ScienceDaily: News, Videos & Articles in Science, Health, Technology & Environment

Why Isn't the Universe as Bright as It Should Be?

Mar. 4, 2015 — A handful of new stars are born each year in the Milky Way, while many more blink on across the universe. But astronomers have observed that galaxies should be churning out millions more stars, based ... full story

Stars; Galaxies; Astrophysics; Astronomy; Nebulae; Black Holes

Discovery of 2.8-Million-Year-Old Jaw Sheds Light on Early Humans

Mar. 4, 2015 — For decades, scientists have been searching for African fossils documenting the earliest phases of the Homo lineage, but specimens recovered from the critical time interval between 3 and 2.5 million ... full story

Human Evolution; Early Humans; Anthropology; Fossils; Evolution; Origin of Life

Planet 'Reared' by Four Parent Stars

Mar. 4, 2015 — Growing up as a planet with more than one parent star has its challenges. Though the planets in our solar system circle just one star -- our sun -- other more distant planets, called exoplanets, can ... full story

Stars; Extrasolar Planets; Astronomy; Galaxies; Solar System; Kuiper Belt

Newly Discovered Hormone Mimics the Effects of Exercise

Mar. 3, 2015 — Scientists have discovered a new hormone that fights the weight gain caused by a high-fat Western diet and normalizes the metabolism -- effects commonly associated with exercising. When tested in ... full story

Diabetes; Mice; Obesity; Diet and Weight Loss; Molecular Biology; New Species

Nice to Sniff You: Handshakes May Engage Our Sense of Smell

Mar. 3, 2015 — Why do people shake hands? A new study suggests one of the reasons for this ancient custom may be to check out each other's odors. Even if we are not consciously aware of this, handshaking may ... full story

Perception; Gender Difference; Staying Healthy; Smoking; Smoking Addiction; Public Health Education

Galactic 'Rain' Explains Why Some Galaxies Are Better at Creating Stars

Mar. 4, 2015 — Some of the galaxies in our universe are veritable star nurseries. For example, our own Milky Way produces, on average, at least one new star every year. Others went barren years ago, now producing ... full story

Galaxies; Stars; Astrophysics; Astronomy; Black Holes; Cosmology

Direct Evidence That Drought-Weakened Amazonian Forests 'Inhale Less Carbon'

Mar. 4, 2015 — Direct evidence of the rate at which individual trees in the Amazonian basin 'inhale' carbon from the atmosphere during severe drought has been provided by an international research team. ... full story

Forest; Drought; Drought Research; Trees; Global Warming; Rainforests

Experiments Support Conductivity Claims for Microbial Nanowires

Mar. 4, 2015 — Scientific debate has been hot lately about whether microbial nanowires, the specialized electrical pili of the mud-dwelling anaerobic bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens, truly possess metallic-like ... full story

Microbes and More; Biotechnology and Bioengineering; Weather; Microbiology; Cell Biology; Genetics

Hurricanes Helped Accelerate Spread of Lionfish

Mar. 4, 2015 — Just when you thought hurricanes couldn't get any scarier, think again. Their names roll of the tongue like a rogues' gallery: Floyd, Frances, Irene, Wilma and Andrew. But these aren't ... full story

Hurricanes and Cyclones; Severe Weather; Exotic Species; New Species; Environmental Awareness; Marine Biology

Men Tend to Be More Narcissistic Than Women, Study Finds

Mar. 4, 2015 — With three decades of data from more than 475,000 participants, a new study on narcissism reveals that men, on average, are more narcissistic than ... full story

Gender Difference; Racial Issues; Social Psychology; Anger Management; Education and Employment; STEM Education

Genetic Study Revives Debate on Origin and Expansion of Indo-European Languages in Europe

Mar. 4, 2015 — Researchers have identified a massive migration of Kurgan populations (Yamna culture) which went from the Russian steppes to the center of Europe some 4,500 years ago, favoring the expansion of ... full story

Origin of Life; Fossils; Travel and Recreation; Cultures; Anthropology; Early Humans

Grand Tree of Life Study Shows a Clock-Like Trend in New Species Emergence and Diversity

Mar. 4, 2015 — Researchers have assembled the largest and most accurate tree of life calibrated to time, and surprisingly, it reveals that life has been expanding at a constant rate. The study also challenges the ... full story

Origin of Life; Evolutionary Biology; Evolution; New Species; Nature; Trees

Animal Functional Diversity Started out Poor, Became Richer Over Time

Mar. 4, 2015 — The finding refutes a hypothesis by the famed evolutionary biologist Stephen J. Gould that marine creatures underwent an 'early burst' of functional diversity during the dawn of animal ... full story

Extinction; Nature; Evolutionary Biology; Evolution; Marine Biology; Origin of Life

Adults Only Really Catch Flu About Twice a Decade, Suggests Study

Mar. 3, 2015 — Adults over the age of 30 only catch flu about twice a decade, a new study suggests. So, while it may feel like more, flu-like illness can be caused by many pathogens, making it difficult to assess ... full story

Bird Flu; Influenza; Cold and Flu; Infectious Diseases; Viruses; Vaccines

Unlocking Key to Immunological Memory in Bacteria

Mar. 2, 2015 — A powerful genome editing tool may soon become even more powerful. Researchers have unlocked the key to how bacteria are able to 'steal' genetic information from viruses and other foreign ... full story

