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NASA launches a solar observatory … Self-control impaired in type-2 diabetics … Bees attracted to nicotine, caffeine … Scientists find way to stop cell migration ... Health/Science news from UPI.
More tigers in captivity than in the wild
NEW YORK, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Sunday will mark the Chinese New Year -- the Year of the Tiger -- but U.S. conservation officials say the world's tiger population...
Chocoholic mice fear no pain
Ever get a buzz from eating chocolate? Scientists have shown that chocolate-craving mice are ready to tolerate electric shocks to get their fix.
Resistant wheat goes for the gut to protect against Hessian flies
Resistant wheat plants stave off attacks by Hessian fly larvae by essentially destroying the fly's midgut and its ability to absorb nutrients, according to a new study.
Single-cell imaging ID's gene interactions
BOSTON, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say they have developed a method of interpreting data from single-cell images to identify genetic interactions with biological networks.
A study reveals how respiratory tubes and capillaries form
Scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and CSIC report on the formation of the small-diameter respiratory tubes of the fly Drosophila, a process that resembles the...
Research identifies gene with likely role in premenstrual disorder
Scientists have identified a gene they say is a strong candidate for involvement in premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and other maladies associated with the natural flux in hormones during the...
Blueberries counteract intestinal diseases
It is already known that blueberries are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. New research from the Lund University Faculty of Engineering in Sweden shows that blueberry fibre are important and can...
Infection-fighting antibodies made in plants as effective as costlier conventional version
The first head-to-head comparison of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies produced from plants versus the same antibodies produced from mammalian cells has shown that plant-produced antibodies can fight infection equally well...
Small insect with a big heart: 'Giving' aphids endangered by their selflessness
One of the founding principles of Darwin's theory is that biological evolution has been shaped by the survival of the fittest. Things, however, are not always that simple as researchers...
Complete chemokine profile of a cell
Chemokines are a large group of proteins whose predominant function is to direct cell migration. They regulate many physiological and pathophysiological processes, in particular in the immune system. Researchers have...
Different colors describe happiness, depression
Are you in a gray mood today? How about a blue funk? Maybe you're seeing red, because you're green with jealousy. The colors we use to describe emotions may be...
Biologist solves mystery of tropical grasses' origin
Biologists have found that rainfall, not temperature, was the primary trigger for the evolutionary beginnings of C4 tropical grasses.
News Analysis: For Human Spaceflight, Can Measured Beat Bold?
The Obama administration is trying to keep humans flying in space, but will its measured proposals succeed where others fell short?
Smallest eel-loach fish discovered
(PhysOrg.com) -- The world's smallest species of eel-loach fish has been discovered by a Natural History Museum scientist and his colleague this month and is featured on the Museum's Species...
ESA Bulletin 141 (February 2010)
On the cover this month, CryoSat-2 is shown here complete, and now on schedule for launch later in February. Read the Bulletin and other publications online, with our visualiser tool. .ro_link{color:#00338D;} .ro_link:hover{color:#00549F;} Read...
Spider silk provides clues for fog harvesting
The discovery of how spiders' webs catch dew could lead to improved ways of harvesting water from the air.
Invasive lionfish a menace in Florida Keys
KEY LARGO, Fla., Feb. 8 (UPI) -- The red lionfish has invaded the waters in and around the Florida Keys, wreaking havoc on the island cluster's native fish populations,...
For the First Time, Researchers Find Longevity Gene That Helps Determine Lifespan
Come on, you apes! You wanna live forever? Humanity's search for the secrets to immortality has inspired Ray Kurzweil's Singularity vision and DARPA's hunt for ageless synthetic beings. Now scientists have discovered a...
First film of giant deep-sea fish
Scientists film the giant serpent-like oarfish in its natural deep-sea habitat for the first time, as well as the rare manefish.
Loblaw's seafood ban could disrupt shark research
Loblaw's decision to stop selling some seafood in the interest of conservation could disrupt research into porbeagle sharks off Nova Scotia that relies on a managed fishery, a shark scientist...
Butterflies seek higher ground to escape warmer temperatures
A study of beleaguered butterflies in California provides some of the best clues yet as to how other animals may react to climate change, scientists say.
Fat rafts aid immune response
A new study has found that lipid rafts – tiny, fat-enriched platforms in our cells – are used by the body to boost immune cells.
Bones reveal male moa rarity
Researchers have found that most male moas died young, probably because the larger female moas gave them a rough time.
Biofilms: Discovery of a new mechanism of virus propagation
Researchers have shown for the first time that certain viruses are capable of forming complex biofilm-like assemblies, similar to bacterial biofilms. These extracellular infectious structures may protect viruses from the...
Cells send dirty laundry home to mom
Understanding how aged and damaged mother cells manage to form new and undamaged daughter cells is one of the toughest riddles of aging, but scientists now know how yeast cells...
Did bacteria developed into more complex cells much earlier in evolution than thought?
Biochemists have described the process by which bacteria developed into more complex cells and found this crucial step happened much earlier in the evolutionary timeline than previously thought.
Argonautes: A big turn-off for proteins
Scientists believe they may have figured out how genetic snippets called microRNAs are able to shut down the production of some proteins.