Today's Science News
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
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
Mars: Meteorites Yield Clues to Red Planet's Early Atmosphere
Apr. 16, 2014 — Geologists analyzed 40 meteorites that fell to Earth from Mars to understand the history of the Martian atmosphere. Their new article shows the atmospheres of Mars and Earth diverged in important ... full story
Eavesdropping on Brain Cell Chatter
Apr. 16, 2014 — Everything we do -- all of our movements, thoughts and feelings -- are the result of neurons talking with one another, and recent studies have suggested that some of the conversations might not be ... full story
Crucial New Information About How the Ice Ages Came About
Apr. 16, 2014 — Scientists have discovered new relationships between deep-sea temperature and ice-volume changes to provide crucial new information about how the ice ages came about. The researchers found, for the ... full story
Ancient Shark Fossil Reveals New Insights Into Jaw Evolution
Apr. 16, 2014 — The skull of a newly discovered 325-million-year-old shark-like species suggests that early cartilaginous and bony fishes have more to tell us about the early evolution of jawed vertebrates -- ... full story
For Cells, Internal Stress Leads to Unique Shapes
Apr. 16, 2014 — A cell's unique shape results from an internal tug-of-war: the cell needs to maintain structural integrity while also dynamically responding to the pushes and pulls of mechanical stress, ... full story
At the Origin of Cell Division: The Features of Living Matter Emerge from Inanimate Matter in Simulation
Apr. 16, 2014 — Droplets of filamentous material enclosed in a lipid membrane: these are the models of a “simplified” cell used by physicists who simulated the spontaneous emergence of cell motility and division ... full story
How Smells Stick to Your Memories: Your Nose Can Be a Pathfinder
Apr. 16, 2014 — Waves in your brain make smells stick to your memories and inner maps. Researchers have recently discovered the process behind this phenomenon. The brain, it turns out, connects smells to memories ... full story
Scientists Re-Define What's Healthy in Newest Analysis for Human Microbiome Project
Apr. 16, 2014 — A new look at the Human Microbiome Project shows wide variation in the types of bacteria found in healthy people. Based on their findings, there is no single healthy microbiome. Rather each person ... full story
Scientists Achieve First Direct Observations of Excitons in Motion
Apr. 16, 2014 — A quasiparticle called an exciton -- responsible for the transfer of energy within devices such as solar cells, LEDs, and semiconductor circuits -- has been understood theoretically for decades. But ... full story
Functional Brain Imaging Reliably Predicts Which Vegetative Patients Have Potential to Recover Consciousness
Apr. 15, 2014 — A functional brain imaging technique known as positron emission tomography is a promising tool for determining which severely brain damaged individuals in vegetative states have the potential to ... full story
Gut Capacity Limits Bird's Ability to Adapt to Rapid Climate Change
Apr. 15, 2014 — An ornithologist has found that the capacity of a bird’s gut to change with environmental conditions is a primary limiting factor in their ability to adapt to the rapidly changing climate. And he ... full story
SSRI Use During Pregnancy Linked to Autism and Developmental Delays in Boys
Apr. 15, 2014 — In a study of nearly 1,000 mother-child pairs, researchers found that prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a frequently prescribed treatment for depression, anxiety ... full story
Hair from Infants Gives Clues About Life in Womb
Apr. 15, 2014 — Like rings of a tree, hair can reveal a lot of information about the past. And, as a team of researchers show in a study of rhesus monkeys, it can also reveal the womb environment in which an infant ... full story
Regenerated Esophagus Transplanted in Rats
Apr. 15, 2014 — Tissue engineering has been used to construct natural esophagi, which in combination with bone marrow stem cells have been safely and effectively transplanted in rats. The study shows that the ... full story
- Earliest Ancestor of Land Herbivores Discovered
- Meteorites Show Mars' Early Atmosphere
- Eavesdropping On Brain Cell Chatter
- New Clues On How the Ice Ages Came About
- Ancient Shark Fossil: Clues to Jaw Evolution
- Cells: Internal Stress Leads to Unique Shapes
- Features of Living Matter from Inanimate Matter
- How Smells Stick to Your Memories
- Human Microbiome Project: Re-Defining Healthy
- First Direct Observations of Excitons in Motion
- Brain Imaging: Recovery from Vegetative State?