Human Biology; Bacteria; Microbes and More; Cell Biology; Biology; Genes

Mediterranean Diet Cuts Heart Disease Risk by Nearly Half

Mar. 4, 2015 — Adults who closely followed the Mediterranean diet were 47 percent less likely to develop heart disease over a 10-year period compared to similar adults who did not closely follow the diet, according ... full story

Cholesterol; Heart Disease; Nutrition; Diet and Weight Loss

Strong Genetic Risk Factor for MS Discovered in Family of Five Affected Siblings

Mar. 4, 2015 — A genetic variation has been discovered that, in women, significantly increases their risk of developing multiple sclerosis, scientists report. The variant occurs almost twice as often among women ... full story

Multiple Sclerosis Research; Personalized Medicine; Multiple Sclerosis; Genes

Infant Gut Bacteria and Food Sensitization: Associations in the First Year of Life

Mar. 4, 2015 — New light has been shed on changes in intestinal bacteria of infants that can predict future development of food allergies or asthma. The research reveals that infants with a fewer number of ... full story

Bacteria; Allergy; Staying Healthy; Children's Health

X-Ray Imaging of a Single Virus in 3-D

Mar. 4, 2015 — By imaging single viruses injected into the intense beam of an X-ray free-electron laser, researchers have determined the three-dimensional structure of the mimivirus. The technique could be applied ... full story

Virology; Viruses; Biochemistry; Organic Chemistry

Mechanism Behind Most Common Form of Inherited Alzheimer's Disease Revealed

Mar. 4, 2015 — For the first time, a study reveals exactly how mutations associated with the most common form of inherited Alzheimer's disease produce the disorder's devastating effects. The paper upends ... full story

Alzheimer's; Alzheimer's Research; Dementia; Healthy Aging

Mental Health Soon After War-Zone Concussions Predicts Disability

Mar. 4, 2015 — Evaluating military personnel with blast-related mild traumatic brain injuries, researchers have found that early symptoms of post-traumatic stress, such as anxiety, emotional numbness, flashbacks ... full story

Brain Injury; Mental Health Research; Accident and Trauma; Disorders and Syndromes

Treatment Guidelines for Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma Outlined

Mar. 4, 2015 — A guideline has been issued that outlines the use of 3-D computed tomography (CT)-based radiation therapy planning and volumetric image guidance to more effectively treat pediatric Hodgkin lymphoma ... full story

Lymphoma; Medical Technology; Gene Therapy; Medical Imaging

Older, White Males With Advanced Bladder Cancer at High Risk for Suicide

Mar. 4, 2015 — Older, single white males with advanced bladder cancer have the highest suicide risk among those with other cancers of the male genitals and urinary system, researchers report. The review identified ... full story

Urology; Bladder Disorders; Bladder Cancer; Prostate Cancer

Insight Into Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Mar. 4, 2015 — The development of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) may be influenced through a protein in the gut leading to inflammation according to research. "These results provide further evidence to support ... full story

Colitis; Gastrointestinal Problems; Crohn's Disease; Ulcers

Genome Replication May Hold Clues to Cancer Evolution

Mar. 4, 2015 — The more copies of a genome a cell holds, the more adaptable those cells are, scientists have discovered. This may have implications for cancer's evolution and ... full story

Biology; Brain Tumor; Cancer; Lung Cancer

Using Fruit Flies to Understand How We Sense Hot and Cold

Mar. 4, 2015 — Innately, we pull our hand away when we touch a hot pan on the stove, but little is known about how our brain processes temperature information. Scientists now have discovered how a fruit fly's brain ... full story

Brain Injury; Neuroscience; Brain-Computer Interfaces; Disorders and Syndromes

Time Management: Why We Feel Busier When Close to Reaching a Goal

Mar. 4, 2015 — Is there any worse time to be interrupted than right now? Regardless of what we're doing or the nature of the interruption, we often feel as if we have no time to spare at the moment. According to a ... full story

Consumer Behavior; Social Psychology; Relationships; Neuroscience

Twitter Helps Smokers Kick the Habit, Study Finds

Mar. 4, 2015 — When subjects in a smoking cessation program tweet each other regularly, they're more successful at kicking the habit, according to a study. Specifically, daily 'automessages' that encourage and ... full story

Smoking Addiction; Smoking; Staying Healthy; Internet

Novel Drug Mechanism That Fights Brain Cancer Described by Researchers

Mar. 4, 2015 — Researchers have developed and characterized a molecule that interferes with the internal regulation of cancer cells, causing them to self-destruct. The investigators performed a series of studies ... full story

Brain Tumor; Lymphoma; Cancer; Lung Cancer

Obesity Is Associated With Brain's Neurotransmitters

Mar. 4, 2015 — Researchers have revealed how obesity is associated with altered opioid neurotransmission in the brain. New research reveals how obesity is associated with altered functioning of brain's opioid ... full story

Obesity; Opium; Diet and Weight Loss; Dieting and Weight Control

Oxytocin May Enhance Social Function in Psychiatric Disorders

Mar. 4, 2015 — Inducing the release of brain oxytocin may be a viable therapeutic option for enhancing social function in psychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia, researchers ... full story

Autism; Child Development; Learning Disorders; Disorders and Syndromes

Marriages More Likely to End in Divorce When Wives Get Sick

Mar. 4, 2015 — Countless couples have recited the words, ‘in sickness and in health’ on their wedding day with the intention of honoring those vows. But as it turns out, that may be easier said than ... full story

Diseases and Conditions; Mental Health; Relationships; Mental Health Research

Aneurysm Screening Should Be Revisited, Say Experts

Mar. 4, 2015 — Aneurysm screening for men over 65 should be revisited as it is unknown whether the benefits outweigh the harms, argue researchers. An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a swelling (aneurysm) of the ... full story

Prostate Cancer; Heart Disease; Gender Difference; Men's Health

Analysis of Spider Venom Reveals Seven Promising Compounds With Potential to Relieve Chronic Pain

Mar. 4, 2015 — New research shows that seven compounds of the countless found in spider venom block a key step in the body's ability to pass pain signals to the ... full story

Pain Control; Fibromyalgia; Spiders and Ticks; Neuropathy

An Alternative to Medical Marijuana for Pain?

