Today's Science News
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
NASA's Fermi Finds a 'Transformer' Pulsar
July 22, 2014 — In late June 2013, an exceptional binary containing a rapidly spinning neutron star underwent a dramatic change in behavior never before observed. The pulsar's radio beacon vanished, while at ... full story
Bats Use Polarized Light to Navigate: First Mammal Known to Use Polarization Patterns in the Sky to Navigate
July 22, 2014 — The bats use the way the sun's light is scattered in the atmosphere at sunset to calibrate their internal magnetic compass, which helps them to fly in the right direction, a new study has ... full story
Study Reveals 'Unhappiest' Cities in the U.S.
July 22, 2014 — New research identifies the unhappiest cities in the U.S., but finds that some young people are still willing to relocate to them for a good job opportunity or lower housing prices. The analysis ... full story
Global Temperature Reaches Record High in June Following Record Warmth in May
July 22, 2014 — According to NOAA scientists, the globally averaged temperature over land and ocean surfaces for June 2014 was the highest for June since record keeping began in 1880. It also marked the 38th ... full story
Science and Art Bring Back to Life 300-Million-Year-Old Specimens of a Primitive Reptile-Like Vertebrate
July 21, 2014 — Paleontologists have recreated the cranial structure of a 308-million-year-old lizard-like vertebrate that could be the earliest example of a reptile and explain the origin of all vertebrates that ... full story
Therapeutic Bacteria Prevent Obesity in Mice, Study Finds
July 22, 2014 — A probiotic that prevents obesity could be on the horizon. Bacteria that produce a therapeutic compound in the gut inhibit weight gain, insulin resistance and other adverse effects of a high-fat diet ... full story
Viral Relics Show Cancer's 'Footprint' on Our Evolution
July 17, 2014 — Cancer has left its 'footprint' on our evolution, according to a study which examined how the relics of ancient viruses are preserved in the genomes of 38 mammal species. The team found ... full story
Region, Pathway Found Crucial for Facial Development in Vertebrate Embryos
July 17, 2014 — A signaling pathway once thought to have little if any role during embryogenesis is a key player in the formation of the front-most portion of developing vertebrate embryos. Moreover, signals ... full story
Hubble Traces Halo of a Galaxy More Accurately Than Ever Before: An in-Depth Look at Giant Elliptical Galaxy Centaurus A
July 22, 2014 — Astronomers have probed the extreme outskirts of the stunning elliptical galaxy Centaurus A. The galaxy's halo of stars has been found to extend much further from the galaxy's center than ... full story
Schizophrenia's Genetic 'Skyline' Rising as Genetic Code Linked to Illness Grows
July 22, 2014 — The largest genomic dragnet of any psychiatric disorder to date has unmasked 108 chromosomal sites harboring inherited variations in the genetic code linked to schizophrenia, 83 of which had not been ... full story
HIV, Malaria, and Tuberculosis: Success of the Millennium Shown in Most Comprehensive Study to Date
July 22, 2014 — Accelerated progress against the global burden of HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis (TB) has been made since 2000 when governments worldwide adopted Millennium Development Goal 6 to combat HIV/AIDS, ... full story
Massive Neutrinos and New Standard Cosmological Model: No Concordance Yet
July 22, 2014 — Neutrinos, also known as ‘ghost particles’ because they barely interact with other particles or their surroundings, are massless particles according to the standard model of particle physics. ... full story
Mammoth and Mastodon Behavior Was Less Roam, More Stay at Home
July 21, 2014 — Their scruffy beards weren't ironic, but there are reasons mammoths and mastodons could have been the hipsters of the Ice Age. According to new research, the famously fuzzy relatives of ... full story
Human Platelets Successfully Generated Using Next-Generation Bioreactor
July 21, 2014 — A scalable, next-generation platelet bioreactor has been created to generate fully functional human platelets in vitro. The work is a major biomedical advancement that will help address blood ... full story
Transiting Exoplanet With Longest Known Year: 704 Earth Days
July 21, 2014 — Astronomers have discovered a transiting exoplanet with the longest known year. Kepler-421b circles its star once every 704 days. In comparison, Mars orbits our Sun once every 780 days. Most of the ... full story
- NASA's Fermi Finds a 'Transformer' Pulsar
- Bats Use Polarized Light in Sky to Navigate
- Study Reveals 'Unhappiest' Cities in the U.S.
