
Bacteria Used to Power Simple Machines: Organisms Turn Microgears in Suspended Solution by Swimming
Scientists have discovered that
common bacteria can turn
microgears when suspended in a
solution, providing insights for
design of bio-inspired dynamically
... > full story
- more on:

Earth's Polar Ice Sheets Vulnerable to Even Moderate Global Warming; New Orleans, Much of Southern Florida, Expected to Be Permanently Submerged
A new analysis of the geological
record of the Earth's sea level
employs a novel statistical
approach that reveals the planet's
polar ice sheets are vulnerable to
... > full story
- more on:

Close-Up Photos of Dying Star Show Our Sun's Fate
About 550 light-years from Earth,
a star like our Sun is writhing in
its death throes. Chi Cygni has
swollen in size to become a red
giant star so large that it would
swallow every planet out to Mars
in our solar system. Moreover, it
... > full story
- more on:

Greenland Glaciers: Water Flowing Beneath Ice Plays More Complex Role
Scientists who study the melting
of Greenland's glaciers are
discovering that water flowing
beneath the ice plays a much more
complex role than they previously
imagined. Researchers previously
... > full story
- more on:

DNA of Jesus-Era Shrouded Man in Jerusalem Reveals Earliest Case of Leprosy
The DNA of a first-century
shrouded man found in a tomb on
the edge of the Old City of
Jerusalem has revealed the
earliest proven case of leprosy. ... > full story
- more on:

New Bacterial Behavior: Puzzling 'Dance' of Electricity-Producing Bacteria Near Energy Sources
Geobiologists have observed a new
behavior of metal-metabolizing
bacteria, with implications for
design of microbial fuel cells.
The bacterial 'dance' has been
... > full story
- more on:

Astronomers Find Super-Earth Orbiting Red Dwarf Star; May Have Atmosphere
Astronomers have discovered a
"super-Earth" orbiting a red dwarf
star 40 light-years from Earth.
They found the distant planet with
a small fleet of ground-based
telescopes no larger than those
... > full story
- more on:

Secrets of Mysterious 'Night-Shining' Clouds Unlocked by NASA's AIM Satellite and Models
NASA's Aeronomy of Ice in the
Mesosphere satellite has captured
five complete polar seasons of
noctilucent or "night-shining"
clouds with an unprecedented
... > full story
- more on:

Scientists Decode Memory-Forming Brain Cell Conversations
The conversations neurons have as
they form and recall memories have
been decoded by scientists. The
breakthrough in recognizing in
real time the formation and
recollection of a memory opens the
... > full story
- more on:

Icy Moons of Saturn and Jupiter May Have Conditions Needed for Life
Planetary scientist Francis Nimmo
will outline the impact of ice
dynamics on the habitability of
the moons of Saturn and Jupiter on
Tuesday, Dec. 15, at the annual
meeting of the American
... > full story
- more on:
Roll over headlines to view top news summaries:
- Bacteria Power Simple Machines By Swimming
- Earth's Polar Ice Sheets Extremely Vulnerable
- Dying Star Show Our Sun's Fate
- Greenland Glaciers: What Lies Beneath
- Jesus-Era Shroud Shows Earliest Leprosy Case
- Electricity-Producing Bacteria 'Dance'
- Super-Earth Orbiting Red Dwarf Star
- Secrets of Mysterious 'Night-Shining' Clouds
- Memory-Forming Brain Cell Talk Decoded
- Are Icy Moons of Saturn and Jupiter Habitable?
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8 am EST
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Asthma
Diseases and Conditions
Chronic Illness
Today's Healthcare
Educational Psychology
Workplace HealthBetter Education Associated With Improved Asthma
December 17, 2009 Individuals with more education suffer less from asthma. Researchers have found that having less than 12 years of formal schooling is associated with worse asthma ... > full story -
World's Rarest Gorilla Ready for Its Close-Up
December 17, 2009 The world's rarest -- and most camera shy -- great ape has finally been captured on professional video on a forested mountain in ... > full story -
Aggressive Infection Control Protects Cancer Patients from Acquiring H1N1 Influenza
December 17, 2009 Despite a 100-fold increase in H1N1 influenza cases in the Seattle area during spring 2009, an aggressive infection control program to protect immuno-compromised cancer patients and thorough ... > full story -
Irrigation Decreases, Urbanization Increases Monsoon Rains
December 17, 2009 Scientists have shown man-made changes to the landscape have affected Indian monsoon rains, suggesting that land-use decisions play an important role in climate ... > full story -
Should Flowers Be Banned in Hospitals?
December 17, 2009 Does flower water harbor potentially deadly bacteria? Do bedside blooms compete with patients for oxygen? Do bouquets pose a health and safety risk around medical equipment? These are some of the ... > full story
5 am EST
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Diseases and Conditions
Infectious Diseases
Genes
Parkinson's Research
Personalized Medicine
Stroke PreventionLeprosy Susceptibility Genes Identified; Largest Genome-Wide Association Study of an Infectious Disease
December 17, 2009 In the first genome-wide association study of leprosy and the largest on an infectious disease, scientists in Singapore and China identified seven genes that increase an individual's susceptibility ... > full story -
Trough Deposits on Mars Point to Complex Hydrologic Past
December 17, 2009 Variations in composition of light-toned deposits in troughs on Mars suggest a diversity of water-related processes, based on analysis of observations by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance ... > full story -
Molecular Basis of Colorectal Cancer Review Points to Key Advances
December 17, 2009 As researchers and clinicians fervently look for causes and cures for colorectal cancer, a review of the molecular basis of the disease points to key ... > full story -
Zoning the Ocean May Help Endangered Whales to Recover
December 17, 2009 Marine scientists have proposed a new method to identify priority areas for whale conservation, based on feeding behavior and human ... > full story -
More Effort Needed to Crack Down on 'Secret Remedies', Expert Argues
December 17, 2009 The medical establishment and politicians must do more to crack down on alternative medicine, argues one leading ... > full story
2 am EST
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Drug Kills Cells Through Novel Mechanism
December 17, 2009 Researchers have discovered that the drug hydroxyurea kills bacteria by inducing them to produce molecules toxic to themselves -- a conclusion that raises the possibility of finding new antibiotics ... > full story -
Brain Imaging Shows Kids' PTSD Symptoms Linked to Poor Hippocampus Function
December 17, 2009 Psychological trauma leaves a trail of damage in a child's brain, say scientists. Their new study gives the first direct evidence that children with symptoms of post-traumatic stress suffer poor ... > full story -
The Need for Cardio-Oncology: Treating Cancer and Protecting the Heart
December 17, 2009 Cardiologists and oncologists must work together in an attempt to avoid or prevent adverse cardiovascular effects in patients from certain chemotherapies, especially for those who may be at a higher ... > full story -
Even at Sublethal Levels, Pesticides May Slow the Recovery of Wild Salmon Populations
December 17, 2009 Biologists determined that short-term, seasonal exposure to pesticides in rivers and basins may limit the growth and size of wild salmon populations. In addition to the widespread deterioration of ... > full story -
Diet and Weight Loss
Obesity
Dieting and Weight Control
Eating Disorders
Eating Disorder Research
FitnessPsychotherapy Offers Obesity Prevention for 'at Risk' Teenage Girls
December 17, 2009 Scientists have piloted psychotherapy treatment to prevent excessive weight gain in teenager girls deemed "at risk" of ... > full story
