Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Elephant to get the boot
Judy, the 41-year-old female Asian elephant at the Baton Rouge Zoo, may soon be wearing a boot to protect her from recurring foot infections. Asian Elephant...
Reserves 'win–win' for fish and fishermen
Marine protection areas could offer fisheries a boost.
Monogamy Seen in Amphibians for First Time
Tight resources keep parents close in poisonous frog species [Read more]
Killing in the name of conservation
Thanks to the introduction of various non-native species to Australia throughout history, the country is overrun with feral animals. A new application developed by ecologists aims to improve the success...
Can Corals Adapt to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification?
SAN DIEGO -- For plants, animals and marine life whose environment changes, their options are stark and simple: Move, adapt or die.
Unpacking condensins' function in embryonic stem cells
Regulatory proteins common to all eukaryotic cells can have additional, unique functions in embryonic stem (ES) cells, according to a study in the February 22 issue of the Journal of...
From uncharted region of human genome, clues emerge about origins of coronary artery disease
Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have learned how an interval of DNA in an unexplored region of the human genome increases the risk for...
Participation 'important for healthy marine parks'
The involvement of locals is a key ingredient in the success of marine parks which protect coral reefs and fish stocks...
Animal disease jumps species
Researchers have found that a common lung disease started out infecting animals, moving to humans relatively recently.
Observatory: Puzzle Solved: How a Fatherless Lizard Species Maintains Its Genetic Diversity
Despite reproducing without a male partner, a whiptail lizard species has a strong presence in the wild.
NIH may allow stem-cell lines from younger embryos
Lines derived from pre-blastocyst stage embryos could be eligible for agency funding.
New discovery: Plaice fish are spotted (on the inside)
Have you seen a spotted plaice? Probably. Marine biologists have now studied the spotted insides of plaice.
UCR researcher identifies mechanism malaria parasite uses to spread among red blood cells
Malaria remains one of the most deadly infectious diseases. Yet, how Plasmodium, the malaria parasite, regulates its infectious cycle has remained an enigma despite decades of rigourous research...
Evolutionary game of rock-paper-scissors may lead to new species
New research on lizards supports an old idea about how species can originate. Morphologically distinct types are often found within species, and biologists have speculated that these 'morphs' could be...
New DNA technique leads to a breakthrough in child cancer research
Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden and Karolinska Institutet have used novel technology to reveal the different genetic patterns of neuroblastoma, an...
Same Species, Polar Opposites: The Mystery of Identical Creatures Found in both Arctic and Antarctic Waters [Slide Show]
Two years ago, several research vessels shipped out to the North and the South poles to assemble a census of creatures living under the ice. One of the most surprising...
University of Minnesota scientist finds that big plant seeds don't always beat out small seeds
University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences researcher Helene Muller-Landau has developed a new theory explaining why some plant species produce a small number of large seeds while others produce...
Researchers discover second protective role for tumour-suppressor
ATM, a protein that reacts to DNA damage by ordering repairs or the suicide of the defective cell, plays a similar, previously unknown role in response to oxidative damage outside...
Sorting the drivers from the passengers in the cancer genome
A new study of mutations in cancer genomes shows how researchers can begin to distinguish the 'driver' mutations that push cells towards cancer from the 'passenger' mutations that are a...
New research reveals threat to monkey numbers from forest decline
Monkey populations in threatened forests are far more sensitive to damage to their habitat than previously thought, according to new research...
Chemical tags likely to affect metabolism, cancer development
It is not unusual to hear people blame their metabolism after gaining a few pounds. But changes in metabolism - the process that shapes how our bodies turn food into...
Cancer genes remove brakes
Researchers have revealed how epigenetic changes work in cancer cells – making genes inaccessible until growth is the only option.
Orangutan survival and the shopping trolley
Panorama investigates how demand for the palm oil that lands in our shopping trolleys is killing Indonesia's orangutans.
Rare bumblebee stumbles north for first time in 50 years
Conservationists hail the discovery of a species of bumblebee north of the border for the first time in 50 years.
Stem Cell Vitamin Boost
Soon after the exciting discovery of a method to turn human adult cells into stem cells in 2007 came the frustration of actually trying to make that transformation efficient. In...
Giant Squid In Aquariums By 2020?
What to look for in the next decade, as far as squid are concerned? Certainly new species will be discovered and described. Fisheries will probably spring up for species that...
Oats good for brain longevity
Scientists are developing a wild oat extract which will benefit cognitive function in Australia's ageing population.
A Base for War Training, and Species Preservation
As it conducts round-the-clock exercises to support two wars, Fort Stewart, in Georgia, spends as much as $3 million a year on wildlife management.