- Global Temperature Reaches Record High in June
- 300-Million-Year-Old Reptile-Like Vertebrate
- Therapeutic Bacteria Prevent Obesity in Mice
- Viral Relics: Cancer's Footprint On Evolution
- Facial Development in Vertebrate Embryos
- Hubble Traces Halo of Giant Elliptical Galaxy
- Schizophrenia's Genetic 'Skyline' Rising
- Success of Millennium: AIDS, TB, Malaria
- Massive Neutrinos and New Cosmological Model
- Mammoths and Mastodons Liked to Stay Home
- Human Platelets Generated Using Bioreactor
- Transiting Exoplanet With Longest Known Year
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last updated on 2014-07-23 at 10:13 am EDT
Dopamine Transporter: Stampede Supercomputer Used to Study Common Link Between Addiction, Neurological Disease
July 22, 2014 — The XSEDE-allocated Stampede supercomputer has been used to study the dopamine transporter. Stampede is ranked seventh on the Top 500 list of supercomputers. Its research links altered dopamine ... full story
Vaccine for Dust-Mite Allergies Created
July 22, 2014 — A vaccine for dust-mite allergies has been created, researchers report. In lab tests and animal trials, the nano-sized vaccine package was readily absorbed by immune cells and dramatically lowered ... full story
Potential Genetic Link Between Epilepsy, Neurodegenerative Disorders
July 22, 2014 — A potential link between epilepsy and neurodegenerative disorders has been uncovered by new research. "This is, to our knowledge, the first direct genetic evidence demonstrating that mutations in the ... full story
Extra Exercise Helps Depressed Smokers Kick the Habit Faster
July 22, 2014 — People diagnosed with depression need to step out for a cigarette twice as often as smokers who are not dealing with a mood disorder. And those who have the hardest time shaking off the habit may ... full story
Enhanced Instrument Enables High-Speed Chemical Imaging of Tissues
July 22, 2014 — A research team has demonstrated a dramatically improved technique for analyzing biological cells and tissues based on characteristic molecular vibrations. The new technique is an advanced form of ... full story
Vitamin D Deficiency Raises Risk of Schizophrenia Diagnosis
July 22, 2014 — Vitamin D-deficient individuals are twice as likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia as people who have sufficient levels of the vitamin, according to a new study. Vitamin D helps the body absorb ... full story
High-Salt Diet Doubles Threat of Cardiovascular Disease in People With Diabetes
July 22, 2014 — People with Type 2 diabetes who eat a diet high in salt face twice the risk of developing cardiovascular disease as those who consume less sodium, according to a new study. Diabetes occurs when there ... full story
Understanding How Neuro Cells Turn Cancerous
July 22, 2014 — New research, for the first time, brings scientists nearer to understanding how some cells in the brain and nervous system become cancerous. The team studied a tumor suppressor called Merlin. Their ... full story
Communication Between Nostril/skin Microbiome Bacteria Can Influence Pathogen Behavior
July 22, 2014 — Scientists have made an important discovery about the molecular interactions that occur between generally benign species of Propionibacterium bacteria and the pathogenic bacterium Staphylococcus ... full story
Report on Viruses Looks Beyond Disease
July 22, 2014 — In contrast to their negative reputation as disease causing agents, some viruses can perform crucial biological and evolutionary functions that help to shape the world we live in today, according to ... full story
- Supercomputer Studies Addiction, Neuro Disease
- Vaccine for Dust-Mite Allergies Created
- Epilepsy, Neuro Disorders: Genetic Link?
- Exercise Helps Depressed Smokers Kick the Habit
- High-Speed Chemical Imaging of Tissues
- Vitamin D Deficiency Raises Schizophrenia Risk?
- Diabetes: High-Salt Diet Doubles Cardio Disease
- Understanding How Neuro Cells Turn Cancerous
- Pathogens? Nostril/Skin Microbiome Bacteria
- Report On Viruses Looks Beyond Disease
How Children Categorize Living Things
July 22, 2014 — "Name everything you can think of that is alive." How would a child respond to this question? Would his or her list be full of relatives, animals from movies and books, or perhaps neighborhood pets? ... full story
Neuroprotective Role of Immune Cell Discovered
July 22, 2014 — A type of immune cell widely believed to exacerbate chronic adult brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis, can actually protect the brain from traumatic brain injury and ... full story
High School Lacrosse Players at Risk for Concussions, Other Injuries, Study Finds
July 22, 2014 — High school players experienced 1,406 injuries over the four academic years from 2008 through 2012, a new study reports. The overall injury rate was 20 per 10,000 lacrosse competitions and practices. ... full story
Low Strength Brain Stimulation May Be Effective for Depression
July 22, 2014 — Brain stimulation treatments, like electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), are often effective for the treatment of depression. Like antidepressant medications, ... full story
Rigid Connections: Molecular Basis of Age-Related Memory Loss Explained
July 22, 2014 — From telephone numbers to foreign vocabulary, our brains hold a seemingly endless supply of information. However, as we get older, our ability to learn and remember new things declines. A team of ... full story
Innovative System Anticipates Driver Fatigue in the Vehicle to Prevent Accidents
July 22, 2014 — Scientists have created a devise integrated in smart materials capable of monitoring cardiac and respiratory rhythms in order to prevent drivers from falling ... full story
Children's Impulsive Behaviour Is Related to Brain Connectivity
July 22, 2014 — The changes in the brain that are associated with impulsiveness -- a personality trait that causes difficulties in inhibiting a response in the face of a stimulus and leads to unplanned actions ... full story
Epigenetic Tie to Neuropsychiatric Disorders Found
July 21, 2014 — Dysfunction in dopamine signaling profoundly changes the activity level of about 2,000 genes in the brain's prefrontal cortex and may be an underlying cause of certain complex neuropsychiatric ... full story
Try, Try Again? Study Says No: Trying Harder Makes It More Difficult to Learn Some Aspects of Language, Neuroscientists Find
July 21, 2014 — Neuroscientists find that trying harder makes it more difficult to learn some aspects of language. When it comes to learning languages, adults and children have different strengths. Adults excel at ... full story
New Research Links Bad Diet to Loss of Smell
July 21, 2014 — Could stuffing yourself full of high-fat foods cause you to lose your sense of smell? A new study by neuroscientists says so, and it has researchers taking a closer look at how our diets could impact ... full story
- How Children Categorize Living Things
- Neuroprotective Role of Immune Cell Discovered
- High School Lacrosse Players: Concussion Risk
- Brain Stimulation: Effective for Depression?
