Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Nano-bio Material Kills Cancer Cells, Leaves Healthy Cells In Unharmed
Scientists have developed a way to target brain cancer cells using inorganic titanium dioxide nanoparticles bonded to soft biological material.
Watching Stem Cells Repair The Human Brain
Researchers have been able to track mesenchymal stem cells through the human brain using in-vivo MRI, which gives new information on the viability of these cells and their benefits to...
Novel Polymer Could Improve Protein-based Drugs
A new method for attaching a large protective polymer molecule to a protein appears to improve protein drugs significantly.
Experts identify fungus-resistant gene in rice
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Researchers in Japan have identified a gene that allows rice plants to fight off a fungal disease called blast, which may open the way for farmers...
Breakthrough Uses Light To Manipulate Cell Movement
Scientists have developed a technique that uses light to control protein behavior in cells and animals simply by shining light on the cells where they want the protein to be...
Study reveals new metabolic safeguards against tumour cells
Cells don't like to be alone. In the early stages of tumour formation, a cell might be pushed out of its normal home environment due to excessive growth. But a...
Pitt scientists find intrinsic changes in protein shape influence drug binding
Computational biologists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have shown that proteins have an intrinsic ability to change shape, and this is required for their biological activity. This...
Research Reveals Major Insight Into Evolution Of Life On Earth
Humans might not be walking on Earth today if not for the ancient fusing of two microscopic, single-celled organisms called prokaryotes, new research has found. By comparing proteins present in...
Breeding their horns off -- a winner
A team of scientists led by CSIRO's Dr Kishore Prayaga has been awarded a prestigious Australian Museum Eureka Prize for its work to develop a simple genetic test which has...
Living together: The best way to divorce-proof a marriage?
(PhysOrg.com) -- Young adults see living together as the best way to protect against divorce, not as an alternative to marriage, a University of Michigan researcher says.
The Ultimate Long Distance Communication
Anyone who's vacationed in the mountains or lived on a farm knows that it's hard to get good internet access or a strong cell phone signal in a remote area....
Mites Keep Cockroaches Mold-Free
Thinking of keeping a giant roach as a pet? Make sure it's infested with beneficial parasites first What’s more disgusting than cockroaches? Mites that feed off cockroaches. Here, mites munch moist...
Mosquitoes stopped on way to the Galapagos
Ecuadorian authorities are fumigating aeroplanes to stop disease-carrying mosquitoes hitching a ride to the Galapagos islands.
Giant Robotic Cages to Roam Seas as Future Fish Farms?
Giant, propeller-driven fish farms may someday mimic the movements of wild schools or even allow fish to forage "free range" before recapturing them. Already, remote-control models are paving the way.
New reagents for genomic engineering of mouse models to understand human disease
The ability to specifically target and modify genes in the mouse allows researchers to use this small rodent to study how certain genes contribute to human disease. A common method...
Runway found for flying reptiles
An ancient runway for flying reptiles called pterosaurs has been found in France, say researchers.
Beach driving disrupts crabs
A recent study has found that four-wheel drives may be displacing populations of crabs and other animals on the beach.
Training Machines to Detect the Smell Of Death
Researchers are now profiling the chemicals released from decaying bodies, in an effort to create a sensor that might be able to sniff out corpses in the rubble, or determine a dearly departed's...
Toronto battling wasp invasion
Pest control workers in Toronto are confirming what most people already know - there's an abnormally large number of wasps are flying around the city this summer.
Secrets Of Ulcer-causing Bacteria: Clever Biochemical Strategy Enables Bacteria To Move Freely And Colonize Host
A team of researchers recently made a discovery that changes a long held paradigm about how bacteria move through soft gels. They showed that the bacterium that causes human stomach...
Scientists Decoding Genomic Sequences Of H1N1 Using Isolates From Outbreak In Argentina
Researchers are working to decode the complete genomic sequences of influenza pandemic 2009 virus from patients with severe respiratory disease.
Migratory Birds Not Picky About Their Rest Stops, Study Finds
If a lush, protected forest with a winding stream is considered luxury accommodation for a migratory bird, a new study shows that those birds would be just as happy with...
Scientists in South Africa discover 18 new spider, snail and worm species
Scientists surveying a nature reserve in South Africa have discovered 18 previously unrecorded species of invertebrates,
How a flying fox keeps his harem
Flying foxes with high levels of testosterone are better able to maintain a "harem" of females, say researchers.
Butterfly lovers hail Duke of Burgundy's second coming
One of the most endangered butterflies in Britain has reappeared for a second generation this summer for only the third time in more than a century.
'Social networks' may help devils
A study of Tasmanian devils' "social networks" identifies ways to protect the endangered species from a deadly disease.
Orphaned Gorillas Sent to Isolated Island
Six gorilla orphans of a critically endangered species have been released on an isolated African island. Conservationists hope to move the gorillas into the wider wilderness within three years. Video