Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Cracking the Genetic Code of a Frog
Unless your father was a prince with a shady past , you probably haven't thought much about how related you are to a frog lately. But it turns out that...
Wildlife documentaries infringe animals' privacy, says report
Humans assume other species have no right to privacy during 'intimate moments', says author of study• Greatest nature photos of all timeWildlife documentary makers are infringing animals' rights to privacy by filming their...
Mirror movement disorder gene clue found
Members of a large family in Quebec who have trouble moving one hand without the other hand doing the same thing all share a genetic mutation, Montreal researchers have discovered.
Study reveals new genetic link to scleroderma
An international research consortium including scientists from The University of Texas Health Science Centre at Houston (UTHealth) has identified a new genetic link to the systemic form of scleroderma. Researchers...
First case of animals making their own carotene
The insects known as aphids can make their own essential nutrients called carotenoids, according to University of Arizona researchers...
Scientists clock onto how sunlight puts a spring in our step
Scientists have discovered two 'body clock' genes that reveal how seasonal changes in hormones are controlled and could ultimately help find treatments for seasonal affective disorder...
Migratory behaviour affects the size of brains in birds
Researchers at Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF, a Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona-affiliated centre) shed new light on the evolution of brain size in birds. Scientists have known...
New research about human genetic diseases and human development
The density of transposable (jumping) elements between sex chromosomes in primates may have important consequences for the studies of human genetic diseases, say Penn State University researchers. Erika Kvikstad, a...
Our genes can be set on pause
New evidence in embryonic stem cells shows that mammalian genes may all have a layer of control that acts essentially like the pause button on your DVR. The researchers say...
A single protein regulates 2 immune pathways
Unchecked, the natural or innate immune system can run out of control - like a stuck accelerator on a car. Eventually, it will kill the host it is supposed to...
Fluorescent compounds make tumors glow
A series of novel imaging agents could light up tumors as they begin to form – before they turn deadly – and signal their transition to aggressive cancers.
The broken biodiversity promise
Back in 2002, world leaders gathered for the Convention on Biological Diversity and made a promise to slow the rate of biodiversity loss around the globe by 2010. However, a...
Research finds low oxygen resources in Central New York's Three Rivers system
A unique three-year longitudinal and vertical study of Central New York's Three Rivers system -- involving the Oswego, Oneida and Seneca rivers -- has revealed that oxygen resources have become...
Scientists offer new take on selective fishing
(PhysOrg.com) -- 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...
... But Burning Oil is Clear Part of Solution, Say Experts
Yesterday, in an effort to reduce the amount of oil from the Deepwater Horizon...
Please DO Feed the Bears, Biologist Says
Giving bears snacks may keep the animals away from homes and campsites, one biologist says. Others warn the practice is ineffective—possibly dangerous.
Bizarre Frogs, Lizards, and Salamanders
Legless amphibians with tentacles on their heads and ghost frogs are just a few of the world's weirdest amphibians.
Less is More When Restraining Calories Boosts Immunity
Scientists funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) found that volunteers who followed a low-calorie diet or a very low-calorie diet not only lost weight, but also significantly enhanced their...
Details on the Class Act
Part 1 of our deep dive into the details of the Class Act, the federal government's new long-term care insurance program.
Brain cell study sheds light on epilepsy
PHILADELPHIA, April 29 (UPI) -- U.S. neuroscientists have identified a process that helps control the firing of neurons -- a finding they said sheds light on epileptic seizures.
Instant insight: Life's phosphorous paradox
Mike Blackburn and Jon Waltho discuss the important and diverse roles that phosphorus plays in all life forms.
Taliban leader in Pakistan was not killed by U.S. missile, sources say
Hakimullah Mahsud, believed dead after a January drone strike, is alive and hiding in Pakistan’s tribal areas. It’s a setback in the U.S. and Pakistani fight against the Taliban there. ...
Watching a living brain in the act of seeing -- with single-synapse resolution
Scientists report evidence that individual neurons carry out significant aspects of visual processing. Their novel microscopy method makes it possible to observe individual synapses on a single neuron in a...
In Pictures: Tiger heaven
Kaziranga National Park in India holds the highest density of tigers in the world, according to a new report.
Hypertensive rat genome sequence expected to uncover genetic basis of human hypertension
Chronic high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a serious health risk factor that afflicts more than 25% of all adults worldwide, but the molecular basis of the disease...
Antarctic conveyor belt revealed in detail
Researchers track Antarctic Bottom Water as it speeds northwards
Swedish scientists stop acorn barnacles
Marine organisms that fasten to the bottoms of ships have always been a scourge to seafaring. By monitoring how the larvae of acorn barnacles go about finding suitable spots to...
Whaling Compromise Rejected
Exchanging verbal blows, Australia and Japan announced this week that neither country will accept...