- Molecular Basis of Age-Related Memory Loss
- Innovative System Anticipates Driver Fatigue
- Kids' Impulsivity Related to Brain Connectivity
- Epigenetic Tie to Neuropsychiatric Disorders
- Try, Try Again? Neuroscientists Say No
- New Research Links Bad Diet to Loss of Smell
Computer Privacy: Share Button May Share Your Browsing History, Too
July 22, 2014 — One in 18 of the world’s top 100,000 websites track users without their consent using a previously undetected cookie-like tracking mechanism embedded in ‘share’ buttons. The researchers traced ... full story
Eating Probiotics Regularly May Improve Your Blood Pressure
July 21, 2014 — Probiotics -- a bacteria in yogurt and supplements -- appear to modestly lower blood pressure, according to a review of nine studies. The blood pressure-lowering effect from probiotics was greatest ... full story
Parents Rank Their Obese Children as 'Very Healthy'
July 21, 2014 — Parents of obese children often do not recognize the potentially serious health consequences of childhood weight gain or the importance of daily physical activity in helping their child reach a ... full story
Missing Sleep May Hurt Your Memory
July 21, 2014 — Lack of sleep, already considered a public health epidemic, can also lead to errors in memory, finds a new study that found participants deprived of a night’s sleep were more likely to flub the ... full story
Brain Waves Show Learning to Read Does Not End in 4th Grade, Contrary to Popular Theory
July 21, 2014 — Teachers-in-training have long been taught that fourth grade is when students stop learning to read and start reading to learn. But a new study tested the theory by analyzing brain waves and found ... full story
Children as Young as Three Recognize 'Cuteness' in Faces of People, Animals
July 21, 2014 — Children as young as three are able to recognize the same ‘cute’ infantile facial features in humans and animals which encourage caregiving behavior in adults, new research has shown. A study ... full story
Large Twin Study Suggests That Language Delay Due More to Nature Than Nurture
July 21, 2014 — A study of 473 sets of twins followed since birth found twins have twice the rate of language delay as do single-born children. Moreover, identical twins have greater rates of language delay than do ... full story
New Trigger for Ovulation Could Make IVF Safer
July 18, 2014 — A new and potentially safer method to stimulate ovulation in women undergoing IVF treatment has been developed by researchers. Twelve babies have been born after their mothers were given an injection ... full story
Negative HPV Test May Predict Lower Cervical Cancer Risk Than a Negative Pap
July 18, 2014 — In the US, cotesting for human papilloma virus and Pap testing for cervical cancer every 5 years for women aged 30-65 years is now recommended. However, human papilloma virus testing alone may ... full story
Choosing Cheese: Research Identifies Microbial Communities in Cheese
July 17, 2014 — After studying 137 varieties of cheese collected in 10 different countries, researchers have been able to identify three general types of microbial communities that live on cheese, opening the door ... full story
- Share Button May Share Browsing History, Too
- Eating Probiotics May Improve Blood Pressure
- Parents Rank Own Obese Kids as 'Very Healthy'
- Missing Sleep May Hurt Your Memory
- Learning to Read Does Not End in 4th Grade
- 'Cute' Recognized as Young as Three Years Old
- Language Delay Due More to Nature Than Nurture
- New Trigger for Ovulation Could Make IVF Safer
- Negative HPV Test Result Versus Negative Pap
- Microbial Communities Living in Cheese
Safeguarding Belize's Barrier Reef With Conservation Drones
July 22, 2014 — Seeking to gain a high-tech edge over illegal fishers, the Government of Belize will use “eyes in the sky” to enforce fishing regulations in the biodiverse Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve and ... full story
Ultrasonically Propelled Nanorods Spin Dizzyingly Fast
July 22, 2014 — Vibrate a solution of rod-shaped metal nanoparticles in water with ultrasound and they'll spin around their long axes like tiny drill bits. Why? No one yet knows exactly. But researchers have clocked ... full story
Technique Simplifies Creation of High-Tech Crystals
July 22, 2014 — Highly purified crystals that split light with uncanny precision are key parts of high-powered lenses, specialized optics and, potentially, computers that manipulate light instead of electricity. But ... full story
Quantum Leap in Lasers Brightens Future for Quantum Computing
July 22, 2014 — Scientists have devised a breakthrough laser that uses a single artificial atom to generate and emit particles of light. The laser may play a crucial role in the development of quantum computers, ... full story
'Comb on a Chip' Powers New Atomic Clock Design
July 22, 2014 — Researchers have demonstrated a novel design for a small atomic clock that is based on a chip-scale frequency comb, or a ... full story
Law of Physics Governs Airplane 'Evolution': Constructal Law Explains Progression of Passenger Jets, Sets Guidelines for Future Aircraft
July 22, 2014 — Scientists have found that a law of physics predicts the evolution of commercial airliners and also provides guidelines for future ... full story
Fly-Inspired Sound Detector: New Device Based on a Fly's Freakishly Acute Hearing for Futuristic Hearing Aids
