Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Giant Whale Thieves Caught on Video -- A First
Sperm whales have been filmed "elegantly" stealing cod from fishers' lines in Alaska, giving scientists a rare opportunity to learn about how these deep-diving giants hunt.
3-D model of H1N1 protein is developed
SINGAPORE, May 27 (UPI) -- Singaporean scientists say they have created a 3-D structural model of a critical H1N1, or swine flu, protein, accomplishing the task in just...
Study: Climate may affect birds' songs
DURHAM, N.C., May 26 (UPI) -- U.S. and Canadian scientists say climate patterns might be responsible for some birds singing elaborate songs and others much more simple melodies.
Getting more from microarrays
Scientists could monitor gene splicing activity without investing in new technology by using a microarray platform, according to new research.
Acid oceans may not be so bad
Contrary to previous studies, new research has shown that ocean acidification may boost tropical coral photosynthesis.
A potential drug for liver carcinoma
Looking for efficient anti-tumour drugs is a hot research area. Chrysin (5,7-dihydroxy flavone), a natural widely-distributed flavonoid, has been reported to have many different biological activities such as anti-oxidant, anti-virus,...
Investigating the development of mechanosensitivity
Researchers of the Max Delbrueck Centre for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Germany, have gained crucial insight into how mechanosensitivity arises. By measuring electrical impulses in the sensory neurones of mice,...
New Understandings In Circadian Rhythms
Geneticists have made new inroads into understanding the regulatory circuitry of the biological clock that synchronizes the ebb and flow of daily activities.
Virus wipes out cancer cells
OXFORD, England, May 22 (UPI) -- Human trials of a virus that kills cancer cells in mice without harming healthy cells is at least two years away, British...
Tasmanian Devils To Be Listed as 'Endangered'
The Australian government has decided to list Tasmanian devils as endangered.
Why the thumb of the right hand is on the left hand side
It is the concentration of a few signaling molecules that determines the fate of individual cells during the early development of organisms. In the renowned journal Current Biology, a team...
Key protein may explain the anti-aging and anti-cancer benefits of dietary restriction
A protein that plays a key role in tumor formation, oxygen metabolism and inflammation is involved in a pathway that extends lifespan by dietary restriction. The finding, which appears...
New Species Found at Great Barrier Reef
In and around Australia's Great Barrier Reef, researchers with the Census of Marine Life have discovered hundreds of new species. Video.
Scientists discover genetic defects linked with rare bearded lady
New research provides exciting genetic insight into a rare syndrome that first appeared in the medical literature in the mid 1800s with the case of Julia Pastrana, the world's most...
The challenges of avian influenza virus: Mechanism, epidemiology and control
The latest special issue of Science in China Series C: Life Sciences focuses on the recent progress in the H5N1-related research field.
Spain to pioneer the application of a nanotechnology microscope for brain studies
In a world first, Spain is to use a nanotechnology microscope for brain studies as part of the Blue Brain project. The initiative is CSIC researcher Javier de Felipe's brainchild,...
The UK's endangered dormice population showing signs of a possible recovery
Conservationists say they are encouraged by research which suggests that a decline in the numbers of dormice is slowing down.
Scientists test superjet technology in Australia
Australian and US scientists have successfully tested hypersonic aircraft technology which could revolutionise international flight, officials said.
Internet followers of eagle cam watch helplessly as eaglet dies in B.C. nest
The smallest of two eaglets in a nest on Hornby Island, B.C., that wildlife enthusiasts have been observing online via a webcam has died after getting caught in its mother's...
Biofilms As River Sentinels
Researchers in Lyon decided to use the reaction of a group of micro-organisms to the presence of toxic molecules in evaluating the ecological status of a river and thus develop...
Bumblebee flight is not quite in sync
Scientists have taken a close look at the way bumblebees fly, and the video footage isn't pretty.
Researchers Collaborate Across Continents in Weed Study
When velvetleaf weed grows in competition with corn, its genes used for photosynthesis and cell division are enhanced more so than if the weed grew in a monoculture.
New brain imaging method shows promise for epilepsy
With 25 percent of his brain already gone, Clint Galster sat alone in a vaultlike room as doctors tried to figure out whether even more brain tissue could be taken...
Lobsters vs. Sea Urchins
Voracious sea urchins are stripping coral reefs off Australia, depriving fish of key habitat, scientists say. The potential solution? Strategic deployment of urchin-eating lobsters. Video.
For some birds, chancy climates mean better singers
A survey of mockingbird species links variable environment and song complexity
The cosmos is green: Researchers catch nature in the act of 'recycling' a star (w/Animations)
For the first time, researchers have observed a singular cosmic act of rebirth: the transformation of an ordinary, slow-rotating pulsar into a superfast millisecond pulsar with an almost infinitely extended...
Habitat loss 'hitting shellfish'
Declining shellfish populations from habitat loss is having a widespread impact on marine ecosystems, a study suggests.
Mockingbirds in fickle climates sing fancier tunes
DURHAM, N.C. -- Why are some birds simple singers and others vocal virtuosos? Researchers at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent), the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and McGill University suspect...