Latest science news in Biology & Nature
3 more great white sharks tagged off Mass. coast
(AP) -- A total of five great white sharks have now been electronically tagged off Cape Cod, allowing experts to track their movements and learn more about their migratory...
Large-scale study probes how cells fight pathogens
Scientists have deciphered a key molecular circuit that enables the body to distinguish viruses from bacteria and other microbes, providing a deep view of how immune cells in mammals fend...
Anticancer Compound Found In Common Weed: American Mayapple
A common weed called American mayapple may soon offer an alternative to an Asian cousin that's been harvested almost to extinction because of its anti-cancer properties. The near-extinct Asian plant,...
Molecular Decay Of Enamel-specific Gene In Toothless Mammals Supports Theory Of Evolution
Biologists report new evidence for evolutionary change recorded in both the fossil record and the genomes (or genetic blueprints) of living organisms, providing fresh support for Charles Darwin's theory of...
Researchers identify critical gene for brain development, mental retardation
In laying down the neural circuitry of the developing brain, billions of neurones must first migrate to their correct destinations and then form complex synaptic connections with their new neighbours...
Giant panda cub born in China
XI'AN, China, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- A giant panda who delivered a male cub last year has given birth to a female cub at a breeding center in northwest...
The war against wildlife comes to an end in Southern Europe
This is the conclusion of a study which has analyzed the persecution of birds as a result of hunting in Spain over 14 years. The decrease in this activity and...
Discovery may shed light on evolutionary adaptations and human disease
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre led by Billy Hudson, Ph.D., have discovered a new chemical bond in biological tissue, a fundamental discovery that helps explain evolutionary adaptation in the...
Research team discovers switch that causes the body to produce cancerous cells
A team of Syracuse University researchers discovered a second molecular switch within the Mixed Lineage Leukaemia protein complex that they believe could be exploited to prevent the overproduction of abnormal...
Research reveals a broccoli boost for arteries
(PhysOrg.com) -- New British Heart Foundation (BHF) research from Imperial College London may have revealed why vegetables are good for the heart. The findings suggest that a chemical found in...
Building an Albertan identity, one dead rat at a time
Sixty years after authorities in Alberta started a war against Norway rats in the province, Albertans continue to believe there are no rats in their province. But a University of...
Instant insight: Lighting up biology
Jellyfish have changed science. Marc Zimmer sheds light on GFP and the research behind 2008’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Two AIDS-resistant antibodies isolated
LA JOLLA, Calif., Sept. 4 (UPI) -- After years of research, scientists in California say they have isolated two antibodies that prevent human immunodeficiency virus from becoming full-blown AIDS.
Inhibition Of Key Inflammatory Protein, Reduced Radiation Toxicity In Zebrafish
Directly inhibiting the activity of a key protein mediator of inflammation reduced radiation toxicity in zebrafish embryos, and may ultimately be of help to patients receiving radiation therapy, according to...
World's largest fishery angles for sustainability
Peruvian anchovy fishers - who pull in 10% of the total fish catch in the world - for the first time will be independently monitored, ensuring the sustainability of stocks...
Safe seed: Researchers yielding good results on food cotton in field
Field trials of a new cotton are verifying previous lab and greenhouse studies indicating the crop could become a source of protein for millions of malnourished people in the world.
Hard Labor: How 10 Animals Struggle to Survive
While we sometimes get to enjoy a day off, some animals can\'t afford to take a break.
Two proteins enable skin cells to regenerate
(PhysOrg.com) -- Nevermind facial masks and exfoliating scrubs, skin takes care of itself. Stem cells located within the skin actively generate differentiating cells that can ultimately form either the body...
In Pictures: Leopards of the sea
Scientists have released pictures of a leopard seal hunting a duck, the first time this behaviour has been recorded.
Instant insight: A calculated risk
How safe are nanoparticles? Amanda Barnard reveals how computation can help to identify and prevent nanohazards
New kind of bond hidden in all animals
US chemists have identified a unique chemical bond that holds together a type of collagen molecule in all animals
Our telepathic future
In his book Imagined Worlds, Dyson glimpses a distant future in which humans communicate by radiotelepathy and terrestrial life has spread out across the galaxy
India says no to HIV drug patents
Patent office rejects applications from two US drug companies.
Feature: The lurking menace of weeks
Weeds should be regarded as farmers' natural enemy No. 1, causing more damage to food production at a global level than pathogens, insects or other predators.
Fresh targets give hope for HIV vaccine
Two antibodies that stop the virus in its tracks could hold the key to broad immune protection.
Are tigers 'brainier' than lions?
(PhysOrg.com) -- A wide-ranging study of big cat skulls, led by Oxford University scientists, has shown that tigers have bigger brains, relative to their body size, than lions, leopards or...
Divide to Conquer: Infection-Specific T Cells Multiply to Fight Infection
When the body contracts a new virus or bacteria, specific white blood cells --T lymphocytes--are recruited to fight back. Each T cell is only programmed, however, to recognize a specific viral or bacterial...
Ribozyme's Kick Is In Its Fold
Raman spectroscopy reveals that a folded catalytic RNA can boost reactivity by shifting the acid dissociation constant of its nucleotides.