July 22, 2014 — The fly can pinpoint the location of a chirping cricket with remarkable accuracy because of its freakishly acute hearing, which relies upon a sophisticated sound processing mechanism that really sets ... full story
A New Multi-Bit 'Spin' for Magnetic Random Access Memory Storage
July 22, 2014 — Interest in magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is escalating, thanks to demand for fast, low-cost, nonvolatile, low-consumption, secure memory devices. MRAM boasts all of these advantages as an ... full story
Creating Optical Cables out of Thin Air
July 22, 2014 — Imagine being able to instantaneously run an optical cable or fiber to any point on Earth, or even into space. Researchers now report using an 'air waveguide' to enhance light signals collected from ... full story
Self-Cooling Solar Cells Boost Power, Last Longer
July 22, 2014 — Scientists may have overcome one of the major hurdles in developing high-efficiency, long-lasting solar cells -- keeping them cool, even in the blistering heat of the noonday sun. By adding a ... full story
- Safeguarding Belize's Barrier Reef With Drones
- Ultrasonically Propelled Nanorods Spin Fast
- Simplifying Creation of High-Tech Crystals
- Quantum Computers: Quantum Leap in Lasers
- New Atomic Clock: 'Comb On a Chip'
- Law of Physics Governs Airplane Evolution
- Super-Sensitive Fly-Inspired Sound Detector
- A New Multi-Bit 'Spin' for MRAM Storage
- Creating Optical Cables out of Thin Air
- Self-Cooling Solar Cells Boost Power, Last
Boosting the Force of Empty Space: Theorists Propose Way to Amplify Force of Vacuum Fluctuations
July 22, 2014 — Vacuum fluctuations may be among the most counter-intuitive phenomena of quantum physics. Theorists have now proposed a way to amplify their force. The researchers believe that their proposed ... full story
Mysterious Dance of Dwarf Galaxies May Force a Cosmic Rethink
July 21, 2014 — The discovery that many small galaxies throughout the universe do not 'swarm' around larger ones like bees do but 'dance' in orderly disc-shaped orbits is a challenge to our understanding of how the ... full story
Oceans Vital for Possibility for Alien Life
July 20, 2014 — Researchers have made an important step in the race to discover whether other planets could develop and sustain life. New research shows the vital role of oceans in moderating climate on Earth-like ... full story
Astronauts to Test Free-Flying 'Housekeeper' Robots
July 20, 2014 — Inspired by science fiction, three bowling ball-size free-flying Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) have been flying inside the International Space ... full story
Rosetta Spacecraft Approaching Twofold Comet
July 18, 2014 — As the European Space Agency's spacecraft Rosetta is slowly approaching its destination, comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, the comet is again proving to be full of surprises. New images obtained by ... full story
Lunar Pits Could Shelter Astronauts, Reveal Details of How 'Man in the Moon' Formed
July 17, 2014 — While the moon's surface is battered by millions of craters, it also has over 200 holes -- steep-walled pits that in some cases might lead to caves that future astronauts could explore and use for ... full story
Scientists Experimentally Re-Create Conditions Deep Inside Giant Planets, Such as Jupiter and Many Exo-Planets
July 17, 2014 — Using the largest laser in the world, scientists for the first time have experimentally re-created the conditions that exist deep inside giant planets, such as Jupiter, Uranus and many of the planets ... full story
Earth-Like Soils on Mars? Ancient Fossilized Soils Potentially Found Deep Inside Impact Crater Suggest Microbial Life
July 17, 2014 — Soil deep in a crater dating to some 3.7 billion years ago contains evidence that Mars was once much warmer and wetter, says a geologist based on images and data captured by the rover ... full story
Is the Universe a Bubble? Let's Check: Making the Multiverse Hypothesis Testable
July 17, 2014 — Scientists are working to bring the multiverse hypothesis, which to some sounds like a fanciful tale, firmly into the realm of testable science. Never mind the Big Bang; in the beginning was the ... full story
Sharpest Map of Mars Surface Properties
July 16, 2014 — A heat-sensing camera has provided data to create the most detailed global map yet made of Martian surface properties. Surface properties tell geologists about the physical nature of a planet or ... full story
- Vacuum Fluctuations: The Force of Empty Space
- Rethinking Mysterious Dance of Dwarf Galaxies
- Oceans Vital for Possibility for Alien Life
- Testing Free-Flying Housekeeper Robots in Space
- Rosetta Spacecraft Approaching Twofold Comet
- Moon Camping? Lunar Pits to Shelter Astronauts
- Conditions Deep Inside Giant Planets Re-Created
- Earth-Like Soils On Mars Suggest Microbial Life
- Is the Universe a Bubble? Multiverse Hypothesis
- Sharpest Map of Mars Surface Properties
High-Precision Software Developed for Diagnosing Eye Sensitivity
July 22, 2014 — High-precision software for diagnosing eye sensitivity has been developed by researchers. This is a new technology that allows to quantify the degree of opacity in the posterior capsule of the eye ... full story
Chemists Eye Improved Thin Films With Metal Substitution
July 21, 2014 — The yield so far is small, but chemists have developed a low-energy, solution-based mineral substitution process to make a precursor to transparent thin films that could find use in electronics and ... full story
