Today's Science News
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
Fat Metabolism in Animals Altered to Prevent Most Common Type of Heart Disease
Apr. 22, 2014 — Working with mice and rabbits, scientists have found a way to block abnormal cholesterol production, transport and breakdown, successfully preventing the development of atherosclerosis, the main ... full story
Brain Size Matters When It Comes to Animal Self-Control
Apr. 22, 2014 — Chimpanzees may throw tantrums like toddlers, but their total brain size suggests they have more self-control than, say, a gerbil or fox squirrel, according to a new study of 36 species of mammals ... full story
Red Stars and Big Bulges: How Black Holes Shape Galaxies
Apr. 22, 2014 — The universe we can see is made up of thousands of millions of galaxies, each containing anywhere from hundreds of thousands to hundreds of billions of stars. Large numbers of galaxies are elliptical ... full story
Cloaked DNA Nanodevices Survive Pilot Mission
Apr. 22, 2014 — By mimicking a viral strategy, scientists have created the first cloaked DNA nanodevice that survives the body's immune defenses. Their success opens the door to smart DNA nanorobots that use ... full story
Today's Antarctic Region Once as Hot as California, Florida
Apr. 21, 2014 — Parts of ancient Antarctica were as warm as today's California coast, and polar regions of the southern Pacific Ocean registered 21st-century Florida heat, according to scientists using a new ... full story
Cougars’ Diverse Diet Helped Them Survive the Mass Extinction That Wiped out the Saber-Tooth Cat, American Lion
Apr. 22, 2014 — Cougars may have survived the mass extinction that took place about 12,000 years ago because they were not particular about what they ate, unlike their more finicky cousins the saber-tooth cat and ... full story
Sleep Behavior Disorder Linked to Brain Disease
Apr. 22, 2014 — A sleep disorder that causes people to act out their dreams is the best current predictor of brain diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, research suggests. In this disorder, the disturbance ... full story
Sleeping Away Infection: Researchers Find Link Between Sleep, Immune Function in Fruitflies
Apr. 21, 2014 — When we get sick it feels natural to try to hasten our recovery by getting some extra shuteye. Researchers found that this response has a definite purpose, in fruitflies: enhancing immune system ... full story
Mantis Shrimp Stronger Than Airplanes: Composite Material Inspired by Shrimp Stronger Than Standard Used in Airplane Frames
Apr. 22, 2014 — Inspired by the fist-like club of a mantis shrimp, researchers have developed a design structure for composite materials that is more impact resistant and tougher than the standard used in airplanes. ... full story
International Team Sequences Rainbow Trout Genome
Apr. 22, 2014 — An international team of researchers has mapped the genetic profile of the rainbow trout, a versatile salmonid whose relatively recent genetic history opens a window into how vertebrates evolve. The ... full story
Male Health Linked to Testosterone Exposure in Womb, Study Finds
Apr. 22, 2014 — Men's susceptibility to serious health conditions may be influenced by low exposure to testosterone in the womb, new research suggests. Understanding why some men have less of the hormone than ... full story
Life Stressors Trigger Neurological Disorders, Researchers Find
Apr. 22, 2014 — When mothers are exposed to trauma, illness, alcohol or other drug abuse, these stressors may activate a single molecular trigger in brain cells that can go awry and activate conditions such as ... full story
Speed-Reading Apps May Impair Reading Comprehension by Limiting Ability to Backtrack
Apr. 22, 2014 — To address the fact that many of us are on the go and pressed for time, app developers have devised speed-reading software that eliminates the time we supposedly waste by moving our eyes as we read. ... full story
People Pay More Attention to Upper Half of Field of Vision, Study Shows
Apr. 22, 2014 — People pay more attention to the upper half of their field of vision, a study shows, a finding that could have ramifications for traffic signs to software interface design. "It doesn't mean ... full story
Researchers Identify a New Variant of Ebola Virus in Guinea
Apr. 22, 2014 — In a new article, researchers have published their initial findings on the characteristics of the Ebola virus discovered in Guinea. Initial virological investigations enabled them to identify Zaire ... full story
- Fat Metabolism Altered to Prevent Heart Disease
- Evolution of Self-Control: Brain Size Matters
- Big Bulges: How Black Holes Shape Galaxies
- Cloaked DNA Nanodevices Survive Pilot Mission
- Today's Antarctica Once as Hot as California
- Cougars' Diet Helped Them Avoid Extinction
- Sleep Behavior Disorder Linked to Brain Disease
- Sleeping Away Infection: Sleep, Immunity Linked
- Mantis Shrimp Stronger Than Airplanes
- Scientists Sequence Rainbow Trout Genome
- Male Health: Testosterone Exposure in Womb
- Life Stressors Trigger Neurological Disorders
- Speed-Reading Apps Hurt Reading Comprehension?
