Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Latest pest-control attempt: Turn fire ants into zombies
A new species of fly injects the ants with larvae, which attack an ant's brain and eventually cause the head to fall off. The invasive ants cause an estimated $1...
Some predators ignore peculiar prey
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., May 13 (UPI) -- U.S. ecologists have discovered rare traits persist in a population because predators prefer common forms of prey and ignore variations.
Genetic Cause Of Most Common Form Of Breast Cancer Identified
The discovery of tumor-suppressor genes has been key to unlocking the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation -- the hallmark of cancer. Often, these genes will work...
Old Genes Can Learn New Tricks, Horned Beetles Show
A popular view among evolutionary biologists that fundamental genes do not acquire new functions has been challenged by a new study. Biologists report that two ancient genes were "co-opted" to...
Bacteria Create Aquatic Superbugs In Waste Treatment Plants
For bacteria in wastewater treatment plants, the stars align perfectly to create a hedonistic mating ground for antibiotic-resistant superbugs eventually discharged into streams and lakes.
Surprise! Daydreaming Really Works the Brain
Parts of brain involved in problem solving become active during daydreaming.
Insect Gene Expression Responds To Diet
Cabbage looper caterpillars are able to alter the expression of genes associated with metabolism, homeostasis and immunity in response to feeding on plants carrying bacteria. Research published in Frontiers in...
Fungi Pathogenic To Insects Are New Tool In Fight Against Chagas Disease
Entomopathogenic fungi may be a safe and efficient means of controlling Triatoma infestans, the bug that helps spread Chagas disease, according to new research conducted in Argentina. The study shows...
Pop Culture Creatures
Scientists named a diving beetle Agaporomorphus colbert after Stephen Colbert.
NOAA Awards $22.5 Million to Harbor Branch/FAU and UNCW for New Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, Technology and Research
Harbor Branch/FAU and UNCW will receive a highly competitive national award of $22.5 million from NOAA for a new cooperative institute to be headquartered at Harbor Branch in Florida and...
Hair analysis could help police
Researchers have developed a way of studying human hair for forensics, even if it has been damaged beyond DNA recovery.
Scientists discover how smallpox may derail human immune system
University of Florida researchers have learned more about how smallpox conducts its deadly business - discoveries that may reveal as much about the human immune system as they do about...
Pliable proteins keep photosynthesis on the light path
Photosynthesis is a remarkable biological process that supports life on earth. Plants and photosynthetic microbes do so by harvesting light to produce their food, and in the process, also provide...
Islands top a global list of places to protect
Rare and unique ecological communities will be lost if oceanic islands aren't adequately considered in a global conservation plan, a new study has found. Although islands tend to harbour fewer...
Scientists isolate 'neuroprotective' gene in patients with ALS
A genetic variant that substantially improves survival of individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, has been identified by a consortium of researchers led by...
New imaging technique reveals structural changes in Tourette's
Magnetisation Transfer Imaging, MTI, has been used to visualise previously unknown alterations in the cerebral architecture of patients with Tourette's syndrome. The researchers, writing in the open access journal BMC...
New genomic technique uncovers coral transcriptome
Using a new technique for cDNA preparation combined with the latest sequencing methods, researchers have uncovered the larval transcriptome of a reef-building coral (Acropora millepora). Their study, described in the...
Chemical data forums latest stumbling block for Reach
Information exchange forums that form part of Reach chemical legislation are not functioning effectively.
Scientists offer thalidomide clue
Aberdeen scientists say they have "solved the 50-year puzzle" of how and why limbs are targeted by thalidomide.
Disease Threatens Washington State Sea Otters
Many of Washington State's sea otters are exposed to the same pathogens responsible for causing disease in marine mammal populations in other parts of the country, according to a new...
Gene May 'Bypass' Disease-linked Mitochondrial Defects
By lending them a gene normally reserved for other classes of animals, researchers have shown they can rescue flies from their Parkinson's-like symptoms, including movement defects and excess free radicals...
In a Lab, an Ever-Growing Database of DNA Profiles
The F.B.I.’s National DNA Index System, a database of 6.7 million genetic profiles, is the world’s largest repository of forensic DNA information.
AS SEEN ON EARTH: Eco-Dome, Swine Flu, Myanmar Pictures
Balsa trees threaten, watermelons beckon, and fish dry in the sun in these glimpses of life from around the globe.
New gene map shows big diversity in Mexico
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new gene map of Mexicans show they are as diverse as their history suggests and could benefit from having their own, unique analysis when it comes...
Researchers Link Oxidation of Potassium Channel in Cells to Loss of Sensory Function in Aging
Researchers at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School are one step closer to determining how human cells can be protected against the affects of age-related neurodegeneration including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease....
Geneticists streamline gene searches
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., May 11 (UPI) -- U.S. geneticists say they've determined a process called "normalization" is no longer necessary during gene searches, thereby saving time and money.
Animals just want to have fun, survey finds
From tickling to playing catch, animals engage in certain behaviors just for fun, even enjoying sensations that are unknown to humans, concludes an extensive new survey on pleasure in the...
Bournemouth University expert working to preserve 'biological Eden'
Professor Adrian Newton, a leading Bournemouth University (BU) expert in conservation ecology, is working to prevent the loss of rare fruit and nut forests in an area of Central Asia...