Today's Science News
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
The Origin of Life: Labyrinths as Crucibles of Life
Jan. 27, 2015 — Water-filled micropores in hot rock may have acted as the nurseries in which life on Earth began. A team has now shown that temperature gradients in pore systems promote the cyclical replication and ... full story
Asteroid That Flew Past Earth Has Moon
Jan. 27, 2015 — Scientists working with NASA's 230-foot-wide (70-meter) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, California, have released the first radar images of asteroid 2004 BL86. The images show the ... full story
Easter Island Mystery: Why Did the Native Culture Die Out?
Jan. 27, 2015 — Long before the Europeans arrived on Easter Island in 1722, the native Polynesian culture known as Rapa Nui showed signs of demographic decline. However, the catalyst has long been debated in the ... full story
The World's Oldest Known Snake Fossils: Rolling Back the Clock by Nearly 70 Million Years
Jan. 27, 2015 — Fossilized remains of four ancient snakes have been dated between 140 and 167 million years old -- nearly 70 million years older than the previous record of ancient snake fossils -- and are changing ... full story
Ancient Star System Reveals Earth-Sized Planets Forming Near Start of Universe
Jan. 27, 2015 — A Sun-like star with orbiting planets, dating back to the dawn of the Galaxy, has been discovered by an international team of astronomers. At 11.2 billion years old, it is the oldest star with ... full story
Spider Electro-Combs Its Sticky Nano-Filaments
Jan. 27, 2015 — A spider commonly found in garden centers in Britain is giving fresh insights into how to spin incredibly long and strong fibers just a few nanometers thick. The majority of spiders spin silk threads ... full story
Sugary Drinks Linked to Earlier Onset of Menstrual Periods
Jan. 27, 2015 — Girls who frequently consume sugary drinks tend to start their menstrual periods earlier than girls who do not, according to new research. The findings are important not only because of the growing ... full story
Psychopathic Violent Offenders’ Brains Can’t Understand Punishment
Jan. 27, 2015 — Psychopathic violent offenders have abnormalities in the parts of the brain related to learning from punishment, according to an MRI ... full story
Brain Region Vulnerable to Aging Is Larger in Those With Longevity Gene Variant
Jan. 27, 2015 — People who carry a variant of a gene that is associated with longevity also have larger volumes in a front part of the brain involved in planning and decision-making, according to ... full story
NASA's Dawn Spacecraft Captures Best-Ever View of Dwarf Planet Ceres
Jan. 27, 2015 — NASA's Dawn spacecraft has returned the sharpest images ever seen of the dwarf planet Ceres. The images were taken 147,000 miles (237,000 kilometers) from Ceres on Jan. 25, and represent a new ... full story
Stomach Acid-Powered Micromotors Get Their First Test in a Living Animal
Jan. 27, 2015 — Researchers have shown that a micromotor fueled by stomach acid can take a bubble-powered ride inside a mouse. These tiny motors, each about one-fifth the width of a human hair, may someday offer a ... full story
Using Stem Cells to Grow New Hair
Jan. 27, 2015 — Researchers have used human pluripotent stem cells to generate new hair. The study represents the first step toward the development of a cell-based treatment for people with hair loss. In the United ... full story
Girls Lead Boys in Academic Achievement Globally
Jan. 26, 2015 — Considerable attention has been paid to how boys' educational achievements in science and math compare to girls' accomplishments in those areas, often leading to the assumption that boys ... full story
Got Bees? Got Vitamin A? Got Malaria? Loss of Pollinators Increases Risk of Malnutrition, Disease
Jan. 26, 2015 — More than half the people in some developing countries could become newly at risk for malnutrition if crop-pollinating animals -- like bees -- continue to decline, experts say. Despite popular ... full story
3-D View of Greenland Ice Sheet Opens Window on Ice History
Jan. 23, 2015 — Scientists using ice-penetrating radar have created 3-D maps of the age of the ice within the Greenland Ice Sheet. The new maps will aid future research to understand the impact of climate change on ... full story
- Origin of Life: Labyrinths as Crucibles of Life
- Asteroid That Flew Past Earth Has Moon
- Easter Island: What Doomed Native Culture?
- World's Oldest Known Snake Fossils Dated
- Ancient Star With Five Earth-Size Planets
- Spider Electro-Combs Its Sticky Nano-Filaments
- Sugary Drinks: Early Menstrual Period Onset
- Psychopath's Brains Don't Understand Punishment
- Brain Region Vulnerable to Aging: Gene Variant
- Best-Ever View of Dwarf Planet Ceres Captured
- Stomach Acid-Powered Micromotors in Live Mouse
- Using Stem Cells to Grow New Hair
- Academic Achievement: Girls Lead Boys Globally
- Got Bees? Got Vitamin A? Got Malaria?
- 3-D View of Greenland Ice Sheet Opens Window
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last updated on 2015-01-28 at 3:13 pm EST
Molecular Alterations in Head and Neck Cancers Uncovered by Study
Jan. 28, 2015 — A new study shows genomic differences in head and neck cancers caused by infection with the human papillomavirus. In addition, researchers have uncovered new smoking-related cancer subtypes and ... full story
Damaged DNA May Stall Patrolling Molecule to Initiate Repair
Jan. 28, 2015 — Sites where DNA is damaged may cause a molecule that slides along the DNA strand to scan for damage to slow on its patrol, delaying it long enough to recognize and initiate repair. These finding ... full story
Earlier Menopause Linked to Everyday Chemical Exposures
Jan. 28, 2015 — Women whose bodies have high levels of chemicals found in plastics, personal-care products, common household items and the environment experience menopause two to four years earlier than women with ... full story
What's Happening With Your Donated Specimen?
