Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Scientists grow mice heart muscle strip that beats
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have grown a piece of heart muscle - and then watched it beat - by using stem cells from a mouse embryo, a big step toward one...
Mystery About Proteins That Package The Genome Solved
Researchers have solved a century-old mystery about proteins that play a vital role in the transfer of the human genetic code from one cell to another. The discovery could lead...
One small step for neurones, one giant leap for nerve cell repair
The repair of damaged nerve cells is a major problem in medicine today. A new study by researchers at the Montreal NeurologicaI Institute and Hospital (The Neuro) and McGill University,...
New Brunswick may join Quebec blood agency
The New Brunswick government is negotiating to join Héma-Québec and pull out of Canadian Blood Services over that agency's plan to move a blood production centre out of Saint John.
TGen and Scottsdale Healthcare discover new 'pathways'
Using computer modeling, the Translational Genomics Research Institute and Scottsdale Healthcare have discovered lung cancer 'pathways' that could become targets for new drugs, according to a scientific paper published online...
Genome-wide study of autism published in Nature
In one of the first studies of its kind, an international team of researchers has uncovered a single-letter change in the genetic code that is associated with autism. The finding,...
Loyal alligators display the mating habits of birds
Alligators display the same loyalty to their mating partners as birds reveals a study published today in Molecular Ecology. The ten-year-study by scientists from the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory reveals...
Jumping genes, gene loss and genome dark matter
In research published by Nature, an international team describes the finest map of changes to the structure of human genomes and a resource they have developed for researchers worldwide to...
ATP Is A Key To Feel Warm Temperature
A Japanese research group has found that ATP plays a key role in transmitting temperature information from skin keratinocytes to afferent sensory neurons.
Sony Delivers World's Lightest Notebook -- VAIO X Series
Sony today took the wraps off the world's lightest notebook -- the VAIO X Series.
Feds give sea otters habitat protection in Alaska
(AP) -- Four years after being placed on the Endangered Species List, the dwindling sea otters of southwest Alaska on Wednesday were given an important recovery tool.
Calif. citrus farmers fear tree-killing disease
(AP) -- Tom Mulholland is girding for battle against a tiny enemy that could devastate the orange grove he has spent his life cultivating. His adversary: the Asian citrus...
iPhone the body electric: New 'apps' visualize human anatomy
University of Utah researchers created new iPhone programs - known as applications or "apps" - to help scientists, students, doctors and patients study the human body, evaluate medical problems and...
Lowly females pick mediocre mates
"Low-quality" female birds prefer to mate with low-quality males, say researchers - challenging evolutionary theory.
Sophisticated Genetic Engineering Improves Insulin-producing Beta Cells
Researchers have used sophisticated genetic engineering to remove or "knock out" the Lkb1 gene from beta cells of laboratory mice. The result was an increase in both the size and...
Stem Cells Which 'Fool Immune System' May Provide Vaccination For Cancer
A new study reveals the potential for human stem cells to provide a vaccination against colon cancer. This discovery builds upon a century old theory that immunizing with embryonic materials...
There's no perfect way to back up your hard drive
If there's one thing to keep in mind about computers, it's this: Hard drives fail. I relearned that lesson recently when one of my laptop's external hard drives stopped working...
Baby Bats Imitate Dad's Songs
Vocal mimicry may give clues to evolution of language in humans [Read more]
Edge detection crucial to eyesight
(PhysOrg.com) -- In a major advance in understanding how our eyesight works, Australian scientists have shown that birds' amazing flight and landing precision relies on their ability to detect edges.
Beneficial Nocturnal Insects Help Combat Pests in Texas
(PhysOrg.com) -- Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Texas are staying up late to search for beneficial insects that feed on crops pest eggs at night.
Researcher studies monkeys in Africa to better understand virus evolution
(PhysOrg.com) -- Despite the importance of AIDS in human health, scientists still know very little about the diversity and ecology of AIDS-like viruses in nature.
Human genetics: Hit or miss?
Genome-wide association studies have identified hundreds of genetic clues to disease. Kelly Rae Chi looks at three to see just how on-target the approach seems to be.
The Wild Side: 'Leopard Behind You!'
Not only do many animals have sufficient vocabularies to sound an alarm when predators are near, but they're able to get very specific.
Indianapolis Prize 2010 nominees announced
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- The president of the American Bird Conservancy, George Fenwick, is one of 29 people nominated to receive the 2010 Indianapolis Prize for animal conservation.
Needle therapy numbs nerves
Researchers may have discovered why acupuncture works – it’s possible that the needles disrupt a certain network of pain nerves.
Spray slows mind menopause
A recent study has found that a skin spray of testosterone can improve brain function for healthy post-menopause women.
Propelling bacteria ease liquid flow
Synchronized swimming of bacteria reduces the viscosity of fluid
Rare British butterfly wends its way north
A rare butterfly is spotted in Perthshire, hundreds of miles from its usual habits in England and Wales.