Latest science news in Biology & Nature
'Bycatch' Whaling A Growing Threat To Coastal Whales
Scientists are warning that a new form of unregulated whaling has emerged along the coastlines of Japan and South Korea, where the commercial sale of whales killed as fisheries "bycatch"...
DNA Of Sleep?
A new study aims to investigate the DNA of sleep. Using fruitflies as models the researchers aim at understanding the genetics of sleep and identifying genes involved in this process.
Scientists study shark hunting patterns
VIRGINIA KEY, Fla., June 23 (UPI) -- U.S. and Canadian scientists have used geographic profiling to determine the hunting patterns of white sharks living in waters off South...
Tsetse flies lured by lizard scent
Chemicals in lizard and pig odour could be used to create traps for a tsetse fly responsible for sleeping sickness, say scientists.
How can the world's fisheries be sustainable?
According to the most recent report on the status of the world's fisheries by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, fisheries supply at least 15% of the animal protein...
Fish protein link to controlling high blood pressure -- new study
Medical scientists at the University of Leicester are investigating how a species of fish from the Pacific Ocean could help provide answers to tackling chronic conditions such as hereditary high...
Better hearing with bone conducted sound
New technology to hear vibrations through the skull bone has been developed at Chalmers University of Technology. Besides investigating the function of a new implantable bone conduction hearing aid, Sabine...
No more test tubes on four feet? EPA moves toward animal-free toxicity tests
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to switch to a new generation of animal-free tests for predicting the toxicity of chemicals to humans, according to an article scheduled for...
Biodiversity helps feed poorest
For the world's poorest to have access to natural food and water sources it is essential to protect biodiversity, a study has found.
New theory for diabetes epidemic
Researchers have proposed that the global diabetes epidemic originated from the struggle to remain fertile over millennia of famine.
Building HIV's Curvaceous Coat
Study shows how hexameric CA protein bends to form capsid's curvy shape.
DNA template could explain evolutionary shifts
Rearrangements of all sizes in genomes, genes and exons can result from a glitch in DNA copying that occurs when the process stalls at a critical point and then shifts...
Fate in fly sensory organ precursor cells could explain human immune disorder
Notch signalling helps determine the fate of a number of different cell types in a variety of organisms, including humans. In an article that appears in the current issue of...
Device on Nets May Protect Sea Turtles
Fishery managers trying to protect rare sea turtles have chosen a Cape Cod company to build a device that they think can help balance turtle protection with profitable fishing.
Single 'Spelling Mistake' In Genetic Code Can Lead To Rare And Untreatable Form Of Ovarian Cancer
Scientists have discovered that there appears to be a single spelling mistake in the genetic code of granulosa cell tumors, a rare and often untreatable form of ovarian cancer. The...
Male Flies: Not The World's Most Sensitive Lovers
In order to increase their chances of reproductive success, male flies of the species Drosophila montana try to copulate for much longer than the females would like. Researchers have shown...
Pets Pass Superbug to Humans
Transmission of an infectious superbug from dogs and cats to humans, and back again, is an increasing problem.
Changing ocean currents impacting salmon
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, June 21 (UPI) -- The salmon population in the Gulf of Alaska has been dwindling as Pacific Ocean currents shift, Alaskan fisheries biologists say.
Sexes use Facebook differently
Whether you're male or female will determine which Facebook applications you find cool, according to a new study.
800 Geese Near NYC Airports Euthanized
Birds Culled In Effort To Reduce Airplane Mishaps
Novel Discovery In Dendritic Cell Signalling Pathways Pave The Way For New Therapeutic Targets
Scientists have discovered another signaling pathway for the activation and apoptosis, or programmed cell death, of dendritic cells.
Punching Holes Into Herpes Viruses
Scientists have completed the first description of the mechanics of so-called nuclear herpes virus capsids.
Researchers observe single protein dimers wavering between two symmetrically opposed structures
LA JOLLA, CA, June 19, 2009 -- Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute, the University of California, San Diego, and Ohio State University have used a very sensitive fluorescence technique...
Plant communication: Sagebrush engage in self-recognition and warn of danger
DAVIS--"To thine own self be true" may take on a new meaning -- not with people or animal behavior but with plant behavior.
Could Big Bird fly? Answer may lie in the feathers
The larger the bird, the more complex the molting process, which may hinder flying, researchers find. ...
Observatory: Getting Mosquitoes to Poison Their Own Larvae
With so many potential breeding sites, spreading pesticide can be a painstaking, door-to-door activity, so why not let the mosquitoes do the work?
New Snakes, Butterflies Found in African Mountains
A U.K. team has found several species that may be new to science in a Mozambique mountain range that had no previous record of exploration. Video.
The virus spy
Yan Li talks about spotting the novel swine flu virus at Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory.