Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Natural 'magnetometer' in upper beak of birds?
Neurobiologists show similar structural candidates for a magnetoreceptor in different bird species.
Genome of the pea aphid is sequenced
CORAL GABLES, Fla., Feb. 25 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they have sequenced the entire genome of the pea aphid -- the first sap-sucking insect to be sequenced.
Mouse model may provide insight into the schizophrenic brain
Schizophrenia is an incredibly complex and profoundly debilitating disorder that typically manifests in early adulthood but is thought to arise, at least in part, from pathological disturbances occurring during very...
Prednisolone not beneficial in pneumonia
ALKMAAR, Netherlands, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- A Netherlands-led team of scientists says it has determined prednisolone is not beneficial in most cases of community-acquired pneumonia.
Mayo oral cancer study shows full tumour genome
Mayo Clinic researchers along with collaborators from Life Technologies are reporting on the application of a new approach for sequencing RNA to study cancer tumours. Their findings from a proof-of-principle...
What it might take to unravel the 'lean mean machine' that is cancer
Scientists from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research have published a paper, online today in Nature Cell Biology, describing gene expression in a prostate cancer cell: more sweeping, more targeted...
Gene regulation: Can we stomach it? New technique fights against cause of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer
A breakthrough in decoding gene regulation of Helicobacter pylori has been made by an international research team. Using a newly developed sequencing technique, the researchers discovered 60 small ribonucleic acids...
Sperm whales may team up to herd prey
Data recorders yield first hints of coordinated feeding behavior
Scientists Identify Specific Barley Tissues Infected by Scab
(PhysOrg.com) -- Recent studies involving the fungus that causes the disease known as scab in barley have helped Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists identify the specific tissues the fungus infects.
Sound maps reveal whales and noise pollution
(PhysOrg.com) -- Chris Clark discussed his state-of-the-art acoustic animations and the difficulties facing whales Feb. 21 at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in San Diego.
Where injured nerve cells heal their bones
(PhysOrg.com) -- Microtubules are small protein tubes that give cells their structure and enable both their growth and division. It was assumed up to now that microtubules are formed by...
OMG - Guess what my genes say? Researcher discusses ethics of posting genetic info online
(PhysOrg.com) -- Spit in a tube, mail away the sample and learn what`s in your genome. A decade ago, this was science fiction; now, thanks to personal genomics companies such...
Researchers identify a potential therapeutic target for brain cancer
Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic report the identification of a protein that is highly expressed in a subgroup of glioblastoma brain tumor cells and show that depletion of this protein...
Web-based tools, called 'Galaxy,' simplify genomic analysis
With tremendous advances in DNA sequencing and the advent of microarray technology in the 1990s, biology embarked on a new age of discovery. Researchers suddenly had access to unprecedented amounts...
Is an animal's agility affected by the position of its eyes?
New research from scientists in Liverpool has revealed the relationship between agility and vision in mammals. The study, published today in the Journal of Anatomy, sampled 51 species to compare...
Melanoma transcriptome reveals novel genomic alterations not seen before
Melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, afflicts more than 50,000 people in the United States annually and the incidence rate continues to rise. In a study published online...
Chimps 'appreciate a full pint'
Chimpanzees can accurately gauge the volume of a non-alcoholic liquid, displaying a hitherto unrecognised intelligence.
Gene scan helps gas reduction
After mapping a microbe's genes, researchers are closer to reducing how much methane cows let off - possibly through vaccination.
Defect causes copper problem
Researchers have found the cause of a mysterious degenerative disease - a gene defect that leads to a copper imbalance.
Sarah Boseley on Commons committee condemnation of homeopathy
Sarah Boseley on Commons committee condemnation of homeopathySarah Boseley
National Briefing | Southwest: Arizona: Condors Died of Lead Poisoning
Tests show that three rare California condors found dead in northern Arizona last month died because they ingested lead pellets while feeding on carrion.
NZ dolphins under threat
Attempts to protect New Zealand's rare Hector's dolphin are failing to prevent a rapid decline in the species.
Naps Clear Brain's Inbox, Improve Learning
During sleep, information locked in the brain's short-term storage migrates into a longer-term "database," according to a new study that backs up the benefits of midday power naps.
Study Sheds Light On Formation of Tissue-Engineered Vascular Grafts to Repair Heart Defect
(PhysOrg.com) -- A Yale School of Medicine study provides new understanding of the mechanisms that underlie how tissue engineered vascular grafts (TEVG) work. The paper is published this week in...
Use of DNA evidence is not an open and shut case, professor says
(PhysOrg.com) -- Whether used to clinch a guilty verdict or predict the end of a "CSI" episode, DNA evidence has given millions of people a sense of certainty -- but...
We Still Can't Explain Biology With Molecules
Most science talks I listen to, even good ones, leave me dissatisfied because the stories I hear never come to a complete resolution. The issue is this: we can get...
Simple math explains dramatic beak shape variation in Darwin's finches
Cambridge, Mass., February 22, 2010 -- From how massive humpbacks glide through the sea with ease to the efficient way fungal spores fly, applied mathematicians at Harvard have excavated the...
Hacked Smartphones Could Be Used to Spy On You
As smartphones become more powerful, they become susceptible to even more sophisticated attacks from hackers.