Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Novel findings shed light on how N-type channel function is modified by lipids
The November 2009 issue of the Journal of General Physiology (JGP) contains two papers by the Rittenhouse laboratory that describe novel findings on how N-type voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) function...
Native plants benefit livestock
Chemicals released by native plants can improve a livestock's metabolism and digestion, new research has revealed.
Roads harm rainforest species
Researchers have found that roads may be the biggest threat to rainforest ecology – though there are ways to reduce their impact.
Gene therapy experiment restores sight in a few
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Nine-year-old Corey Haas can ride his bike alone now, thanks to an experimental gene therapy that has boosted his fading vision with a single treatment.
Trembling hands and molecular handshakes
Fragile X tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a recently recognized condition, which is actually one of the most prevalent heritable neurodegenerative diseases. It is assumed that the condition is caused by...
Fruit Fly Pest Identified In Wine Grapes
A newly recognized pest in Oregon continues to concern fruit growers and researchers with the recent discovery of a spotted wing Drosophila fly in a sample of Willamette Valley wine...
Video: Motown to Tech Town
Michigan officials confirmed that Detroit will host the 6th annual Stem Cell Summit next year. As Jim Axelrod reports, this is part of Detroit's effort to market itself as a...
Why dusky sharks might not be such bad mothers after all
Sharks produce pups with super-sized livers that provide them with a source of nutrients to survive early life.
Moth orchids now easy, affordable
DAVIS, Calif., Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Millions of moth orchids cloned in Taiwanese labs and raised in U.S. nurseries are dispelling the myth they're difficult to raise, growers said.
Rare harpy eagle born at Miami zoo
MIAMI, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Miami's Metrozoo has become the second U.S. zoo to hatch a rare harpy eagle, the national bird of Panama, officials said.
Checkered history of mother and daughter cells explains cell cycle differences
New research reveals that regulatory differences between mother and daughter cells during cell division are directly linked to how they prepare for their next split.
Biologically Active 'Scaffold' May Help Humans Replace Lost Or Missing Bone
Scientists have developed a biologically active "scaffold" made from soluble fibers which may help humans replace lost or missing bone.
Salmon Migration Mystery Explored On Idaho's Clearwater River
Temperature differences and slow-moving water at the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake rivers in Idaho might delay the migration of threatened fall Chinook salmon salmon and allow them to...
Ignacio Ponseti, Hero to Many With Clubfoot, Dies at 95
Dr. Ponseti was an orthopedist whose gentle, nonsurgical method of correcting clubfoot has become the global standard for treatment.
You might be 'fluphobic' if ...
The moment it became clear that I was on the verge of a full-blown case of the disease, I was gazing at an ATM keypad.
UPI NewsTrack Health and Science News
Genes not destiny for heart disease ... Algae foam killing thousands of sea birds ... NASA needs funding boost to fulfill goals ... Ounce of prevention may prevent pounds ......
What Really Scares People: Top 10 Phobias
Fears come in all varieties from animal phobias, such as dogs or snakes, to situations like closed spaces or heights.
Prevent tomato late blight next growing season
(PhysOrg.com) -- Across the northeast, home gardeners expecting the usual bumper crop of tomatoes this season were dismayed to find their plants affected by late blight, the same fungus that...
Gender Differences, Even In The Prenatal Brain
Prenatal sex-based biological differences extend to genetic expression in cerebral cortices and the differences in question are probably associated with later divergences in how our brains develop, according to a...
Expedition observes hundreds of marine creatures in oil slick
(PhysOrg.com) -- The area affected by the Montara oil spill off the Kimberley coast contains a huge amount of marine life, including some of the most iconic and threatened species...
EphA4 -- the molecular transformer
(PhysOrg.com) -- EphA4 is a protein which is attached to the surfaces of many types of human cells and plays a role in a wide range of biological processes. EphA4...
Rare bird sighting draws hundreds
About 300 people have gathered at a South Tyneside quarry after the first reported UK sighting of a rare bird.
Sensory deprivation can produce hallucinations in only 15 minutes
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new study has found that even a short period of sensory deprivation is enough to produce hallucinations even in people who are not normally prone to them.
HAPPINESS: A THEORY -- THE PROBABILISTIC MACHINE
If our essential functionality is probabilistic – any of an infinite number of synaptic connections may lead to one event or another within us – then our happiness must, in...
Tiger skin trade in China exposed
An undercover investigation by an environmental campaign group reveals the continuing trade in tiger skins in China.
A gene critical for speech
Newly discovered stretch of DNA may have been important in evolution of language
Humpback whale alters song if another one sings along
Study offers a new way to explore tunes’ meanings
Epic humpback whale battle filmed
The greatest of all animal battles is filmed in its entirety for the first time by a BBC crew.