Jan. 28, 2015 — When donating blood, plasma, human tissue or any other bodily sample for medical research, most people might not think about how it's being used. But if you were told, would you care? A new study ... full story
New Model for Preserving Donor Tissue Will Allow More Natural Joint Repair for Patients
Jan. 28, 2015 — Currently, doctors have to throw away more than 80 percent of donated tissue used for joint replacements because the tissue does not survive long enough to be transplanted. Now, researchers have ... full story
New Protein Detonates 'Invincible' Bacteria from Within
Jan. 28, 2015 — The epidemic of 'superbugs,' bacteria resistant to antibiotics, knows no borders -- presenting a clear and present danger around the globe. Now a groundbreaking discovery may strengthen efforts by ... full story
Did Genetic Links to Modern Maladies Provide Ancient Benefits?
Jan. 28, 2015 — Genetic variations associated with some modern maladies are extremely old, scientists have discovered, predating the evolution of Neanderthals, Denisovans (another ancient hominin) and contemporary ... full story
Eyeglasses That Turn Into Sunglasses -- At Your Command
Jan. 28, 2015 — Imagine eyeglasses that can go quickly from clear to shaded and back again when you want them to, rather than passively in response to changes in light. Scientists report a major step toward that ... full story
Novel Compound Switches Off Epilepsy Development
Jan. 28, 2015 — A novel compound helps curtail the onset and progression of temporal lobe epilepsy, researchers have discovered. The finding may contribute to the development of anti-epileptic therapies, they ... full story
New Biological Evidence Reveals Link Between Brain Inflammation and Major Depression
Jan. 28, 2015 — The measure of brain inflammation in people who were experiencing clinical depression was increased by 30 per cent, researchers have discovered. These findings have important implications for ... full story
- Molecular Alterations in Head and Neck Cancers
- Damaged DNA May Repair Initiation
- Earlier Menopause Linked to Chemical Exposures
- What's Happening With Your Donated Specimen?
- Preservation Method for Donor Tissue Developed
- New Protein Detonates 'Invincible' Bacteria
- Modern Maladies' Genetic Links: Ancient Benefits?
- Eyeglasses That Turn Into Sunglasses, On Command
- Novel Compound Switches Off Epilepsy Development
- Brain Inflammation, Depression: Link Confirmed
Playing With Puzzles, Blocks May Build Children's Spatial Skills
Jan. 28, 2015 — Play may seem like fun and games, but new research shows that specific kinds of play are actually associated with development of particular cognitive skills. Data from an American nationally ... full story
Picture This: Technology Tightens Focus on Who's Watching Women
Jan. 28, 2015 — Findings of a new study point to emotional consequences for women who are objectified for their physical appearance. The author concludes that the findings reflect objectification theory that ... full story
Children Feel Most Positively About Mothers Who Respect Their Autonomy
Jan. 28, 2015 — Mothers who support their children's need for autonomy as the children grow tend to be viewed more positively by their children. The study included more than 2,000 mothers and their children. It ... full story
Seeing Selves as Overweight May Be Self-Fulfilling Prophecy for Some Teens
Jan. 28, 2015 — Teens who mistakenly perceive themselves as overweight are actually at greater risk of obesity as adults, according to research ... full story
How Creative Are You? Depends Where You're from
Jan. 27, 2015 — With the 'creative class' on the rise, many businesses are trying to capitalize on imagination and innovation. But when it comes to creative juices, some societies have a faster flow than others. ... full story
That's Using Your Head: Brain Regulates Fat Metabolism, Potentially Stopping Disease
Jan. 27, 2015 — Atherosclerosis -- hardening and narrowing of the arteries -- can be caused by fat build up that causes plaque deposits, and is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease. Now a researcher has ... full story
Things Smell Good for a Reason
Jan. 27, 2015 — Antioxidants are natural food ingredients that protect cells from harmful influences. Their main task is to neutralize so-called 'free radicals' which are produced in the process of oxidation and ... full story
Negative Patient-Doctor Communication Could Worsen Symptoms
Jan. 27, 2015 — A type of 'nocebo' response -- where patients perceive a lack of understanding or acceptance from their doctor -- could create anger and distress, physiological conditions that could worsen illness, ... full story
Neuroscience Researchers Believe in Quitting Smoking Gradually
Jan. 27, 2015 — The immediate reaction in the brain after quitting smoking has been the focus of a recent study. At just 12 hours after kicking the habit, the oxygen uptake and blood flow in the brain decrease ... full story
Smoking May Increase Risks for Patients Being Treated for Prostate Cancer
Jan. 27, 2015 — Among patients with prostate cancer, those who smoke have increased risks of experiencing side effects from treatment and of developing future cancer recurrences, or even dying from prostate ... full story
- Puzzles, Blocks Play May Build Spatial Skills
- Who's Watching Women? Technology Tightens Focus
- Kids Feel Best About Moms Who Respect Autonomy
- Seeing Selves as Overweight May Make It True
- How Creative Are You? Depends Where You're from
- That's Using Your Head: Fat Metabolism Regulation
- Things Smell Good for a Reason
- Can Bad Communication Worsen Patient's Symptoms?