Philosopher Uses Game Theory to Understand How Words, Actions Acquire Meaning
July 21, 2014 — Why does the word "dog" have meaning? If you say "dog" to a friend, why does your friend understand you? A philosopher aims to address these types of questions in his latest research, which focuses ... full story
Size and Age of Plants Impact Their Productivity More Than Climate
July 20, 2014 — The size and age of plants has more of an impact on their productivity than temperature and precipitation, according to a landmark study. They show that variation in terrestrial ecosystems is ... full story
Mixing It Up: Study Provides New Insight Into Southern Ocean Behavior
July 20, 2014 — Turbulent mixing in the deep waters of the Southern Ocean, which has a profound effect on global ocean circulation and climate, varies with the strength of surface eddies -- the ocean equivalent of ... full story
Speedy Computation Enables Scientists to Reconstruct an Animal's Development Cell by Cell
July 20, 2014 — Researchers have developed a new computational method that can rapidly track the three-dimensional movements of cells in such data-rich images. Using the method, scientists can essentially automate ... full story
Researchers Identify Brain Network With Mapping Technique
July 18, 2014 — A new image-based strategy has been used to identify and measure placebo effects in randomized clinical trials for brain disorders. The researchers used a network mapping technique to identify ... full story
Universal Three-Body Relation: Physicists Succeed in Revealing the Scaling Behavior of Exotic Giant Molecules
July 18, 2014 — When a two-body relation becomes a three-body relation, the behavior of the system changes and typically becomes more complex. While the basic physics of two interacting particles is well understood, ... full story
New Material Puts a Twist in Light
July 18, 2014 — Scientists have uncovered the secret to twisting light at will. It is the latest step in the development of photonics, the faster, more compact and less carbon-hungry successor to electronics. A ... full story
Getting a Grip on Robotic Grasp: New Wrist-Mounted Device Augments the Human Hand With Two Robotic Fingers
July 18, 2014 — Twisting a screwdriver, removing a bottle cap, and peeling a banana are just a few simple tasks that are tricky to pull off single-handedly. Now a new wrist-mounted robot can provide a helping hand ... full story
- Software for Diagnosing Eye Sensitivity
- Better Thin Films With Metal Substitution
- Game Theory: How Words, Actions Acquire Meaning
- Plant Productivity: Size, Age Trump Climate
- New Clues to Southern Ocean Behavior, Climate
- Reconstructing Animal's Development Cell by Cell
- Brain Network Identified With Mapping Technique
- Scaling Behavior of Exotic Giant Molecules
- New Material Puts a Twist in Light
- Extra Robotic Fingers Augment the Human Hand
Alaska Frogs Reach Record Lows in Extreme Temperature Survival
July 22, 2014 — "Alaska wood frogs spend more time freezing and thawing outside than a steak does in your freezer, and the frog comes back to life in the spring in better shape than the steak," said the lead author ... full story
Vulnerability of Sharks as Collateral Damage in Commercial Fishing Shown by Study
July 22, 2014 — A new study that examined the survival rates of 12 different shark species when captured as unintentional bycatch in commercial longline fishing operations found large differences in survival rates ... full story
African Elephant Genome Suggests They Are Superior Smellers
July 22, 2014 — Sense of smell is critical for survival in many mammals. In a new study, researchers examined the olfactory receptor repertoire encoded in 13 mammalian species and found that African elephants have ... full story
Radio Frequency ID Tags on Honey Bees Reveal Hive Dynamics
July 22, 2014 — Scientists attached radio-frequency identification tags to hundreds of individual honey bees and tracked them for several weeks. The effort yielded two discoveries: Some foraging bees are much busier ... full story
Dangers of Desert Dust: New Diagnostic Tool for Valley Fever
July 22, 2014 — Valley fever has been the focus of new research that describes a promising strategy known as immunosignaturing, which can provide clinicians with an accurate identification of valley fever, a ... full story
Asian Genes in European Pigs Result in More Piglets
July 22, 2014 — Pigs that are bred commercially in Europe are found to have a highly varied mosaic of different European and Asian gene variants. The Asian genes in particular result in a large number of piglets in ... full story
Meerkats' Sinister Side Is Secret to Their Success, Study Shows
July 22, 2014 — The darker side of meerkats -- which sees them prevent their daughters from breeding, and kill their grandchildren -- is explained in a new study. Research into the desert creatures -- which live in ... full story
Mixed Genes Mix Up the Migrations of Hybrid Birds
July 22, 2014 — Mixed genes appear to drive hybrid birds to select more difficult routes than their parent species, according to new research. "Instead of taking well-trodden paths through fertile areas, these birds ... full story
Viral Therapy Could Boost Limb-Saving Cancer Treatment
July 22, 2014 — Viruses designed to target and kill cancer cells could boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy to the arms and legs and help avoid amputation, a new study reports. Researchers tested the ... full story