- We Pay More Attention to Upper Half of Vision
- New Variant of Ebola Virus in Guinea Identified
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last updated on 2014-04-23 at 1:08 pm EDT
Airport Security-Style Technology Could Help Doctors Decide on Stroke Treatment
Apr. 23, 2014 — A new computer program could help doctors predict which patients might suffer potentially fatal side-effects from a key stroke treatment. The program assesses brain scans using pattern recognition ... full story
Surface Area of the Digestive Tract Much Smaller Than Previously Thought
Apr. 23, 2014 — The internal surface area of the gastro-intestinal tract has long been considered to be between 180 and 300 square meters. Scientists have used refined microscopic techniques that indicate a much ... full story
In Lab Tests, the Antimicrobial Ingredient Triclosan Spurs Growth of Breast Cancer Cells
Apr. 23, 2014 — Some manufacturers are turning away from using triclosan as an antimicrobial ingredient in soaps, toothpastes and other products over health concerns. And now scientists are reporting new evidence ... full story
Legalizing Medical Marijuana Doesn't Increase Use Among Adolescents, Study Says
Apr. 23, 2014 — Parents and physicians concerned about an increase in adolescents' marijuana use following the legalization of medical marijuana can breathe a sigh of relief. According to a new study that compared ... full story
Physical Activity Keeps Hippocampus Healthy in People at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
Apr. 23, 2014 — Moderate physical activity may preserve the hippocampus -- the brain region responsible for memory and spatial orientation that is attacked first in Alzheimer's disease, a study of older adults at ... full story
High-Calorie, Low-Nutrient Foods in Kids' TV Programs
Apr. 23, 2014 — Fruits and vegetables are often displayed in the popular Swedish children’s TV show Bolibompa, but there are also plenty of high-sugar foods. A new study explores how food is portrayed in ... full story
Toward Unraveling the Alzheimer's Mystery: New Step Points to Proteins
Apr. 23, 2014 — Getting to the bottom of Alzheimer's disease has been a rapidly evolving pursuit with many twists, turns and controversies. In the latest crook in the research road, scientists have found a new ... full story
ADHD Drug May Help Preserve Self-Control Resources
Apr. 23, 2014 — Methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin, may prevent the depletion of self-control, according to research. Self-control can be difficult -- sticking with a diet or trying to focus attention on a ... full story
Hip Width, Sexual Behavior Compared
Apr. 23, 2014 — Hip width and risk of birth-related trauma may play a role in a woman's decision to have sex. Women who were more inclined to have one-night stands had wider hips, reveals a study into how a woman's ... full story
Brain Circuits Involved in Emotion Discovered by Neuroscientists
Apr. 22, 2014 — A brain pathway that underlies the emotional behaviors critical for survival have been discovered by neuroscientists. The team has identified a chain of neural connections which links central ... full story
- Airport Technology Could Inform Stroke Treatment
- Digestive Tract Surface Area Smaller Than Thought
- Triclosan Spurs Growth of Breast Cancer Cells
- Medical Marijuana Doesn't Increase Teen Use
- Physical Activity Keeps Hippocampus Healthy
- High-Calorie, Low-Nutrient Foods in Kids' TV
- Unraveling the Alzheimer's Mystery: Proteins
- ADHD Drug May Help Preserve Self-Control
- Women: Wider Hips, More Sex?
- Brain Circuits Involved in Emotion Discovered
Picture Books Aren't Just Fun: Children Learn Sophisticated Animal Facts When Parent Read Them
Apr. 23, 2014 — Children hear as much sophisticated information about animals when parents read picture book stories about animals as when they read flashcard-type animal vocabulary books, according to a new study. ... full story
Effectiveness of Medications for Treating Epileptic Seizures in Children Examined
Apr. 22, 2014 — Although some studies have suggested that the drug lorazepam may be more effective or safer than the drug diazepam in treating a type of epileptic seizures among children, a randomized trial finds ... full story
New Drugs Offer Hope for Migraine Prevention
Apr. 22, 2014 — Two new studies may offer hope for people with migraines. Both studies involve drugs that are aimed at preventing migraine attacks from occurring, rather than stopping the attacks once they have ... full story
Critical New Protein Complex Involved in Learning, Memory
Apr. 22, 2014 — A protein complex that plays a critical but previously unknown role in learning and memory formation has been identified by researchers. "This is a critical building block that regulates a ... full story
Neurotics Don't Just Avoid Action: They Dislike It, Study Finds
Apr. 22, 2014 — Neurotics don't just avoid taking action. By their very nature they dislike it. A study of nearly 4,000 college students in 19 countries has uncovered new details about why neurotic people may avoid ... full story
Commonly Available Blood-Pressure Medication Prevents Epilepsy After Severe Brain Injury
Apr. 22, 2014 — A team of neuroscientists has shown in rats that a drug commonly prescribed for hypertension can nearly eliminate the epilepsy that often follows severe head injury. The drug blocks a receptor on ... full story
Child's Autism Risk Accelerates With Mother's Age Over 30
