has revealed...
Early sign of Alzheimer's reversed in lab
One of the earliest known impairments caused by Alzheimer's disease - loss of sense of smell - can be restored by removing a plaque-forming protein in a mouse model of...
Stinky frogs are a treasure trove of antibiotic substances
Some of the nastiest smelling creatures on Earth have skin that produces the greatest known variety of anti-bacterial substances that hold promise for becoming new weapons in the battle against...
Turtles in nests 'talking' to each other?
SYDNEY, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Baby turtles may communicate in the nest to coordinate their hatching to prevent some emerging alone and at the mercy of predators, Australian researchers...
B.C. killer whale protection fight back in court
The protection of B.C.'s killer whales was under scrutiny on Wednesday, as the federal government appealed a ruling that they do not adequately protect the endangered orcas.
Oil-eating mushrooms
Take a Petri dish containing crude petroleum and it will release a strong odor distinctive of the toxins that make up the fossil fuel. Sprinkle mushroom spores over the Petri...
Elevated arsenic levels in apple juice
YONKERS, N.Y., Nov. 30 (UPI) -- A U.S. test of apple juice and grape juice found 10 percent had arsenic levels higher than federal drinking water standards, Consumer Reports...
Controlled disorder: Scientists find way to form random molecular patterns
Scientists have discovered a way to control how tiny flat molecules fit together in a seemingly random pattern.
First analysis of tumor-suppressor interactions with whole genome in normal human cells reveals key differences with cancer cells
Scientists investigating the interactions, or binding patterns, of a major tumor-suppressor protein known as p53 with the entire genome in normal human cells have turned up key differences from those...
Gene is first linked to herpes-related cold sores
Researchers have identified the first gene associated with frequent herpes-related cold sores.
Researchers' new recipe cooks up better tissue 'phantoms'
The precise blending of tiny particles and multicolor dyes transforms gelatin into a realistic surrogate for human tissue. These tissue mimics, known as "phantoms," provide an accurate proving ground for...
World-traveling sea turtle comes home
When a nameless, frigid sea turtle showed up in the Netherlands three years ago it had little chance of surviving much longer in the icy waters of the North Sea....
Ultrathin, Foldable Sensors Probe Secrets of the Brain
The sensors promise to deliver unprecedented views of the brain while dramatically reducing the invasiveness of today's brain implant devices.
Stronger corn? Take it off steroids, make it all female
A Purdue University researcher has taken corn off steroids and found that the results might lead to improvements in that and other crops.
Unlocking the genetic and molecular mystery of soft-tissue sarcoma
Scientists have uncovered important molecular and genetic keys to the development of soft-tissue sarcomas in skeletal muscle, giving researchers and clinicians additional targets to stop the growth of these often...
From gene to function: Genome wide study into new gene functions in the formation of platelets
A new study successfully identifies new genetic variants involved in the formation of platelets and more importantly, defines how genes near these variants affect platelet size and number using a...
Timing is everything: Bacterial attachment mimics just-in-time industrial model
Biologists and physicists have shown that certain bacteria wait until the last minute to synthesize the glue that allows them to attach permanently to surfaces.
New Picture of Bats' Acoustic Sense Emerges
An angular type of sonar keeps bats from bumping into obstacles.
Genetic sequencing could help match patients with biomarker-driven cancer trials, treatments
As cancer researchers continue to identify genetic mutations driving different cancer subtypes, they are also creating a catalog of possible targets for new treatments.
Biologists deliver neutralizing antibodies that protect against HIV infection in mice
Over the past year, researchers at the California Institute of Technology, and around the world, have been studying a group of potent antibodies that have the ability to neutralize HIV...
The newest of the new in gene therapy: 'Tag and target and exchange'
A combination of two techniques promises to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of experimental gene therapies, while also reducing potential side effects says a new research report published in the...
Monarchs Face a Tough Winter Migration Road
Drought in Texas may have struck a blow to the iconic insects.
Turtle doves and partridges among wild birds in steep decline in Britain
The number of wild birds on farmland has fallen 52% overall in the past 40 years, with turtle doves in danger of disappearingDatablog: UK bird populations – which are up, which are...
Cell biology: The new cell anatomy
Cell biology: The new cell anatomyNature 480, 26 30112011 doi: 10.1038/480026aRoberta KwokA menagerie of intriguing cell structures, some long-neglected and others newly discovered, is keeping biologists glued to their microscopes.
Sickle cell anemia as malaria defense
Sickle cell anemia causes pain, fatigue and delayed growth, all because of a lack of enough healthy red blood cells. And yet genetic mutations that cause it - recessive genes...
New research proves color is not a black and white issue
Scientists at the University of Hull have found that some people have the ability to hallucinate colours at will even without the help of hypnosis.
The communicative brain
The ability to communicate using language is fundamental to the distinctive and remarkable success of the modern human. It is this capacity that separates us most decisively from our primate...
Mouse study explains bacterium's unique role in periodontitis
Scientists say they have solved in mice the mystery of how an unusual bacterium can trigger the common dental condition periodontitis while residing in low numbers in the space between...