- Is Quitting Smoking Gradually the Best Way?
- Prostate Cancer Treatment: Smoking Ups Risks?
Hygiene Practices Affect Contact Lens Case Contamination
Jan. 28, 2015 — Contact lens wearers who don't follow certain hygiene habits have increased bacterial contamination of their contact lens cases, reports a new study. Washing hands with soap and water, allowing cases ... full story
Dutch Babies Trump US Peers in Laughing, Smiling, Cuddling
Jan. 28, 2015 — Dutch babies laugh, smile and like to cuddle more than their American counterparts. A new study examining temperamental differences between US and Dutch babies found infants born in the Netherlands ... full story
Infant Failure to Thrive Linked to Lysosome Dysfunction
Jan. 27, 2015 — Neonatal intestinal disorders that prevent infants from getting the nutrients they need may be caused by defects in the lysosomal system -- or cell recycling center -- that occur before weaning. ... full story
Decisions on Future Childbearing in Women Diagnosed With a Meningioma
Jan. 27, 2015 — 43% of surveyed female meningioma survivors aged 25--44 yrs stated they were warned that pregnancy was a risk factor for meningioma recurrence. Nevertheless, these women were more likely to want a ... full story
Ads Effective Even in the Midst of Multitasking, Studies Find
Jan. 26, 2015 — Those video ads playing in the corner of your computer screen, in the midst of multitasking, may have more impact than you realize. They may be as effective as ads you're really watching, says one ... full story
Students Master Math Through Movement Using Kinect for Windows
Jan. 26, 2015 — Significant gains in the understanding of angles and angle measurements by elementary school students are seen in those who performed body-based tasks while interacting with a Kinect for Windows ... full story
Higher Dementia Risk Linked to More Use of Common Drugs
Jan. 26, 2015 — A large study links a significantly increased risk for developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, to taking commonly used medications with anticholinergic effects at higher doses or for a ... full story
Nocturnal Leg Cramps More Common in Summer
Jan. 26, 2015 — Painful nocturnal leg cramps are about twice as common during summer than in winter, found a new study. Because quinine is commonly prescribed to treat leg cramps, researchers looked at the number of ... full story
Brain Study Sheds Light on How Children With Autism Process Social Play
Jan. 26, 2015 — Brain scans confirm significant differences in play behavior, brain activation patterns and stress levels in children with autism spectrum disorder as compared with typically developing children, new ... full story
Partly Wrong With a Chance of Being Right: Weather Forecast
Jan. 26, 2015 — The inaccuracy of weather forecasts has personal implications for people around the world. New research from Tel Aviv University prioritizes, for the first time, the reasons for forecasting failures ... full story
- Contact Lens Case Contamination: Hygiene Methods
- Laughing, Smiling, Cuddles: Dutch Babies Trump US
- Lysosome Dysfunction Linked to Failure to Thrive
- Meningioma and the Decision to Have Children
- Ads Effective Even While Multitasking
- Kinect: Students Master Math Through Movement
- Use of Common Drugs Tied to Higher Dementia Risk
- Nocturnal Leg Cramps More Common in Summer
- How Children With Autism Process Social Play
- Why Are Weather Forecasts So Inaccurate?
Holes in Valence Bands of Nanodiamonds Discovered: Potential Catalysts for Splitting Water
Jan. 28, 2015 — Nanodiamonds are tiny crystals only a few nanometers in size. While they possess the crystalline structure of diamonds, their properties diverge considerably from those of their big brothers, because ... full story
Demystifying Nanocrystal Solar Cells
Jan. 28, 2015 — Researchers have developed a comprehensive model to explain how electrons flow inside new types of solar cells made of tiny crystals. The model allows for a better understanding of such cells and may ... full story
A Robot to Help Improve Agriculture and Wine Production
Jan. 28, 2015 — Agricultural researchers and computer scientists are working on the development of an unmanned robot, equipped with non-invasive advanced sensors and artificial intelligence systems, which will help ... full story
New Instrument to Study the Extreme Universe -- The X-Ray Polarimeter X-Calibur
Jan. 28, 2015 — X-ray polarimetry promises to give qualitatively new information about high-energy astrophysical sources, such as black hole systems, the bright and active centers of galaxies, compact neutron stars, ... full story
Researchers Use Sound to Slow Down, Speed Up, and Block Light
Jan. 28, 2015 — How do you make an optical fiber transmit light only one way? Researchers have experimentally demonstrated, for the first time, the phenomenon of Brillouin Scattering Induced Transparency (BSIT), ... full story
Nanoscale Mirrored Cavities Amplify, Connect Quantum Memories
Jan. 28, 2015 — Constructing tiny "mirrors" to trap light increases the efficiency with which photons can pick up and transmit information about electronic spin states -- which is essential for scaling up quantum ... full story
Crude Oil Conspiracy Theories Could Be Right: Oil Is Often the Reason for Interfering in Another Country's War
Jan. 27, 2015 — Researchers have for the first time provided strong evidence for what conspiracy theorists have long thought -- oil is often the reason for interfering in another country's ... full story
Researchers Tune Friction in Ionic Solids at the Nanoscale
Jan. 27, 2015 — New experiments have uncovered a way of controlling friction on ionic surfaces at the nanoscale using electrical stimulation and ambient water ... full story
New Mechanism Unlocked for Evolution of Green Fluorescent Protein
Jan. 27, 2015 — A primary challenge in the biosciences is to understand the way major evolutionary changes in nature are accomplished. Sometimes the route turns out to be very simple. An example of such simplicity ... full story
New Pathway to Valleytronics: Femtosecond Laser Used to Manipulate Valley Excitons
Jan. 27, 2015 — Researchers have uncovered a promising new pathway to valleytronics, a potential quantum computing technology in which information is coded based on the wavelike motion of electrons moving through ... full story
- Holes in Valence Bands of Nanodiamonds
- Demystifying Nanocrystal Solar Cells
- Agricultural Robot Checks Up On Grape Vines
- New Instrument to Study the Extreme Universe
- Sound Used to Slow Down, Speed Up, and Block ...