Apr. 22, 2014 — Older parents are more likely to have a child who develops an autism spectrum disorder than are younger parents. A recent study provides more insight into how the risk associated with parental age ... full story
New Way to Enhance Nerve Growth Following Injury Discovered
Apr. 22, 2014 — A mechanism to promote growth in damaged nerve cells as a means to restore connections after injury has been uncovered by scientists who have discovered a key molecule that directly regulates nerve ... full story
First Brain Images of African Infants Enable Research Into Cognitive Effects of Nutrition
Apr. 22, 2014 — Brain activity of babies in developing countries could be monitored from birth to reveal the first signs of cognitive dysfunction, researchers say. The cognitive function of infants can be visualized ... full story
Mystery Behind General Anesthetic Action Becoming More Clear
Apr. 21, 2014 — Despite decades of common use for surgeries of all kinds, the precise mechanism through which general anesthesia works on the body remains a mystery. New research investigated the common anesthetic ... full story
- Picture Books Teach Sophisticated Information
- Epileptic Seizure Medications for Kids Examined
- New Drugs Offer Hope for Migraine Prevention
- Learning, Memory: Protein Complex Involved
- Neurotics Dislike Action By Their Very Nature
- Blood-Pressure Med Prevents Epilepsy After TBI
- Autism Risk Accelerates With Mom's Age Over 30
- New Way to Enhance Nerve Growth After Injury
- Research Into Cognitive Effects of Nutrition
- General Anesthetic: Mystery Becoming More Clear
Risk of Pregnancy Greater With Newer Method of Female Sterilization
Apr. 22, 2014 — The risk of pregnancy among women using a newer method of planned sterilization called hysteroscopic sterilization is more than 10 times greater over a 10-year period than using the more commonly ... full story
Increased Prevalence of Celiac Disease in Children With Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Apr. 21, 2014 — There appears to be an increased prevalence of celiac disease among children with irritable bowel syndrome. Recurrent abdominal pain affects 10 percent to 15 percent of school-aged children. The ... full story
LEDs Get Seal of Approval: Safe for Skin, Experts Say
Apr. 21, 2014 — There was a time when no one thought about light bulbs -- one blew, you screwed another one in. Nowadays, it’s more complicated, as energy efficiency concerns have given rise to a slew of options, ... full story
Ginseng Can Treat, Prevent Influenza, RSV, Researcher Finds
Apr. 21, 2014 — Ginseng can help treat and prevent influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, a respiratory virus that infects the lungs and breathing passages, according to research findings. Seasonal influenza is ... full story
Codeine Often Prescribed to Children, Despite Available Alternatives
Apr. 21, 2014 — Despite its potentially harmful effects in children, codeine continues to be prescribed in U.S. emergency rooms, according to new research. "Despite strong evidence against the use of codeine in ... full story
Low Tolerance for Pain? The Reason May Be in Your Genes
Apr. 20, 2014 — Researchers may have identified key genes linked to why some people have a higher tolerance for pain than others, according to a new study. Researchers found that nine percent of the participants had ... full story
Better Way to Deal With Bad Memories Suggested
Apr. 18, 2014 — A simple and effective emotion-regulation strategy that has neurologically and behaviorally been proven to lessen the emotional impact of personal negative memories, researchers have shown. ... full story
Boomers' Dark Secret: Booze; What Their Caregivers Don’t Know or Don't Ask Could End Up Hurting Aging Patients
Apr. 18, 2014 — By 2015, all baby boomers will be 50 or older. In an editorial, one expert writes that, unlike members of previous generations, many of these individuals have been using alcohol (and other drugs) for ... full story
Impact of Childhood Bullying Still Evident After 40 Years
Apr. 17, 2014 — The negative social, physical and mental health effects of childhood bullying are still evident nearly 40 years later, according to new research. The study is the first to look at the effects of ... full story
Gene Variant Increases Risk of Colorectal Cancer from Eating Processed Meat
Apr. 17, 2014 — A common genetic variant that affects one in three people appears to significantly increase the risk of colorectal cancer from the consumption of processed meat, according to a new ... full story
- Female Sterilization: New Method Not as Good
- More Celiac Disease in Kids With Irritable Bowel
- LEDs Get Seal of Approval: Safe for Skin
- Ginseng Can Treat, Prevent Influenza, RSV: Study
- Codeine Prescribed to Kids, Despite Alternatives
- Low Tolerance for Pain? May Be Your Genes
- Better Way to Deal With Bad Memories
- Boomer: Booze Could Hurt Aging Patients
- Childhood Bullying Effects Evident After 40 Years
- Gene Variant Ups Cancer Risk from Processed Meat
How to Avoid Water Wars Between 'Fracking' Industry and Residents
Apr. 23, 2014 — The shale gas boom has transformed the energy landscape in the US, but in some drier locations, it could cause conflict among the energy industry, residents and agricultural interests over ... full story
Steering Chemical Reactions With Laser Pulses
Apr. 23, 2014 — Ultra short laserpulses in the femtosecond-range give scientists a powerful new method of controlling chemical reactions. A team of researchers could now show that the fragmentation of carbohydrates ... full story
Liquid Spacetime: What If Spacetime Were a Kind of Fluid?