- Gut Capacity Limits Bird’s Ability to Adapt
- SSRI Use During Pregnancy Linked to Autism
- Infants' Hair Gives Clues About Life in Womb
- Regenerated Esophagus Transplanted in Rats
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last updated on 2014-04-17 at 3:13 am EDT
Changing Where a Baby Is Held Immediately After Birth Could Lead to Improved Uptake of Procedure That Reduces Infant Iron Deficiency
Apr. 16, 2014 — Changing where a newborn baby is held before its umbilical cord is clamped could lead to improved uptake in hospitals of delayed cord clamping, leading to a decreased risk of iron deficiency in ... 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
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
How Kids' Brain Structures Grow as Memory Develops
Apr. 16, 2014 — Our ability to store memories improves during childhood, associated with structural changes in the hippocampus and its connections with prefrontal and parietal cortices. New research is exploring how ... full story
Cancer Drugs Block Dementia-Linked Brain Inflammation, Study Finds
Apr. 16, 2014 — A class of drugs developed to treat immune-related conditions and cancer -- including one currently in clinical trials for glioblastoma and other tumors -- eliminates neural inflammation associated ... full story
Sperm Meets Egg: Protein Essential for Fertilization Discovered
Apr. 16, 2014 — Interacting proteins on the surface of the sperm and the egg have been discovered by researchers. These are essential to begin mammalian life. These proteins, which allow the sperm and egg to ... full story
HIV-Positive Women Respond Well to HPV Vaccine, Study Shows
Apr. 16, 2014 — A vaccine can safely help the vast majority of HIV-positive women produce antibodies against the cancer-causing human papillomavirus, even if their immune system is weak and even if they've had some ... full story
Synapses: Stability in Transformation
Apr. 16, 2014 — Synapses are the points of contact at which information is transmitted between neurons. Without them, we would not be able to form thoughts or remember things. For memories to endure, synapses ... full story
DNA Looping Damage Tied to HPV Cancer, Researcher Discovers
Apr. 16, 2014 — Certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) are known to cause about five percent of all cancer cases, yet all the mechanisms aren't completely understood. Now, researchers have leveraged Ohio ... full story
Trials of the Cherokee Were Reflected in Their Skulls
Apr. 16, 2014 — Researchers have found that environmental stressors -- from the Trail of Tears to the Civil War -- led to significant changes in the shape of skulls in the eastern and western bands of the Cherokee ... full story
- How You Hold Newborn Affects Iron Uptake: Study
- Surprising Results of Banning Chocolate Milk
- Beating the Clock for Ischemic Stroke Sufferers
- Kids' Brain Structures Grow as Memory Develops
- Drugs Block Dementia-Linked Brain Inflammation
- First Vital Step in Fertilization Discovered
- HIV-Positive Women Respond Well to HPV Vaccine
- Synapses: Stability in Transformation
- DNA Looping Damage Tied to HPV Cancer
- Trials of Cherokee Were Reflected in Skulls
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
Expect Changes in Appetite, Taste of Food After Weight Loss Surgery
Apr. 16, 2014 — Changes in appetite, taste and smell are par for the course for people who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery during which one's stomach is made smaller and small intestines shortened. ... full story
How Toddlers Learn Verbs: New Insight
Apr. 16, 2014 — Parents can help toddlers' language skills by showing them a variety of examples of different actions, according to new research. Previous research has shown that verbs pose particular difficulties ... full story
Fighting Neuroblastomas by Blocking DNA Replication, Repair
Apr. 16, 2014 — PCNA is a protein essential to DNA repair and replication, and researchers are targeting it in neuroblastoma cells in order to halt tumor growth and induce cell death. Neuroblastoma is one of the ... 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
Fish Exposed to Antidepressants Exhibit Altered Behavioral Changes
Apr. 16, 2014 — Fish exposed to the antidepressant Fluoxetine, an active ingredient in prescription drugs such as Prozac, exhibited a range of altered mating behaviours, repetitive behaviour and aggression towards ... full story
Brain Anatomy Differences Between Deaf, Hearing Depend on First Language Learned
Apr. 15, 2014 — In the first known study of its kind, researchers have shown that the language we learn as children affects brain structure, as does hearing status. 'What we've learned to date about differences in ... full story
Teenagers Who Have Had a Concussion Also Have Higher Rates of Suicide Attempts
Apr. 15, 2014 — Teenagers who have suffered a traumatic brain injury such as a concussion are at 'significantly greater odds' of attempting suicide, being bullied and engaging in a variety of high-risk behaviors, a ... full story
Neuroscientists Disprove Important Idea About Brain-Eye Coordination
Apr. 15, 2014 — By predicting our eye movements, our brain creates a stable world for us. Researchers used to think that those predictions had so much influence that they could cause us to make errors in estimating ... full story
Chrono, the Last Piece of the Circadian Clock Puzzle?