- Nanoscale Cavities Amplify Quantum Memories
- Crude Conspiracy Theories Could Be Right
- Friction Tuned in Ionic Solids at the Nanoscale
- Evolution of Green Fluorescent Protein: New Info
- Quantum Computing: New Path to Valleytronics
The Two Faces of Mars: Moon-Sized Celestial Object Crashed Into South Pole
Jan. 28, 2015 — The two hemispheres of Mars are more different from any other planet in our solar system. Non-volcanic, flat lowlands characterize the northern hemisphere, while highlands punctuated by countless ... full story
Ballooning Offers Platform for Performing Research in a Space-Like Environment
Jan. 28, 2015 — A high-altitude (>20 km) balloon platform is nearly ideal for carrying out scientific observations in a space-like environment, flight qualifying instrumentation, and transporting humans to the edge ... full story
The Mouth of the Beast: VLT Images Cometary Globule CG4
Jan. 28, 2015 — Like the gaping mouth of a gigantic celestial creature, the cometary globule CG4 glows menacingly in this new image from ESO's Very Large Telescope. Although it appears to be big and bright in this ... full story
'Knobby Terrain' a Sign of Mars's Explosive Past
Jan. 27, 2015 — The Red Planet's upper crust is brittle and weak. Planetary geologists often attribute this to effusive eruption -- lava pouring out of a volcano onto the ground -- early in Mars's history with later ... full story
'Yellowballs' Are Part of the Development of Massive Star
Jan. 27, 2015 — Citizen scientists wanted to know: What are the yellow objects on these infrared images from the Spitzer Space Telescope? Astronomers now report that the "yellowballs" are part of the development of ... full story
Bubbles from the Galactic Center: A Key to Understanding Dark Matter and Our Galaxy's Past?
Jan. 27, 2015 — The astrophysicists who discovered two enormous radiation bubbles in the center of our galaxy discuss what they may tell us about the Milky Way and how they could help in the search for dark ... full story
Gigantic Ring System Around J1407b Much Larger, Heavier Than Saturn's
Jan. 26, 2015 — Astronomers have discovered that the ring system that they see eclipse the very young Sun-like star J1407 is of enormous proportions, much larger and heavier than the ring system of ... full story
Swarm of Microprobes to Head for Jupiter
Jan. 26, 2015 — A swarm of tiny probes each with a different sensor could be fired into the clouds of Jupiter and grab data as they fall before burning up in the gas giant planet's atmosphere. The probes would last ... full story
Helicopter Could Be 'Scout' for Mars Rovers
Jan. 26, 2015 — Getting around on Mars is tricky business. Each NASA rover has delivered a wealth of information about the history and composition of the Red Planet, but a rover's vision is limited by the view of ... full story
Alamo Impact Crater: New Study Could Double Its Size
Jan. 23, 2015 — Carbonate rock deposits found within the mountain ranges of south-central Nevada, USA, record evidence of a catastrophic impact event known as the Alamo impact. This event occurred roughly 382 ... full story
- The Two Faces of Mars
- Ballooning: A Space-Like Environment
- Cometary Globule CG4 Imaged
- 'Knobby Terrain' a Sign of Mars's Explosive Past
- Astronomers Answer 'What Are Yellowballs?'
