Latest science news in Biology & Nature
New nanoparticles fight infections
SINGAPORE, July 1 (UPI) -- Singaporean scientists say they have developed nanoparticles that might lead to new treatments for meningitis, fungal infections and drug-resistant bacteria.
Chromosomal Problems Affect Nearly All Human Embryos: Discovery May Explain Low Fertility Rates In Humans
For the first time, scientists have shown that chromosomal abnormalities are present in more than 90 percent of IVF embryos, even those produced by young, fertile couples.
Super-sleepers could help super-sizers!
Many species of animals go through a period of torpor to conserve energy when resources are scarce. But when it comes to switching to energy-saving mode, the champion by far among vertebrates is...
PHOTO: Lynx Kittens Signal Success in Colorado
The discovery of ten lynx kittens marks the first time newborn lynx have been documented in Colorado since 2006, heartening biologists.
Rainwater collecting a go in Colorado
DURANGO, Colo., June 29 (UPI) -- Residents of Colorado who have private wells can begin collecting rainwater amid the state's ongoing water supply problems, state lawmakers say.
Electrodes placed on the brain, not in it
SALT LAKE CITY, June 29 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say brain signals controlling arm movement can be detected by using microelectrodes that are positioned on the brain, but...
Natural-born Divers And The Molecular Traces Of Evolution
When the ancestors of present marine mammals returned to the oceans, their physiology had to adapt radically. Scientists have been studying how myoglobin, the molecule responsible for delivering oxygen to...
Ovarian Transplantation: New Technique Gives Greatly Improved Results In This Delicate Operation
Ultra-fast freezing of ovarian tissue from women who have lost their fertility as a result of cancer treatment can lead to it being used in transplants with the same success...
Plant protein 'doorkeepers' block invading microbes, study finds
A group of plant proteins that 'shut the door' on bacteria that would otherwise infect the plant's leaves has been identified for the first time by a team of researchers...
Lion prides form to win turf wars
Lions form prides to defend territory against other lions, not to improve their hunting success, new research reveals.
Mice run faster on high-grade oil
Between the 1932 and 2008 Olympic Games, world record times of the men's 100m sprint improved by 0.6 seconds. Scientists at the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology in Austria have...
Evolution of a Contraceptive for Sea Lamprey
In addition to providing fundamental insights into the early evolution of the estrogen receptor, research by a team at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine may lead...
Fly Larvae Shun The Light
Drosophila larvae avoid light during the foraging stage of their development. New research shows that both 5-HT (serotonergic) and corazonergic neurons have a role in regulating this behavior.
Synthetic Biology: Gene Therapy Gets Under The Skin
Vaseline, a known molecule from apples and a gene network encapsulated in algal gelatin are the components of a possible gene therapy which literally gets under the skin. An important...
Why Do Subordinates In Many Animal Species Accept Social Position Without A Fight?
In many animal species stable hierarchies are routinely formed in which some individuals seem to slip naturally into their dominant role whereas others resign themselves to play the part of...
Research could save rare lizard
New research has found that reintroducing reptiles to the wild works best 50 at a time, and could help the endangered lizards survive.
Bacteria cleans industry's smell
Australian researchers have developed an eco-friendly way to clean up industrial odour using bacteria.
What makes a great footballer?
Scientists are studying footballing ability to gain insight into the role that skill plays in the physical performance of vertebrates. The results, to be presented at the Society for Experimental...
Garlic to the rescue for the conker tree
Gardeners are to use garlic to fight bleeding canker, the tree disease that threatens to wipe out Britain's horse chestnuts. More than 3,000 trees have already been felled since the disease, which
Map of elephant DNA reveals trail of ivory smugglers
Scientists have used a revolutionary genetic technique to pinpoint the area of Africa where smugglers are slaughtering elephants to feed the worldwide illegal ivory trade.
Burmese pythons studied in S. Carolina
AIKEN, S.C., June 28 (UPI) -- Ten Burmese pythons have been imported to South Carolina for a study to determine if the huge snakes can survive and thrive...
Fecal DNA Sampling Provides Extremely Accurate Estimates Of Tiger Populations
High-tech DNA fecal sampling will help save tigers. Researchers will be able to accurately count and assess tiger populations by identifying individual animals from the unique DNA signature found in...
Why A Low Calorie Diet Extends Lifespans: Critical Enzyme Pair Identified
Experiment after experiment confirms that a diet on the brink of starvation expands lifespan in mice and many other species. But the molecular mechanism that links nutrition and survival is...
Beetles Add New Dynamic to Forest Fire Control Efforts
More than 7 million acres of trees have been killed by the tiny insects, complicating experts’ efforts to reduce wildfires.
Researchers pinpoint a new enemy for tumour-suppressor p53
Researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Centre have identified a protein that marks the tumour suppressor p53 for destruction, providing a potential new avenue for restoring...
Melons Sweetened With DNA Sequence
People smell them, thump them and eyeball their shape. But ultimately, it's sweetness and a sense of healthy eating that lands a melon in a shopper's cart. Plant breeders now...
Scientists study foes’ ways at Creation Museum
In one of the largest gatherings of critics since the Creation Museum in northern Kentucky opened two years ago, six dozen paleontologists in the area for a conference took a...
PICTURES: Hand Stencils Through Time
Scientists unravel the mysteries of handprints, a universal form of human expression spanning continents and millennia