Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Researchers pin down long-elusive protein that's essential to 'life as we know it'
A team of researchers is being recognized for devising a new way to study a human protein that long has evaded close scrutiny by scientists investigating its role in the...
Calcium atom halts bacterial travel
CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- The discovery that a single atom can control how bacteria move could lead to new drugs that prevent infection, scientists in North...
Androgen receptor slows healing
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Jan. 6 (UPI) -- A protein key to the action of male hormones also plays a pivotal role in the body's ability to heal, scientists in Rochester,...
Giant river fish faces extinction
The arapaima, a giant Amazon river fish that can grow longer and heavier than a human adult, is at risk of extinction, according to a new study. Overfishing and errors in classification...
Virus may chauffeur useful 'packages' into plants
This time of year, the word "virus" conjures up a bedridden stint with coughs and chills -- something everyone goes to great lengths to avoid. But a new study shows...
'Nano cocktail' to target and kill tumors
Scientists have developed a "cocktail" of different nanometer-sized particles that work in concert within the bloodstream to locate, adhere to and kill cancerous tumors.
New ‘strawberry’ crab species found off Taiwan
A marine biologist says he has discovered a new crab species off the coast of southern Taiwan that looks like a strawberry with small white bumps on its red shell. ...
Thai hill farmers help preserve genetic diversity of rice
Rice is one of the most important crops worldwide, as it feeds over half of the world's population. Domesticated rice is an important supply of the world's rice. However, these...
CSHL team determines how precursors of gene-regulating small RNAs are sorted by cellular machinery
A team of scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has determined a hierarchical set of criteria that explain how the molecular precursors of gene-regulating small RNAs are sorted by...
MyoD helps stem cells proliferate in response to muscle injury
The master regulator of muscle differentiation, MyoD, functions early in myogenesis to help stem cells proliferate in response to muscle injury, according to researchers at Case Western Reserve University. The...
Using a Virus’s Knack for Mutating to Wipe It Out
When a virus’s rate of mutation gets too high, mathematical studies suggest, it will suffer, and scientists hope this will aid in fighting diseases.
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Dog gene for OCD could aid humans ... Images suggest Mars once had lakes ... Mosquitoes whine to attract mates ... St. John's wort not for irritable bowel ... Health/Science...
Asian Monkey Hair Warns Of Toxic Threats To Humans
Writing in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology, a team of researchers says that testing hair from Asian monkeys living close to people may provide early warnings of toxic threats...
Observatory: White Lizards Evolve In New Mexico Dunes
Scientists report on a textbook case of evolution at the gypsum dunes in New Mexico.
In California, a Scrub Oak Is an Old Pro at Cloning
Researchers said a low thicket of about 70 stem clusters appeared to have been cloning itself for at least 13,000 years.
Cryonics institute aims to beat death
DETROIT, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- The Cryonics Institute in Detroit says it has frozen 94 human corpses with the aim of one day outsmarting death.
Dog gene for OCD could aid humans
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Discovery of a gene linked to compulsive behavior in dogs could lead to better understanding of the disorder in humans, scientists in Massachusetts...
New Evidence Of Culture In Wild Chimpanzees
A new study of chimpanzees living in the wild adds to evidence that our closest primate relatives have cultural differences, too. The study shows that neighboring chimpanzee populations in Uganda...
Genes for drought-tolerance, aflatoxin may mingle to boost corn production
Scientists plan to put two and two together in a study that will likely yield improved U.S. corn quality and yields.
Five lung function genes found
An international team has discovered five common genetic variations that affect lung function and can lead to disease.
Photographed: Ratchet-Like Cell Mechanism that Pulls Wounds Shut
Closing Time: In this micrograph of dorsal closure in a fruit-fly embryo, the protein actin is marked red, prominent around the gap in the epithelial cells. The microtubules that give shape to...
Fossil reveals whale's origin
An Australian fossil has unlocked the secrets of whale evolution and provides new support for one of Charles Darwin's theories.
Demonstration of pH-regulating protein
Researchers have identified the protein mechanism that senses bicarbonate fluctuations and adjusts blood pH levels. Scientists have now achieved the first demonstration of the process in a whole animal. The...
Roe of marine animals is best natural source of omega-3
The roe of hake, lumpsucker and salmon is the best dietary source of omega-3, according to a new study. The scientists analyzed the eggs, or roe, of 15 marine animals,...
Biosensors offer brain insights
Scientists have developed biological cells that can give new insight into the chemistry of the brain.
Dirt Tells Resistance Tales
Environmental Chemistry: Antibiotic resistance genes in soil are increasing.
Fight Against Asian Carp Threatens Fragile Great Lakes Unity
A nonnative fish that consumes the food of other, native fish is unwanted in Michigan, and the state is suing to have waterways shut down.
Three new alkaloids found in winter snowdrop plants
Scientists have identified 17 bioactive compounds in winter snowdrops, the earliest flowering plants in Europe. Out of the alkaloids identified, three are new to science and belong to a group...