Apr. 15, 2014 — All organisms, from mammals to fungi, have daily cycles controlled by a tightly regulated internal clock, called the circadian clock. The whole-body circadian clock, influenced by the exposure to ... full story
- Amazon: Family Ties in the Language Jungle
- Expect Changes After Weight Loss Surgery
- How Toddlers Learn Verbs: New Insight
- Blocking DNA Replication to Fight Neuroblastomas
- Software: Looks On Faces Predict Test Scores
- Fish Exposed to Antidepressants Act Differently
- Brain Anatomy: Deaf, Hearing and First Language
- Teens: Concussions, Higher Suicide Attempts
- Brain-Eye Coordination: Idea Disproved
- Chrono: Last Piece of Circadian Clock Puzzle?
Shade Grown Coffee Shrinking as a Proportion of Global Coffee Production
Apr. 16, 2014 — Over the past couple of decades, global coffee production has been shifting towards a more intensive, less environmentally friendly style, a new study has found. That's pretty surprising if you live ... full story
Multiple Births Don't Have to Be an Inevitable Result of Fertility Treatments
Apr. 16, 2014 — While fertility treatments have helped many people become parents, they commonly result in multiple births, increasing the risk of prematurity, and leading to lifelong complications. But this doesn't ... full story
Body Mass Index Associated With Breast Cancer, Regardless of Body Shape
Apr. 16, 2014 — A larger waist circumference is associated with higher risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, but not beyond its contribution to BMI, a new study of predominantly white women finds. The study fails to ... full story
Prolonged, Heavy Bleeding During Menopause Is Common
Apr. 15, 2014 — Women going through menopause most likely think of it as the time for an end to predictable monthly periods. Researchers say it's normal, however, for the majority of them to experience an increase ... full story
Brain Changes Associated With Casual Marijuana Use in Young Adults: More 'Joints' Equal More Damage
Apr. 15, 2014 — The size and shape of two brain regions involved in emotion and motivation may differ in young adults who smoke marijuana at least once a week, according to a new study. The findings suggest that ... full story
Real-Time Audio of Corporal Punishment Shows Kids Misbehave Within 10 Minutes of Spanking
Apr. 15, 2014 — Real-time audio recordings of children being spanked showed parents responded impulsively or emotionally, rather than being intentional with their discipline, says a psychologist and parenting ... full story
Kids' Earliest Memories Might Be Earlier Than They Think
Apr. 15, 2014 — The very earliest childhood memories might begin even earlier than anyone realized -- including the one remembering, his or her parents and memory researchers. Four- to 13-year-olds in upstate New ... full story
Cultivating Happiness Often Misunderstood
Apr. 15, 2014 — The concept of maximizing happiness has been explored by researchers, who have found that pursuing concrete 'giving' goals rather than abstract ones leads to greater satisfaction. One path to ... full story
Lifestyle Determines Gut Microbes: Study With Modern Hunter-Gatherers Tells Tale of Bacteria Co-Evolution
Apr. 15, 2014 — The intestinal bacteria of present-day hunter-gatherers has for the first time been deciphered by an international team of researchers. Bacterial populations have co-evolved with humans over millions ... full story
How Mothers Help Children Explore Right and Wrong
Apr. 15, 2014 — Moms want their kids to grow up to be good people -- but how do they actually help their offspring sort out different types of moral issues? A new study shows many moms talk to their kids in ways ... full story
- Global Coffee Trends: Bad for Environment?
