Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Step taken in fighting staph infections
IOWA CITY, Iowa, May 5 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have succeeded in killing established biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus by using one of the bacteria's own regulatory...
Rice Plants That Resist Uptake of Arsenic Could Ease Shortage
Genetically engineered rice plants that resist the uptake of toxic metals could boost production and ease the shortage of this staple crop in Asia, India and Bangladesh, where irrigation with...
'Fishery Failure' Declared For West Coast Salmon Fishery
Officials declared a commercial fishery failure for the West Coast salmon fishery due to historically low salmon returns. Hundreds of thousands of fall Chinook salmon typically return to the Sacramento...
Bacteria Levels In Aircraft Shows Low Risk To Travelers, Study Shows
Popular wisdom says that aircraft provide the perfect environment for spreading disease, but few studies exist to confirm or deny this suspicion. Now, a team of researchers has measured concentrations...
Roaring Bats: New Scientific Results Show Bats Emitting More Decibels Than A Rock Concert
Researchers studying the echolocation behavior in bats have discovered that the diminutive flying mammals emit exceptionally loud sounds -- louder than any known animal in air.
Report: White House blocked whale rules
WASHINGTON, May 2 (UPI) -- White House officials have blocked a rule that would protect North Atlantic right whales in shipping lanes, U.S. conservationists said.
Eight New Human Genome Projects Offer Large-scale Picture Of Genetic Difference
A nationwide consortium has completed the first sequence-based map of structural variations in the human genome, giving scientists an overall picture of the large-scale differences in DNA between individuals. The...
Many Asian Vultures Close to Extinction, Survey Finds
The birds may be gone from the wild within a decade after years of being poisoned by a common veterinary drug in dead livestock, a primary food source.
How safe are green cleaning products?
Plant-based or natural ingredients don't always mean a cleaning product is safe. The market is largely unregulated. ...
Scientists discover the double life of proteins
Scientists at The Australian National University are a step closer to understanding the rare Hartnup disorder after discovering a surprising link between blood pressure regulation and nutrition that could also...
It's a unisex brain with specific signals that trigger 'male' behavior
Research by Yale scientists shows that males and females have essentially unisex brains — at least in flies — according to a recent report in Cell designed to identify factors...
Scientists find a quicker way to make antibodies
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A new process to extract and copy the essential elements of cells that make human antibodies has provided a shortcut to making targeted, infection-fighting proteins known as...
You Just Move Like A Mouse, Or Do So Abnormally Like A Mutant Mouse
A new holistic approach to assess model behavior has been proposed and evaluated by researchers at the University of Tokyo and Osaka Bioscience Institute. The lifestyle of the mouse has...
New Model For Embryonic Limb Development Revealed
Researchers have found a new model to explain how signals between cells in the embryo control limb development. They discovered that secreted growth factors at the distal tip of the...
Bison Can Thrive Again, Study Says
Bison can repopulate large areas from Alaska to Mexico over the next 100 years provided a series of conservation and restoration measures are taken, according to continental assessment of this...
New Findings Challenge Conventional Ideas On Evolution Of Human Diet, Natural Selection
New findings suggest that the ancient human "cousin" known as the "Nutcracker Man" wasn't regularly eating anything like nuts after all. Researchers used a combination of microscopy and fractal analysis...
Single-celled Bacterium Works 24/7
Researchers have gained the first detailed insight into the way circadian rhythms govern global gene expression in Cyanothece, a type of cyanobacterium (blue-green alga) known to cycle between photosynthesis during...
Biomarkers Identified For Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Researchers report the first evidence of a distinctive protein signature that could help to transform the diagnosis and improve the monitoring of the devastating lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in...
Researchers Discover Molecular Basis Of A Form Of Muscular Dystrophy
Researchers report that people with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy are missing a protein called c-FLIP, which the body uses to prevent the loss of muscle tissue. By targeting the cellular and...
Why Does the Brain Need So Much Power? [News]
It is well established that the brain uses more energy than any other human organ, accounting for up to 20 percent of the body's total haul. Until now, most scientists...
Some light shed on blood sugar production
A University of Alberta diabetes researcher has collaborated on a body of diabetes research that has unravelled the signalling pathway mystery that controls the production of blood sugar.
The Hunt for the Kill Switch
The Pentagon is trying to find out if chip makers are building electronic trapdoors in key military hardware.
Free Public Lecture at Scripps Explores an Evolutionary Experiment with Bacteria
Rosenblatt lectureship by Richard Lenski to be held May 15.
Soap as good as disinfectant
Soapy water kills bacteria and cleans just as well as harsh household products and disinfectants, but is better for the environment, a new study has revealed.
Feds sued for taking gray wolves off endangered list
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) -- Environmental and animal rights groups sued the federal government Monday, seeking to restore endangered species status for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies....
Black grouse boost spreads wings
The successful rescue of one of Britain's most endangered birds is extending into new areas.
Tough Early Human Loved Fruit
An early human, the Nutcracker Man, preferred squishy fruits.
Hear the animal world's rising stars
You've heard birdsong — now listen and learn about up-and-coming mammal musicians.