Apr. 23, 2014 — What if spacetime were a kind of fluid? This is the question tackled by theoretical physicists working on quantum gravity by creating models attempting to reconcile gravity and quantum mechanics. ... full story
Checking Up on Crude Oil in the Ground: Nanoreporters Tell 'Sour' Oil from 'Sweet'
Apr. 22, 2014 — Scientists have created a nanoscale detector that checks for and reports on the presence and concentration of hydrogen sulfide in crude oil and natural gas while they're still in the ... full story
Neuroimaging Technique: Live from Inside the Cell in Real-Time
Apr. 22, 2014 — A novel imaging technique provides insights into the role of redox signaling and reactive oxygen species in living neurons, in real time. Scientists have developed a new optical microscopy technique ... full story
First Size-Based Chromatography Technique for the Study of Livi
Apr. 22, 2014 — Using nanodot technology, researchers demonstrated the first size-based form of chromatography for studying the membranes of living cells. This unique physical approach to probing cellular membrane ... full story
Major Advances in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells
Apr. 22, 2014 — Two groups of researchers have recently advanced the field of solar cells with a cheaper and efficient replacement for platinum and better synthesis of zinc oxide. Working on dye-sensitized solar ... full story
Unlocking Secrets of New Solar Material
Apr. 22, 2014 — A new solar material that has the same crystal structure as a mineral first found in the Ural Mountains in 1839 is shooting up the efficiency charts faster than almost anything researchers have seen ... full story
New Design for Mobile Phone Masts Could Cut Carbon Emissions
Apr. 22, 2014 — A breakthrough in the design of signal amplifiers for mobile phone masts could deliver a massive 200MW cut in the load on UK power stations, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by around 0.5 million ... full story
RNA Shows Potential as Boiling-Resistant Anionic Polymer Material for Nanoarchitectures
Apr. 22, 2014 — Nanotechnology researchers have discovered new methods to build boiling-resistant nanostructures and arrays using a new RNA triangle scaffold. These new RNA nanoarchitechtures can be used to form ... full story
- Water Wars: Fracking Industry Versus Residents
- Steering Chemical Reactions With Laser Pulses
- What If Spacetime Were a Kind of Fluid?
- Nanoreporters Tell 'Sour' Oil from 'Sweet'
- Neuroimaging: Live from Inside Cell in Real Time
- Cell Study: Size-Based Chromatography Technique
- Major Advances in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells
- Unlocking Secrets of New Solar Material
- New Mobile Phone Masts to Cut Carbon Emissions
- RNA Shows Potential as Boiling-Resistant Polymer
For an Immune Cell, Microgravity Mimics Aging
Apr. 22, 2014 — Telling someone to "act your age" is another way of asking him or her to behave better. Age, however, does not always bring improvements. Certain cells of the immune system tend to misbehave with ... full story
Solved: Mysteries of a Nearby Planetary System
Apr. 22, 2014 — Mysteries of one of the most fascinating nearby planetary systems now have been solved. A new study presents the first viable model for the planetary system orbiting one the first stars discovered to ... full story
'Upside-Down Planet' Reveals New Method for Studying Binary Star Systems
Apr. 21, 2014 — What looked at first like a sort of upside-down planet has instead revealed a new method for studying binary star systems. Astronomers confirmed the first "self-lensing" binary star system -- one in ... full story
Exoplanets Soon to Gleam in the Eye of NESSI
Apr. 21, 2014 — The New Mexico Exoplanet Spectroscopic Survey Instrument (NESSI) will soon get its first "taste" of exoplanets, helping astronomers decipher their chemical composition. Exoplanets are planets that ... full story
NASA Completes LADEE Mission With Planned Impact on Moon's Surface
Apr. 19, 2014 — Ground controllers at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., have confirmed that NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft impacted the surface of the ... full story
SpaceX-3 Launches Science Cargo to International Space Station
Apr. 18, 2014 — A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft full of NASA cargo, experiments and equipment blazed into orbit Friday, April 18, aboard the company's Falcon 9 rocket. The astronauts aboard the International Space ... full story
Impact Glass from Asteroids and Comets Stores Biodata for Millions of Years
Apr. 18, 2014 — Bits of plant life encapsulated in molten glass by asteroid and comet impacts millions of years ago give geologists information about climate and life forms on the ancient Earth. Scientists exploring ... full story
Collider Reveals Sharp Change from 'Quark Soup' to Atoms
Apr. 18, 2014 — Scientists using the atom smasher at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have observed a phase transition different than the smooth transition of the early universe from ... full story
Bright Points in Sun's Atmosphere Mark Patterns Deep in Its Interior
Apr. 17, 2014 — Like a balloon bobbing along in the air while tied to a child's hand, a tracer has been found in the sun's atmosphere to help track the flow of material coursing underneath the sun's ... full story
Vitamin B3 Might Have Been Made in Space, Delivered to Earth by Meteorites
Apr. 17, 2014 — Ancient Earth might have had an extraterrestrial supply of vitamin B3 delivered by carbon-rich meteorites, according to a new analysis. The result supports a theory that the origin of life may have ... full story
- For an Immune Cell, Microgravity Mimics Aging
- Solved: Mysteries of a Nearby Planetary System
- Upside-Down Planet: New View On Binary Stars
- Exoplanets Soon to Gleam in the Eye of NESSI
- LADEE Mission: Spacecraft Impacts Moon's Surface
- SpaceX-3 Launches Science Cargo to Space Station
- Impact Glass Stores Biodata Millions of Years
- From Quark Soup to Atoms and Stars
- Bright Points On Sun Reflect Hidden Interior
- Vitamin B3 Delivered to Earth by Meteorites?