- Bubbles from the Galactic Center
- Gigantic Ring System Much Bigger Than Saturn's
- Swarm of Microprobes to Head for Jupiter
- Helicopter Could Be 'Scout' for Mars Rovers
- Alamo Impact Crater: New Study Could Double Size
Pacemakers With Internet Connection, a Not-So-Distant Goal
Jan. 28, 2015 — An efficient security protocol has been designed to protect the information provided by pacemakers and similar medical devices connected to the Internet. Thanks to the latest advances in ... full story
Game Theory Explains Social Interactions of Cancer Cells
Jan. 28, 2015 — The interactions of cancer cells may be explained by using game theory. The Public Goods Game is part of game theory and is used in economics as a model to analyze the provision of common goods. ... full story
New Search Engine Lets Users Look for Relevant Results Faster
Jan. 27, 2015 — Researchers have developed a new search engine that outperforms current ones, and helps people to do searches more ... full story
Bad Weather Warnings Most Effective If Probability Included, New Research Suggests
Jan. 27, 2015 — Risk researchers find that the public may respond best to severe weather warnings if they include a probability estimate, an important finding not only for the present but also for the longer-term ... full story
Maximizing Access to Mobile Networks by Seamlessly 'Offloading' Some Traffic
Jan. 27, 2015 — Mathematical analysis reveals how to maximize access to mobile networks by seamlessly ‘offloading’ traffic to smaller Wi-Fi and cellular ... full story
Researchers Use Oxides to Flip Graphene Conductivity
Jan. 26, 2015 — A team of researchers has demonstrated a new way to change the amount of electrons that reside in a given region within a piece of graphene, they have a proof-of-principle in making the fundamental ... full story
Electronic Circuits With Reconfigurable Pathways Closer to Reality
Jan. 26, 2015 — Multitasking circuits capable of reconfiguring themselves in real time and switching functions as the need arises -- this is the promising application stemming from a new discovery. Other potential ... full story
Largest-Ever Autism Genome Study Finds Most Siblings Have Different Autism-Risk Genes
Jan. 26, 2015 — The largest-ever autism genome study reveals that the disorder's genetic underpinnings are more complex than previously thought: Most siblings who have autism have different autism-linked genes. The ... full story
Researchers Identify Materials to Improve Biofuel, Petroleum Processing
Jan. 26, 2015 — Using one of the largest supercomputers in the world, a team of researchers has identified potential materials that could improve the production of ethanol and petroleum products. The discovery could ... full story
Researchers Make Magnetic Graphene
Jan. 26, 2015 — Graphene has many desirable properties. Magnetism alas is not one of them. Magnetism can be induced in graphene by doping it with magnetic impurities, but this tends to disrupt graphene's electronic ... full story
- Pacemakers With Internet Connection Coming Soon
- Social Interactions of Cancer Cells: Game Theory?
- New Highly Efficient Search Engine Developed
- Bad Weather Warnings Best If Probability Included
- WiFi: Smoother Sailing Through Sharing
- Graphene Conductivity Flips With Oxides
- Multitasking Circuits To Reconfigure Themselves
- Most Siblings Have Different Autism-Risk Genes
- Materials Improve Biofuel, Petroleum Processing
- Researchers Make Magnetic Graphene
Chimps With Higher-Ranking Moms Do Better in Fights
Jan. 28, 2015 — For chimpanzees, just like humans, teasing, taunting and bullying are familiar parts of playground politics. An analysis of twelve years of observations of playground fights between young chimpanzees ... full story
News from the Depths: A New Cave-Dwelling Flatworm Species from the Brazilian Savanna
Jan. 28, 2015 — Field research in a limestone cave in the Brazilian savanna recorded the first obligate cave-dwelling flatworm of the suborder Continenticola in South America. The species has the characteristic ... full story
Into the Dark: Two New Encrusting Anemones Found in Coral Reef Caves
Jan. 28, 2015 — Three marine biologists from Japan have discovered two new and unusually unique species of encrusting anemone. Unlike almost all known species within their genus, these two new species do not have ... full story
Urban Sprawl Promotes Worm Exchange Across Species
Jan. 28, 2015 — The complex exchange of parasitic worms between wildlife, rats and humans is a little more clear, thanks to new research. “We developed a model concept that allows us to link the probability of ... full story
Blind Beetles Show Extraordinary Signs of Sight
Jan. 28, 2015 — Researchers have made a surprising discovery in the aquifers beneath the Western Australian desert, which challenges the traditional Darwinian view of evolution. They have discovered that a species ... full story
Ocean Acidification Changes Balance of Biofouling Communities
Jan. 28, 2015 — A new study of marine organisms that make up the 'biofouling community' -- tiny creatures that attach themselves to ships' hulls and rocks in the ocean around the world -- shows how they adapt to ... full story
From Bacterium to Biofactory
Jan. 28, 2015 — A genetic blueprint for organelles that give simple cells new functions has been developed by scientists. A research team has refuted a long-held assumption in biology: The scientists have shown that ... full story
Research Projects Contribute to Shaping EU Regulation to Control Invasive Species
Jan. 28, 2015 — A new regulation governing the control of invasive alien species became effective in all EU states on 1 January 2015. The European Union hopes that it will actively combat one of the greatest threats ... full story
Researchers Capture, Document First Northern Saw-Whet Owl in Arkansas
Jan. 28, 2015 — Wildlife biologists have captured and documented the first northern saw-whet owl in Arkansas. Between 1959 and 2010, only a dozen sightings of this rare bird -- much smaller than screech, barred or ... full story
Dog Disease in Lions Spread by Multiple Species
Jan. 27, 2015 — Canine distemper, a viral disease that's been infecting the famed lions of Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, appears to be spread by multiple animal species, according to a study published by a ... full story
- Chimps With Higher-Ranking Moms: Better in Fights
- New Cave-Dwelling Flatworm Species
- Two New Encrusting Anemones Found in Caves
- Urban Sprawl Aids Worm Exchange Across Species
- Blind Beetles Show Extraordinary Signs of Sight
- Ocean Acidification and the Biofouling Community
- From Bacterium to Biofactory
- Shaping EU Regulation to Control Invasive Species
- Arkansas: First Northern Saw-Whet Owl Documented
- Dog Disease in Lions Spread by Multiple Species
Slope on Ocean Surface Lowers Sea Level in Europe
Jan. 28, 2015 — A ‘slope’ on the ocean surface in the Strait of Gibraltar is lowering the sea level in Europe by 7cm, researchers have discovered. This research will help to more accurately predict future sea ... full story
Satellite Study Identifies Water Bodies Important for Biodiversity Conservation
Jan. 28, 2015 — Using satellite images to study changing patterns of surface water is a powerful tool for identifying conservationally important 'stepping stone' water bodies that could help aquatic species survive ... full story
Early Mesoamericans Affected by Climate Change
Jan. 27, 2015 — Scientists have reconstructed the past climate for the region around Cantona, a large fortified city in highland Mexico, and found the population drastically declined in the past, at least in part ... full story
Carbon Accumulation by Southeastern U.S. Forests May Slow
Jan. 27, 2015 — Carbon accumulation levels in the Southeastern US may be slowing due to forest dynamics and land use changes, according to findings of a new study. The research is the first to isolate the impacts of ... full story
How Do Small Birds Survive Cold Winters?
