Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Adobe Fumes Over Apple Snub
Company Says Flash Freeze-Out from iPhone, IPad May Bite Bottom Line
Depression associated with sustained brain signals: Genetic mutation in mice elevates their risk of stress-induced depression
Genetics may have some role in the predisposition of some people to the effects of stress, as changes in a gene that regulates brain signals are associated with depression. Scientists...
Pathogenic fungus loves brain sugar
DURHAM, N.C., April 7 (UPI) -- U.S. and Canadian scientists say they've found the highly dangerous fungi Cryptococcus loves sugar and will consume it anywhere -- even in the...
Corrected: Pharma seeks genetic clues to healthy aging
LONDON (Reuters) - They may be a little wrinkly, and there may not be many of them, but centenarians are the fastest growing demographic in the developed world.
Museum launches butterfly house
The Natural History Museum unveils its new attraction which allows people to walk among hundreds of butterflies.
Far-flung pine pollen still potent miles from the tree: Long-lived pine pollen might hinder containing transgenic trees
A new study suggests that pollen from the loblolly pine -- the most commonly planted tree in the southern US -- can still germinate after drifting long distances. The answer...
Eating like a bird helps forests grow
Lions, tigers and bears top the ecological pyramid -- the diagram of the food chain that every school child knows. A new study examines complex interactions in the middle of...
Robins rule in annual North American bird tally
Nearly 2 million robins ruled the roost in the 2010 Great Backyard Bird Count, outnumbering all other species in the 13th annual tally of North American birds reported by 63,000...
For stem cells, practice makes perfect
Multipotent stem cells have the capacity to develop into different types of cells by reprogramming their DNA to turn on different combinations of genes, a process called 'differentiation.' In a...
Form or function? Evolution takes different paths
Biologists long have known that both the appearance of organisms and their inner workings are shaped by evolution. But do the same genetic mechanisms underlie changes in form and function?...
Clue to cause of motor neurone disease revealed in new genetic study
Researchers have discovered a fifth genetic mutation associated with typical motor neurone disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, that has a similar pathological effect to certain genetic mutations revealed in earlier...
The Genome's Best Duel's Post-Duel
As is tradition, I was reading the latest edition Nature while watching the Duke-Butler NCAA Men's Basketball Finals. What, that isn't your tradition?
Only some like it hot: How birds from different populations react to infections in their natural environment
With the help of new radiotelemetry technology, researchers have now succeeded, for the first time, in studying fever in a vertebrate species living in the wild, the North American song...
Scientists identify genes involved in cell division in humans
Name a human gene, and you'll find a movie online showing you what happens to cells when it is switched off, thanks to work by researchers in a study where...
Bees with an impaired insulin partner gene prefer proteins over carbs
A new study of food-choice behavior in honey bees has identified a gene involved in bees' decisions to bring protein or nectar back to the colony. By taking control of...
Bile sends mixed signals to E. coli
Bile secretions in the small intestine send signals to disease-causing gut bacteria allowing them to change their behavior to maximize their chances of surviving, according to new research. The findings...
Genetically Engineered Pigs, Earth-Friendly Poop
Scientists say Canada's "Enviropig" is both Eco-friendly and Will Cut Farmers' Feed-Supplement Costs
Observatory: Caterpillars That Thrive in Water and on Land
About a dozen species of caterpillar in Hawaii were found to be able to breathe indefinitely both in and out of water.
From a Songbird, New Insights Into the Brain
Researchers have decoded the genome of the zebra finch, whose males learn a single love song from their fathers that they repeat through life.
Researchers find a better way to track stem cells
A study published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (19:1) has found that using the FDA-approved contrast agent Indocyanine Green (ICG) to label human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs)...
Ayurveda out of balance: 93 percent of medicinal plants threatened with extinction
Traditional Ayurvedic medicine could face an uncertain future as 93 percent of the wild plants used in the practice are threatened with extinction due to overexploitation, the Times of India...
Bottom Of The Inning Not Tops For Hitters
For most teams, Major League Baseball's season opens today, and for some diehard fans there are few things more sacred than statistics.
Small But Mighty Female Lizards Control Genetic Destiny
(PhysOrg.com) -- "Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." Mother Teresa's words echo throughout the world. They ring particularly true in the biological...
Sheep virus life cycle that causes malignant catarrhal fever explained
The mysterious life cycle of a sheep virus that causes malignant catarrhal fever has been discovered by agricultural scientists -- the first step in developing a vaccine against the disease.
When the dinner bell rings for seafloor scavengers, larger animals get first dibs
Surplus food can be a double-edged sword for bottom-feeders in the ocean deep, according to a new study. While extra nutrients give a boost to large animals on the deep...
Special Report: Fast machines, genes and the future of medicine
WASHINGTON/CHICAGO/LONDON (Reuters ) - Francis Collins, who helped map the human genome, did not get around to having his own genes analyzed until last summer. And he was surprised by...
Alzheimer's rat created for human research
MONTREAL, April 5 (UPI) -- A Canadian-led international team of scientists says it has genetically manipulated a rat to create an ideal model for studying Alzheimer's disease in humans.
Endangered rhino may have miscarried
JAKARTA, April 5 (UPI) -- An endangered Sumatran rhino living in captivity may have miscarried, officials at the Indonesian Rhino Foundation said.