Latest science news in Biology & Nature
How microtubules let go of their attachments during cell division
Researchers have determined how cells regulate the chromosome/microtubule interface, which is central to proper chromosomal distribution during cell division. The chromosome/microtubule interface is critical during cell division. If a microtubule...
Aiming to cure deafness, Stanford scientists first to create functional inner-ear cells
Deep inside the ear, specialised cells called hair cells detect vibrations in the air and translate them into sound. Ten years ago, Stefan Heller, PhD, professor of otolaryngology at the...
Tissue engineers create a new way to assemble artificial tissues
Tissue engineering has long held promise for building new organs to replace damaged livers, blood vessels and other body parts. However, one major obstacle is getting cells grown in a...
Scientists offer new take on selective fishing
A new, less selective approach to commercial fishing is needed to ensure the ongoing productivity of marine ecosystems and to maintain biodiversity, according to a paper in the Proceedings of...
Low oxygen levels prevent X chromosome inactivation in human embryonic stem cells
Oxygen levels in the lab can permanently alter human embryonic stem (ES) cells, specifically inducing X chromosome inactivation in female cells, according to Whitehead Institute researchers. Human ES cells have...
Whale Returns to Calif. Harbor Day after Rescue
Gray Whale Nicknamed Lily Was Freed From 150 Pounds of Fishing Nets and Ropes Wednesday
Up, Up and Away with Aerobots
Unmanned blimps or balloons flying for thousands of kilometers could offer a bird`s eye view of planets and moons.
Explained: Directed evolution
In nature, evolution takes place over eons: A slow accumulation of adaptations gradually produces new traits and species. But evolution can also happen on a small and fast scale in...
How the brain decides what to eat
Researchers provide the first indication of the genes and brain circuits involved in deciding what to eat, in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, opening the way for understanding feeding decisions...
Spiders devour ants front-end first
A spider that only eats ants is choosy about which body parts of its prey it devours based on their nutritional value.
Calcium in early life may prevent obesity later
There's no denying that people need calcium for strong, healthy bones. But new research from North Carolina State University suggests that not getting enough calcium in the earliest days of...
Q. and A.: The Population Guru
Paul Ehrlich, the biologist and professor of population studies at Stanford University, discusses his latest work.
Spicing up drug screening
A method for quick identification of potential illegal components in commercial herbal products has been developed by UK scientists
Shell brushing off Alaska concerns?
HOUSTON, May 13 (UPI) -- Despite Washington apprehension regarding offshore oil exploration, Royal Dutch Shell maintains it has the experience needed to work safely in Alaska.
Some Cod Populations at Historic Lows
Formerly abundant cod fish stocks in Canada have dwindled to nearly unrecoverable levels.
New genes may save wet wheat
Researchers are investigating rice and sea barleygrass for genes that will help wheat to survive waterlogged and saline soils.
Study finds protein that plays key role in early embryonic development
Researchers studying the common genetic disorder chromosome 22q.11 deletion syndrome have identified key proteins that act together to regulate early embryonic development. One protein is essential to life; in animal...
'Unique' frog discovered in India
A new species of "brightly coloured frog" is discovered in a remote peak in southern India, say scientists.
Thresher shark mystery solved
Thresher sharks use their huge tails to stun other fish, new video footage confirms.
Stem cells: In search of a master controller
With thousands of scientists across the globe searching for ways to use adult stem cells to fight disease, there's a growing emphasis on finding the "master regulator" that guides the...
Insects not 'hard-wired': Young male crickets grow larger in the presence of abundant male song
Biologists have found that male crickets growing up in the presence of abundant male song tend to be larger, behave differently, and invest nearly 10 percent more reproductive tissue mass...
Southern California theme parks get ready to open new attractions this summer
New light shows, roller coasters and a 3-D King Kong ride are aimed at helping attendance numbers rebound from last year's slump. ...
Prof disproves gene analysis that appeared to support out-of-Africa replacement model
(PhysOrg.com) -- In the sometimes opaque world of statistics, Alan R. Templeton, Ph.D., professor of biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, has found that it's...
Fatal fungus in frogs may be key to saving humans in the future
Scientists have been alarmed for years about a mysterious fungus that wipes out frogs around the globe -- even in wildlife sanctuaries like Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon national parks.
Aging tortoise receives ultrasound eye exam
Barnaby, the 70-or-so-year-old Aldabra tortoise at Blank Park Zoo, has a problem only an eye doctor can figure out.
Super Slo-Mo Frog Video Reveals Jumping Secrets
Watch mesmerizing video that's helping unlock secrets of jumping frogs, some of which can leap more than ten times their lengths. Video.
Scripps Research study overturns decade-old findings in neurobiology
LA JOLLA, CA -- May 12, 2010 -- In findings that should finally put to rest a decade of controversy in the field of neurobiology, a team at...
Sand dredging threatens Cambodia's coasts
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, May 12 (UPI) -- Sand dredging in Cambodia, fueled by Singapore's expansion and land reclamation projects, poses a huge risk to Cambodia's coastal environment, says a...