Jan. 27, 2015 — Norway's small birds face many challenges during the winter, including short days and long energy-intensive nights, tough weather conditions and food shortages, along with the risk of becoming a meal ... full story
Pilotless Aircraft Will Play Critical Roles in Precision Agriculture
Jan. 26, 2015 — A new article outlines many of the potential roles drones can play in university research, and the advantages they can offer in speed, cost and data ... full story
Winters in Siberian Permafrost Regions Have Warmed Since Millenia
Jan. 26, 2015 — For the first time, researchers have successfully decoded climate data from old permafrost ground ice and reconstructed the development of winter temperatures in Russia's Lena River Delta. Their ... full story
Global Warming Doubles Risk of Extreme La Niña Event, Research Shows
Jan. 26, 2015 — The risk of extreme La Niña events in the Pacific Ocean could double due to global warming, new research has shown. El Niño and La Niña events are opposite phases of the natural climate ... full story
Climate Models Disagree on Why Temperature 'Wiggles' Occur
Jan. 26, 2015 — Most climate models likely underestimate the degree of decade-to-decade variability occurring in mean surface temperatures as Earth's atmosphere warms. They also provide inconsistent explanations of ... full story
Shell Growth Observed Thanks to 'Ion Sponge'
Jan. 26, 2015 — Researchers are able to observe the formation of shells in real time on a nanometer scale thanks to a new electron microscopy technique. This enabled them for the first time to see how pieces of ... full story
- Slope On Ocean Surface Lowers Sea Level in Europe
- Water Bodies Vital for Biodiversity Conservation
- Early Mesoamericans Affected by Climate Change
- Carbon Accumulation by U.S. Forests May Slow
- How Do Small Birds Survive Cold Winters?
- Drones for Precision Agriculture
- Winters in Siberia Have Warmed Since Millenia
- Global Warming Doubles Risk of Extreme La Niña
- Climate Models and Temperature Wiggles
- Shell Growth Observed Thanks to 'Ion Sponge'
Anthropology: Ancient Skull from Galilee Cave Offers Clues to the First Modern Europeans
Jan. 28, 2015 — The discovery of a 55,000-year-old partial skull in Northern Israel provides new insights into the migration of modern humans out of Africa. A key event in human evolution was the expansion of modern ... full story
New Tattoos Discovered on Iceman Oetzi: All of the Skin Marks on the Mummy Mapped
Jan. 27, 2015 — With the aid of a non-invasive photographic technique, researchers at the EURAC-Institute for Mummies and the Iceman have been able to show up all the tattoos on the man who was found preserved in a ... full story
Climate Affects Development of Human Speech
Jan. 23, 2015 — A correlation between climate and the evolution of language has been uncovered by researchers. To find a relationship between the climate and the evolution of language, one needs to discover an ... full story
Early Human Ancestors Used Their Hands Like Modern Humans
Jan. 22, 2015 — New research suggests pre-Homo human ancestral species, such as Australopithecus africanus, used human-like hand postures much earlier than was previously thought. The distinctly human ability for ... full story
Major Breakthrough in Reading Ancient Scrolls
Jan. 22, 2015 — Revolutionary software is making a breakthrough in reading 2,000-year old Herculaneum scrolls, computer scientists report. After working for more than 10 years on unlocking an ancient piece of ... full story
Doubt Cast on Global Firestorm Generated by Dino-Killing Asteroid
Jan. 22, 2015 — Pioneering new research has debunked the theory that the asteroid that is thought to have led to the extinction of dinosaurs also caused vast global firestorms that ravaged planet Earth. Scientists ... full story
Fossils Survive Volcanic Eruption to Tell Us About the Origin of the Canary Islands
Jan. 22, 2015 — The most recent eruption on the Canary Islands -- at El Hierro in 2011 -- produced spectacularly enigmatic white "floating rocks" that originated from the layers of oceanic sedimentary rock ... full story
Which 'Letters' in the Human Genome Are Functionally Important?
