Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Boaters remove net blocking birds near Shediac marina after protests
The conflict between boaters in Shediac and a colony of common terns is over for now, as a controversial net near the local marina has been removed.
Scientists Devise Accelerated Method To Determine Infectious Prion Strains
Current tests to identify specific strains of infectious prions, which cause a range of transmissible diseases (such as mad cow) in animals and humans, can take anywhere from six months...
Omega fatty acid balance can alter immunity and gene expression
For the past century, changes in the Western diet have altered the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids (w6, found in meat and vegetable oils) compared with omega-3 fatty acids (w3,...
Protein 'Springs' Simplify Control Of Crustacean Limb Movements
Animals can simplify the brain control of their limb movements by moving a joint with just one muscle that operates against a spring made of the almost perfect elastic substance...
Robots with fins, tails demonstrate evolution
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (AP) -- Robots wag their tail fins and bob along like bathtub toys in a pool at a Vassar College lab. Their actions are...
Slicing chromosomes leads to new insights into cell division
By using ultrafast laser pulses to slice off pieces of chromosomes and observe how the chromosomes behave, biomedical engineers at the University of Michigan have gained pivotal insights into mitosis,...
Researchers identify new deadly virus in Africa
A deadly newly identified virus that causes bleeding like Ebola has killed four of the five people it has infected, researchers say.
Unusual Neuron Could Explain the Smartest Species
A neuroscientist carves up brains to investigate the presence of unique brain cells found only in humans, primates, elephants and a handful of marine mammals -- species that are characterized...
Phony fighters discovered among fig wasps
A newly discovered species has a fraction of dishonest guys with big mouthparts
The clock watcher: Circadian rhythms research is shedding light on the causes of disease and aging
(PhysOrg.com) -- Embedded in our genes is a "clock" that regulates when we sleep, when we are awake and when we eat. This human clock manages what are known as...
Environmental groups sue to save turtles
SAN FRANCISCO, May 29 (UPI) -- The world's oldest sea turtles -- leatherbacks and loggerheads -- will become extinct unless U.S. agencies do more to protect them, a...
Lenfest Forage Fish Task Force Launched
Expert team of international scientists is devising solutions for sustainably managing these small prey fish; overexploitation and inadequate management are threatening the marine food web.
Get a grip! Blistering new evidence on why we have fingerprints
(PhysOrg.com) -- Fingerprints do not help primates grip, as previously thought, scientists have discovered. They actually reduce the friction needed to hold onto flat surfaces. Now Dr Roland Ennos and...
Ants get their place in Smithsonian exhibit
(AP) -- Running a museum is no picnic, but the Smithsonian is attracting ants anyway.
Island sheep focus of climate-change study
HERMOSILLO, Mexico, May 29 (UPI) -- Scientists say they're studying bighorn sheep on an island off the coast of Mexico to determine the effects of climate change on...
New malaria agent found in chimpanzees close to that commonly observed in humans
Researchers based in Gabon and France report the discovery of a new malaria agent infecting chimpanzees in Central Africa. This new species, named Plasmodium gaboni, is a close relative of...
Disorder in golden retriever dogs caused by a mutation in mitochondrial DNA
Sensory ataxic neuropathy (SAN) is a recently identified neurological disorder in Golden Retriever dogs with onset during puppyhood. Affected dogs move in an uncoordinated manner and have sensory deficits. Researchers...
Sugarcoating fruit fly development
Proteins are the executive agents that carry out all processes in a cell. Their activity is controlled and modified with the help of small chemical tags that can be dynamically...
Video: Two-headed snake
May 29: A California pet shop is showing off a new addition, a two-headed snake. Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports. (msnbc.com)
New method to seek life on exoplanets
Study using Deep Impact probe links shifting colours to water
Waxy Plant Substance Key For Absorption Of Water, Nutrients
While proving a long-held theory that suberin blocks water and nutrient absorption in plants, a scientist learned more about manipulating the substance to better feed plants.
WEEK IN PHOTOS: Glowing Monkeys, Cheese Race, More
See newborn fluorescent monkeys; an elephant pedicure; a tumbling, fumbling cheese chase; and more in the week's best news pictures.
Scientists follow live infection by food-poisoning bacteria Listeria
Scientists in Portugal and France managed to follow the patterns of gene expression in food-poisoning bacteria Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) live during infection for the first time. The work about...
Toothy sharks once ruled Tuscany
Some three million years ago, eel-like sharks snaked through the region that now supports Tuscany's finest vineyards, suggest fossils recently found in the clay soil of the Chianti region.
Houndstongue is a controllable problem on range and wild lands
(PhysOrg.com) -- Houndstongue--also known as beggar's lice, dog's tongue, sheep bur and woolmat--is not only a general nuisance to those of you who find its sticky seeds stuck in your...
UPI NewsTrack Health and Science News
New technique finds Jupiter-like exoplanet … New cellular target for HIV drugs proposed … Agricultural fires impact arctic ice melt … Cancer cells need healthy genes to survive ... Health/Science...
So Long Aspirin, Hello Silver
Nanoparticles keep blood from clotting in early tests with lab animals
TOP TEN NEW SPECIES: Ghost Slug and More in Pictures
See a coin-size snake, the world's first pregnant mother, a flesh-eating slug, and the rest of 2008's top ten new species, as named by an international panel of scientists.