Bioinformatics Profiling Identifies a New Mammalian Clock Gene
Apr. 22, 2014 — Over 15 mammalian clock proteins have been identified, but researchers surmise there are more. Could big data approaches help find them? To accelerate clock-gene discovery, investigators used a ... full story
Applying Math to Biology: Software Identifies Disease-Causing Mutations in Undiagnosed Illnesses
Apr. 22, 2014 — A computational tool has successfully identified diseases with unknown gene mutations in three separate cases. Sequencing the genomes of individuals or small families often produces false predictions ... full story
iPad Users Explore Data With Their Fingers: Kinetica Converts Tabular Data Into Touch-Friendly Format
Apr. 22, 2014 — Spreadsheets may have been the original killer app for personal computers, but data tables don't play to the strengths of multi-touch devices such as tablets. So researchers have developed a ... full story
UV-Radiation Data to Help Ecological Research
Apr. 22, 2014 — Existing data on global UV-B radiation has been processed by researchers in such a way that they can use them to find answers to many ecological questions. According to a new paper, this data set ... full story
Progress Made in Developing Nanoscale Electronics: New Research Directs Charges Through Single Molecules
Apr. 21, 2014 — Scientists are facing a number of barriers as they try to develop circuits that are microscopic in size, including how to reliably control the current that flows through a circuit that is the width ... full story
Computer-Assisted Accelerator Design
Apr. 21, 2014 — Accelerator physicists are using custom designed software to create a 3-D virtual model of the electron accelerator physicists hope to build inside the tunnel currently housing the Relativistic Heavy ... full story
Computational Method Dramatically Speeds Up Estimates of Gene Expression
Apr. 20, 2014 — With gene expression analysis growing in importance for both basic researchers and medical practitioners, researchers have developed a new computational method that dramatically speeds up estimates ... full story
Tracking Flu Levels With Wikipedia
Apr. 17, 2014 — Can monitoring Wikipedia hits show how many people have the flu? Researchers have developed a method of estimating levels of influenza-like illness in the American population by analyzing Internet ... full story
Sporting Latest Tech Toy Can Make You Seem More Like a Leader
Apr. 17, 2014 — If you want to be perceived as a leader, new research suggests investing in the latest technological gadgets is the way to go. "Familiarity with and usage of new high-tech products appears to be a ... full story
Wireless Power Transfer Achieved at 5-Meter Distance
Apr. 17, 2014 — A great improvement has been demonstrated in the distance that electric power can travel wirelessly. Researchers developed the 'Dipole Coil Resonant System' for an extended range of inductive power ... full story
- New Mammalian Clock Gene Identified
- Software ID's Mutations in Undiagnosed Illnesses
- iPad Users Explore Data With Their Fingers
- UV-Radiation Data to Help Ecological Research
- Progress Made in Developing Nanoscale Electronics
- Computer-Assisted Accelerator Design
- Speeding Up Estimates of Gene Expression
- Tracking Flu Levels With Wikipedia
- Latest Tech Toy Can Make You Seem Like a Leader
- Wireless Power Transfer Achieved at 5m Distance
How Australia's Outback Got One Million Feral Camels: Camels Culled on Large Scale
Apr. 23, 2014 — A new study has shed light on how an estimated one million-strong population of wild camels thriving in Australia's remote outback have become reviled as pests and culled on a large ... full story
Political Ravens? Ravens Understand the Relationships Among Others
Apr. 23, 2014 — Cognitive biologists have revealed that ravens do understand and keep track of the rank relations between other ravens. Such an ability has been known only from primates. Like many social mammals, ... full story
Best Practices in Communication for Animal World
Apr. 22, 2014 — Effective communication is not just about the signaler, according to a new study. The receiver also needs to assess the signaler efficiently. For instance, one of the most effective strategies from ... full story
How Cells Take out the Trash
Apr. 22, 2014 — As people around the world mark Earth Day (April 22) with activities that protect the planet, our cells are busy safeguarding their own environment. To keep themselves neat, tidy and above all ... full story
Wildlife Response to Climate Change Is Likely Underestimated, Experts Warn
Apr. 22, 2014 — Analyzing thousands of breeding bird surveys sent in by citizen scientists over 35 years, wildlife researchers report that most of the 40 songbird species they studied shifted either northward or ... full story
Two Genes Linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Apr. 22, 2014 — Scientists have done what is believed to be the first direct genetic study to document the important function for the Ron receptor, a cell surface protein often found in certain cancers, and its ... full story
Cow Manure Harbors Diverse New Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Apr. 22, 2014 — Manure from dairy cows, which is commonly used as a farm soil fertilizer, contains a surprising number of newly identified antibiotic resistance genes from the cows' gut bacteria. The findings hints ... full story
Protein Expression Gets the Heart Pumping
Apr. 22, 2014 — Most people think the development of the heart only happens in the womb, however the days and weeks following birth are full of cellular changes that play a role in the structure and function of the ... full story
How Are We Different and What Gave Us the Advantage Over Extinct Types of Humans Like the Neanderthals?
Apr. 22, 2014 — In parallel with modern man (Homo sapiens), there were other, extinct types of humans with whom we lived side by side, such as Neanderthals and the recently discovered Denisovans of Siberia. Yet ... full story
Tarantulas' Personality Determines Whether They Copulate With Males or Cannibalize Them
Apr. 22, 2014 — Sexual cannibalism in spiders – the attack and consumption of males by females before or after copulation – is very widespread. A new investigation analyses the reason behind such extreme ... full story
- Culling Feral Camels in Australia's Outback
- Ravens Understand the Relations Among Others
- Best Practices in Communication for Animal World
- How Cells Take Out the Trash
- Is Wildlife Response to Climate Underestimated?
- Two Genes Linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Cow Manure: Diverse New Antibiotic Resistance
- Protein Expression Gets the Heart Pumping
- What Gave Modern Humans Edge Over Neanderthals?
- Tarantula Personality: Eat or Mate With Males?
