Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Birth of embryonic stem cells is imaged
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. biologists say they have identified the specific region in vertebrates where adult blood stem cells arise during embryonic development.
Brain Activity Measured While Flies Fly
Electrodes hooked up to tiny fruit-fly brains showed a boost in activity when in flight.
A common thread links multiple human cognitive disorders
A new study reveals that a common underlying mechanism is shared by a group of previously unrelated disorders which all cause complex defects in brain development and function. Rett syndrome...
Buddy, can you spare a banana? Study finds that bonobos share like humans
New research suggests that the act of voluntarily sharing something with another may not be entirely exclusive to the human experience. Bonobos -- a sister species of chimpanzees and, like...
Scent of a spider: Sex pheromone of the wasp spider identified
(PhysOrg.com) -- Wasp spiders normally live alone. In their mating season, however, they look for a partner. To help them along, the females exude a chemical lure, a pheromone that...
New maize varieties to boost grain production in West and Central Africa
Maize production in West and Central Africa is set to get a significant boost. Newly released varieties address many of the major constraints to grain production in the sub-region such...
Why love birds 'dance' to the Sun
Male great bustards point their tail feathers towards the Sun during elaborate mating displays, scientists find.
Some birds may use their feathers to touch
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study of auklets suggests the birds use their ornamental feathers in much the same way as cats use their whiskers: to feel their surroundings.
South Florida cold snap puts squeeze on pythons
The snakes and other nonnative animals are dying by the thousands as temperatures drop, highlighting the debate over intruder species. ...
Master gene SRC-3 enables breast cancer growth, invasion
The master gene SRC-3 not only enhances estrogen-dependent growth of cancer cells, it also sends a signal to the cell membrane to promote cell movement -- a key element of...
Bacteria-killing proteins cover blood type blind spot
Galectin-4 and galectin-8, carbohydrate-binding proteins found in our intestines, can recognize and kill bacteria that have human blood type sugar molecules on their surfaces. This discovery explains why bacteria can't...
The Chemistry of Love
Studies Show Love Can Be a Powerful Drug, and the Brain a Key Element in the Science of Attraction
Catching calcium waves could provide Alzheimer's insights
New insights on what causes Alzheimer's disease could arise from a recent discovery made by bioengineers. The finding concerns the infamous amyloid beta peptides (A²) -- fragments of which form...
Salmon run in Sacramento hits record low
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 13 (UPI) -- The number of Chinook salmon returning to California's Sacramento-San Joaquin river system to spawn hit a record low last fall, fisheries biologists say.
Role of protein pair in obesity regulation
New research implicates a new protein in obesity development and highlights a protein pair's "team effort" in regulating obesity and insulin resistance.
Explaining Laminar Flow Biology Style
When asked to justify the research I do, I always struggle a little to explain my dissatisfaction with the traditional descriptive, non-quantitative explanations of molecular biological systems. As a glance...
Plant buffers may limit spread of antibiotics in animal waste
Research by scientists at the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry suggests that buffer strips of grasses and other plants can trap and break down veterinary antibiotics in manure fertilizers.
Diving into squid territory
After a recent invasion of jumbo squids in the waters near Newport Beach, a senior scientist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute talks about migration, life span, intelligence and...
Snake uses odd tentacles to sense prey
American biologists have found that an unusual snake with short tentacles on its snout uses the appendages to locate its prey, even in the dark.
A fuller picture of dinosaur feathers
Two recent studies describe the plumes on the Sinosauropteryx and the Anchiornis huxleyi, and some researchers suggest the colorful displays were used not for flying or insulation, but for visual...
It Ain't Over Until the Fat Lady Logs Off
Nico Muhly Commissioned By Met And ENO To Write Internet-themed Opera
Panasonic Announced New 3MOS Camcorders
Panasonic today introduces two additions to its 2010 line of camcorders, the Panasonic HDC-HS700 and HDC-TM700, both Full High Definition (HD) 3MOS camcorders with 1920 x 1080 resolution.
High-Reliability Read-Method for Spin-Torque-Transfer MRAM, Next-Generation Non-Volatile Memory
Fujitsu Laboratories and the University of Toronto today announced that they have jointly developed the world's first high-reliability read-method for use with spin-torque-transfer (STT) MRAM that is insusceptible to erroneous...
ORNL Researcher Assists 'Extreme Makeover' Crew
Jeff Christian of the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory provided behind-the-scenes assistance for a segment on this Sunday's "Extreme Makeover Home Edition" on ABC-TV that features the construction...
Do-It-Yourself Genetic Engineering
In the burgeoning field of synthetic biology, even amateur scientists are building life forms.
Spindles give cancer clues
(PhysOrg.com) -- Cancer scientists working at the University of Dundee have discovered a form of stem cell activity that may help lead to early identification of the disease.
Tokyo to receive 2 pandas from China next year
Japanese panda fans will be able to see the endangered animals in Tokyo next year for the first time since 2008, after the city reached an agreement to pay nearly...
Invasive mackinaw culled from lake
HOPE, Idaho, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Thousands of invasive mackinaw fish that have disrupted the food chain are being culled from Idaho's Lake Pend Oreille, wildlife officials said.