Latest science news in Biology & Nature
DNA-based gel produces proteins without live cells
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new method developed by Cornell biological engineers offers an efficient way to make proteins for use in medicine or industry without the use of live cells. The...
Lung cells used for sensing antigens
BETHESDA, Md., April 1 (UPI) -- A U.S.-led international team of scientists found certain lung cells can be used in the human immune response for sensing airborne allergens.
Study: Treat lab mice as individuals
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., April 1 (UPI) -- A U.S.-led team of scientists says just as no two humans are the same, treating mice more as individuals in laboratory...
Chimp strength: Brains as well as muscles
STATE COLLEGE, Pa., April 1 (UPI) -- A U.S. evolutionary biologist says chimpanzees, which are several times stronger than humans, gain strength from their brains, as well as...
Some eye cells misidentified as stem cells
MEMPHIS, April 1 (UPI) -- A U.S.-led team of medical researchers says cells isolated from the eye that many scientists believe are retinal stem cells are actually normal...
Stem Cell Breakthrough: 'Switch' Created That Turns Stem Cells Into Muscle
In a genetic engineering breakthrough that could help everyone from bed-ridden patients to elite athletes, a team of American researchers has created a "switch" that allows mutations to be turned...
Single Gene Shapes the Toil of Ants’ Fighter and Forager Castes
Researchers have found that protein levels can change, altering ant behavior.
A Conversation With Dee Boersma: A Census Taker for Penguins in Argentina
Dee Boersma, a University of Washington conservation biologist, is the Jane Goodall of penguins.
Cats' nervous systems able to repair themselves
Scientists studying a mysterious neurological affliction in cats have discovered a surprising ability of the central nervous system to repair itself and restore function.
Lice genomes: Pieces of a new puzzle
Parents and school nurses take note. Lice are a familiar nuisance around the world and vectors of serious diseases, such as epidemic typhus, in developing regions. New research indicates that...
Hundreds of natural-selection studies could be wrong, study demonstrates
Scientists at Penn State and the National Institute of Genetics in Japan have demonstrated that several statistical methods commonly used by biologists to detect natural selection at the molecular level...
Workhorse immune molecules lead secret lives in the brain
Molecules assumed to be in the exclusive employ of the immune system have been caught moonlighting in the brain - with a job description apparently quite distinct from their role...
Researchers examine use of native southern African plants in veterinary medicine
When animals in southern Africa are sick, often the first place their caretakers look for help is from native plants. That's what makes understanding and conserving these plants so important,...
Cancer Genomics Browser Gives Cancer Researchers A Powerful New Tool
A Cancer Genomics Browser provides a new way to visualize and analyze data from studies aimed at improving cancer treatment by unraveling the complex genetic roots of the disease.
Gene Tells Soldier Ants to Beat Swords into Ploughshares
(PhysOrg.com) -- While science has yet to discover what makes that little ol' ant think he'll move that rubber tree plant, researchers at the University of Toronto Mississauga have identified...
Mutations within a conservative region of HCV affects the therapy
At least 200 million individuals are currently infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide. Approximately 30%-50% of patients respond to interferon/ribavirin combination therapy. Response to interferon therapy depends mainly on...
New Possibilities for Hydrogen-Producing Algae
(PhysOrg.com) -- Photosynthesis produces the food that we eat and the oxygen that we breathe ― could it also help satisfy our future energy needs by producing clean-burning hydrogen? Researchers...
Wildlife Specialist Issues Salmonella Caution to Bird Feeders
Virginia citizens have been reporting a significant number of deaths of birds common to bird feeding stations such as finches. The current problem is not yet epidemic statewide. Salmonella occurs...
The Exploding Squid Population
It's been said there are not so many fish in the sea as there used to be. However, John Blackstone reports on a proliferation of Humboldt squid that is even...
Ants really are random wanderers
Ants don't march in predictable patterns to search for crumbs, as you might have thought by watching them. Instead, new research suggests they roam randomly.
Egg Makes Sure That Sperm Don't Get Too Old
In contrast to women, men are fertile throughout life. But new research in Sweden has now shown that a fertilizing sperm can get help from the egg to rejuvenate. The...
Recipes for Health: The Dinner Toast
Though it’s usually thought of as an appetizer, bruschetta makes for a fine meal.
N.B. midwives still waiting for recognition
Midwives in New Brunswick are still waiting for the province to live up to its promise to regulate their industry.
Ecologists study lizard tail shedding
ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 30 (UPI) -- U.S. ecologists say they've identified the main factor that determines a lizard's ability to shed its tail when predators attack: viper...
Activity Of Individual Brain Cells Predicts Cognitive Flexibility
A new study provides intriguing insights into mechanisms of cognitive flexibility at the single cell level. The research may help to explain how we can change our point of view...
Drop In Daddy Long Legs Is Devastating Bird Populations
Research shows how climate change is having an impact on upland bird species such as the golden plover.
News from space for osteoporosis patients on earth: resistance is not futile
Results of a space experiment published online in The FASEB Journal have yielded a giant leap for science that could translate into an important step for mankind in the ongoing...
Brain Building: Brain Growth Tied To Cell Division In Mouse Embryos
How your brain grows might come down to how your cells divide. Scientists report that mouse protein Vangl2 controls the asymmetrical cell division and developmental fate of progenitor neurons.