New Discovery Helps Solve Mystery Source of African Lava
Apr. 23, 2014 — Floods of molten lava may sound like the stuff of apocalyptic theorists, but history is littered with evidence of such past events where vast lava outpourings originating deep in the Earth accompany ... full story
Higher Solar-Cell Efficiency Achieved With Zinc-Oxide Coating
Apr. 22, 2014 — Researchers have achieved 14-percent efficiency in a 9-millimeter-square solar cell made of gallium arsenide. It is the highest efficiency rating for a solar cell that size and made with that ... full story
Earth Week: Bark Beetles Change Rocky Mountain Stream Flows, Affect Water Quality
Apr. 21, 2014 — On Earth Week -- and in fact, every week now -- trees in mountains across the western United States are dying, thanks to an infestation of bark beetles that reproduce in the trees' inner bark. In ... full story
Krypton Used to Accurately Date Ancient Antarctic Ice
Apr. 21, 2014 — Scientists have successfully identified the age of 120,000-year-old Antarctic ice using radiometric krypton dating -- a new technique that may allow them to locate and date ice that is more than a ... full story
Taking the Pulse of Mountain Formation in the Andes
Apr. 21, 2014 — New research shows that the Altiplano plateau in the central Andes -- and most likely the entire mountain range -- was formed through a series of rapid growth spurts. "This study provides increasing ... full story
Lack of Breeding Threatens Blue-Footed Boobies' Survival
Apr. 21, 2014 — Blue-footed Boobies are on the decline in the Galápagos. A new study indicates numbers of the iconic birds, known for their bright blue feet and propensity to burst into dance to attract mates, have ... full story
Birthplace of the Domesticated Chili Pepper Identified in Mexico
Apr. 21, 2014 — Combining historical language and ecological information, as well as genetic and archaeological data, scientists have identified Central-east Mexico as the likely birthplace of the domesticated chili ... full story
More Questions Than Answers as Mystery of Domestication Deepens
Apr. 21, 2014 — New research on domestication raises more questions than it has answered. Scientists have outlined some of the key questions that have been raised about this pivotal event in human ... full story
New Material Coating Technology Mimics Nature's Lotus Effect
Apr. 21, 2014 — Ever stop to consider why lotus plant leaves always look clean? The hydrophobic -- water repelling -- characteristic of the leaf, termed the "Lotus effect," helps the plant survive in muddy swamps, ... full story
Climate Benefit of Biofuels from Corn Residue: Researchers Cast Doubt
Apr. 20, 2014 — Biofuels made from corn stover -- stalks, leaves and cobs that remain after harvest -- appear to emit more carbon dioxide over their life cycle than federal standards allow, according to new ... full story
- Solved: Mystery Source of African Lava
- Higher Solar-Cell Efficiency With Zinc-Oxide
- Bark Beetles Change Rocky Mountain Stream Flows
- Krypton Used to Date Ancient Antarctic Ice
- Taking the Pulse of Mountain Formation in Andes
- Lack of Breeding Threatens Blue-Footed Boobies
- Domesticated Chili Peppers Are from Mexico
- Mystery of Domestication Deepens
- New Material Coating Mimics 'Lotus Effect'
- Biofuels from Corn Residue? Maybe Not
First Eurasians Left Africa Up to 130,000 Years Ago
Apr. 21, 2014 — Scientists have shown that anatomically modern humans spread from Africa to Asia and Europe in several migratory movements. The first ancestors of today’s non-African peoples probably took a ... full story
Plague in Your Family: Family Tree of Black Death Bacterium Explored
Apr. 21, 2014 — The first view of the Black Death bacterium's entire family tree shows some how family members evolve to become harmful. The researchers showed that Yersinia pestis and Yersinia enterocolitica, two ... full story
Ancient DNA: Barnyard Chickens Living Just a Few Hundred Years Ago Looked Far Different from Today's Chickens
Apr. 18, 2014 — Ancient DNA adds a twist to the story of how barnyard chickens came to be. Analyzing DNA from the bones of chickens that lived 200-2,300 years ago in Europe, researchers report that some of the ... full story
There's Something Ancient in the Icebox: Three-Million-Year-Old Landscape Beneath Greenland Ice Sheet
Apr. 17, 2014 — Scientists were greatly surprised to discover an ancient tundra landscape preserved under the Greenland Ice Sheet, below two miles of ice. This finding provides strong evidence that the ice sheet has ... full story
Atom Probe Assisted Dating of Oldest Piece of Earth
Apr. 17, 2014 — It's a scientific axiom: big claims require extra-solid evidence. So when a geoscience professor dated an ancient crystal to 4.4 billion years ago, skeptics questioned the dating. Then, in 2013, ... full story
The Story of Animal Domestication Retold: Scientists Now Think Wild Animals Interbred With Domesticated Ones Until Quite Recently