Mar. 4, 2015 — Medical marijuana is proliferating across the country due to the ability of cannabis ingestion to treat important clinical problems such as chronic pain. However, negative side effects and the ... full story

Marijuana; Controlled Substances; Opium; Pain Control

Dog DNA Tests Alone Not Enough for Healthy Pedigree, Experts Say

Mar. 4, 2015 — Breeding dogs on the basis of a single genetic test carries risks and may not improve the health of pedigree lines, experts warn. Only a combined approach that makes use of DNA analysis, health ... full story

Dogs; Genetics; Genetically Modified; Biochemistry Research

Can Exercise Training Prevent Premature Death in Elderly?

Mar. 4, 2015 — Generation 100 is the first and largest randomized clinical study evaluating the effect of regular exercise training on morbidity and mortality in elderly people. "Epidemiological studies suggest ... full story

Fitness; Staying Healthy; Infant's Health; Diseases and Conditions

Salt Increases Physical Performance in Resistance Competitions

Mar. 4, 2015 — The effectiveness of salt on sports performance in triathletes has been evaluated by researchers. The athletes who added this supplement to their usual hydration routines during the competition took ... full story

Food Additives; Fitness; Hypertension; Staying Healthy

Creative Genius Driven by Distraction

Mar. 3, 2015 — The literary great Marcel Proust wore ear-stoppers because he was unable to filter out irrelevant noise -- and lined his bedroom with cork to attenuate sound. Now new research suggests why the ... full story

Creativity; Perception; Child Psychology; Neuroscience

Air Pollution Linked to Slower Cognitive Development in Children

Mar. 3, 2015 — Attendance at schools exposed to high levels of traffic-related air pollution is linked to slower cognitive development among 7- to 10-year-old children in Barcelona, according to a new ... full story

Pollution; Air Pollution; Air Quality; Environmental Issues

Divorce Fuels Kids' Sugary Beverage Consumption, Study Finds

Mar. 3, 2015 — Children of recently separated or divorced families are likelier to drink sugar-sweetened beverages than children in families where the parents are married, putting them at higher risk for obesity ... full story

Child Psychology; Children's Health; Diet and Weight Loss; Child Development

High-Salt Diet Could Protect Against Invading Microbes

Mar. 3, 2015 — Most people consume more salt than they need and therefore have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, which are the two leading causes of death worldwide. But a new study reveals that dietary ... full story

Food Additives; Cholesterol; Heart Disease; Food

Marijuana: The Allergen You Never Knew Existed

Mar. 3, 2015 — As marijuana’s legal status throughout the country continues to change, people should know it can cause allergic ... full story

Allergy; Controlled Substances; Asthma; Diseases and Conditions

Pregnant Women With Asthma Need to Curb Urge to Ask for Antibiotics

Mar. 3, 2015 — Twice as many children born to mothers who took antibiotics during pregnancy were diagnosed with asthma by age 3 than children born to mothers who didn’t take prenatal antibiotics, a new study has ... full story

Asthma; Pregnancy and Childbirth; Allergy; Children's Health

Advisory About Not Feeding Peanuts to Infants and Young Children at Risk for Peanut Allergy

Mar. 3, 2015 — Pediatric otolaryngologists and surgeons are concerned with parents getting the wrong message regarding the safety/desirability of letting babies and young children eat peanuts to prevent them from ... full story

Infant's Health; Children's Health; Allergy; Down Syndrome

Big Box Stores Could Ditch the Grid, Use Natural Gas Fuel Cells Instead

Mar. 4, 2015 — Natural gas powered solid oxide fuel cells, located at the point of use to produce electricity for facilities the size of big box stores, could provide economic and environmental benefits, with ... full story

Energy and Resources; Fossil Fuels; Alternative Fuels; Fuel Cells

New Materials Discovered to Detect Neutrons Emitted by Radioactive Materials

Mar. 4, 2015 — A new research paper reveals how specially prepared carbon foam can be used in the detection of neutrons emitted by radioactive materials -- a task of critical importance to homeland security, as ... full story

Detectors; Optics; Weapons Technology; Inorganic Chemistry

New Research Could Lead to More Efficient Electrical Energy Storage

Mar. 4, 2015 — Researchers have identified electrical charge-induced changes in the structure and bonding of graphitic carbon electrodes that may one day affect the way energy is stored. The research could lead to ... full story

Energy Technology; Energy and Resources; Fuel Cells; Solar Energy

Metabolic Path to Improved Biofuel Production

Mar. 4, 2015 — Researchers have found a way to increase the production of fuels and other chemicals from biomass fermented by yeast without the need of environmentally harsh pre-treatments or expensive enzyme ... full story

Fungus; Energy and the Environment; Microbiology; Renewable Energy

Making Night Vision, Thermal Imaging Affordable

Mar. 4, 2015 — Researchers have created an electronic device using CMOS technology that detects electromagnetic waves to create images at nearly 10 terahertz, which is the highest frequency for electronic devices. ... full story

