Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Cow genome sequenced
An international team has sequenced the cow genome and are hoping it will lead to medical breakthroughs and sustainable food production.
Animals that resemble each other may be different species
Animals that seem identical may belong to completely different species. This is the conclusion of researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, who have used DNA analyses to discover that...
Clones, cowboys and raising the dead
Using Combinatorial Libraries To Engineer Genetic Circuits Advances Synthetic Biology
The process of selecting and blending genes to create artificial networks -- synthetic biology -- holds promise for many applications. But developing artificial networks takes time and is often frustrating....
Scientists identify 39 bacterial pathogens
BERLIN, April 23 (UPI) -- German scientists say they have identified 39 bacterial pathogens that use toxins to manipulate human host cells to create infections.
Afghanistan opens its first national park
KABUL, Afghanistan, April 23 (UPI) -- The Afghanistan National Environmental Protection Agency says it has established that country's first internationally recognized national park.
Study may lead to new biomass processing
LOS ALAMOS, N.M., April 23 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say they've determined what makes the cell walls of some inedible plants so tough -- a finding that might...
Vehicle for collection of dead will free ambulance service
The P.E.I. government is outfitting a half-ton truck to pick up bodies in Queens County in order to keep the ambulance service free to respond to emergencies.
Research team wins funds to unravel a DNA mystery
An international research team headed by two researchers from the University of Adelaide, Australia, has been awarded a US$900,000 grant to help unravel the phenomenon of 'DNA looping'...
Researchers identify missing target for calcium signalling
An international study led by Ohio State University neuroscience researchers describes one of the missing triggers that controls calcium inside cells, a process important for muscle contraction, nerve-cell transmission, insulin...
Mara wildlife in serious decline
Numbers of giraffe, impala and topi have halved since 1979 in Kenya's Masai Mara wildlife reserve, scientists estimate.
Gene technology threatens new racism: Vatican
GENEVA (Reuters) - Technology allowing parents to choose the genetic characteristics of their babies threatens to breed new forms of racism, the Vatican told a United Nations race conference on...
How Quiet Sounds Are Magnified By 'Flexoelectric Motors' In The Ear
Researchers have learned how quiet sounds are magnified by bundles of tiny, hair-like tubes atop "hair cells" in the ear: when the tubes dance back and forth, they act as...
Fishing restrictions expanded on mercury-blighted lake
Catch and release will only be allowed at a popular fishing spot on P.E.I. following an alarming increase in mercury levels in fish caught there.
Researchers Identify New Gene that Stimulates the Release of Calcium in Cells
International research collaborators have identified a new family of proteins, TPC2 (two-pore channels), that facilitates calcium signaling from specialized subcellular organelles. The study, to be published April 22 in Nature,...
Walking Seal Called Missing Link in Evolution
Skeleton of primitive pinniped could be missing link between land animals and modern seals.
Viruses Can Turn Harmless E. Coli Dangerous
Researchers have studied how viral DNA can be transmitted from pathogenic to non-pathogenic E. coli. Viruses that infect bacteria in this way are called bacteriophages. New findings reveal that such...
Unregulated Biofuel Crops Pose Invasive Pest Risk
Researchers have examined the impact of unregulated planting of biofuel crops for their potential invasiveness and raised concerns about their impacts on Hawaii's environment. Their findings conclude that biofuel crops...
Fish Researcher Demonstrates First 'Non-visual Feeding' By African Cichlids
Most fish rely primarily on their vision to find prey to feed upon, but biologists have demonstrated that a group of African cichlids feeds by using its lateral line sensory...
Eating fatty fish and marine omega-3 fatty acids may reduce risk of heart failure
Eating fatty fish and marine omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish oil, seems to protect men from heart failure according to one of the largest studies to investigate...
Spain allows embryo selection to screen for cancer genes
Health authorities in Spain said Wednesday they had authorised the genetic screening of pre-implantation embryos to ensure they do not carry genes that might cause cancer.
Simulated brain closer to thought
A detailed simulation of one region of the brain is built molecule by molecule, and put in to a "virtual body".
How house-hunting ants choose the best home
Dr Elva Robinson and colleagues in the University's School of Biological Sciences fitted rock ants with tiny radio-frequency identification tags, each measuring 1/2,000 (one two-thousandth) the size of a postage...
Does Brain Development Juicy Juice really work?
The Nestlé product contains the nutrient DHA, but its benefits are questioned. ...
Seabirds' Suitability As A Mate Tied To Crest Size
In at least one breed of northern seabird, the size of males' feather crests may be more than simple ornamentation. Crest size may be a physical indicator of a male...
Environmentally Friendly Beer Brewing: Repaired Gene Improves Commercial Lager Fermentation
A recent study shows that beer fermentation conducted with genetically modified brewer's yeast may result in more efficient lager brewing and a lower environmental footprint.
Guam Rhino Beetles Got Rhythm
In May 2008 the island of Guam became a living laboratory for scientists as they attached acoustic equipment to coconut trees in order to listen for rhinoceros beetles.