11 pm EST
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Enzyme Behind Effects of Sleep Deprivation Discovered
December 16, 2009 Researchers have discovered the enzyme behind effects of sleep deprivation. There is hope for those who miss one night too many or whose children keep them up at night. The unwelcome effects of a bad ... > full story -
Nearly 100 New Species Described by California Academy of Sciences in 2009
December 16, 2009 In 2009, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 94 new relatives to our family tree. The new species include 65 arthropods, 14 plants, eight fishes, five sea slugs, one coral and one ... > full story -
Analysis Identifies Biomarkers for Diabetic Kidney Failure
December 16, 2009 Researchers using a DNA analysis tool have identified genetic markers that could help treat chronic kidney disease among ... > full story -
Thermochemical Nanolithography Now Allows Multiple Chemicals on a Chip
December 16, 2009 Scientists have developed a nanolithographic technique that can produce high-resolution patterns of at least three different chemicals on a single chip at writing speeds of up to one millimeter per ... > full story -
How Do We Understand Written Language?
December 16, 2009 How do we know that certain combinations of letters have certain meanings? Reading and spelling are complex processes, involving several different areas of the brain, but researchers have now ... > full story
8 pm EST
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Targeting Brain Cancer Cell Metabolism May Provide New Treatment
December 16, 2009 Inhibiting fatty acid synthesis in brain cancer cells may offer a new option to treat about 50 percent of deadly glioblastomas that are driven by amplified signaling of the epidermal growth factor ... > full story -
World Champion in Automatic Image and Video Search
December 16, 2009 How do you find an image or video on the Internet or YouTube without a text description? Researchers have developed software that can find objects and concepts automatically in images and video ... > full story -
Toward a Vaccine to Improve Immune System in Newborns
December 16, 2009 As soon as babies are born, they are susceptible to diseases and infections, such as jaundice and e-coli. For up to a month, their immune systems aren't adequately developed to fight diseases. ... > full story -
Record-Breaking Ultrasensitive Spectrometer Created
December 16, 2009 A spectroscope with unrivaled performance, able to identify tiny amounts of trace gases in real time, has now been developed. Scientists designed an instrument based on two femtosecond laser ... > full story -
Men Think Their Dance Moves Improve With Age
December 16, 2009 Men may shuffle on to the dance floor this Christmas, but once there, they will be impressed by their moves, according to new ... > full story
5 pm EST
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Heart Drugs Show Promise for Fighting Colon Cancer
December 16, 2009 Scientists in Sweden are reporting for the first time that a group of drugs used to treat heart failure shows promise for fighting colon cancer. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the ... > full story -
New Technique Detects Proteins That Make Us Age
December 16, 2009 Chemists and biologists have developed a new technique that could be used to diagnose and develop treatments for age-related conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and ... > full story -
‘Sat Nav’ Jamming Could Help Tackle Asthma, Blindness and Clogged Arteries
December 16, 2009 Researchers are aiming to tackle diseases that affect millions -- such as asthma, blindness and clogged arteries -- by jamming 'sat nav'-like signals that drive the body to damage ... > full story -
Scientists' 3-D View of Genes-at-Work Is Paradigm Shift in Genetics
December 16, 2009 New research has revealed for the first time that genes work together by huddling in clusters inside the nucleus -- the information center of a cell. These findings represent a paradigm shift in our ... > full story -
For Older Adults, Participating in Social Service Activities Can Improve Brain Functions
December 16, 2009 Volunteer service, such as tutoring children, can help older adults delay or reverse declining brain function, according to a new study. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the ... > full story
2 pm EST
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Reproductive Germ Cells Survive and Thrive in Transplants, Even Among Species
December 16, 2009 Reproductive researchers have succeeded in isolating and transplanting pure populations of the immature cells that enable male reproduction in two species -- humans and mice. The germline stem cells, ... > full story -
Sucker-Footed Bats Don't Use Suction After All
December 16, 2009 In first-time experiments in the wild, a researcher has discovered that a species of bat in Madagascar uses wet adhesion to attach itself to surfaces. The finding explains why the bat -- unlike ... > full story -
Biological Catch-22 Prevents Induction of Antibodies That Block HIV
December 16, 2009 Scientists seeking to understand how to make an AIDS vaccine have found the cause of a major roadblock. It turns out that the immune system can indeed produce cells with the potential to manufacture ... > full story -