Technology; Electronics; Medical Technology; Optics

New Models Yield Clearer Picture of Emissions' True Costs

Mar. 4, 2015 — New models calculate and compare the true costs of various fuels to health, climate and the environment. Viewed this way, a gallon of gas costs $3.80 more than the pump price. The social cost of a ... full story

Energy and the Environment; Energy Issues; Petroleum; Fossil Fuels

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions With a More Effective Carbon Capture Method

Mar. 4, 2015 — Trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants and various industries could play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the future. But current materials that can ... full story

Energy and the Environment; Petroleum; Renewable Energy; Energy and Resources

Energy-Generating Cloth Could Replace Batteries in Wearable Devices

Mar. 4, 2015 — From light-up shoes to smart watches, wearable electronics are gaining traction among consumers, but these gadgets' versatility is still held back by the stiff, short-lived batteries that are ... full story

Wearable Technology; Energy Technology; Batteries; Electronics

Pennies Reveal New Insights on Nature of Randomness

Mar. 4, 2015 — Researchers have developed an algorithm that creates truly disordered packings of pennies for the first ... full story

Optics; Chemistry; Materials Science; Hacking

Determining Recipes for Some of the World's Oldest Preserved Beers

Mar. 4, 2015 — Some breweries have taken to resurrecting the flavors of ages past. Adventurous beer makers are extrapolating recipes from clues that archeologists have uncovered from old and even ancient brews ... full story

Beer and Wine; Organic Chemistry; Chemistry; Agriculture and Food

Far from Home: Wayward Star Cluster Is Both Tiny and Distant

Mar. 3, 2015 — Like the lost little puppy that wanders too far from home, astronomers have found an unusually small and distant group of stars that seems oddly out of place. The cluster, made of only a handful of ... full story

Galaxies; Stars; Astronomy; Astrophysics

Cloudy, With a Wisp of Liquid Rock: Clouds Around Exoplanets Analyzed

Mar. 3, 2015 — Meteorologists sometimes struggle to accurately predict the weather here on Earth, but now we can find out how cloudy it is on planets outside our solar system, thanks to new ... full story

Extrasolar Planets; Astronomy; Stars; Pluto

New Data on the Nature of Dark Matter

Mar. 3, 2015 — Recent research contributes to the effort to determine the nature of dark matter, one of the most important mysteries in physics. As indirect evidence provided by its gravitational effects, dark ... full story

Astrophysics; Dark Matter; Stars; Physics

Core Work: Iron Vapor Gives Clues to Formation of Earth and Moon

Mar. 2, 2015 — One of the world's most powerful radiation sources provides scientists clues about Earth's formation and how iron ... full story

Geology; Earth Science; Asteroids, Comets and Meteors; Near-Earth Object Impacts

Old-Looking Galaxy in a Young Universe: Astronomers Find Dust in the Early Universe

Mar. 2, 2015 — Dust plays an extremely important role in the universe -- both in the formation of planets and new stars. But the earliest galaxies had no dust, only gas. Now an international team of astronomers has ... full story

Galaxies; Astrophysics; Cosmology; Astronomy

NASA Spacecraft Nears Historic Dwarf Planet Arrival

Mar. 2, 2015 — NASA's Dawn spacecraft has returned new images captured on approach to its historic orbit insertion at the dwarf planet Ceres. Dawn will be the first mission to successfully visit a dwarf planet when ... full story

Space Missions; NASA; Space Exploration; Solar System

‘Superhero Vision’ Technology Measures European Lake’s Water Quality from Space

Mar. 2, 2015 — An international team of researchers has demonstrated a way to assess the quality of water on Earth from space by using satellite technology that can visualize pollution levels otherwise invisible to ... full story

Water; Satellites; Environmental Issues; Geography

Life 'Not as We Know It' Possible on Saturn's Moon Titan

Feb. 27, 2015 — A new type of methane-based, oxygen-free life form that can metabolize and reproduce similar to life on Earth has been modeled. It is theorized to have a cell membrane, composed of small organic ... full story

Saturn; Molecular Biology; Cell Biology; Genetics

Living on the Edge: Stars Found Far from Galaxy Center

Feb. 27, 2015 — Astronomers using data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, have found a cluster of stars forming at the very edge of our Milky Way galaxy. This is the first time astronomers ... full story

Galaxies; Stars; NASA; Astronomy

Freeze! Watching Alloys Change from Liquid to Solid Could Lead to Better Metals

Feb. 26, 2015 — If you put a camera in the ice machine and watched water turn into ice, the process would look simple. But the mechanism behind liquids turning to solids is actually quite complex, and understanding ... full story

Nature of Water; Materials Science; Engineering and Construction; Inorganic Chemistry

Strength in Numbers: First-Ever Quantum Device That Detects and Corrects Its Own Errors

Mar. 4, 2015 — When scientists develop a full quantum computer, the world of computing will undergo a revolution of sophistication, speed and energy efficiency that will make even our beefiest conventional machines ... full story

Quantum Computers; Computers and Internet; Information Technology; Encryption

How Big Data Can Be Used to Understand Major Events

Mar. 4, 2015 — With the most unpredictable UK general election looming in modern times, how can big data be used to understand how elections are covered by the media? New research has for the first time analyzed ... full story

Political Science; Popular Culture; Computers and Internet; Media and Entertainment