- Fertility Treatments Don't Have to Mean Multiples
- Breast Cancer: BMI Matters More Than Body Shape
- Heavy Bleeding During Menopause Common
- Brain Changes Linked to Casual Marijuana Use
- Kids Misbehave Within 10 Minutes of Spanking
- Kids' Earliest Memories Earlier Than They Think
- Cultivating Happiness Often Misunderstood
- Hunter-Gatherers: Tale of Bacteria Co-Evolution
- How Mothers Help Kids Explore Right and Wrong
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
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
Theoretical Biophysics: Adventurous Bacteria Decide How to Preserve Species?
Apr. 16, 2014 — To reproduce or to conquer the world? Surprisingly, bacteria also face this problem. Theoretical biophysicists have now shown how these organisms should decide how best to preserve their ... full story
Quantum Computing? Progress in the Fight Against Quantum Dissipation
Apr. 16, 2014 — Scientists have confirmed a 50-year-old, previously untested theoretical prediction in physics and improved the energy storage time of a quantum switch by several orders of magnitude. High-quality ... full story
Searching for Dark Energy With Neutrons: With Neutrons, Scientists Can Now Look for Dark Energy in the Lab
Apr. 16, 2014 — It does not always take a huge accelerator to do particle physics: First results from a low energy, table top alternative takes validity of Newtonian gravity down by five orders of magnitude and ... full story
Scientists Capture Ultrafast Snapshots of Light-Driven Superconductivity
Apr. 16, 2014 — A new study pins down a major factor behind the appearance of superconductivity -- the ability to conduct electricity with 100 percent efficiency -- in a promising copper-oxide material. Scientists ... full story
Floating Nuclear Plants Could Ride out Tsunamis: New Design for Enhanced Safety, Easier Siting and Centralized Construction
Apr. 16, 2014 — When an earthquake and tsunami struck the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant complex in 2011, neither the quake nor the inundation caused the ensuing contamination. Rather, it was the aftereffects -- ... full story
Making New Materials an Atomic Layer at a Time
Apr. 16, 2014 — Researchers have shown the ability to grow high quality, single-layer materials one on top of the other using chemical vapor deposition. This highly scalable technique, often used in the ... full story
Global Scientific Team 'Visualizes' a New Crystallization Process
Apr. 16, 2014 — By combining a synchrotron's bright X-ray beam with high speed X-ray cameras, scientists shot a 'movie' showing how organic molecules form into crystals. This is a first. Their new techniques will ... full story
- Simplicity Is Key to Co-Operative Robots
- Chess Robots to Cause Judgment Day?
- Next Generation of Plastic Computers
- Theoretical Biophysics: Adventurous Bacteria
- Progress in Fight Against Quantum Dissipation
- Searching for Dark Energy in the Lab
- Snapshots of Light-Driven Superconductivity
- Floating Nuclear Plants Could Ride out Tsunamis
- Making New Materials an Atomic Layer at a Time
- Visualizing a New Crystallization Process
Red Moon at Night: Stargazer's Delight
Apr. 16, 2014 — Monday night's lunar eclipse proved just as delightful as expected to those able to view it. On the East Coast, cloudy skies may have gotten in the way, but at the National Science Foundation's ... full story
A Study in Scarlet: Hot Newborn Stars Formed out of the Clouds
Apr. 16, 2014 — An area of the southern sky, in the constellation of Centaurus (The Centaur), is home to many bright nebulae, each associated with hot newborn stars that formed out of the clouds of hydrogen gas. The ... full story
Astronomers: 'Tilt-a-Worlds' Could Harbor Life
Apr. 15, 2014 — A fluctuating tilt in a planet's orbit does not preclude the possibility of life, according to new research. In fact, sometimes it may help. That's because such "tilt-a-worlds," as astronomers ... full story
NASA Cassini Images May Reveal Birth of a Saturn Moon
Apr. 14, 2014 — NASA's Cassini spacecraft has documented the formation of a small icy object within the rings of Saturn that may be a new moon, and may also provide clues to the formation of the planet's known ... full story
Cosmic Slurp: Supercomputers Help Astronomers Understand and Predict How Black Holes Swallow Stars
Apr. 14, 2014 — A 'tidal disruption' occurs when a star orbits too close to a black hole and gets usurped. Researchers are using supercomputers to simulate tidal disruptions to better understand the dynamics of the ... full story
