Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Visualization of geographic patterns may predict spread of disease
Disease statistics buried within patient records or detailed in newspaper clippings can be sorted and organized to depict geographic patterns, allowing the discovery of trends that were previously overlooked, according...
Lessons from the pond: Clues from green algae on the origin of males and females
A multicellular green alga, Volvox carteri, may have finally unlocked the secrets behind the evolution of different sexes. Scientists have shown that the genetic region that determines sex in Volvox...
From wimp to jock: Cell motor protein finding sheds light on brain malformation that kills infants
New research has uncovered how a "wimpy" protein motor works with two other proteins to gain the strength necessary to move nerve cells and components inside them. The findings shed...
Brain splits to handle two jobs at once
(PhysOrg.com) -- New research has shown that the brain handles two tasks at once by dedicating half the brain to one task, and the other half to the second. This...
University told to hand over data
Queen's University in Belfast has been told by the Information Commissioner to hand over 40 years of research data on tree rings.
'Gay' swans nest together
Male swans set up nest together and act like they will lay eggs.
Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog's site fidelity may lead to further decline
No longer found in 90 percent of its previously occupied habitat, the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog is further threatened by cumulative impacts of a changing climate, introduced non-native trout and...
Electronic 'nose' can predict pleasantness of novel odors
Scientists have 'trained' an electronic system to be able to predict the pleasantness of novel odors, just like a human would perceive them. The researchers argue that the perception of...
High-altitude metabolism lets mice stay slim and healthy on a high-fat diet
Mice that are missing a protein involved in the response to low oxygen stay lean and healthy, even on a high-fat diet, a new study has found...
Perhaps a longer lifespan, certainly a longer 'health span'
Organisms from yeast to rodents to humans all benefit from cutting calories. In less complex organisms, restricting calories can double or even triple lifespan. It's not yet clear just how...
FDA issues shell eggs safety rules
WASHINGTON, April 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it has issued guidance to help small egg producers comply with 2009 federal egg safety regulations.
Big bites improve weight loss
Researchers have found that chewing your food less makes you feel full longer – and food can be designed to help that happen.
Study Affirms Importance of Insect-Eating Animals to Ecosystem Health
(PhysOrg.com) -- Lions, tigers and bears top the ecological pyramid-the diagram of the food chain that every school child knows. They eat smaller animals, feeding on energy that flows up...
Primordial Path To Painkillers
Heat stability of enzyme from Archaea microbe facilitates anti-inflammatory drug synthesis.
Growth curve analyses of Finnish population shed light on the genetic regulation of growth in height
Researchers at the University of Helsinki and the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM) have shown that a gene called LIN28B strongly influences height growth from birth to adulthood...
Novel strategy for generating induced pluripotent stem cells for clinical use is safe and efficient
A new technique for reprogramming human adult cells could greatly improve the safety and efficiency of producing patient-specific stem cells for use in a range of therapeutic applications to repair...
Cosmopolitan eels span the oceans
Moray eels, the slender fish that inspired the movie "Alien," are turning out to be odder than what's on the surface. New research suggests the 150-plus eel species feed on...
Rare gene variants linked to high risk of broad range of seizure disorders
Scientists have uncovered evidence suggesting that people missing large chunks of DNA on chromosome 16 are much more likely than others to develop a chronic seizure disorder during their lifetime.
Cellular channel may open doors to skin conditions, hair growth
Skin and hair follicles are constantly renewed in the body, maintained by specialized stem cells. New research identifies a small cellular channel that regulates skin and hair growth and that...
Mapping methylation's mysterious background
Analysis of 17 species fills in evolutionary history of DNA modification process.
Quantity may determine quality when choosing romantic partners
At bigger speed-dating events, with 24 or more dates, both male and female choosers were more likely to decide based on attributes that could be judged quickly, such as their...
Gene responsible for Duchenne muscular dystrophy can be repaired, research shows
Researchers have found that it is possible to repair the defective gene responsible for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Neurons growing in line
In order to be able to understand complex organs such as the brain or the nervous system, simplified model systems are required. A group of scientists led by the Frankfurt...
There's a Fungus Among Us: Mushrooms, Molds and Lichens Subject of Book
Fungi fuel hungry humans, cure infections and have changed the course of history, says a University of Arkansas biology professor in his new book on this little examined kingdom.
In pictures: Right time for right whale
Scientists are currently seeing an influx of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale into Cape Cod Bay in the US.
Controlling Forests Doesn't Have To Be Toxic
(PhysOrg.com) -- Running electricity through a forest can be a dangerous business. To ensure that high-voltage power lines aren`t touched by branches or brought down by falling trees, they need...
Modified plant clears up deadly water toxin
Researchers have genetically altered the tobacco plant to render harmless a dangerous toxin that contaminates water.
Migratory birds return early in N.B.
Thousands of migratory birds are arriving in New Brunswick weeks ahead of schedule, thanks to the mild weather.