Simulating the Potential Spread of Measles

Mar. 4, 2015 — To help the public better understand how measles can spread, a team of infectious disease computer modelers has launched a free, mobile-friendly tool that lets users simulate measles outbreaks in ... full story

Mumps, Measles, Rubella; Public Health; Diseases and Conditions; Viruses

Genetic Data Can Help Predict How Pine Forests Will Cope With Climate Change

Mar. 4, 2015 — Data from only a small number of gene variants can predict which maritime pine trees are most vulnerable to climate change, scientists report. The results will improve computer models designed to ... full story

Forest; Trees; Computer Modeling; Climate

Flexible Sensors Turn Skin Into a Touch-Sensitive Interaction Space for Mobile Devices

Mar. 4, 2015 — If a mobile phone rings during a meeting, its owner often has to dig it out before it can be muted. A more discreet method would be to decline the incoming call by pressing on one of your fingers. ... full story

Mobile Computing; Wearable Technology; Technology; Artificial Intelligence

Robots for Stroke Rehabilitation

Mar. 4, 2015 — A prototype of a robotic glove has been developed which stroke suffers can use in their own home to support rehabilitation and personal independence in receiving therapies. At the chronic stages of ... full story

Elder Care; Stroke; Patient Education and Counseling; Caregiving

Float Like a Mosquito: Mechanical Logic May Inspire Aquatic Robots, Better Boats

Mar. 3, 2015 — By examining the forces that the segments of mosquito legs generate against a water surface, researchers have unraveled the mechanical logic that allows the mosquitoes to walk on water, which may ... full story

Nature of Water; Insects (including Butterflies); Drought; Nuclear Energy

UK Cities Including London Not as 'Smart' as Global Counterparts

Mar. 3, 2015 — Major cities in the UK are falling behind their international counterparts in terms of their use of smart technologies, according to a new study. The research has found that smart cities in the UK, ... full story

Sustainability; Textiles and Clothing; Automotive and Transportation; Transportation Science

Modeling Chimp Behavior? Try Using Laws That Govern Matter

Mar. 3, 2015 — To simulate chimp behavior, scientists created a computer model based on equations normally used to describe the movement of atoms and molecules in a confined space. An interdisciplinary research ... full story

Computer Modeling; Apes; Behavioral Science; Mathematical Modeling

The Taming of Magnetic Vortices: A Unified Theory for Skyrmion-Materials

Mar. 3, 2015 — Magnetic vortex structures, so-called skyrmions, could in future store and process information very efficiently. They could also be the basis for high-frequency components. For the first time, a team ... full story

Materials Science; Electronics; Medical Technology; Civil Engineering

Full-Annual-Cycle Models Track Migratory Bird Populations Throughout the Year

Mar. 4, 2015 — Many birds spend only a few months of the year in their breeding range before leaving to spend the winter in another region or even on another continent, and models that only make use of data from ... full story

Weather; Nature; Birds; Bird Flu Research

Deadly Frog Fungus Dates Back to 1880s, Studies Find

Mar. 4, 2015 — A pair of studies show that the deadly fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, responsible for the extinction of more than 200 amphibian species worldwide, has coexisted harmlessly with animals in ... full story

Fungus; Extinction; Frogs and Reptiles; Soil Types

Advancing Multiple Approaches for Characterizing Permafrost Microbes in a Changing Climate

Mar. 4, 2015 — To better characterize the microbial activities in the thawing permafrost, scientists have reported on the application of multiple molecular technologies: ... full story

Soil Types; Organic; Climate; Tundra

Study Sheds Light on How Malaria Parasites Grow Exponentially

Mar. 4, 2015 — The mysterious process by which malaria-related parasites spread at explosive and deadly rates inside humans and other animals has been uncovered by researchers for the first time. As drug-resistant ... full story

Malaria; Pests and Parasites; Pharmacology; Immune System

Basis for Cadmium Toxicity Uncovered

Mar. 4, 2015 — Research has uncovered how the metal cadmium, which is accumulating in the food chain, causes toxicity in living cells. "Cadmium is a very important industrial metal, but exposure to it results in ... full story

Biology; Recycling and Waste; Developmental Biology; Chemistry

Cause of Tree-Killing Fungus Uncovered: Extra Genes

Mar. 4, 2015 — Forest scientists believe they've discovered the root cause of a deadly tree fungus: extra genes. The fungus, Mycosphaerella populorum, uses extra genes to produce a toxin that can cause fatal ... full story

Trees; Fungus; Soil Types; Botany

Amazon Deforestation 'Threshold' Causes Species Loss to Accelerate

Mar. 4, 2015 — One of the first studies to map the impact of deforestation on biodiversity across entire regions of the Amazon has found a clear 'threshold' for forest cover below which species loss becomes more ... full story

Extinction; Ecology Research; Rainforests; Nature

Wild Yaks: Shaggy Barometers of Climate Change

Mar. 4, 2015 — A new study finds that climate change and past hunting in the remote Tibetan Plateau is forcing female wild yaks onto steeper and steeper ... full story

Nature; Wild Animals; Environmental Awareness; Climate

Usual Prey Gone, a Fish Survives by Changing Predictably

Mar. 4, 2015 — Without the Bahamas mosquitofish to eat, bigmouth sleepers slide down the food chain and survive on insects, snails and crustaceans. And, in so doing, sleepers' behaviors, ratio of males to females ... full story

Fish; Wild Animals; Fisheries; Nature

NASA Ames Reproduces the Building Blocks of Life in Laboratory

Mar. 4, 2015 — NASA scientists studying the origin of life have reproduced uracil, cytosine, and thymine, three key components of our hereditary material, in the laboratory. They discovered that an ice sample ... full story

Organic Chemistry; Biochemistry Research; Geomagnetic Storms; Global Warming

Scientists Question Rush to Build Nicaragua Canal

Mar. 4, 2015 — A consortium of environmental scientists has expressed strong concern about the impact of a controversial Central American canal across Nicaragua. The path of the Nicaragua Interoceanic Grand Canal ... full story

Ecology; Sustainability; Environmental Policy; Resource Shortage

Where You Live Could Mean 'Greener' Alternatives Do More Harm Than Good

Mar. 4, 2015 — Engineers propose a new 600-ton threshold that could indicate when switching to 'low carbon' alternatives may actually increase emissions. Although regions may welcome "green" technology like ... full story

Energy Issues; Energy and the Environment; Electricity; Energy Technology

Why Many Similar Species Coexist Within Complex Ecosystems, Such as Amazon Rainforest or Coral Reefs

Mar. 4, 2015 — Scientists suggest one possible answer for the enigma of stability in complex ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest or coral reefs. Many similar species coexist in these complex ecosystems without ... full story

Ecology; Ecosystems; Ecology Research; Nature

Vampire Bats: Who Bit Whom?

Mar. 4, 2015 — Scientists discovered a new retrovirus “fossil” found in the common vampire bat which is homologous to retroviruses in rodents and primates. The results suggest the recent circulation of an ... full story

Wild Animals; Virology; New Species; Animals

New Data Provided by Seabed Sediments on the Climate Within the Mediterranean Basin Over the Course of the Last 20,000 Years

Mar. 4, 2015 — Scientists have found new data on the weather in the Mediterranean basin over the course of the past 20.000 years thanks to the chemical composition of sediments deposited in its ... full story

Climate; Environmental Awareness; Global Warming; Environmental Issues

Solar Cells to Get Growth Boost, Price Cut

Mar. 4, 2015 — Researchers have found that growing a type of film used to manufacture solar cells in ambient air gives it a growth boost. The finding could make manufacturing solar cells significantly ... full story

Solar Energy; Energy and the Environment; Renewable Energy; Environmental Science

Lightning Plus Volcanic Ash Make Glass

Mar. 3, 2015 — Researchers have proposed a mechanism for the generation of glass spherules in geologic deposits through the occurrence of volcanic lightning. The existence of fulgurites -- glassy products formed in ... full story

Volcanoes; Storms; Severe Weather; Natural Disasters

New Tech Could Significantly Cut Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Mar. 3, 2015 — A provisionally patented technology could revolutionize carbon dioxide capture and help significantly reduce pollution ... full story

Global Warming; Air Quality; Climate; Organic Chemistry

Researchers Discover New Material to Produce Clean Energy

Mar. 3, 2015 — Researchers have created a new thermoelectric material, intended to generate electric power from waste heat -- from a vehicle tailpipe, for example, or an industrial smokestack -- with greater ... full story

Energy and the Environment; Renewable Energy; Electricity; Thermodynamics

Lasting Severe Weather Impact Found in Feathers of Young Birds

Mar. 3, 2015 — While studying a ground-nesting bird population near El Reno, Okla., a research team found that stress during a severe weather outbreak of May 31, 2013, had manifested itself into malformations in ... full story

Severe Weather; Storms; Birds; Weather

Excavation Reveals Ancient Town and Burial Complex in Diros Bay, Greece

Mar. 4, 2015 — Recent research has uncovered the remains of an ancient town and burial complex that date to the Neolithic and Bronze Age. In addition to the Neolithic 'spooning' couple that has been highlighted in ... full story

Ancient Civilizations; Archaeology; Lost Treasures; Cultures

When Age Matters: Precise Dating of Ancient Charcoal Found Near Skull Is Helping Reveal Unique Period in Prehistory

Mar. 3, 2015 — The precise dating of ancient charcoal found near a skull is helping reveal a unique period in prehistory. The Manot Cave, a natural limestone formation, had been sealed for some 15,000 years. It was ... full story

Fossils; Ancient Civilizations; Archaeology; Early Humans

Archaeologists Open Mysterious Lead Coffin Found Buried Just Feet from the Former Grave of King Richard III

Mar. 2, 2015 — Richard III is the only male to be discovered at infamous former car-park site. A mysterious lead coffin found close to the site of Richard III's hastily dug grave at the Grey Friars friary has now ... full story

Ancient Civilizations; Cultures; Anthropology; Archaeology

Genetics Reveals Where Emperor Penguins Survived the Last Ice Age

Mar. 1, 2015 — A study of how climate change has affected emperor penguins over the last 30,000 years found that only three populations may have survived during the last ice age, and that the Ross Sea in Antarctica ... full story

Global Warming; Climate; Ice Ages; Early Climate

How Were Fossil Tracks Made by Early Triassic Swimming Reptiles So Well Preserved?

Feb. 27, 2015 — That swim tracks made by tetrapods occur in high numbers in deposits from the Early Triassic is well known. What is less clear is why the tracks are so abundant and well preserved. Paleontologists ... full story

Fossils; Early Mammals; Early Climate; Evolution

DNA Evidence Shows Surprise Cultural Connections Between Britain and Europe 8,000 Years Ago

Feb. 27, 2015 — DNA evidence shows surprise cultural connections between Britain and Europe 8,000 years ago. Researchers found evidence for a variety of wheat at a submerged archaeological site off the south coast ... full story

Ancient Civilizations; Origin of Life; Fossils; Biology

How Mantis Shrimp Evolved Many Shapes With Same Powerful Punch

Feb. 26, 2015 — The miniweight boxing title of the animal world belongs to the mantis shrimp, a cigar-sized crustacean whose front claws can deliver an explosive 60-mile-per-hour blow akin to a bullet leaving the ... full story

Fisheries; Evolutionary Biology; Evolution; Insects (including Butterflies)

Crocodiles Rocked Pre-Amazonian Peru: Seven Crocodile Species Found in Single 13-Million-Year-Old Bone Bed

Feb. 24, 2015 — Thirteen million years ago, as many as seven different species of crocodiles hunted in the swampy waters of what is now northeastern Peru, new research shows. This hyperdiverse assemblage, revealed ... full story

Fossils; Nature; Ecology; Ecology Research

Climate-Change Clues from Turtles of Tropical Wyoming

Feb. 24, 2015 — Tropical turtle fossils discovered in Wyoming reveal that when Earth got warmer, prehistoric turtles headed north. But if today's turtles try the same technique to cope with warming habitats, they ... full story

Frogs and Reptiles; Endangered Animals; Nature; New Species

Kenyan Fossils Show Evolution of Hippos

Feb. 24, 2015 — A French-Kenyan research team has just described a new fossil ancestor of today's hippo family. This discovery bridges a gap in the fossil record separating these animals from their closest ... full story

Fossils; Evolution; Origin of Life; Evolutionary Biology

Agreement on Best Estimates of Breast Cancer Overdiagnosis Urgently Needed to Inform Women

Mar. 4, 2015 — More than any other debate about overdiagnosis, the discussion of breast cancer has spilt from the pages of the specialist medical press into the public domain, argues a public health expert, stating ... full story

Breast Cancer; Women's Health; Cancer; Prostate Cancer

How Much Overdetection Is Acceptable in Cancer Screening?

Mar. 4, 2015 — People have highly variable views on how much overdetection is acceptable in cancer screening, finds a UK ... full story

Prostate Cancer; Breast Cancer; Cancer; Men's Health

New Approach to Analysis of Unresolved Controversy Over Nuclear Power

Mar. 4, 2015 — A new article investigates why nuclear energy is still deployed in spite of the negative feedbacks and experiences. The researchers argue that one possible explanation for this controversy is that ... full story

Energy Issues; Nuclear Energy; Solar Energy; Weapons Technology

Cities Have a Memory and Interact With Their Neighbors

Mar. 4, 2015 — Demographic changes in large cities depend on millions of individual decisions, but the population evolves depending on two factors: what 'reminds' them of their recent past and the existence of ... full story

Travel and Recreation; Transportation Issues; Urbanization; Energy Policy

Bans Don't Help Smokers Quit, Researchers Say

Mar. 3, 2015 — No significant change in home habits of smokers have been observed in the aftermath of a ban on smoking in public spaces, researchers report. Greater inspiration to kick the habit likely comes from ... full story

Smoking Addiction; Smoking; Public Health Education; Staying Healthy

Stress Markers in Unemployed Linked to Poor Health

Mar. 3, 2015 — It appears that stress markers in unemployed people can be found, independent of smoking, alcohol consumption and overweight/obesity. Results from a study suggest that long-term unemployment may be ... full story

Education and Employment; Chronic Illness; Workplace Health; Mental Health Research

Vaccine Skeptics Aren't Swayed by Emotional Scare Tactics

Mar. 3, 2015 — On the heels of an American nationwide measles outbreak comes a report that campaigns aimed at scaring people about the consequences of non-vaccination might not be as effective as many think. ... full story

Vaccines; Mumps, Measles, Rubella; Disorders and Syndromes; Viruses

US Spends More on Cancer Care, Saves Fewer Lives Than Western Europe

Mar. 2, 2015 — Despite sharp increases in spending on cancer treatment, cancer mortality rates in the United States have decreased only modestly since 1970, a study has found. "Our results suggest that cancer care ... full story

Breast Cancer; Colon Cancer; Cancer; Diseases and Conditions

Disease-Carrying Fleas Abound on New York City's Rats

Mar. 2, 2015 — In the first study of its kind since the 1920s, rats in New York City were found to carry a flea species capable of transmitting plague pathogens. Among them: 500-plus Oriental rat fleas, notorious ... full story

Veterinary Medicine; Microbes and More; Animals; Insects (including Butterflies)

Perfect NCAA Bracket? Near Impossible: Mathematician Says

Mar. 2, 2015 — The odds of picking a perfect bracket for the NCAA men's basketball March Madness championship tournament are a staggering less than one in 9.2 quintillion (that's 9,223,372,036,854,775,808), ... full story

Mathematics; Math Puzzles; Mathematical Modeling; Educational Policy

Amphetamine Gets the Job Done: Using Drugs to Work Long Hours

Feb. 20, 2015 — Drugs are usually associated with vulnerable social groups. New research reveals that amphetamine, however, is used by some in physically demanding manual jobs - to sustain long working ... full story

Addiction; Stress; Relationships; Illegal Drugs

Basic Personality Changes Linked to Unemployment, Study Finds

Feb. 18, 2015 — Unemployment can change peoples' core personalities, making some less conscientious, agreeable and open, which may make it difficult for them to find new jobs, according to new ... full story

Education and Employment; Gender Difference; Borderline Personality Disorder; Racial Issues

Leader of the Pack: Study of Voles and Owls Show Rise of Individuals With Greatest Influence on Collective Group Behavior

