Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Siberian tiger in severe decline
The last remaining population of Siberian tigers has declined significantly, according to a recent survey.
New chameleon species discovered
YORK, England, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- British and African scientists say they have discovered a new species of chameleon in Tanzania in Eastern Africa.
Polyphenols and polyunsaturated fatty acids boost the birth of new neurones
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) researchers have confirmed that a diet rich in polyphenols and polyunsaturated fatty acids, patented as an LMN diet, helps boost the production of the brain's...
Fish food fight: Fish don't eat trees after all
What constitutes fish food is a matter of debate. A high-profile study a few years ago suggested that fish get almost 50 percent of their carbon from trees and leaves,...
Killer fungus threatening amphibians
Amphibians like frogs and toads have existed for 360 million years and survived when the dinosaurs didn't, but a new aquatic fungus is threatening to make many of them extinct,...
Scientists plea for gorilla protection
NEW YORK, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The Wildlife Conservation Society says gorillas living in a large swamp in the Republic of Congo are increasingly threatened by human activity.
Icelandic genomics firm goes bankrupt
deCODE's demise leaves fate of its valuable genetic database unclear.
Local groups should set biodiversity research agendas
Local groups must help set biodiversity agendas if donors and scientists are to impact conservation, say Robert J. Smith and colleagues.
Computational microscope peers into the working ribosome
Two new studies reveal in unprecedented detail how the ribosome interacts with other molecules to assemble new proteins and guide them toward their destination in biological cells. The studies used...
Time of day matters to thirsty trees, U of T researcher discovers
The time of day matters to forest trees dealing with drought, according to a new paper produced by a research team led by Professor Malcolm Campbell, University of Toronto Scarborough's...
New discovery about the formation of new brain cells
The generation of new nerve cells in the brain is regulated by a peptide known as C3a, which directly affects the stem cells' maturation into nerve cells and is also...
Acute stress leaves epigenetic marks on the hippocampus
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists are learning that the dynamic regulation of genes -- as much as the genes themselves -- shapes the fate of organisms. Now the discovery of a new...
We're off then: The evolution of bat migration
Not just birds, but also a few species of bats face a long journey every year. Researchers at Princeton University in the U.S. and at the Max Planck Institute for...
Factors from common human bacteria may trigger multiple sclerosis
Current research suggests that a common oral bacterium may exacerbate autoimmune disease. The related report by Nichols et al, "Unique Lipids from a Common Human Bacterium Represent a New...
Non-protein antifreeze helps Arctic beetle chill out
Alaskan beetles lead scientists to discover new class of biological antifreeze molecules – the first that do not contain proteins
Evolution vs. Intelligent Design: 6 Bones of Contention
On the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species, an intelligent design advocate and an evolutionist weigh in on six natural wonders often cited as evidence against Darwin's theory.
Database stores spider secrets
A database that lists hundreds of spiders' venom components has been created in the hope scientists will find medicinal uses for them.
Video: Inside an actor's brain | Fiona Shaw performs in a scanner
As part of a new exhibition on human identity, actor Fiona Shaw agreed to have her brain scanned while performing parts of TS Eliot's poem The Waste Land. Stuart Jeffries...
A mechanical model of vocalization
When people speak, sing, or shout, they produce sound by pushing air over their vocal folds -- bits of muscle and tissue that manipulate the air flow and vibrate within...
Observatory: How Hummingbirds Get Their Nectar With Tiny ‘Straws’
Hummingbirds take advantage of the forces of surface tension to extract nectar from a flower.
Remarkable Creatures: In Snails and Snakes, Features to Delight Darwin
As the world celebrates the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species,” some facts on snails and snakes that would have intrigued him.
Insect resistance to Bt crops can be predicted, monitored and managed
Since 1996, crop plants genetically modified to produce bacterial proteins that are toxic to certain insects, yet safe for people, have been planted on more than 200 million hectares worldwide....
Alzheimer's: Destructive amyloid-beta protein may also be essential for normal brain function
Scientists have found that the amyloid-beta protein, currently the target of Alzheimer's drug research, is essential for normal information transfer through nerve cell networks in the brain. "If this protein...
Animals at center of new health curriculum
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Nov. 23 (UPI) -- Purdue University scientists say they'll use a $1.3 million grant to help further students' understanding of the role animals play in keeping...
Diagnosing the future of genomics
Eric Green discusses his priorities as newly appointed director of the US National Human Genome Research Institute.
Cassava sequence unravelled
The sequencing of the cassava genome may speed up the development of more nutritious and virus-resistant varieties of the crop.
Research and legislation should go hand in hand, as much as possible
Carlos María Romeo Casabona is Director of the Interuniversity Professorship in Law and the Humane Genome at Deusto University and the University of the Basque Country. The Professorship is largely...
In Pictures: Rhino comeback
Nepal’s greater one-horned rhino population is making a comeback, after being protected by elephant-riding guards.