Apr. 17, 2014 — A review of recent research on the domestication of large herbivores suggests that neither intentional breeding nor genetic isolation were as significant as traditionally thought. "Our findings show ... full story
Genetic Study Tackles Mystery of Slow Plant Domestications
Apr. 17, 2014 — Did domesticating a plant typically take a few hundred or many thousands of years? Genetic studies often indicate that domestication traits have a fairly simple genetic basis, which should facilitate ... full story
New City Wall Discovered at Ancient Roman Port
Apr. 17, 2014 — Researchers have discovered a new section of the boundary wall of the ancient Roman port of Ostia, proving the city was much larger than previously ... full story
Family Ties in the Language Jungle: Amazon Language Relationships Revealed
Apr. 16, 2014 — Relationships between rare languages in the Colombian Amazon have been revealed by researchers. The only linguistic data available for Carabayo, a language spoken by an indigenous group that lives in ... full story
Earliest Ancestor of Land Herbivores Discovered: 300-Million-Year-Old Predator Showed Way to Modern Terrestrial Ecosystem
Apr. 16, 2014 — New research demonstrates how carnivores transitioned into herbivores for the first time on land. Previously unknown, the 300-million-year old fossilized juvenile skeleton of Eocasea martini is less ... full story
- Eurasians Left Africa Up to 130,000 Years Ago
- Family Tree of Black Death Bacterium Explored
- Chickens: Much Different Few Hundred Years Ago
- 3-Million-Year-Old Landscape Preserved
- Atom Probe Helped Date Oldest Piece of Earth
- Wild Animals Interbred With Domesticated Ones
- Genetic Study Tackles Slow Plant Domestications
- New City Wall Discovered at Ancient Roman Port
- Amazon: Family Ties in the Language Jungle
- Earliest Ancestor of Land Herbivores Discovered
Regulating Legal Marijuana Could Be Guided by Lessons from Alcohol, Tobacco, Study Says
Apr. 21, 2014 — Recent ballot initiatives that legalized marijuana in Colorado and Washington for recreational uses are unprecedented. A new study outlines how regulations on alcohol and tobacco may provide guidance ... full story
Mental Illness Not Usually Linked to Crime, Research Finds
Apr. 21, 2014 — In a study of crimes committed by people with serious mental disorders, only 7.5 percent were directly related to symptoms of mental illness, according to new research. Researchers analyzed 429 ... full story
People Selectively Remember Details of Atrocities That Absolve in-Group Members
Apr. 21, 2014 — Conversations about wartime atrocities often omit certain details. According to research, these omissions can lead people to have different memories for the event depending on social group ... full story
Counterfeit Contraceptives Found in South America
Apr. 18, 2014 — A survey of emergency contraceptive pills in Peru found that 28 percent of the batches studied were either of substandard quality or falsified. Many pills released the active ingredient too slowly. ... full story
Future Heat Waves Pose Risk for Population of Greater London
Apr. 18, 2014 — The effects of future heat waves on people living in Greater London in 2050 has been modeled in a study, which concludes that the risk of heat-related deaths could be significantly reduced if ... full story
Loud Talking, Horseplay in Car Results in More Serious Incidents for Teen Drivers
Apr. 17, 2014 — Adolescent drivers are often distracted by technology while they are driving, but loud conversations and horseplay between passengers appear more likely to result in a dangerous incident, according ... full story
Alternative Identification Methods for Threatened Species Urged
Apr. 17, 2014 — With global climate change and rapidly disappearing habitat critical to the survival of endangered species, there is a sense of urgency to confirm the return of animals thought to be extinct, or to ... full story
Food Shortages Could Be Most Critical World Issue by Mid-Century
Apr. 17, 2014 — The world is less than 40 years away from a food shortage that will have serious implications for people and governments, according to a scientist. "For the first time in human history, food ... full story
Patented Research Remotely Detects Nitrogen-Rich Explosives
Apr. 17, 2014 — A patented technique that improves military security and remotely detects improvised explosive devices has been developed by an engineer. The same technique could help police during drug searches. ... full story
Pocket-Sized Anthrax Detector Created
Apr. 17, 2014 — A credit-card-sized anthrax detection cartridge makes testing safer, easier, faster and cheaper. Bacillus anthracis, the bacteria that causes anthrax, is commonly found in soils all over the world ... full story
- Legalizing Pot: Lessons from Alcohol, Tobacco?
- Mental Illness Not Usually Linked to Crime: Study
- Social Group Can Affect Memory of Atrocities
- Counterfeit Contraceptives in South America
- Future Heat Waves: Risk for Greater London
- Serious Teen Accidents from Horseplay in Car
- Better Identification of Threatened Species
- Food Shortages: Biggest Issue by Mid-Century?
