Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Micro-RNA can move, new evidence in plants shows
Ever since tiny bits of genetic material known as microRNA were first characterized in the early 1990s, scientists have been discovering just how important they are to regulating the activity...
Green: A New Name, a Broader Mission
As Earth Day observes its 40th anniversary, we're introducing a new and more ambitious online effort that broadens our lens to include all areas where people and planet meet.
Gold Nano-Bombs Deliver Bacteria-Killing Therapy Directly to Acne
Nanotechnology's bright future has finally come up with a possible treatment for the dreaded pimples of our teen years. That has arrived in the form of gold nano-bombs which deliver a lethal...
Designer threads: New insight into protein fibre assembly
Understanding how mixtures of proteins assemble and how to manipulate them in the laboratory has many exciting biomedical applications, such as providing scaffolds for the engineering of tissues that can...
New methods identify thousands of new DNA sequences missing from the human genome reference map
Researchers have discovered 2,363 new DNA sequences corresponding to 730 regions on the human genome by using new approaches. These sequences represent segments of the genome that were not charted...
Sharing the load: Individual fibrin fibers distribute strain across a network in blood clots
A new study shows that when it comes to networks of protein fibers, individual fibers play a substantial role in effectively strengthening an entire network of fibers in blood clots....
Small molecules mimicking key brain growth factor identified
Researchers have identified several small molecules that mimic a key but cumbersome protein in the brain, a discovery that could open the door to new therapies for a variety of...
Scientists sever molecular signals that prolific parasite uses to puppeteer cells
Scientists studying a cunning parasite that has commandeered the cells of almost half the world's human population have begun to zero in on the molecular signals that must be severed...
Carbon nanotubes boost cancer-fighting cells
New Haven, Conn. -- Yale University engineers have found that the defects in carbon nanotubes cause T cell antigens to cluster in the blood and stimulate the body's natural immune...
Electrifying Images of Volcano Lightning
Up-close photographs captures the scene as Eyjafjallajokull blows its top.
In praise of the Y chromosome
(PhysOrg.com) -- David Page, director of the Whitehead Institute and professor of biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, says research indicates the much-maligned Y chromosome plays a more critical role...
Test makes light work of contaminant detection
A simple colour-change test for detecting food contaminated with melamine could form the basis of a low-cost field kit.
Ancient Worms Munched on Whale Bones
Holes made by boneworms found in whale fossil bones, suggest worms evolved long ago.
Civilized caterpillars talk with their butts
Some caterpillars essentially talk with their rear ends, scraping oar-like structures on leaf surfaces to signal turf ownership to intruders. Now researchers have found the butt-talking evolved from crawling behaviors. ...
New leukemia treatment target suggested
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 20 (UPI) -- U.S. medical researchers say they have identified a group of molecules that keep acute leukemia cells alive and, therefore, might be a treatment...
Artificial human skin with biomechanical properties created using tissue engineering
A biomaterial fibrin-agarose complex was used to generate the artificial skin that was later grafted onto athymic nude mice. Optimal skin development, maturation and functionality results were obtained. This finding...
Tiny New Sea Species Discovered—First Ever Video
Recent ocean expeditions have uncovered some of the world's smallest species—in spectacular abundance.
Biting its own tail: Nanocontainer with an integrated switch
(PhysOrg.com) -- The ouroboros (ancient Greek for "tail devourer") is a motif found in many cultures: a snake biting its own tail, it symbolizes eternity and cycles. Julius Rebek, Jr....
Bureaucracy linked to a nation's growth
"Bureaucracy is the death of all sound work," said Albert Einstein, sharing a popular view about bureaucracy grinding progress to a halt. But it now appears that the organizing functions...
How genetic mutations may cause type 1 diabetes: Findings point to new drug target
Scientists have provided an answer to the 40-year-old mystery of how certain genetic mutations lead to Type 1 diabetes. This new molecular understanding could lead to novel therapies for Type...
Obesity Gene, Carried by More than a Third of the U.S. Population, Leads to Brain Tissue Loss
UCLA researchers have found that a variant of the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene, found in more than a third of the world's population and known to cause...
Books on Science: ‘Anthill: A Novel’
“Anthill” has a philosophical premise, that there are grand cycles in nature, whether of ants, or people or the biosphere.
Florida to try a RADical new idea to protect endangered panthers
Last year 17 Florida panthers ( Felis concolor coryi ) were killed when they were struck by vehicles, an all-time high and a terrible blow to one of North America's...
Observatory: Finding a Way to Stop Ricin in Its Deadly Path
A team in France has found two compounds that block a retrograde pathway used by ricin and Shiga-like toxins.
Observatory: For Some Birds, It’s Not Always the Same Old song
Researchers found that while the songs of some species change almost completely over the years, others hardly differ.
Black or blue? Mulch color affects okra growth, yield
MIAMI, FL -- Plastic mulches have been used in vegetable production in the United States since the 1950s. Black plastic (polyethylene) mulch, which alters the plant's growing environment by...
Urban wildlife: Some birds crave cement, not trees
Not all animals crave green spaces. Some thrive in urban ecosystems composed of concrete and glass and this particularity will be addressed by Danielle Dagenais, a professor at the Université...
Leaf Sensor: Plants "call you" when they are thirsty
NASA estimated that crews headed to or living on Mars would spend 80% of their waking hours farming! Research into a leaf sensor that could "call in" with its...