Latest science news in Biology & Nature
New study uses wastewater to map large-scale patterns of illicit drug use
A team of researchers has mapped patterns of illicit drug use across the US state of Oregon using a method of sampling municipal wastewater before it is treated...
Through sand, desert lizard swims like a snake
A little Saharan lizard "swims" through desert sands by undulating its body in a series of wave-like motions, a new study finds.
New fruit fly pheromone is discovered
BOSTON, July 16 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists using a new form of high-resolution laser mass spectrometry say they have discovered a new fruit fly pheromone.
Gliomas exploit immune cells of the brain for rapid expansion
Gliomas are among the most common and most malignant brain tumors. These tumors infiltrate normal brain tissue and grow very rapidly. As a result, surgery can never completely remove the...
New science of learning offers preview of tomorrow's classroom
LA JOLLA, CA -- Of all the qualities that distinguish humans from other species, how we learn is one of the most significant.
France joins Monaco in call for international trade ban for endangered bluefin tuna
President Nicolas Sarkozy of France today announced his country's support for a ban of international trade in endangered Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna, joining a growing call to list the...
New Map Of Genomic Variations Will Aid Diagnosis And Studies Of Gene Disorders
Genetics researchers have unveiled a powerful new resource for scientists and health providers studying human illnesses -- a reference standard of deletions and duplications of DNA found in the human...
What are the characteristics of clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori?
Clarithromycin resistance is an uncommon occurrence among Malaysian isolates of Helicobacter pylori strains, and the mutations A2142G and A2143G detected were associated with low-level resistance.
Dog wet nurse saves panda cubs in China
Two red panda cubs abandoned by their mother at birth are thriving at a northern China zoo thanks to milk and loving care from an unlikely surrogate mother — a...
Sound Solution: New Detection Technologies May Help Protect Whales
Ship traffic, seismic tests and sonar pings can make navigating the seas tricky for whales. But with the help of the heat and sound naturally generated by the warm-blooded creatures, researchers are hoping...
Killer parasites' genes decoded
Scientists have decoded the genetic blueprint of a parasitic worm responsible for thousands of deaths worldwide every year.
'Extinct' tiny shrew rediscovered
The Nelson's small-eared shrew has been rediscovered in Mexico, more than a century after first being described.
Kenya's National Parks Not Free From Wildlife Declines
Long-term declines of elephants, giraffe, impala and other animals in Kenya are occurring at the same rates within the country's national parks as outside of these protected areas, according to...
Genomes Of Parasitic Flatworms Decoded
Scientists have determined the complete genetic sequences of two species of parasitic flatworms that cause schistosomiasis, a debilitating condition also known as snail fever. Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma japonicum are...
Chemical Changes In Cells Tracked As They Endure Extreme Conditions
How do some bacteria survive conditions that should kill them? In groundbreaking research, scientists have used the Advanced Light Source to track chemical changes in individual cells as they adapt...
Surprising New Insights Into The Repair Strategies Of DNA
A microscopic single-celled organism, adapted to survive in some of the harshest environments on earth, could help scientists gain a better understanding of how cancer cells behave.
Entirely New Way To Study Brain Function Developed
Scientists have devised a chemical technique that promises to allow neuroscientists to discover the function of any population of neurons in an animal brain, and provide clues to treating and...
St. Jude scientists discover a new mechanism controlling neuronal migration
The molecular machinery that helps brain cells migrate to their correct place in the developing brain has been identified by scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The finding offers...
Video: Friends Of Sharks
Nine shark bite victims were on Capitol Hill to speak on behalf of the very animals that had bit them. Nancy Cordes reports.
Mysterious Penguin Killings Vex Australia
Blood from Beachside Victims and DNA Tests Suggest the Killer is Stealthy, Fast? And Furry
Dominican Republic calls for stem cell caution
The Dominican Republic's Bioethics Council has expressed concern over the offering of stem cell therapy to the public.
Elephants Don't Always Keep it in the Family
When decimated by humans, elephants turn to friends to beef up their numbers
Solving the mystery of DNA repair
(PhysOrg.com) -- Penny Beuning, an assistant professor of chemical biology and biotechnology at Northeastern, this month received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early-Career Development grant to study how cells...
The Brain Adapts in a Blink to Compensate for Missing Information
The human brain has long been known to perceive things that aren't there--from phantom limbs to patterns in chaos. But a new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) shows for the...
Scientists warn of Ebola outbreak in pigs
Researchers have called for government measures to cap the spread of an Ebola virus in pigs in the Philippines.
Sub-Saharan Africa news in brief: 2–15 July 2009
South Africa says yes to GM sorghum, Zambian labs on the move, Rwanda to start checking goods for toxins, and more.
'Sloppier copier' surprisingly efficient
The "sloppier copier" discovered by USC biologists is also the best sixth man in the DNA repair game, an article in the journal Nature shows.
BASKING SHARK PICTURE: Giant Stranded on Long Island
Basking sharks, the world's second biggest fish, usually die at sea. So why did a 20-foot giant beach itself on New York's Long Island on Tuesday?