Latest science news in Biology & Nature
New concoction reprograms differentiated cells into pluripotent stem cells
Singapore scientists report surprising discovery that novel transcription factor Nr5a2 can replace classical reprogramming factor Oct4 to significantly increase efficiency of reprogramming differentiated stem cells into iPS cells.
In journey from maggot to fruit fly, a clue about cancer metastasis
Scientists trying to understand how cancer cells invade healthy tissue have used the fruit fly's metamorphosis from maggot to flying insect as a guide to identify a key molecular signal...
Ability to Recognize Faces Is Inherited
Scientists say the ability to recognize faces is inherited and separate from general intelligence or IQ
Australia moving cancer-hit Tasmanian Devils to new islands
Australia is taking the bold step of moving Tasmanian Devils to new islands in a desperate bid to save the iconic species from being wiped out by a hideous face...
Gorillas carry malarial parasite
IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- The quest to eradicate malaria in humans could be complicated by new findings that show gorillas carry the parasites, scientists in California said.
Red groupers architects of the sea
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Red groupers act as architect and engineer in creating habitats for commercially important species in the Gulf of Mexico, marine biologists said.
Gardeners must unite to save Britain's wildlife
Householders in the UK should be looking beyond their own garden fence to protect vulnerable British wildlife, according to scientists at the University of Leeds...
Scientists identify Ecuador's Yasuni National Park as one of the most biodiverse places on earth
Yasuni National Park, located in the core of the Ecuadorian Amazon, shatters a range of world biodiversity records - from trees to amphibians to insects to mammals and an array...
Minimal changes alter an enzyme dramatically
A new study by a research team at Uppsala University shows how new functions can develop in an enzyme. This can explain, for example, how resistance to toxins can occur...
Memory molecule, deja vu
A second high-profile paper in as many months has found an important role in learning and memory for calpain, a molecule whose academic fortunes have ebbed and flowed for 25...
New visible light photocatalyst kills bacteria, even after light turned off
In the battle against bacteria, researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a powerful new weapon - an enhanced photocatalytic disinfection process that uses visible light to destroy harmful...
Iowa State University researcher discovers Ebola's deadly secret
Research at Iowa State University has led scientists to uncover how the deadly Zaire Ebola virus decoys cells and eventually kills them...
Transplanted stem cells form proper brain connections
Transplanted neurones grown from embryonic stem cells can fully integrate into the brains of young animals, according to new research in the Jan. 20 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience....
Copper-free click chemistry used in mice
Researchers have developed a unique, copper-free version of the molecular synthesis technique known as click chemistry to create biomolecular probes for in vivo studies of live mice.
How Gliomas Outsmart Cancer-Killing Drugs
University of California, San Diego researchers say they have shown one way deadly brain tumors called gliomas evade drugs aimed at blocking the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a cell...
Snail in shining armor
A deep-sea gastropod's natural shield may offer ideas for human protection
New target for central nervous system drug development
Scientists have discovered that the small molecule withaferin-A simultaneously targets two intermediate filaments, GFAP and vimentin, which are implicated in reactive gliosis, a damaging biological process common to a variety...
Benefits of omega-3 fatty acids tally up
The fish oil compound may help patients battling sepsis and age-related diseases
In sync: Squid, glowing companions march in genetic harmony
(PhysOrg.com) -- Most humans are blissfully unaware that we owe our healthful existence to trillions of microbes that make their home in the nooks and crannies of the human body,...
New Theory Shakes Up Primate Evolution
A new paper published in Zoologica Scripta argues that the distributions of the major primate groups are correlated with Mesozoic tectonic features and that their respective ranges are congruent with...
American Physiological Society Launches Animal Research Website
The American Physiological Society has launched a new website, www.animalresearchcures.org, to accompany its new brochure Animal Research: Finding Cures, Saving Lives.
Researchers take early step towards devising new antibiotics
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers have made the first step towards creating a new class of antibiotics in a study published last night in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of...
Cancer Genome Atlas identifies distinct subtypes of deadly brain cancer
The most common form of malignant brain cancer in adults, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is not a single disease but appears to be four distinct molecular subtypes, according to a study...
Bald Eagle Numbers Are Soaring! NWF Shares Places To Spot Wintering Eagles--All Across The Country
Bald eagles are one of the most recognizable birds in the United States, and they are seen in nearly every state. National Wildlife Federation presents a list--divided alphabetically by every...
New ‘click’ reaction to modify proteins
A cyclic diazo compound can attach to the phenol ring of tyrosine under mild conditions providing a new route to modify proteins
Biophysicists manipulate 'zipper,' reveal protein folding dynamics
Biophysicists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM), Germany, have published the results of single-molecule experiments that bring a higher-resolution tool to the study of protein folding. How proteins arrive at...
Overseas Collections Play Important Role In Controlling Invasive Species
When melaleuca began invading the Florida Everglades and surrounding areas, scientists knew of one place to look for a solution: the Australian Biological Control Laboratory.
WWF says China's wild tigers face extinction
The World Wildlife Fund warned on Tuesday that the wild tiger faced extinction in China after having been decimated by poaching and the destruction of its natural habitat.