Research May Lead to Better UV/radiation Blocking in Eye Glasses
December 16, 2009 Adding cerium oxide to phosphate glass rather than the commonly used silicate glass may make glasses that block ultraviolet light and have increased radiation damage resistance while remaining ... > full story -
The Importance of Attractiveness Depends on Where You Live
December 16, 2009 Do good-looking people really benefit from their looks, and in what ways? Researchers found that yes, attractive people do tend to have more social relationships and therefore an increased sense of ... > full story
11 am EST
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Gene Identified as Cause of Some Forms of Intellectual Disability
December 16, 2009 A gene involved in some forms of intellectual disability has been identified. The gene is called TRAPPC9 and may be associated with hundreds of thousands of cases of intellectual disability ... > full story -
Healthy Aging
Diseases and Conditions
Sleep Disorder Research
Personalized Medicine
Today's Healthcare
Mental Health Research
Accelerated Aging: Researchers Identify Traits of People With Rare Syndrome
December 16, 2009 Researchers have provided the most extensive account to date of the unique observable characteristics seen in patients with an extremely rare premature aging ... > full story -
Scientists Uncover Protective Mechanism Against Liver Cancer
December 16, 2009 Scientists have identified a protein switch that helps prevent liver damage, including inflammation, fibrosis and cancer. The findings suggest that a better understanding of how the protein, TAK1, ... > full story -
World's Longest Laser 270 Km Long Created
December 16, 2009 A 270-kilometer optical fiber has been transformed into the world's longest laser, a feat its inventors believe will lead to a radical new outlook on information transmission and secure ... > full story -
Couples Who Do the Dishes Together Stay Happier
December 16, 2009 A new study reveals that couples who share the responsibility for paid and unpaid work report higher average measures of happiness and life satisfaction than those in other family ... > full story
- View all the latest headlines and summaries, or browse by topic below:
Health & Biomedical Sciences
Health & Medicine
Leprosy Susceptibility Genes Identified; Largest Genome-Wide Association Study of an Infectious Disease
In the first genome-wide association study of leprosy and the largest on an infectious disease, scientists in Singapore and China identified seven genes that increase an individual's susceptibility ... > full story
Mind & Brain
Brain Imaging Shows Kids' PTSD Symptoms Linked to Poor Hippocampus Function
Psychological trauma leaves a trail of damage in a child's brain, say scientists. Their new study gives the first direct evidence that children with symptoms of post-traumatic stress suffer poor ... > full story
Living Well
The Importance of Attractiveness Depends on Where You Live
Do good-looking people really benefit from their looks, and in what ways? Researchers found that yes, attractive people do tend to have more social relationships and therefore an increased sense of ... > full story
Biological & Earth Sciences
Plants & Animals
Scientists' 3-D View of Genes-at-Work Is Paradigm Shift in Genetics
New research has revealed for the first time that genes work together by huddling in clusters inside the nucleus -- the information center of a cell. These findings represent a paradigm shift in our ... > full story
- Reproductive Germ Cells Survive and Thrive in Transplants, Even Among Species
- Sucker-Footed Bats Don't Use Suction After All
- First Immunological Clue to Why Some H1N1 Patients Get Very Ill or Die
- Species Distribution Models Are of Only Limited Value for Predicting Future Mammal Distributions
- more stories
Earth & Climate
Zoning the Ocean May Help Endangered Whales to Recover
Marine scientists have proposed a new method to identify priority areas for whale conservation, based on feeding behavior and human ... > full story
Fossils & Ruins
From Greenhouse to Icehouse: Reconstructing the Environment of the Voring Plateau
The analysis of microfossils found in ocean sediment cores is illuminating the environmental conditions that prevailed at high latitudes during a critical period of Earth ... > full story
Physical & Applied Sciences
Space & Time
Trough Deposits on Mars Point to Complex Hydrologic Past
Variations in composition of light-toned deposits in troughs on Mars suggest a diversity of water-related processes, based on analysis of observations by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance ... > full story
Matter & Energy
Record-Breaking Ultrasensitive Spectrometer Created
A spectroscope with unrivaled performance, able to identify tiny amounts of trace gases in real time, has now been developed. Scientists designed an instrument based on two femtosecond laser ... > full story
Computers & Math
Thermochemical Nanolithography Now Allows Multiple Chemicals on a Chip
Scientists have developed a nanolithographic technique that can produce high-resolution patterns of at least three different chemicals on a single chip at writing speeds of up to one millimeter per ... > full story