SpaceX’s Dragon Headed to Space Station to Create Astronaut Farmers
Apr. 14, 2014 — "Enter the Dragon" takes on a whole new meaning this month as SpaceX's Dragon capsule heads to the International Space Station for its third commercial resupply mission on April 14. During the ... full story
International Space Station to Beam Video Via Laser Back to Earth
Apr. 14, 2014 — A team of about 20 working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., through the lab's Phaeton early-career-hire program, led the development of the Optical Payload for Lasercomm ... full story
Faraway Moon or Faint Star? Possible Exomoon Found
Apr. 12, 2014 — Titan, Europa, Io and Phobos are just a few members of our solar system's pantheon of moons. Are there are other moons out there, orbiting planets beyond our sun? Researchers have spotted the first ... full story
NASA's Hubble Extends Stellar Tape Measure 10 Times Farther Into Space
Apr. 11, 2014 — Astronomers now can precisely measure the distance of stars up to 10,000 light-years away -- 10 times farther than previously possible. Astronomers have developed yet another novel way to use the ... full story
Microgravity Research Helping to Understand the Fungi Within
Apr. 10, 2014 — You may not recognize it by name, but if you have ever had a child with a diaper rash, that child was likely a host to Candida albicans (C. albicans). This unwelcome "guest" can be hard to control, ... full story
- Red Moon at Night: Stargazer's Delight
- Hot Newborn Stars Formed out of the Clouds
- Astronomers: 'Tilt-a-Worlds' Could Harbor Life
- Images May Reveal Birth of a Saturn Moon
- Cosmic Slurp: How Black Holes Swallow Stars
- Dragon to Create Astronaut Farmers
- ISS to Beam Video Via Laser Back to Earth
- Faraway Moon or Faint Star? Possible Exomoon
- Stellar 'Tape Measure:' 10 Times Farther In Space
- Microgravity Research Probes the Fungi Within
Ant Colonies Help Evacuees in Disaster Zones
Apr. 16, 2014 — An escape route mapping system based on the behavior of ant colonies could give evacuees a better chance of reaching safe harbor after a natural disaster or terrorist attack by building a map showing ... full story
Augmented Reality: Bringing History and the Future to Life
Apr. 16, 2014 — Have you ever wished you had a virtual time machine that could show you how your street looked last century? Or have you wanted to see how your new furniture might look, before you’ve even bought ... full story
Potential Use of Google Glass in Surgical Settings
Apr. 16, 2014 — A new article shows the potential applications for Google Glass in the surgical setting, particularly in relation to training. Personal portable information technology is advancing at a breathtaking ... full story
Lens Turns Any Smartphone Into a Portable Microscope
Apr. 15, 2014 — The Micro Phone Lens can turn any smartphone or tablet computer into a hand-held microscope. The soft, pliable lens sticks to a device's camera without any adhesive or glue and makes it possible to ... full story
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
Intelligent Prosthetic Liners Could Ease Pain for Lower Limb Amputees
Apr. 15, 2014 — A new device could help to relieve the pain and discomfort experienced by thousands of amputees as a result of poorly fitting replacement lower limbs. Researchers are developing a prototype of the ... full story
Futuristic Robots Allow Doctors to Examine Patients from Anywhere
Apr. 14, 2014 — A fleet of telemedicine robots to improve efficiency and patient care is being deployed to physicians, who will use them to examine patients remotely. Using a laptop, tablet or smartphone, doctors ... full story
New Fusion Technology Increases Prostate Cancer Detection Accuracy to 97 Percent
Apr. 14, 2014 — A powerful new tool for visualizing and monitoring the prostate in men who have high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and in detecting prostate cancer more accurately is now available in some ... 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
Surgeons Develop Personalized 3-D Printed Kidney to Simulate Surgery Prior to Cancer Operation
Apr. 14, 2014 — For the first time, surgeons have used 3-D printing to produce exact models of tumor-containing kidneys, allowing them to simulate surgery prior to the real operation. These models can be ... full story
- Ant Colonies Help Evacuees in Disaster Zones
- Bringing History and the Future to Life
- Using Google Glass in Surgical Settings?