Feb. 18, 2015 — Who takes charge during a disaster or at an accident scene? The question has intrigued sociologists since Gustave Le Bon first studied "herd behavior" in nineteenth-century France. The question of an ... full story

Behavioral Science; Behavior; Psychiatry; Social Psychology

How Income Fraud Made the Housing Bubble Worse

Feb. 18, 2015 — New research reveals that, in low-income zip codes, IRS-reported incomes and earnings reported on mortgages in fact differed wildly from 2002 to 2005. The researchers place the blame for falsified ... full story

Poverty and Learning; Markets and Finance; Resource Shortage; Economics

Women Seek Greater Variety in Men and Consumer Products Near Ovulation

Feb. 17, 2015 — New research suggests women seek more options in dating partners near ovulation -- when they are most fertile -- which may lead them to also seek a greater variety of products and ... full story

Gender Difference; Menopause; Consumer Behavior; Women's Health

Workplace Bullying a Vicious Circle

Feb. 17, 2015 — Bullying at work grinds victims down and makes them an 'easy target' for further abuse according to new research. The research suggests that employers should not only crack down on workplace bullies, ... full story

Workplace Health; Anger Management; Anxiety; Mental Health Research

People Value Resources More Consistently When They Are Scarce

Feb. 12, 2015 — We tend to be economically irrational when it comes to choosing how we use resources like money and time but scarcity can convert us into economically rational decision makers, according to new ... full story

Consumer Behavior; Behavior; Child Development; Child Psychology

An Internet of Things Reality Check

Feb. 9, 2015 — Connecting different kinds of devices, not just computers and communications devices, to the Internet could lead to new ways of working with a wide range of machinery, sensors, domestic and other ... full story

Telecommunications; Internet; Communications; Privacy Issues

Increasing Individualism in US Linked With Rise of White-Collar Jobs

Feb. 5, 2015 — Rising individualism in the United States over the last 150 years is mainly associated with a societal shift toward more white-collar occupations, according to new research. The study, which looked ... full story

Social Psychology; STEM Education; Surveillance; Relationships

Novel Method Projects Growth Potential of New Firms: Which Tech Businesses Will Thrive?

Feb. 5, 2015 — New businesses spring up all the time in the U.S. But which ones have the greatest ability to become big? A new method based on an empirical study, projects the growth potential of high-tech firms ... full story

STEM Education; Educational Policy; Spintronics Research; Artificial Intelligence

On-Board School Bus Filtration System Reduces Pollutants by 88 Percent

Mar. 2, 2015 — An on-board air filtration system developed specifically for school buses reduces exposure to vehicular pollutants by up to 88 percent, according to a new ... full story

Air Quality; Air Pollution; Pollution; Environmental Science

Teachers Become Healthier When They Learn

Mar. 2, 2015 — Several studies have indicated a connection between learning and health. Researchers have now found that the health of school teachers is related to their level of work integrated ... full story

Educational Psychology; Workplace Health; Staying Healthy; K-12 Education

Teacher Prejudices Put Girls Off Math, Science, Study Suggests

Feb. 26, 2015 — Although higher education has already opened the door to equal opportunities for women and minorities in the US in the math and science professions, a new study suggests that elementary school ... full story

K-12 Education; Educational Policy; STEM Education; Educational Psychology

Biology Teachers: Understanding Faith, Teaching Evolution Not Mutually Exclusive

Feb. 25, 2015 — Discussing the relationship between science and faith, rather than avoiding the discussion, may better prepare future high school biology teachers for anticipating questions about evolution, ... full story

Biology; Educational Policy; STEM Education; Evolutionary Biology

Education 'Experts' Cited in News Stories May Lack Expertise, Study Finds

Feb. 20, 2015 — A study of education experts cited in news stories and blogs during 2013 finds that some lack background in education policy and ... full story

STEM Education; K-12 Education; Education and Employment; Media and Entertainment

Delaying Children's School Entry Linked to Poor Academic Performance

Feb. 19, 2015 — Delaying school entry for children could cause poorer academic performance, according to new research. Many parents are keen to hold their children back a year if they were born prematurely or in the ... full story

K-12 Education; Child Psychology; Educational Psychology; Learning Disorders

Teens Increasingly Sleep Deprived

Feb. 16, 2015 — A new study found that female students, racial/ethnic minorities, and students of lower socioeconomic status are less likely to report regularly getting seven or more hours of sleep each night ... full story

Insomnia Research; Sleep Disorder Research; Sleep Disorders; Insomnia

Learning With All the Senses: Movement, Images Facilitate Vocabulary Learning

Feb. 5, 2015 — "Atesi" -- what sounds like a word from the Elven language of Lord of the Rings is actually a Vimmish word meaning "thought". Scientists have used Vimmish, an artificial language specifically ... full story

Language Acquisition; Learning Disorders; Intelligence; Dyslexia

Public and Scientists Express Strikingly Different Views About Science-Related Issues

Jan. 29, 2015 — Despite similar views about the overall place of science in America, the general public and scientists often see science-related issues through a different lens, according to a new pair of ... full story

STEM Education; Environmental Awareness; Earth Science; K-12 Education

Can Synesthesia Be Taught? Colored Letters, Tasty Sounds?

Jan. 29, 2015 — Can synesthesia have cognitive benefits and can it be taught? There are over 60 known types of synesthesia, a condition in which stimulation of one sense, such as taste, leads to automatic, ... full story

Perception; Educational Psychology; Language Acquisition; Disorders and Syndromes

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