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Coronavirus Detected in Air of Saudi Arabian Camel Barn
July 22, 2014 — Saudi Arabian researchers have detected genetic fragments of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus in the air of a barn holding a camel infected with the virus. The work indicates that further ... full story
- Alaska Frogs Survive Record Low Temps
- Vulnerability of Sharks in Commercial Fishing
- African Elephants Superior Smellers: Genome
- Hive Dynamics: Some Bees Really Are Busy Bees
- Dust Dangers: New Diagnostics for Valley Fever
- Asian Genes in European Pigs Mean More Piglets
- Meerkats' Sinister Side Is Secret to Success
- Mixed Genes Mix Up Migrations of Hybrid Birds
- Cancer: Viral Therapy Could Help Save Limbs
- MERS Detected in Air of Camel Barn
Oso Disaster Had Its Roots in Earlier Landslides
July 22, 2014 — A new geological study concludes that the disastrous March 22 landslide that killed 43 people in the rural Washington state community of Oso involved the "remobilization" of a 2006 landslide on the ... full story
New Water Balance Calculation for Dead Sea
July 22, 2014 — The drinking water resources on the eastern, Jordanian side of the Dead Sea could decline more severely as a result of climate change than those on the western, Israeli and Palestinian side. This is ... full story
Jeju Island, Korea Is a Live Volcano
July 22, 2014 — In Jeju, Korea, a place emerging as a world-famous vacation spot with natural tourism resources, a recent study revealed a volcanic eruption occurred on the island as recently as 5,000 years ago. ... full story
Is Antarctic Sea Ice Cover Really Setting Record Highs? Processing Errors May Be Confusing the Matter
July 22, 2014 — Antarctic sea ice may not be expanding as fast as previously thought, new research suggests. A team of scientists say much of the increase measured for Southern Hemisphere sea ice could be due to a ... full story
Global Warming 'Pause' Since 1998 Reflects Natural Fluctuation
July 21, 2014 — Statistical analysis of average global temperatures between 1998 and 2013 shows that the slowdown in global warming during this period is consistent with natural variations in temperature, according ... full story
Real Price of Steak: Comparing Environmental Costs of Livestock-Based Foods
July 21, 2014 — New research reveals the comparative environmental costs of livestock-based foods. While we are told that eating beef is bad for the environment, do we know its real cost? Are the other animal or ... full story
Climate: Meat Turns Up the Heat as Livestock Emit Greenhouse Gases
July 21, 2014 — Eating meat contributes to climate change, due to greenhouse gasses emitted by livestock. New research finds that livestock emissions are on the rise and that beef cattle are responsible for far more ... full story
Mammals Metabolize Some Pesticides to Limit Their Biomagnification
July 21, 2014 — The concentrations of many historically used, and now widely banned, pesticides and other toxic chemicals -- called legacy contaminants -- can become magnified in an animal that eats contaminated ... full story
Replacing Coal, Oil With Natural Gas Will Not Help Fight Global Warming, Expert Argues
July 21, 2014 — Both shale gas and conventional natural gas have a larger greenhouse gas footprint than do coal or oil, especially for the primary uses of residential and commercial heating. "While emissions of ... full story
Process to Purify Water Using Seed Extracts Now Simplified
July 21, 2014 — Researchers have streamlined and simplified a process that uses extracts from seeds of Moringa oleifa trees to purify water, reducing levels of harmful bacteria by 90 percent to 99 percent. The hardy ... full story
- Oso Disaster Had Its Roots in Earlier Landslides
- New Water Balance Calculation for Dead Sea
- Jeju Island, Korea Is a Live Volcano
- Antarctic Sea Ice Cover Setting Record Highs?
- Global Warming 'Pause' Is Natural Fluctuation
- Environmental Costs of Livestock-Based Foods
- Climate Change: Livestock Emit Greenhouse Gases
- Pesticides Metabolized by Some Mammals
- Global Warming: Natural Gas Not the Answer?
- Simplified: Purifying Water Using Seed Extracts
Tooth Plaque Provides Unique Insights Into Our Prehistoric Ancestors' Diet
July 16, 2014 — An international team of researchers has found new evidence that our prehistoric ancestors had a detailed understanding of plants long before the development of agriculture. By extracting chemical ... full story
Brain of World's First Known Predators Discovered
July 16, 2014 — Scientists have found the fossilized remains of the brain of the world's earliest known predators, from a time when life teemed in the oceans but had not yet colonized the land. The discovery reveals ... full story
Animal Foraging Tactics Unchanged for 50 Million Years
July 15, 2014 — Animals have used the same technique to search for food that's in short supply for at least 50 million years, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed fossilized sea urchin trails from northern ... full story
Dodos and Spotted Green Pigeons Are Descendants of an Island Hopping Bird
July 15, 2014 — The mysterious spotted green pigeon was a relative of the dodo, according to scientists who have examined its genetic make-up. The authors say their results support a theory that both birds are ... full story
