Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Trade in Frog Legs May Spread Disease
Deadly fungus a threat to frog species worldwide [Read more]
Researchers find new piece of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) puzzle
A new treatment route for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and its human form Creutzfeldt Jakob disease could be a step closer based on new results from scientists in the UK....
Schizophrenia gene's role may be broader, more potent, than thought
UCSF scientists studying nerve cells in fruit flies have uncovered a new function for a gene whose human equivalent may play a critical role in schizophrenia...
Like humans, ants use bacteria to make their gardens grow
Leaf-cutter ants, which cultivate fungus for food, have many remarkable qualities. Here's a new one to add to the list: the ant farmers, like their human counterparts, depend on nitrogen-fixing...
Technique finds gene regulatory sites without knowledge of regulators
A new statistical technique developed by researchers at the University of Illinois allows scientists to scan a genome for specific gene-regulatory regions without requiring prior knowledge of the relevant transcription...
UAB researchers discover antibody receptor identity, propose renaming immune-system gene
Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have uncovered the genetic identity of a cellular receptor for the immune system's first-response antibody, a discovery that sheds new light...
Researchers begin to decipher metabolism of sexual assault drug
It's a naturally occurring brain chemical with an unwieldy name: 4-hydroxybutyrate (4-HB). Taken by mouth, it can be abused or used as a date-rape drug...
Active hearing process in mosquitoes
A mathematical model has explained some of the remarkable features of mosquito hearing. In particular, the male can hear the faintest beats of the female's wings and yet is not...
New map of variation in maize genetics holds promise for developing new varieties
A new study of maize has identified thousands of diverse genes in genetically inaccessible portions of the genome. New techniques may allow breeders and researchers to use this genetic variation...
UPI NewsTrack Health and Science News
New guidelines issued for Pap smears ... Frog legs spreading pathogen ... DNA barcodes used to identify species ... Catalina bison on birth control ... Health/Science news from UPI.
Gene silencing predicted to improve drug manufacturing
Biotech firm hopes to use RNA interference to boost drug yields.
The Worm That Turned Evolutionary Key
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Keelworm, widespread in the seas and tide-pools around Scotland and the rest of the UK, is unwittingly helping scientists at the University of St Andrews to understand...
When It Comes to Drug Delivery, Size Matters
(PhysOrg.com) -- One of the great promises of nanotechnologies lies in its ability to create drug-containing nanoparticles decorated with targeting molecules that recognize and bind to cancer cells, providing drug...
Mexican labs target adulterers with DNA testing
Suspect your significant other might be cheating on you? In Mexico, numerous laboratories are now offering a way to find out for sure -- DNA tests.
Biologists save fish after landslide
(AP) -- A gigantic landslide that buried a highway, uprooted homes and rerouted a river in Washington state's Cascade Range left hundreds of smaller victims: fish.
El Nino intensifies Latin America drought
From a devastating food crisis in Guatemala to water cuts in Venezuela, El Nino has compounded drought damage across Latin America this year.
University Weighs Tighter Limits on Stem Cell Research
The University of Nebraska would be the first such institution to set stricter limits than what national or state law allows.
New maize map to aid plant breeding efforts
A massive survey of genetic diversity in maize has produced a gene map that should pave the way to significant improvements in a plant that is a major source of...
Maize cell wall genes identified, giving boost to biofuel research
Scientists have identified and grouped the genes thought to be responsible for cell wall development in maize, an effort that expands their ability to discover ways to produce the biomass...
On The Origin Of Nematodes: Phylogenetic Tree Of World's Most Numerous Group Of Animals
Scientists have published the largest nematode phylogenetic tree up until now. It contains over 1,200 species and is entirely based on the analysis of DNA sequence data.
Bacterially produced antifungal on skin of amphibians may protect against lethal fungus
A new study suggests that naturally occurring bacteria on the skin of salamanders could help protect other amphibians, including some species of endangered frogs, from a lethal skin disease.
Ants Eat Well, Thanks to Bacteria
Researchers uncover nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the ants' gardens [Read more]
Cracked Corn: Scientists Solve Maize's Genetic Maze
The complex corn genome--coming in at a hearty two billion base pairs (compared with the human genome's 2.9 billion base pairs)--has been mapped by more than 150 researchers, who worked...
New research into the mechanisms of gene regulation
A team led by Penn State's Ross Hardison, T. Ming Chu Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has taken a large step toward unraveling how regulatory proteins control the production...
Mammoth dung unravels extinction
A study of mammoth dung has helped unravel the mystery of what caused the great mammals to die out.
Scientists unlock clues for tailoring corn plant for food, energy needs
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have long known that the offspring of two inbred strains tend to be superior to both their parents. Now, a team of researchers including a University of...
Thousands of Worms Headed to International Space Station For Muscle Tests
The perils of space flight number in the hundreds, from radiation exposure to the impact of micro-asteroids. But for astronauts who spend an extended amount of time floating weightlessly in the near-endless void...
First map of chromosome terminals of higher fungi
Scientists have described for the first time how the telomeres and adjacent sequences of the oyster fungus are organized.