Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Tiger Deaths Raise Alarms about Chinese Zoos
A zoo where 11 rare Siberian tigers recently starved to death is fast becoming a symbol of the mistreatment of animals in China.
Research sheds light on the inner workings of the inflammatory response to leishmaniasis
The secret world of inflammation is slowly being revealed by the application of advanced techniques in microscopy, as shown in a study published March 12 in the open-access journal PLoS...
Barrier in mosquito midgut protects invading pathogens
Scientists studying the Anopheles gambiae mosquito - the main vector of malaria - have found that when the mosquito takes a blood meal, that act triggers two enzymes to form...
Vitamin D and calcium interplay explored
Increasing calcium intake is a common -- yet not always successful -- strategy for reducing bone fractures. But a new study underscores the importance of vitamin D and its ability...
New clues about the basis of muscle wasting disease
New findings shed light on how genetic damage to muscle cell proteins can lead to the development of the rare muscle-wasting disease, nemaline myopathy.
Video: Eye-Opening Alarm Clocks
As daylight saving time approaches, many worry about over-sleeping when changing their clocks. Men's Journal's Jonathan Wilde speaks with Erica Hill about some next generation alarm clocks.
All-Black Penguin Is One-in-a-Zillion
Mutated Bird Spotted During National Geographic Journey to Antarctica
Plants discover the benefits of good neighbors in strategy against herbivores
Scandinavian scientists have discovered that a species of tree defends itself from herbivore attack by using chemicals emitted by neighboring plants. The study reveals how species of Birch tree absorb...
Brain tumor's 'grow-or-go' switch discovered
High energy levels cause glioblastoma cells to proliferate; low levels cause them to grow less and to migrate. This study discovered that a molecule called miR-451 coordinates this grow-or-go behavior,...
Biologists find proof of first confirmed species of monogamous frog
Amphibians may be a love 'em and leave 'em class, but one frog species defies the norm, scientists have found. Biologists have discovered in Peru the first confirmed species of...
Naked Mole Rats' Secrets Revealed
Biologists Thomas Park studies naked mole rats and has found these strange animals can live long periods without oxygen and are immune to certain types of pain
Video: Face-to-Face with Great White Sharks
Underwater photographer Don Carpenter discussed how he captured close-up photographs of great white sharks.
Climate change threatens most bird species
WASHINGTON, March 12 (UPI) -- Climate change poses a threat to 93 percent of Hawaii's bird species, said a report from orthinologists and environmental groups.
Humans, sea creatures share vision gene
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 12 (UPI) -- Humans and an ancient group of sea creatures known as hydras share a gene that aids in vision, scientists in California said.
Notch protein: Opposing functions of key molecule in development of organisms
Scientists reveal a surprising new function of Notch protein that contrasts with the one known to date.
Napa vineyards quarantined against moth
ST. HELENA, Calif., March 12 (UPI) -- A nearly 162-square-mile region of prime grape-growing land in California's Napa Valley was quarantined to halt the spread of the invasive European...
'Relaxation' a critical step in vertebrate brain development
(PhysOrg.com) -- Normal vertebrate brain ventricle formation relies upon the stretchiness or "relaxation" of the neuroepithelium, which is regulated by the motor protein myosin. This process was discovered in zebrafish...
Blue whale skeleton comes to Ottawa
The Canadian Museum of Nature has unveiled the star attraction of its new Water Gallery - a massive blue whale skeleton.
Glenn Close latest to have genes mapped
American film actress Glenn Close has joined a handful of celebrities to have their genome sequenced in the name of science. Glenn Close - Biology -...
Video: Tulips in an Unusual Place
In Southern California, the flora and the fauna have to be able to resist the heat. But, as John Blackstone reports, a trick on nature has allowed tulips to pop...
Researchers characterize stem cell function
The promise of stem cells lies in their unique ability to differentiate into a multitude of different types of cells. But in order to determine how to use stem cells...
Feature: Colonial cold case
Investigating the real events surrounding a gothic murder mystery has resulted in the first micro-history of a murder trial in colonial South-East Asia.
Yellow fever strikes monkey populations in South America
A group of Argentine scientists, including health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society, have announced that yellow fever is the culprit in a 2007-2008 die-off of howler monkeys in...
Roundup 3/11: Like a Snake Edition
Vacationing in Florida? Want to bring your python? Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife... [Read more]
Protein defect found in brain disorders
LONDON, Ontario, March 11 (UPI) -- Canadian researchers say they have found a diverse group of brain disorders thought to be unrelated are all linked to defective chromatin proteins.
Signal proteins for plant stem cells discovered
Wageningen University (The Netherlands) biochemist Dolf Weijers and his German colleagues have discovered how stem cells in a plant embryo are formed. The cells communicate with one another via the...
U of Minnesota researcher discovers how electricity moves through cells
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have created a molecular image of a system that moves electrons between proteins in cells. The achievement is a breakthrough for biology and could...
Berkeley scientists find new way to get physical in the fight against cancer
Conventional biological wisdom holds that living cells interact with their environment through an elaborate network of chemical signals. As a result many therapies for the treatment of cancer and...