Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Prune Juice Not Necessary: New Research Should Make Bowel Movements Easier
If you hate prune juice and chalky fiber supplements, just sit down and relax. Help is on the way. Researchers discovered a new way to make it a lot easier...
Oh, he’s such a lab bird
Tests in wild birds suggest those with brash personalities are more likely to end up in the lab studies
Scorpion diet makes snakes more venomous
BANGOR, Wales, April 10 (UPI) -- Deadly saw-scaled vipers that feed on scorpions are far more dangerous than those that eat mammals and reptiles, a Welsh researcher says.
Target granny mosquitoes to stop malaria, say scientists
A pesticide that kills only 'grandmother' mosquitoes could prevent both malaria transmission and the growth of resistance, argue scientists.
Small RNAs Can Play Critical Roles In Male Infertility, Contraception
Scientists have discovered insight into the reproductive workings of the male sex chromosome that may have significant implications for male infertility and contraception.
Wild chimps exchange meat for sex
LEIPZIG, Germany, April 9 (UPI) -- German scientists say they've determined wild female chimpanzees copulate more frequently with males who share meat with them over long periods of...
Fluorescent Cancer Cells To Guide Brain Surgeons
Malignant brain tumors grow with fine extensions which make them hard to distinguish from healthy brain tissue during surgery. Scientists have developed a staining method that makes tumor cells glow...
Caltech researchers train computers to analyse fruit-fly behaviour
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have trained computers to automatically analyse aggression and courtship in fruit flies, opening the way for researchers to perform large-scale, high-throughput screens...
Fruit fly sexual 'genetic priming' studied
ITHACA, N.Y., April 9 (UPI) -- U.S. and Australian scientists say that at the genetic level, some males and females are more compatible than others -- at least...
How Do Microglia Examine Damaged Synapses?
Microglia, immune cells in the brain, are suggested to be involved in the repair of damaged brain. However, it is unknown how microglia diagnose damaged circuits in an in vivo...
It's the metal in the mussel that gives mussels their muscle power
Researchers in California are reporting for the first time that metals are key ingredients that give the coatings of anchoring byssal threads of marine mussels their amazing durability. The study...
Calorie-Burning Fat? Studies Say You Have It
Originally believed to be lost after infancy, calorie-burning brown fat has been discovered in adults.
PopSci Limerick: Bacon Sandwiches Cure Hangovers!
Here's a hangover cure you'll make a toast, and tip your glass, to. Memorize this poem and you'll never suffer through a morning again! read more
Human nervous system: Better than thought
LA JOLLA, Calif., April 8 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists say their study of the human retina suggests the nervous system operates with higher precision than has been previously...
Evolution: Biology's next top model?
From Antarctic icefish to Galapagos finches, there are some interesting characters at the fringes of developmental biology. Brendan Maher explores a world of alternative model organisms.
Key protein in cellular respiration discovered
Many diseases derive from problems with cellular respiration, the process through which cells extract energy from nutrients. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have now discovered a new function for...
Gene Therapy Appears Safe To Regenerate Gum Tissue
Scientists have developed a method of gene delivery that appears safe for regenerating tooth-supporting gum tissue -- a discovery that assuages one of the biggest safety concerns surrounding gene therapy...
Reserves found to be 'effective tool' for reducing fires in Brazilian rainforests
Rainforest reserves - even those disturbed by roads - provide an important buffer against fires that are devastating parts of the Brazilian Amazon, according to a new study by a...
Owls' dawn and dusk concerts promote visual communication
Reporting in the online, open-access journal PLoS ONE 8 April, Vincenzo Penteriani and Maria Delgado of the Estacion Biologica de Donana, Spain, describe the evolution of white throat badges in...
The Secret To Chimp Strength
An evolutionary biologist argues that humans may lack the strength of chimps because our nervous systems exert more control over our muscles. Our fine motor control prevents great feats of...
Antarctic Marine Biodiversity Data Now Online
The International Polar Year concluded in March 2009 with a tangible legacy in the form of a network of databases on marine biodiversity that will serve as clearinghouse for all...
Eye Cells Believed To Be Retinal Stem Cells Are Misidentified
Cells isolated from the eye that many scientists believed were retinal stem cells are, in fact, normal adult cells, investigators have found.
UPI NewsTrack Health and Science News
Spitzer looks for prebiotic chemicals ... Pancreatic cancer biomarkers list created ... NASA selects Orion heat shield material ... Fluorescent brain cells may guide surgeons ... Health/Science news from UPI.
Six moose die after being tranquilized
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 7 (UPI) -- Alaskan Fish and Game investigators are trying to determine what killed six moose that had been tranquilized and equipped with radio collars.
Bird With "Human" Eyes Knows What You're Looking At
Jackdaws can follow a person's gaze, making them the first animals other than humans known to understand the role of eyes in seeing and perceiving things, a new study suggests.
New neurons update remote memories
It is not easy to find your student bedroom when you left university 10, 20 or 30 years ago. But once you have found it, you can easily return the...
Sony PS3 tops Nintendo Wii in Japan in March: survey
Sony has been given a vital boost in the battle for the multibillion-dollar video game industry, with a survey showing its PlayStation 3 outsold Nintendo's Wii in Japan for the...