Jan. 20, 2015 — A new computational method has been developed to identify which letters in the human genome are functionally important. Their computer program, called fitCons, harnesses the power of evolution, ... full story
New Data About Evolution of Immune Response Genes in Plants
Jan. 20, 2015 — New clues about the evolution of the immune system in European populations of the plant <em>Arabidopsis thaliana </em> have been uncovered by researchers, as well as the underlying genetic mechanisms ... full story
Paleontologist Names a Carnivorous Reptile That Preceded Dinosaurs
Jan. 20, 2015 — Paleontologist have now named a 9-foot-long carnivorous reptile with steak knife-like teeth and bony plates on the back. Its name is ... full story
- Ancient Skull from Galilee Cave: Migration Clues
- New Tattoos Discovered On Iceman Oetzi
- Climate Affects Development of Human Speech
- Early Human Ancestors Used Hands Like We Do
- Major Breakthrough in Reading Ancient Scrolls
- No Global Firestorm from Dino-Killing Asteroid?
- Fossils Survive Volcanic Eruption, Tell Story
- Human Genome: Which 'Letters' Are Important?
- Evolution of Immune Response Genes in Plants
- Paleontologist Names Early Carnivorous Reptile
Age Concern in Largest Ever Study of Heroin User Deaths
Jan. 27, 2015 — Older users of opioids such as heroin are 27 times more likely to become a victim of homicide than the general population, a study of almost 200,000 users has found. The study is the first to record ... full story
Lung Cancer Predicted to Overtake Breast Cancer as Leading Cause of Cancer Death Among European Women in 2015
Jan. 26, 2015 — Death rates from lung cancer will exceed those for breast cancer for the first time among European women in 2015, according to the latest predictions. The study by researchers in Italy and ... full story
Stock Market Changes: Patents Provide Insight Into Wall Street 'Technology Arms Race'
Jan. 26, 2015 — A new study has used US patent data to shed light on the technological roots behind Wall Street's ongoing 'technology arms race.' The way financial assets are traded, and the nature of the markets ... full story
How Your Friends Might Help You Avoid Flu
Jan. 26, 2015 — A study of social networks has yielded clues about how best to improve vaccination rates for influenza. Influenza is a global health problem, affecting 3 to 5 million people a year and causing ... full story
Calculating the Future of Solar-Fuel Refineries
Jan. 23, 2015 — A team of engineers has developed a new tool to help engineers better gauge the overall yield, efficiency and costs associated with scaling solar-fuel production processes up into large-scale ... full story
New Technique Helps Probe Performance of Organic Solar Cell Materials
Jan. 23, 2015 — Researchers have developed a technique for determining the role that a material's structure has on the efficiency of organic solar cells, which are candidates for low-cost, next generation solar ... full story
New Technique for Producing Cheaper Solar Energy Suggested by Research
Jan. 23, 2015 — Pioneering new research could pave the way for solar energy to be converted into household electricity more cheaply than ever before. The global PV market has experienced rapid growth in recent years ... full story
Stalking Versus Cyberstalking: Effects on Victims, Their Responses Compared
Jan. 23, 2015 — The devastating effects of stalking and cyberstalking – harassing or threatening communication via the Internet – are explored in a new study. Key among the findings is that victims of ... full story
Arctic Ice Cap Slides Into the Ocean
Jan. 23, 2015 — Satellite images have revealed that a remote Arctic ice cap has thinned by more than 50 metres since 2012 -- about one sixth of its original thickness -- and that it is now flowing 25 times faster. ... full story
Brazil's Soy Moratorium Still Needed to Preserve Amazon
Jan. 23, 2015 — In a new study to evaluate the Brazilian Soy Moratorium, researchers across the U.S. and Brazil show that the moratorium helped to drastically reduce the amount of deforestation linked to soy ... full story
- Age Concern in Large Study of Heroin User Deaths
- Europe: Lung Cancer Death To Exceed Breast Cancer
- Insight Into Wall Street 'Technology Arms Race'
- How Your Friends Might Help You Avoid Flu
- Calculating the Future of Solar-Fuel Refineries
- Organic Solar Cell Materials: Probing Performance
- New Technique for Producing Cheaper Solar Energy
- Stalking Versus Cyberstalking: Effects On Victims
- Arctic Ice Cap Slides Into the Ocean
- Brazil's Soy Moratorium Needed to Preserve Amazon
Would You Tell Your Manager You Had a Mental Health Problem?
Jan. 26, 2015 — Although nearly four in 10 workers wouldn't tell their manager if they had a mental health problem, half said that if they knew about a coworker's illness, they would desire to help, a new survey ... full story
Reducing Work-Family Conflicts in the Workplace Helps People to Sleep Better
Jan. 26, 2015 — Workers who participated in an intervention aimed at reducing conflict between work and familial responsibilities slept an hour more each week and reported greater sleep sufficiency than those who ... full story
Heightened Scents: Do Ambient Fragrances Make Consumers Purchase More?
Jan. 21, 2015 — Do consumers make different choices based on the fragrance surrounding them? A new study shows for the first time that the “temperature” of scents in a store atmosphere may have a powerful effect ... full story
New Research Reveals the Power of Hierarchy in High-Pressure Situations
Jan. 20, 2015 — Researchers analyzed more than 30,000 Himalayan climbers and 5,000 expeditions over the past 100 years to assess the impact that hierarchical cultures can have in high-pressure group situations. The ... full story
Hostile Boss? Study Finds Advantages to Giving It Right Back
Jan. 20, 2015 — In a result that surprised researchers, a new study found that employees who had hostile bosses were better off on several measures if they returned the hostility. "Before we did this study, I ... full story
Inventors Choose to Reveal Their Secret Sauce Before Patent Approval
Jan. 15, 2015 — Common wisdom and prior economic research suggest that an inventor filing a patent would want to keep the technical know-how secret as long as possible. But a new study of nearly 2 million patents in ... full story
In the Mood to Trade? Weather May Influence Institutional Investors' Stock Decisions
Jan. 15, 2015 — Weather changes may affect how institutional investors decide on stock plays, according to a new study. Their findings suggest sunny skies put professional investors more in a mood to buy, while ... full story
Huge 3-D Displays Without 3-D Glasses
Jan. 15, 2015 — A new kind of display uses laser beams to send out different pictures into different directions. Each pixel contains lasers and a moving mirror, which directs the laser light. Different pictures can ... full story
Global Warming Reduces Wheat Production Markedly If No Adaptation Takes Place
Jan. 12, 2015 — Future global wheat harvest is likely to be reduced by six per cent per each degree Celsius of local temperature increase if no adaptation takes place. Worldwide this would correspond to 42 million ... full story
Black Women Working Night Shifts Have an Increased Risk of Developing Diabetes
Jan. 11, 2015 — Those who work night shifts are significantly more likely to develop diabetes than those who have never worked night shifts, with more years working the night shift resulting in a higher risk. These ... full story
- Mental Health Problem? Would You Tell Your Boss?
- Better Work-Family Balance Helps With Sleep
- Do Ambient Fragrances Make You Purchase More?
- Power of Hierarchy in High-Pressure Situations
- Hostile Boss? Benefit to Giving It Right Back
- Inventors Reveal 'Secret Sauce' Before Patenting
- Stock Decisions Affected By Weather?
- Huge 3-D Displays Without 3-D Glasses
- Does Global Warming Reduce Wheat Production?
- Night Shifts Linked to More Risk of Diabetes
Mindfulness-Based Program in Schools Making a Positive Impact, Study Shows
Jan. 26, 2015 — A social and emotional learning program started by Academy Award winning actress Goldie Hawn to help school children improve their learning abilities, be more caring, and less stressed is now backed ... full story
For University Students, Walking Beats Sitting
Jan. 26, 2015 — Walking classrooms are better for not only for students' physical health, but classroom engagement, a study shows. What began in a response to a physical activity challenge for the computer science ... full story
How Are Student Loans Affecting the Well-Being of Young Adults?
Jan. 22, 2015 — Young adults who accumulated higher amounts of debt incurred from student loans reported higher levels of depressive symptoms, even with adjustments for parental wealth, childhood socioeconomic ... full story
Rescuing Memories of Past Events: How the Mundane Can Be Meaningful -- And Remembered
Jan. 21, 2015 — It's not surprising that our memories of highly emotional events, such as 9/11 or the birth of a child, are quite strong. But can these events change our memories of the past? Researchers report that ... full story
Facebook Not to Blame for Negative Impact on Grades, Professor Says
Jan. 20, 2015 — The more time college students, particularly freshman, spend on Facebook, the more their grades suffer. But a professor says the problem is not Facebook -- it's an issue of ... full story
Practice Really Does Make Perfect
Jan. 8, 2015 — New research into the way in which we learn new skills finds that a single skill can be learned faster if its follow-through motion is consistent, but multiple skills can be learned simultaneously if ... full story
All in a Good Night's Sleep: How Quality of Sleep Impacts Academic Performance in Children
Jan. 8, 2015 — A good night's sleep is linked to better performance by schoolchildren in math and languages -- subjects that are powerful predictors of later learning and academic success, according to a study. The ... full story
Marine Litter Education Boosts Children's Understanding, Actions
Jan. 6, 2015 — Children could play an important role in solutions to reduce marine litter with some already helping to educate parents and peers about the scale of the issue, experts ... full story
Human Speech's Surprising Influence on Young Infants
Jan. 5, 2015 — America's preoccupation with the 'word gap' -- the idea that parents in impoverished homes speak less to their children, which, in turn, predicts outcomes like school achievement and income later in ... full story
Fast-Food Consumption Linked to Lower Test Score Gains in 8th Graders
Dec. 22, 2014 — The amount of fast food children eat may be linked to how well they do in school, a new America-wide study suggests. This study can't say why fast-food consumption is linked to lower grades, but ... full story
- Mindfulness-Based Program in Schools a Positive
- For University Students, Walking Beats Sitting
- Student Loans and the Well-Being of Young Adults
- How the Mundane Can Be Meaningful and Remembered
- Can't Blame Bad Grades On Facebook, Says Prof
- Practice Really Does Make Perfect
- Sleep Impacts Academic Performance in Children
- Marine Litter Education Boosts Children's Actions
- Human Speech's Surprising Influence On Infants
- Kids: Fast-Food Linked to Lower Test Score Gains