New Feathered Predatory Fossil Sheds Light on Dinosaur Flight
July 15, 2014 — A new raptorial dinosaur fossil with exceptionally long feathers has provided exciting insights into dinosaur flight. A new article asserts that the fossil has a long feathered tail that scientists ... full story
Little Too Late: Pathogenic Bacterium in 700-Year-Old Skeleton Identified
July 15, 2014 — Researchers have recovered a genome of the bacterium Brucella melitensis from a 700-year-old skeleton found in the ruins of a Medieval Italian village. Researchers used a technique called shotgun ... full story
Ötzi's Non-Human DNA: Opportunistic Pathogen Discovered in Iceman Tissue Biopsy
July 15, 2014 — Ötzi’s human genome was decoded from a hip bone sample taken from the 5,300 year old mummy. However the tiny sample weighing no more than 0.1 g provides so much more information. A team of ... full story
Bones of Elephant Ancestor Unearthed: Meet the Gomphothere
July 14, 2014 — An ancient ancestor of the elephant, once believed to have disappeared from North America before humans ever arrived there, might actually have roamed the continent longer than previously thought. ... full story
Running for Life: How Speed Restricts Evolutionary Change of the Vertebral Column
July 14, 2014 — One of the riddles of mammal evolution is explained: the conservation of the number of trunk vertebrae. Dutch and American researchers have shown that this conservation is due to the role of speed in ... full story
Serendipity at the Smithsonian: The 107-Year 'Journey' of the Beetle Rhipidocyrtus Muiri
July 14, 2014 — Serendipity leads scientists to the discovery and description of Rhipidocyrtus muiri -- a 107 year old, lost in collections specimen, which turned out to represent a new genus and species. The long ... full story
- Tooth Plaque Shows Prehistoric Ancestors' Diet
- Brain of World's First Known Predators
- Foraging Tactics Unchanged for 50 Million Years
- Green Pigeons, Dodos: From Island Hopping Bird
- Dinosaur Flight: New Feathered Predatory Fossil
- Pathogenic Bacterium in 700-Year-Old Skeleton
- Pathogen on Iceman: Ötzi's Non-Human DNA
- Bones of Elephant Ancestor Unearthed
- How Speed Limits Evolution of Vertebral Column
- 107-Year 'Journey' of a Beetle
New Clues About Source of Racial Health Disparities
July 21, 2014 — The use of specific ethnicities in public health messaging can have unexpected negative consequences. A first-of-its-kind study has found evidence that the persistent health disparities across race ... full story
Seals Forage at Offshore Wind Farms
July 21, 2014 — By using sophisticated GPS tracking to monitor seals' every movement, researchers have shown for the first time that some individual seals are repeatedly drawn to offshore wind farms and pipelines. ... full story
Sea Level Rising in Western Tropical Pacific Anthropogenic as Result of Human Activity, Study Concludes
July 20, 2014 — Sea levels likely will continue to rise in the tropical Pacific Ocean off the coasts of the Philippines and northeastern Australia as humans continue to alter the climate, a study concludes. The ... full story
Rate of HIV Diagnosis in U.S. Examined in Study
July 19, 2014 — The annual HIV diagnosis rate in the U.S. decreased more than 30 percent from 2002-2011, with declines observed in several key populations, although increases were found among certain age groups of ... full story
No Evidence That California Cellphone Ban Decreased Accidents, Says Researcher
July 17, 2014 — No evidence has been found that a California ban on using hand-held cellphones while driving decreased the number of traffic accidents in the state in the first six months following the ban. The ... full story
How Existing Cropland Could Feed Billions More
July 17, 2014 — Feeding a growing human population without increasing stresses on Earth's strained land and water resources may seem like an impossible challenge. But according to a new report focusing efforts to ... full story
Should You Should Talk to Strangers? Doing So Increases Positive Experience, Study Shows
July 17, 2014 — An interesting social paradox plays out every morning around the world as millions of people board commuter trains and buses: Human beings are one of the most social species on the planet, yet when ... full story
Forty Percent of Ontario Female Prisoners Enter Correctional System With a Traumatic Brain Injury
July 17, 2014 — Almost 40 per cent of Ontario female prisoners have a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI), a study has shown. Unlike the men participating in the study, half of these women sustained a TBI before ... full story
Anti-Tank Missile Detector Joins Fight Against Malaria
July 17, 2014 — State-of-the-art military hardware could soon fight malaria, one of the most deadly diseases on the planet. Researchers have used an anti-tank Javelin missile detector, more commonly used in warfare ... full story
Cooperation: Preteens, Teens Most Fickle, Older People Most Cooperative
July 15, 2014 — A new experimental study analyzed how cooperative attitudes evolve in different age ranges. Researchers found that young people between the ages of ten and sixteen demonstrate more fickle behavior ... full story
- Racial Health Disparities: New Clues About Source
- Seals Forage at Offshore Wind Farms
- Sea Rising in Western Pacific: Human Activity
- Rate of HIV Diagnosis in U.S. Examined in Study
- Does Cellphone Ban Actually Reduce Accidents?
- How Existing Cropland Could Feed Billions More
- Talking to Strangers Boosts Positive Experience
- Female Prisoners Entering Corrections With TBI
- Anti-Tank Missile Detector Fights Malaria
- Cooperation: Preteens, Teens Most Fickle
Powerful New Source of Up-to-Date Information on Economic Activity
July 10, 2014 — Researchers have developed a new data infrastructure for measuring economic activity. The infrastructure uses aggregated and de-identified data on transactions and account balances from Check, a ... full story
Computer Security: 'Melbourne Shuffle' Secures Data in the Cloud
July 10, 2014 — Encryption might not be enough for all that data stored in the cloud. Usage patterns -- which files are accessed and when -- can give away secrets as well. Computer scientists have developed an ... full story
Neuroeconomists Confirm Warren Buffett's Wisdom: Brain Research Suggests an Early Warning Signal Tips Off Smart Traders
July 7, 2014 — Investment magnate Warren Buffett has famously suggested that investors should try to 'be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy only when others are fearful.' That turns out to be excellent ... full story
Putting a Price Tag on the 2 Degree Celsius Climate Target
July 2, 2014 — Addressing climate change will require substantial new investment in low-carbon energy and energy efficiency -- but no more than what is currently spent on today's fossil-dominated energy system, ... full story
Oil Palm Plantations Threaten Water Quality, Scientists Say
June 30, 2014 — Indonesia pays a price for a lucrative crop used in many household products. Palm plantations damage freshwater streams that supply drinking water to millions of people. Found in thousands of ... full story
Are You Seen as a Jerk at Work? Many People Are Oblivious to How They Come Across to Counterparts and Colleagues
June 30, 2014 — New research shows that many people seen by others as under-assertive or over-assertive think they're appropriately assertive. The study also reveals that people seen as getting assertiveness right ... full story
Back Away, Please: Humans Tend to Fear Things Approaching, Even If Non-Threatening
June 23, 2014 — We still have negative feelings about things that approach us -- even if they objectively are not threatening, according to new research. Though we modern humans don't really consider such fear, it ... full story
New Research Proves Gender Bias Extraordinarily Prevalent in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Fields
June 23, 2014 — With everyone from the federal government to corporate America working to encourage more women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math fields, you would think the doors would ... full story
Android Security Weaknesses Caused by Performance Design Identified
June 19, 2014 — Researchers have identified a weakness in one of Android’s security features. The research identifies an Android performance feature that weakens a software protection called Address Space Layout ... full story
Crucial Security Problem in Google Play: Thousands of Secret Keys Found in Android Apps
June 18, 2014 — Researchers have discovered a crucial security problem in Google Play, the official Android app store. The study is the first to make a large-scale measurement of the huge marketplace, using ... full story
- New Source of Information On Economic Activity
- 'Melbourne Shuffle' Secures Data in the Cloud
- Neuroeconomists Confirm Warren Buffett's Wisdom
- Putting a Price Tag On Climate Target
- Oil Palm Plantations Threaten Water Quality
- Are You Seen as a Jerk at Work?
- Humans Tend to Fear Things Approaching
- Huge Gender Bias in STEM Careers
- Android Security Weaknesses Identified
- Thousands of Secret Keys Found in Android Apps
Months Before Their First Words, Babies' Brains Rehearse Speech Mechanics
July 14, 2014 — New research in 7- and 11-month-old infants shows that speech sounds stimulate areas of the brain that coordinate and plan motor movements for speech. The study suggests that baby brains start laying ... full story
Want a Higher GPA in College? Join a Gym
July 10, 2014 — For those students looking to bump up their grade point averages during college, the answer may not be spending more time in a library or study hall, but in a gym. New research shows that students ... full story
Same Genes Drive Mathematics and Reading Ability
July 8, 2014 — About half of the genes that influence how well a child can read also play a role in their mathematics ability, say scientists who led a study into the genetic basis of cognitive traits. While ... full story
Working Memory Is Key to Early Academic Achievement
July 8, 2014 — Working memory in children is linked strongly to reading and academic achievement, a new study has shown. Moreover, this finding holds true regardless of socio-economic status. This suggests that ... full story
3-D Printer to Aid the Visually Impaired Students in Their Educational Endeavors
July 2, 2014 — New technology has been developed to make tactile objects with ease thanks to the convergence technology of 3-D printing and 3-D thermal reflow treatment, which can be denoted as the revolution in ... full story
Learn Dutch in Your Sleep: Listening to Lessons While Sleeping Reinforces Memory
June 30, 2014 — When you have learned words in another language, it may be worth listening to them again in your sleep. A study has now shown that this method reinforces memory. "Our method is easy to use in daily ... full story
The Secrets of Children's Chatter: Research Shows Boys and Girls Learn Language Differently
June 27, 2014 — Experts believe language uses both a mental dictionary and a mental grammar. The mental ‘dictionary’ stores sounds, words and common phrases, while mental ‘grammar’ involves the real-time ... full story
Increased Nearsightedness Linked to Higher Education Levels and More Years Spent in School
June 26, 2014 — Researchers have found strong evidence that attaining a higher level of education and spending more years in school are two factors associated with a greater prevalence and severity of ... full story
First Year University Students Struggle to Remember Basic Concepts Learned the Year Before
June 25, 2014 — University freshers struggle to remember basic concepts from their A-level studies according to new U.K. research. A new report shows that even grade-A students could only remember 40 percent of ... full story
Learning by Repetition Impairs Recall of Details, Study Shows
June 23, 2014 — While repetition enhances the factual content of memories, it can reduce the amount of detail stored with those memories, neurobiologists report following a recent study. This means that with ... full story
- Before First Words, Babies' Brains Rehearse
- Want a Higher GPA in College? Join a Gym
- Same Genes Drive Maths and Reading Ability
- Working Memory Is Key to Early Achievement
- 3-D Printer to Aid Visually Impaired Students
- Learn Dutch in Your Sleep
- Boys and Girls Learn Language Differently
- Increased Nearsightedness Linked to Education
- Basic Concepts from High School Lost in a Year
- Learning by Repetition Impairs Recall of Details
