Today's Science News
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
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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
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
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
- 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
- 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
- Tarantula Personality: Eat or Mate With Males?
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last updated on 2014-04-23 at 9:43 am EDT
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
- Epileptic Seizure Medications for Kids Examined
- New Drugs Offer Hope for Migraine Prevention
- Female Sterilization: New Method Not as Good
- New Mammalian Clock Gene Identified
- Neuroimaging: Live from Inside Cell in Real Time
- How Cells Take Out the Trash
- For an Immune Cell, Microgravity Mimics Aging
- Software ID's Mutations in Undiagnosed Illnesses
- Blood-Pressure Med Prevents Epilepsy After TBI
- Two Genes Linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease
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
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
Safer Alternatives to Nonsteroidal Antinflamatory Pain Killers
Apr. 21, 2014 — Building on previous work that showed that deleting an enzyme in the COX-2 pathway in a mouse model of heart disease slowed the development of atherosclerosis, researchers have now extended this ... full story
Physicists Push New Parkinson's Treatment Toward Clinical Trials
Apr. 21, 2014 — The most effective way to tackle debilitating diseases is to punch them at the start and keep them from growing. Research shows that a small 'molecular tweezer' keeps proteins from clumping, or ... full story
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
- Learning, Memory: Protein Complex Involved
- Neurotics Dislike Action By Their Very Nature
- 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
- Safer Alternatives to Antinflamatory Pain Killers
- New Parkinson's Treatment Headed for Human Trials
- Legalizing Pot: Lessons from Alcohol, Tobacco?
- Mental Illness Not Usually Linked to Crime: Study
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
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
- 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
- Latest Tech Toy Can Make You Seem Like a Leader
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
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
Quantum Simulators Developed to Study Inaccessible Physical Systems
Apr. 22, 2014 — Quantum simulators recreate the behavior on a microscopic scale of biological and quantum systems and even of particles moving at the speed of light. The exact knowledge of these systems will lead to ... full story
Vacuum Ultraviolet Lamp of the Future Created
Apr. 22, 2014 — Scientists have developed a solid-state lamp that emits high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light at the shortest wavelengths ever recorded for such a device, from 140 to 220 nanometers. This is within the ... full story
High-Performance, Low-Cost Ultracapacitors Built With Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes
Apr. 22, 2014 — By combining the powers of two single-atom-thick carbon structures, researchers have created a new ultracapacitor that is both high performance and low cost. The device capitalizes on the synergy ... 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
- Nanoreporters Tell 'Sour' Oil from 'Sweet'
- 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
- Quantum Simulators and Physical Systems
- Vacuum Ultraviolet Lamp of the Future Created
- High-Performance, Low-Cost Ultracapacitors
- iPad Users Explore Data With Their Fingers
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
First Potentially Habitable Earth-Sized Planet Confirmed by Gemini and Keck Observatories
Apr. 17, 2014 — The first Earth-sized exoplanet orbiting within the habitable zone of another star has been confirmed by observations with both the W. M. Keck Observatory and the Gemini Observatory. The initial ... full story
- 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?
- First 'Habitable' Earth-Sized Planet Confirmed
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
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
Fear of the Cuckoo Mafia: In Fear of Retaliation, Birds Accept and Raise Brood Parasites' Young
Apr. 17, 2014 — If a restaurant owner fails to pay the 'protection money' demanded of him by the mob, he can expect his premises to be trashed. Warnings like these are seldom required, however, as fear of the ... full story
Simplicity Is Key to Co-Operative Robots
Apr. 16, 2014 — A way of making hundreds -- or even thousands -- of tiny robots cluster to carry out tasks without using any memory or processing power has been developed. Engineers have programmed extremely simple ... full story
Chess Robots to Cause Judgment Day?
Apr. 16, 2014 — Next time you play a computer at chess, think about the implications if you beat it. It could be a very sore loser! A new study reflects upon the growing need for autonomous technology, and suggests ... full story
Beating the Clock for Ischemic Stroke Sufferers
Apr. 16, 2014 — Researchers have developed a new computer tool to ensure faster care and treatment for stroke patients. The CAD stroke technology is capable of detecting signs of stroke from computed tomography (CT) ... full story
Information Storage for the Next Generation of Plastic Computers: Efficient Conversion from Magnetic Storage to Light Is Key
Apr. 16, 2014 — Inexpensive computers, cell phones and other systems that substitute flexible plastic for silicon chips may be one step closer to reality, thanks to new research. Scientists have made a new proposal ... full story
- Progress Made in Developing Nanoscale Electronics
- Computer-Assisted Accelerator Design
- Speeding Up Estimates of Gene Expression
- Tracking Flu Levels With Wikipedia
- Wireless Power Transfer Achieved at 5m Distance
- Fear of Cuckoo Mafia: Birds Raise Others' Young
- Simplicity Is Key to Co-Operative Robots
- Chess Robots to Cause Judgment Day?
- Beating the Clock for Ischemic Stroke Sufferers
- Next Generation of Plastic Computers
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
Cougars' Diverse Diet Helped Them Survive Pleistocene Mass Extinction
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
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
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
Queuing Theory Helps Physicist Understand Protein Recycling
Apr. 21, 2014 — A picture of waiting in line helps one physicist understand how cells operate, especially as it relates to what the consequences could be of protein traffic jams inside cells. "If you consider the ... 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
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
'Dustman' Protein Helps Kill Cancer Cells
Apr. 21, 2014 — Cancer researchers have discovered a new 'dustman' role for a molecule that helps a drug kill cancer cells according to a study. The new findings point to a possible test that could identify patients ... 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
A Protein Required for Integrity of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Apr. 21, 2014 — The SIRT1 protein is needed to lengthen and maintain telomeres during cell reprogramming, new research demonstrates. SIRT1 also guarantees the integrity of the genome of stem cells that come out of ... full story
- Best Practices in Communication for Animal World
- Cougars' Diet Helped Them Survive Mass Extinction
- Is Wildlife Response to Climate Underestimated?
- What Gave Modern Humans Edge Over Neanderthals?
- Queuing Theory: Understanding Protein Recycling
- Bark Beetles Change Rocky Mountain Stream Flows
- Family Tree of Black Death Bacterium Explored
- 'Dustman' Protein Helps Kill Cancer Cells
- Lack of Breeding Threatens Blue-Footed Boobies
- Protein for Integrity of Pluripotent Stem Cells
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
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
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
Researchers Rethink 'Natural' Habitat for Wildlife
Apr. 18, 2014 — Protecting wildlife while feeding a world population predicted to reach nine billion by 2050 will require a holistic approach to conservation that considers human-altered landscapes such as farmland, ... 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
'Dressed' Laser Aimed at Clouds May Be Key to Inducing Rain, Lightning
Apr. 18, 2014 — The adage "Everyone complains about the weather but nobody does anything about it" may one day be obsolete if researchers further develop a new technique to aim a high-energy laser beam into clouds ... full story
- Higher Solar-Cell Efficiency With Zinc-Oxide
- Krypton Used to Date Ancient Antarctic Ice
- Taking the Pulse of Mountain Formation in Andes
- Domesticated Chili Peppers Are from Mexico
- Mystery of Domestication Deepens
- New Material Coating Mimics 'Lotus Effect'
- Biofuels from Corn Residue? Maybe Not
- Rethinking 'Natural' Habitat for Wildlife
- Future Heat Waves: Risk for Greater London
- Laser the Clouds to Make Rain, Lightning?
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
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
Infectious Diseases: High Disease Load at Conception Reduces Mortality of Children During Epidemics
Apr. 16, 2014 — Children who have been conceived during a severe epidemic are more resistant against other pathogens later in life. For the first time, this has been proved by researchers for the 18th century ... full story
- Eurasians Left Africa Up to 130,000 Years Ago
- 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
- Infectious Diseases: Resistance Over Generations
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
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
Distracted Driving Among Teens Threatens Public Health and Safety
Apr. 17, 2014 — Motor vehicle crashes rank as the leading cause of teen deaths and in 2008, 16% of all distraction-related fatal automobile crashes involved drivers under 20 years of age. These grim statistics, ... full story
Surprising Consequences of Banning Chocolate Milk
Apr. 16, 2014 — Eliminating chocolate milk from elementary schools decreased total milk sales by 10 percent, and increased milk waste by 29 percent, a study has shown. Additionally, the ban may have been a factor in ... full story
NutNet: New Model for Global Research
Apr. 16, 2014 — What do zebra and kangaroos have in common? At first glance, not much -- they aren’t even found in the same part of the world. But here’s one thing they do share: Both are part of the Nutrient ... full story
- Social Group Can Affect Memory of Atrocities
- Counterfeit Contraceptives in South America
- 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
- Distracted Driving Among Teens Threatens Public
- Surprising Results of Banning Chocolate Milk
- NutNet: New Model for Global Research
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
