Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Key Protein Controlling Brain Formation Identified
Researchers have identified a protein which plays a key role in the development of neurons, which could enhance our understanding of how the brain works, and how diseases such as...
Newly found mosquito may carry malaria
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- A species of mosquito in South Africa new to researchers may carry the ability to transmit malaria, researchers in Johannesburg said.
Would Pain-Free Animals Make a More Humane Hamburger?
(PhysOrg.com) -- With advancements in genetic engineering, researchers say that it may soon be possible to breed farm animals that don't feel pain. The suggestion has sparked controversy on whether...
Secrets of the four chambers revealed by reptile hearts
The first genetic link in the evolution of the heart from three-chambered to four-chambered has been found, illuminating part of the puzzle of how birds and mammals became warm-blooded...
Plants choose ammunition carefully
Plants are anything but as defenceless as they might seem. Various plant hormones work together to specifically fend off attacks. Dutch researcher Antonio Leon-Reyes has now shown how these hormones...
NOAA scientists map fish habitat and movements at Gray's Reef Marine Sanctuary
Two related research expeditions by NOAA scientists to track the habitat preferences and movements of fish at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary may help managers protect overfished species such as...
Boron-based compounds trick a biomedical protein
Chemists and biologists have successfully demonstrated that specially synthesised boron compounds are readily accepted in biologically active enzymes, a move that, they say, is a proof of concept that could...
Research recommends compromise when choosing conservation site
A lot of variables come into play when selecting a site for environmental conservation that yields benefits to people nearby such as wildlife needs, species and vegetation uniqueness, and costs...
'S' Stands For Surprise: Anticoagulant Plays Unexpected Role In Maintaining Circulatory Integrity
Protein S, a well-known anticoagulant protein, keeps the blood flowing in more than one way, discovered researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The protein contributes to the formation...
Fungal Map Of Mutations Key To Increasing Enzyme Production For Bioenergy Use
New research provides the first genome-wide look at the mutations in strains of the fungus Trichoderma reesei in order to understand just how the production of enzymes that break down...
The plant cell's corset
We still have a lot to discover about the mechanism in plants that ensures cell growth in a specific direction. However it is clear that a structure of parallel protein...
What Wall Street and nature have in common
When a big change is coming — be it in ocean circulation patterns, wildlife populations, or even the global economy — it is often heralded by telltale signs, scientists have...
Pigeon Wings Sound the Alarm
Special feathers create warning noises when startled birds take off
Experimental Drug Shows Promise for Several Cancers
Compound shrinks tumors by targeting critical genetic pathway
Studying the Sex Secrets of a Snail Parasite
Evolutionary biologist studies snails to investigate sexual reproduction in parasites.
Invasive Green Mussel May Inspire New Forms Of Wet Adhesion
The green mussel is known for being a notoriously invasive fouling species, but scientists have just discovered that it also has a very powerful form of adhesion in its foot....
AMPA receptors on cell membrane make us smarter
AMPA receptors are an important regulating factor in the connection between our nerve cells. However, Dutch researcher Helmut Kessels has demonstrated that it is not the amount of AMPA receptors...
Rare nest-making frogs found in southern India
A scientist in India says he has found three rare species of frogs that make nests in which to lay their eggs.
Are Naked Mole Rats Blind?
They live underground, but these hairless creatures have a keen, if limited, sense of sight.
Pan-African University could launch early next year
A single research institution spanning the African continent could open its first node by February 2010, education ministers have agreed.
Great Barrier Reef under serious threat: report
Australia's Great Barrier Reef is in serious jeopardy as global warming and chemical runoff threaten to kill marine species and cause serious outbreaks of disease, a report warned Wednesday.
Shining a light on DNA-binding drugs in living cells
Researchers have used circular dichroism spectroscopy to probe interactions between drug molecules and DNA in living cells
Changes in California's bird communities due to climate change
As much as half of California could be occupied by new bird communities by 2070 according to a new study by PRBO Conservation Science (PRBO) and partners. The publication entitled...
Discovery of novel genes could unlock mystery of what makes us uniquely human
Humans and chimpanzees are genetically very similar, yet it is not difficult to identify the many ways in which we are clearly distinct from chimps. In a study published online...
DNA mutations linked to diabetes
Genes that regulate the energy consumption of cells have a different structure and expression in type II diabetics than they do in healthy people, according to a new study from...
The protein modifier SUMO helps set apart females and males
One way in which men and women differ is in their expression of liver proteins that control a large number of whole-body processes such as energy generation and lipid and...
Mice Living In Sandy Hills Quickly Evolved Lighter Coloration
In a vivid illustration of natural selection at work, scientists have found that deer mice living in Nebraska's Sand Hills quickly evolved lighter coloration after glaciers deposited sand dunes atop...
Knockout rats made to order
Customized disease models made by deleting rat embryo genes may be on sale soon.