Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Monkeys born from eggs that got DNA transplant
NEW YORK (AP) -- An experimental procedure that someday may enable women to avoid passing certain genetic diseases on to their children has gained an early...
Rats' mental 'instant replay' drives next moves
Researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory have found that rats use a mental instant replay of their actions to help them decide what to do next, shedding...
Robots swim with the fishes
A team of MIT researchers has built a school of swimming robo-fish designed to more easily maneuver into areas where traditional underwater autonomous vehicles can't go.
Retina cells develop from skin stem cells
Different types of retina cells have been grown from human stem cells taken from skin, U.S. researchers say.
Some skin cancer may be mediated by primary cilia activity
Tiny, solitary spikes that stick out of nearly every cell in the body play a central role in a type of skin cancer, new research has found. The discovery in...
Case Western Reserve University researcher demonstrates that messenger RNA are lost in translation
CLEVELAND -- August 23, 2009 ?Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine assistant professor in the Center for RNA Molecular Biology, Jeff Coller, Ph.D., and his team discovered that...
Stem cells end up glowing blood
Scientists have turned human stem cells into 'glow in the dark' red blood cells, which will help them to create transfusible, life saving blood.
Epigenetics: Evolutionarily Preserved Mechanism Governs Use Of Genes
Researchers have found that the protein coding parts of a gene are packed in special nucleosomes. The same type of packaging is found in the roundworm C. elegans, which is...
Third World infections hitting U.S.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Parasitic diseases like Chagas and dengue fever have spread along the border with Mexico and in other poor areas of the United States, researchers...
200 Million People: Schistosoma Mansoni Parasite Gets Genome Sequenced
An international team has sequenced the genome of Schistosoma mansoni, a parasite that infects 200 million people in 76 countries through freshwater snails. The US is not one of the affected...
Birdwatchers asked to look for rare birds
RUTLAND WATER, England, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- British organizations that seek to protect birds say they have begun a $414,000 effort to save endangered species.
The Neurobiology Of Pleasure
A sense of pleasure generated by the brain’s hedonic neural systems is fundamental to daily life and it's been essential for evolution and the survival of humans and most animals,...
UCSF researchers identify 2 key pathways in adaptive response
UCSF researchers have identified the two key circuits that control a cell's ability to adapt to changes in its environment, a finding that could have applications ranging from diabetes and...
Negligible Impact On Public Safety From Shark Cage Diving Operations
A study by five university researchers concludes that existing shark cage diving enterprises in Hawaii have a negligible effect on public safety.
Energy-Efficient Sewage Plants
High-rate digestion with microfiltration is state-of-the-art in large sewage plants. It effectively removes accumulated sludge and produces biogas to generate energy. A study now reveals that even small plants can...
Niche Differences In Biodiversity: Species' Differences Are Responsible For Their Coexistence
Scientists have found strong evidence that niche differences are critical to biodiversity. The new study provides the first strong evidence that species' differences are responsible for their coexistence.
New Pheromone Helps Female Flies Tell Suitors To 'Buzz Off'
Using a new form of high-resolution laser mass spectrometry, researchers scanning the surface of fruit flies discovered a previously unidentified pheromone -- CH503 -- that contributes to the anti-aphrodisiac effects...
Raising The Alarm When DNA Goes Bad: 'Rapid Response Team' Monitors And Quickly Responds To DNA Damage
Scientists have known for a long time that when DNA is damaged, a key enzyme sets off a cellular "alarm bell" to alert the cell to start the repair process,...
Higher Pathogen Loads In Collapsed Honeybee Colonies, Study Finds
Honeybees in colonies affected by colony collapse disorder (CCD) have higher levels of pathogens and are co-infected with a greater number of pathogens than their non-CCD counterparts, but no individual...
Math Model Accurately Mimics Cell Division In Carbon-cycling Bacterium
Scientists have developed a quantitative, mathematical model of DNA replication and cell division for the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus.
Orchids And Fungi -- Partners For Life
Three Thai orchids have been found to rely on a wide range of fungi to help them take carbon out of the soil instead of producing their own organic carbon.
National Briefing | Environment: E.P.A. To Set Limits for Water Pollution in Florida
After a 2008 lawsuit by the Sierra Club, Florida Wildlife Federation and others, the settlement is the first time the agency has forced numeric limits on nutrient runoff on a...
Fit in body and wallet
Last year, Spago; this year, backyard barbecue. Last year, diving on the Great Barrier Reef; this year, a day at SeaWorld. Last year, a $7,000 titanium mountain bike; this year,...
Fruits and vegetables, good for the bones?
For proponents of a low-acid diet, vinegar and citrus aren't the suspects -- meat and dairy products are. ...
Female Flies Put Up a Fight to Keep Sex Short
Even flies engage in the battle of the sexes: Female fruit flies that kick themselves free during sex and mate with more males have a better chance of reproducing, a new study...
Clues To Gigantism Provided By Family In Borneo Mountains
An indigenous family living in a mountainous area of Malaysian Borneo helped researchers to discover information about genetic mutations associated with acromegaly, a form of gigantism that often results in...
At the fungal farmer's market, only the best cyanobacteria are for sale
Lichens are the classic example of a symbiotic relationship. Both the fungal and photobiont components of the lichen benefit from the relationship and often are unable to survive without...
Human Lifespans Nearly Constant for 2,000 Years
Maximum human lifespan, often confused with life expectancy, has remained more or less the same.