Latest science news in Biology & Nature
New Worms Eat (and Eat and Eat) Only on Dead Whales
Nine new species that dine only on dead whales have been discovered, a new study says. And what the menu lacks in variety it makes up for in portion size—a single meal...
New Way Deadly Food-borne Bacteria Is Spread
A researcher has uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that plays an important role in the spread of a deadly food-borne bacterium.
Brain Researchers Discover Molecule Responsible For Axonal Branching
The human brain consists of about 100 billion neurons, which altogether form about 100 trillion synaptic connections with each other. A crucial mechanism for the generation of this complex wiring...
'Junk' DNA Cut-and-paste Protein: Discovery May Prove Invaluable In Quest For Gene Therapies
Scientists have identified how a protein enables sections of so-called junk DNA to be cut and pasted within genetic code -- a finding which could speed development of gene therapies....
Giant squid caught off coast of Louisiana
Scientists from NOAA’s Fisheries Service have captured a giant squid while conducting research off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico.
'Fingerprints' identify cheetahs
Conservationists develop a pioneering technique to identify wild cheetahs by their paw prints.
How Proteins Talk To Each Other
Investigators have identified novel cleavage sites for the enzyme caspase-3 (an enzyme that proteolytically cleaves target proteins). Using an advanced proteomic technique called N-terminomics, scientists determined the cleavage sites on...
Nanoresearchers challenge dogma in protein transportation in cells
- We now begin to understand how signalling proteins recognize and transport to certain areas of the cell and get a more clear insight on the mechanism of major cellular...
A turning point in the struggle against cancer?
For the past 40 years, cancer research at MIT has focused on identifying the molecular mechanisms that cause the disease.
Pandas to return to Wolong reserve in 2012
Sixty pandas relocated last year from a famous Chinese nature reserve after their breeding center was severely damaged by a massive earthquake will return home after repairs in 2012.
Delving Into D-Amino Acids
Biochemistry: Bacteria use right-handed amino acids to build and regulate part of their cell wall.
Busiest mechanic best value
New research has found that one in four service providers, like mechanics and lawyers, will rip you off, but the busiest won't have time.
Building A Complete Metabolic Model: Comprehensive Understanding Of Bacteria Could Lead To New Insights Into Many Organisms
Researchers have constructed a complete model, including 3-D protein structures, of the central metabolic network of the bacterium Thermotoga maritima (T. maritima).
Two-way Communication Between Common Biological Pathways And Body's Daily Clock
While scientists have known for several years that our body's internal clock helps regulate many biological processes, researchers have found that the reverse is also true: Many common biological processes...
Reactive Oxygen's Role In Metastasis
Researchers have discovered that reactive oxygen species, such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, play a key role in forming invadopodia, cellular protrusions implicated in cancer cell migration and tumor metastasis.
Drug Discovery Process More Accurate, Less Expensive Using Novel Mass Spectrometry Application
Cancer and cell biology experts have developed a new mass spectrometry-based tool they say provides more precise, cost-effective data collection for drug discovery efforts.
Genetically Engineered Bacteria Etch Famous Faces Into a Petri Dish
Images of the Virgin Mary have appeared on grilled cheese sandwiches, trees and now in a petri dish. But that last appearance was no heavenly manifestation. It was a sign that Christopher Voigt’s...
'Vicious' Giant Python Invading Florida
(PhysOrg.com) -- New studies suggest a 20 foot snake, the African rock python, is making its home in Florida and could soon invade the Everglades National Park.
Italian sociologist cave dweller dies
Italian sociologist Maurizio Montalbini, who spent months living in caves to study how the mind and body cope with isolation, has died aged 56. Montalbini died of a heart attack...
Scientists discover key factor in regulating placenta and foetal growth
Scientists funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have shown that a common biological protein molecule called SHP-2 is crucial for encouraging placenta growth. The research is...
Birds unveil 'silver wings'
A previously unknown structure within feathers gives birds wings a silver sheen, scientists discover.
The Lazy Way to Stay in Love
Waiting for a concert to begin at our local county fair, my husband and I checked out a reptile exhibit that included an animal trainer with a live alligator resting...
How To Make A Lung
A tissue-repair-and-regeneration pathway in the human body, including wound healing, is essential for the early lung to develop properly. Genetically engineered mice fail to develop lungs when two molecules in...
Scientists find that individuals in vegetative states can learn
Scientists have found that some individuals in the vegetative and minimally conscious states, despite lacking the means of reporting awareness themselves, can learn and thereby demonstrate at least a partial...
HIV Uses Several Strategies To Escape Immune Pressure
A study of how HIV mutates in response to immune system pressure shows that the virus can take several escape routes, not one preferred route.
Tuna Town in Japan Sees Falloff of Its Fish
The dark red flesh of the Pacific bluefin tuna is called “black gold” by fishermen in Oma, Japan, but the catches are steadily dwindling.
Evolutionary Biology - Home Of The Idiot Savant
I’ve been putting the case for some months now, that evolutionary biology is in a deplorable state due to an uncritical acceptance of the unrealistic assumptions that lie at the...
Ice Cream May Target The Brain Before Your Hips, Study Suggests
Blame your brain for sabotaging your efforts to get back on track after splurging on an extra scoop of ice cream or that second burger during Friday night's football game.