Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Fungus enhances susceptibility of resistant malaria mosquito to pesticides
In areas where malaria mosquitoes have become resistant to chemical pesticides, mosquito-killing fungi can be an effective tool. Fungal spores can effectively infect and kill malaria mosquitoes, even those that...
Brain Researchers Discover Molecule Responsible For Axonal Branching
The human brain consists of about 100 billion neurons, which altogether form about 100 trillion synaptic connections with each other. A crucial mechanism for the generation of this complex wiring...
'Junk' DNA Cut-and-paste Protein: Discovery May Prove Invaluable In Quest For Gene Therapies
Scientists have identified how a protein enables sections of so-called junk DNA to be cut and pasted within genetic code -- a finding which could speed development of gene therapies....
Giant squid caught off coast of Louisiana
Scientists from NOAA’s Fisheries Service have captured a giant squid while conducting research off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico.
Explaining Why Pruning Encourages Plants To Thrive
Scientists have shown that the main shoot dominates a plant's growth principally because it was there first, rather than due to its position at the top of the plant. The...
How Proteins Talk To Each Other
Investigators have identified novel cleavage sites for the enzyme caspase-3 (an enzyme that proteolytically cleaves target proteins). Using an advanced proteomic technique called N-terminomics, scientists determined the cleavage sites on...
Gene Variant Linked To Glaucoma Identified
Scientists have discovered gene variants for glaucoma in a black population. The finding could lead to future treatments or a cure for this disease, which leads to blindness in two...
University of Iowa scientists use blood-brain barrier as therapy delivery system
The blood brain barrier is generally considered an obstacle to delivering therapies from the bloodstream to the brain. However, University of Iowa researchers have discovered a way to turn the...
With Genetic Gift, 2 Monkeys Are Viewing a More Colorful World
Scientists introduced a missing red pigment into the cone cells of the retinas of two male squirrel monkeys.
Lawrence B. Slobodkin, Pioneering Ecologist, Dies at 81
Dr. Slobodkin, a co-author of a seminal paper informally known as “The World Is Green,” is credited with helping to transform ecology by using quantitative data to test models of...
Proposal To Reintroduce Iberian Lynx On Abandoned Agricultural Land
Spanish scientists have developed a model to identify the agricultural areas with the greatest potential for restoring the habitat of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), which is at risk of...
Experimental Approach May Reverse Rheumatoid Arthritis And Osteoporosis
Researchers have identified a mechanism that may keep a well known signaling molecule from eroding bone and inflaming joints, according to an early study.
Photoswitches Shed Light On Spontaneous Free Swimming In Zebrafish
A new technique employing photoswitches and gene targeting is proving a boon to biologists because it allows researchers to noninvasively turn on small populations of cells as easily as flipping...
Researchers Explain Why Hunger Triggers Infertility
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have long known that calorie restriction increases longevity in animals but at an evolutionary cost - the animals become infertile.
Nanoresearchers challenge dogma in protein transportation in cells
- We now begin to understand how signalling proteins recognize and transport to certain areas of the cell and get a more clear insight on the mechanism of major cellular...
Vital Signs: Awareness: Squeamish? A Nature Video Not to Watch
A wildlife filmmaker’s up-close experience with the botfly.
'Evolutionary forecasting' for drug resistance
Rice University biochemists are developing a system of "evolutionary forecasting" to better understand the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance.
Study finds protein link to fat storage
EDINBURGH, Scotland, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Scottish scientists say they've discovered a protein that's present in all cells in the body could help lead to a better understand of...
Protected birds killed in Malta
The bodies of 150 protected birds are found stashed on the Mediterranean island of Malta as activists search what they call a "major crime scene".
A turning point in the struggle against cancer?
For the past 40 years, cancer research at MIT has focused on identifying the molecular mechanisms that cause the disease.
Elephants, Other Iconic Animals Dying in Kenya Drought
Scores of animals are dying of thirst, starvation, and disease amid the country's worst drought in over a decade, conservationists say.
Delving Into D-Amino Acids
Biochemistry: Bacteria use right-handed amino acids to build and regulate part of their cell wall.
Busiest mechanic best value
New research has found that one in four service providers, like mechanics and lawyers, will rip you off, but the busiest won't have time.
Building A Complete Metabolic Model: Comprehensive Understanding Of Bacteria Could Lead To New Insights Into Many Organisms
Researchers have constructed a complete model, including 3-D protein structures, of the central metabolic network of the bacterium Thermotoga maritima (T. maritima).
Two-way Communication Between Common Biological Pathways And Body's Daily Clock
While scientists have known for several years that our body's internal clock helps regulate many biological processes, researchers have found that the reverse is also true: Many common biological processes...
Reactive Oxygen's Role In Metastasis
Researchers have discovered that reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, play a key role in forming invadopodia, cellular protrusions implicated in cancer cell migration and tumor metastasis.
Drug Discovery Process More Accurate, Less Expensive Using Novel Mass Spectrometry Application
Cancer and cell biology experts have developed a new mass spectrometry-based tool they say provides more precise, cost-effective data collection for drug discovery efforts.
Genetically Engineered Bacteria Etch Famous Faces Into a Petri Dish
Images of the Virgin Mary have appeared on grilled cheese sandwiches, trees and now in a petri dish. But that last appearance was no heavenly manifestation. It was a sign that Christopher Voigt’s...