Latest science news in Biology & Nature
New Worms Eat (and Eat and Eat) Only on Dead Whales
Nine new species that dine only on dead whales have been discovered, a new study says. And what the menu lacks in variety it makes up for in portion size—a single meal...
New Way Deadly Food-borne Bacteria Is Spread
A researcher has uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that plays an important role in the spread of a deadly food-borne bacterium.
'Fingerprints' identify cheetahs
Conservationists develop a pioneering technique to identify wild cheetahs by their paw prints.
Invasive species spread hard to predict
DAVIS, Calif., Sept. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say they've determined it will not be easy to scientifically predict the spread of invasive plants and animals.
Pandas to return to Wolong reserve in 2012
Sixty pandas relocated last year from a famous Chinese nature reserve after their breeding center was severely damaged by a massive earthquake will return home after repairs in 2012.
'Vicious' Giant Python Invading Florida
(PhysOrg.com) -- New studies suggest a 20 foot snake, the African rock python, is making its home in Florida and could soon invade the Everglades National Park.
Italian sociologist cave dweller dies
Italian sociologist Maurizio Montalbini, who spent months living in caves to study how the mind and body cope with isolation, has died aged 56. Montalbini died of a heart attack...
Scientists discover key factor in regulating placenta and foetal growth
Scientists funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have shown that a common biological protein molecule called SHP-2 is crucial for encouraging placenta growth. The research is...
Birds unveil 'silver wings'
A previously unknown structure within feathers gives birds wings a silver sheen, scientists discover.
The Lazy Way to Stay in Love
Waiting for a concert to begin at our local county fair, my husband and I checked out a reptile exhibit that included an animal trainer with a live alligator resting...
How To Make A Lung
A tissue-repair-and-regeneration pathway in the human body, including wound healing, is essential for the early lung to develop properly. Genetically engineered mice fail to develop lungs when two molecules in...
Scientists find that individuals in vegetative states can learn
Scientists have found that some individuals in the vegetative and minimally conscious states, despite lacking the means of reporting awareness themselves, can learn and thereby demonstrate at least a partial...
HIV Uses Several Strategies To Escape Immune Pressure
A study of how HIV mutates in response to immune system pressure shows that the virus can take several escape routes, not one preferred route.
Tuna Town in Japan Sees Falloff of Its Fish
The dark red flesh of the Pacific bluefin tuna is called “black gold” by fishermen in Oma, Japan, but the catches are steadily dwindling.
Memories of the way they used to be
A team of researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla have developed a safe strategy for...
Evolutionary Biology - Home Of The Idiot Savant
I’ve been putting the case for some months now, that evolutionary biology is in a deplorable state due to an uncritical acceptance of the unrealistic assumptions that lie at the...
Ice Cream May Target The Brain Before Your Hips, Study Suggests
Blame your brain for sabotaging your efforts to get back on track after splurging on an extra scoop of ice cream or that second burger during Friday night's football game.
Polymorphisms of the interleukin-1 gene complex may influence alcohol dependence
Cytokines are small proteins secreted by cells that serve as molecular messengers between cells. Pro-inflammatory cytokines -- which function in the immune system -- may be involved...
Get a core muscle workout using a foam roller
Update this popular abdominal exercise by performing it on a foam roller. You'll train multiple core muscles at the same time with one simple move.
Fundy right whale numbers rebound
Thirty years of conservation efforts in the Bay of Fundy appear to be paying off for the endangered North Atlantic right whale, scientists say.
Don't change that channel: DTV woes still abound
(AP) -- Think the digital TV transition is over? Not quite. Many viewers have found that they can't pick up certain stations after the switch, even with the right...
Calcium channels optimize learning
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Switzerland, have shown how calcium channels in the brain have a positive impact on learning. Their results have been...
Venom attracts decapitating flies
Chemistry may help scientists improve control of invasive fire ants
Nesting Turtles Get Military Protection
Mexican Navy patrols are helping to protect endangered Golfina, or olive ridley, turtles as they begin laying eggs at "the most important beach for marine turtle nesting in the world." Video
Exotic Life Beyond Life? Looking For Life As We Don't Know It
Scientists at a new interdisciplinary research institute in Austria are working to uncover how life might evolve with “exotic” biochemistry and solvents, such as sulphuric acid instead of water.
Cations Cling To Cartilage
A new class of contrast agents promises to generate clearer pictures of the state of cartilage in joints.
The Most Passionate Sixteen-Arm Embrace
Did you know that Isabella Rossellini writes, co-directs, and stars in a show about reproductive behavior and conservation? The show is called Green Porno. Yes, really! It has just come to...
How To Improve Vaccines To Trigger T Cell As Well As Antibody Response
Most successful vaccines stimulate antibodies that attack and kill viruses as they scoot from one cell to another. But what about viruses and other pathogens that never leave the cell?...