Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Zebrafish: A new drug development platform
NASHVILLE, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- Vanderbilt University scientists say they've identified biological compounds in zebrafish that might offer new therapies for bone-related diseases and cancer.
Insect colonies operate as 'superorganisms', new research finds
New research finds that insect colonies follow some of the same biological "rules" as individuals, a finding that suggests insect societies operate like a single "superorganism" in terms of their...
New UT Knoxville research finds new ways to understand bacteria's 'thinking'
It's not thinking in the way humans, dogs or even birds think, but new findings from researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, show that bacteria are more capable of...
UPI NewsTrack Health and Science News
NASA designs one-person hovercraft ... Red groupers architects of the sea ... Asian carp DNA found in Lake Michigan ... Snail shell provides clues for armor ... Health/Science news from...
Why mice develop 'knots' while exploring a new environment
During exploration of a new environment, mice establish 'knots' - preferred places visited sporadically and marked by the performance of twists and turns, according to a new study by Israel...
Fish oil not snake oil
A randomised controlled trial of fish oil given intravenously to patients in intensive care has found that it improves gas exchange, reduces inflammatory chemicals and results in a shorter length...
Vaccine could cripple malaria
Recent research has found that a malaria vaccine could be possible – it would kill proteins the parasites use to burrow into red blood cells.
The changing facebook of genetic
(PhysOrg.com) -- Social factors such as what we eat and where we live influence how natural selection acts on human genes, according to a research that is bringing the worlds...
Corpses rot in bacterial stages
New research could help forensic investigators find the time of death, by linking bacteria species to stages of decomposition.
Dog genome researchers track paw prints of selective breeding
Researchers gave identified 155 regions on the dog genome that appear to have been influenced by selective breeding. Although dogs have been domesticated for 14,000 years, their spectacular diversity originated...
Deadly scorpion provides safe pesticide
Scientists have isolated the genetic sequences for important neurotoxins in the scorpion venom and developed methods to produce and manipulate these toxins to restrict their toxicity to certain insects or...
Nocturnal vision of insects inspires automakers to develop improved night cameras
The ability of animals to see in the dark has led to a collaborative project aimed at developing a new type of color camera that could help people drive cars...
Mice and humans with same anxiety-related gene abnormality behave similarly
Studying animals in behavioral experiments has been a cornerstone of psychological research, but whether the observations are relevant for human behavior has been unclear. Researchers have now identified an alteration...
Atomic structure of a major cancer drug target cracked
Researchers have determined the crystal structure of the ligand binding domain of a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor in complex with one of its ligands (VEGF-C). VEGFs and their...
Open access drug discovery database launches with half a million compounds
ChEMBLdb, a vast online database of information on the properties and activities of drugs and drug-like small molecules and their targets, has just launched with information on over half a...
Molecular Genealogy in the Arctic Sediment
(PhysOrg.com) -- Heat-loving bacteria found in the Arctic seabed have their origins in oil springs and the depths of the Earth's crust. This is the finding of a project supported...
African fish choose safety over sex
Safety in numbers wins out over an increased chance of sex when it comes to a native African fish, a new study finds.
Observatory: Desert Spider Discovery on Jordan-Israel Border
In a cross-border study, biologists from Israel and Jordan found a new spider species, Cerbalus aravensis, living in Arava Valley sand dunes.
Oregon moose monitored for deadly parasite
ENTERPRISE, Ore., Jan. 18 (UPI) -- Biologists in Oregon says they're trying to determine if a deadly parasite killed two animals in the state's small Shiras moose herd.
When our economic interests are at stake, the war on nature resumes | George Monbiot
All this badger cull will prove is that our relations with the natural world have scarcely altered since the dark agesThere's a story that almost all of us believe: that beyond a...
Invertebrate Collections Help Solve Agricultural Problems
(PhysOrg.com) -- Creepy, crawly spiders and bugs are just some of the unusual creatures in the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) invertebrate collections. While many find insects a nuisance, ARS scientists...
Following the Glow: Researchers Use 'Fluorescent Fish' to Study Gene Function
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at North Carolina State University are using fluorescent fish as a molecular 'beacon' to study the early stages of animal development. The researchers focused their attention on...
Observatory: The Platypus Is Cute but Far From Harmless
The male platypus is among the few mammals that produce venom, and researchers in Japan are trying to determine why that venom is so painful.
Remarkable Creatures: When Built-In Antifreeze Beats a Winter Coat
Many insects, and other animals, defend themselves against direct exposure to subfreezing temperatures through biochemical ingenuity.
Attacking 14α-Demethylase May Help Treat Sleeping Sickness
Reporting in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, an international team of researchers has determined the structure of 14α-Demethylase (14DM), an enzyme essential to the survival of the protozoan parasites that...
Scientists push "Doomsday Clock" back a minute
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Scientists pushed back the hands on the symbolic Doomsday Clock by one minute citing hopeful developments in nuclear weapons and climate change.
Loss of epigenetic regulators causes mental retardation
Developing neurons don't just need the right genes to guide them as they grow, they need access to the right genes at the right times. The improper functioning of one...
Ion exchange may be most important driver of gill development in fish
(PhysOrg.com) -- A long-standing theory is that the first function of fish gills was to allow fish to breathe, but new research is casting doubt on the idea that this...