- Detecting Nitrogen-Rich Explosives
- Pocket-Sized Anthrax Detector Created
Flaw in 'Secure' Cloud Storage Could Put Privacy at Risk
Apr. 15, 2014 — Computer scientists have found a flaw in the way that secure cloud storage companies protect their customers’ data. The scientists say this weakness jeopardizes the privacy protection these digital ... full story
Cybersecurity Researchers Roll out a New Heartbleed Solution: Red Herring Creates Decoy Servers, Entraps, Monitors Hackers
Apr. 14, 2014 — As companies scrambled in recent days to address the latest cybersecurity bug known as Heartbleed, researchers demonstrate a solution that fixes the vulnerability, and also detects and entraps ... full story
Tiny Particles Could Help Verify Goods
Apr. 13, 2014 — Chemical engineers hope smartphone-readable microparticles could crack down on counterfeiting. Some 2 to 5 percent of all international trade involves counterfeit goods, according to a 2013 United ... full story
Should You Trust Your Financial Advisor? Pseudo-Mathematics and Financial Charlatanism
Apr. 10, 2014 — Your financial advisor calls you up to suggest a new investment scheme. Drawing on 20 years of data, he has set his computer to work on this question: If you had invested according to this scheme in ... full story
UN Climate Report: Pricing of Carbon Dioxide Emissions Critical
Apr. 4, 2014 — Despite climate change, most polluters still pay little or nothing when they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. A cost $0.15 US per kilo of carbon dioxide would be enough to solve the whole ... full story
Americans Using More Energy, According to New Analysis
Apr. 2, 2014 — Americans used more renewable, fossil and even nuclear energy in 2013, according to the most recent energy flow charts. Wind energy continued to grow strongly, increasing 18 percent from 1.36 ... full story
Agroforestry Systems Can Repair Degraded Watersheds
Mar. 27, 2014 — Agroforestry, combined with land and water management practices that increase agricultural productivity, can save watersheds from degradation. A study in the Gabayan watershed in eastern Bohol, ... full story
Smoke-Free Air Policies Seem to Protect the Heart
Mar. 27, 2014 — Policies prohibiting tobacco smoking in workplaces and other public spaces may substantially improve public health by reducing heart disease and death, according to a new study on the impact of ... full story
Keeping Secrets in a World of Spies and Mistrust
Mar. 26, 2014 — A new article reviews developments in quantum cryptography and describes how we can keep our secrets secret even when faced with the double challenge of mistrust and ... full story
Important and Complex Systems, from the Global Financial Market to Groups of Friends, May Be Highly Controllable
Mar. 20, 2014 — Scientists have discovered that all complex systems, whether they are found in the body, in international finance, or in social situations, actually fall into just three basic categories, in terms of ... full story
- Privacy at Risk: Flaw in 'Secure' Cloud Storage
- Cybersecurity: New Heartbleed Solution
- Tiny Particles Could Help Verify Goods
- Pseudo-Mathematics and Financial Charlatanism
- UN: Pricing of CO<sub>2</sub> Emissions Critical
- Americans Using More Energy: Analysis
- Agroforestry Can Repair Degraded Watersheds
- Smoke-Free Air Policies Seem to Protect Heart
- Keeping Secrets in a World of Spies, Mistrust
- Complex Systems May Be Highly Controllable
Inhibited Children Become Anxious Adults: Examining the Causes and Effects of Early Shyness
Apr. 17, 2014 — Three little girls sit together in a room, playing with the toys surrounding them. One of the girls -- "Emma" -- has clearly taken charge of the group, and the others happily go along with her. A ... full story
'I Spy' Used to Show Spoken Language Helps Direct Children's Eyes
Apr. 17, 2014 — Children spot objects more quickly when prompted by words than if they are only prompted by images, cognitive scientists have demonstrated. Spoken language taps into children's cognitive system, ... full story
Computer Software Analyzing Facial Expressions Accurately Predicts Student Test Performance
Apr. 16, 2014 — Real-time engagement detection technology that processes facial expressions can perform with accuracy comparable to that of human observers, according to new research. The study used automatic ... full story
Teaching to Optimize Learning or Control Misbehavior? Scale of Disruptive Behavior in Schools Seriously Underestimated
Apr. 14, 2014 — The true extent of poor pupil behavior in schools is seriously underestimated, according to an academic. The research raises the question of the extent to which there is a right to learn in ... full story
Procrastination and Impulsivity Genetically Linked: Exploring the Genetics of 'I'll Do It Tomorrow'
Apr. 7, 2014 — Procrastination and impulsivity are genetically linked, suggesting that the two traits stem from similar evolutionary origins, according to new research. The research indicates that the traits are ... full story
U.S. School Children Exposed to Arsenic in Well Water Have Lower IQ Scores
Apr. 7, 2014 — A study from three school districts in Maine exposed to arsenic in drinking water experienced declines in child intelligence. While earlier studies conducted by the researchers in South Asia, and ... full story
Limiting Screen Time Improves Sleep, Academics, Behavior, Study Finds
Mar. 31, 2014 — Parents may not always see it, but efforts to limit their children’s screen time can make a difference. A new study found children get more sleep, do better in school and see other health benefits ... full story
Four in 10 Infants Lack Strong Parental Attachments
Mar. 27, 2014 — In a study of 14,000 US children, 40 percent lack strong emotional bonds -- what psychologists call 'secure attachment' -- with their parents that are crucial to success later in life, according to a ... full story
Natural History Must Reclaim Its Place, Experts Say
Mar. 26, 2014 — Scientists argue that the study of natural history has waned in recent decades in developed countries. Declining course requirements and support for herbaria are among the documented evidence. Yet ... full story
Secret to Cutting Sugary Drink Use by Teens Found by New Study
Mar. 26, 2014 — A new study shows that teenagers can be persuaded to cut back on sugary soft drinks -- especially with a little help from their friends. A 30-day challenge encouraging teens to reduce sugar-sweetened ... full story
- Inhibited Children Become Anxious Adults
- Spoken Language Helps Direct Children's Eyes
- Software: Looks On Faces Predict Test Scores
- Disruptive Behavior in Schools Underestimated
- Impulsivity Genetically Tied to Procrastination
- Well Water Arsenic Linked to Kids With Lower IQ
- Limiting Screen Time Improves Sleep, Behavior
- 4 in 10 Infants Lack Strong Parental Attachments
- Natural History Must Reclaim Its Place
- Secret to Cutting Sugary Drink Use by Teens