- Lens Turns Any Smartphone Into a Microscope
- Privacy at Risk: Flaw in 'Secure' Cloud Storage
- Intelligent Prosthetic Liners May Mean Less Pain
- Robots Let Doctors See Patients From Anywhere
- Fusion Tech: 97% Prostate Cancer Detection
- Cybersecurity: New Heartbleed Solution
- Surgery Practice: Personalized 3-D Printed Kidney
Declining Catch Rates in Caribbean Nicaragua Green Turtle Fishery May Be Result of Overfishing
Apr. 16, 2014 — A 20-year assessment of Nicaragua’s legal, artisanal green sea turtle fishery has uncovered a stark reality: greatly reduced overall catch rates of turtles in what may have become an unsustainable ... full story
Chimpanzees Prefer Firm, Stable Beds
Apr. 16, 2014 — Chimpanzees may select a certain type of wood, Ugandan ironwood, over other options for its firm, stable, and resilient properties to make their bed. Chimpanzees use tree branches to build beds or ... full story
Pressure Relief Valve in Cellular Membrane Identified
Apr. 16, 2014 — Regulation of cell volume is critical for the body’s cells, for example during cellular exposure to fluids of varying salt concentrations, in cell division and cell growth, but also in diseases ... full story
Progress in Understanding Immune Response in Severe Schistosomiasis
Apr. 16, 2014 — A mechanism that may help explain the severe forms of schistosomiasis, or snail fever, has been discovered by researchers. Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent parasitic diseases in the ... full story
Diverse Gene Pool Critical for Tigers' Survival, Say Experts
Apr. 16, 2014 — Increasing tigers' genetic diversity -- via interbreeding and other methods -- and not just their population numbers may be the best solution to saving this endangered species, according to research. ... full story
Gate for Bacterial Toxins Found in Cells
Apr. 16, 2014 — A molecule that smuggles toxins from intestinal pathogens into human cells has been discovered by scientists. "In order to prevent the toxin from entering the cell, it is necessary to find the ... full story
EU Must Take Urgent Action on Invasive Species, Experts Urge
Apr. 16, 2014 — The EU must take urgent action to halt the spread of invasive species that are threatening native plants and animals across Europe, according to scientists. The threats posed by these species cost an ... full story
Lemurs Match Scent of a Friend to Sound of Her Voice
Apr. 15, 2014 — Scientists report that ring-tailed lemurs respond more strongly to the scents and sounds of female lemurs when the scent they smell and the voice they hear belong to the same female -- even when ... full story
Pathogenic E. Coli Binds to Fresh Vegetables
Apr. 15, 2014 — Between 20-30 percent of food-poisoning outbreaks linked to disease-causing strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli are caused by people eating contaminated vegetables. Research shows that the ... full story
Antibiotics Improve Growth in Children in Developing Countries
Apr. 15, 2014 — Antibiotics improve growth in children at risk of undernourishment in low and middle income countries, according to researchers who have just conducted a research literature review on the subject. ... full story
- Green Turtle Fishery Decline: Overfishing?
- Chimpanzees Prefer Firm, Stable Beds
- Pressure Relief Valve in Cellular Membrane
- Immune Response in Severe Schistosomiasis
- Diverse Gene Pool Critical for Tigers' Survival
- Gate for Bacterial Toxins Found in Cells
- EU Must Take Urgent Action On Invasive Species
- Lemurs Match Scent of a Friend to Her Voice
- Pathogenic E. Coli Binds to Fresh Vegetables
- Antibiotics, Developing Countries: Kids Grow More
Relieving Electric Vehicle Range Anxiety With Improved Batteries
Apr. 16, 2014 — A new nanomaterial called a metal organic framework could extend the lifespan of lithium-sulfur batteries, which could be used to increase the driving range of electric vehicles. Researchers added ... full story
Warm U.S. West, Cold East: 4,000-Year Pattern; Global Warming May Bring More Curvy Jet Streams During Winter
Apr. 16, 2014 — Last winter’s curvy jet stream pattern brought mild temperatures to western North America and harsh cold to the East. A new study shows that pattern became more pronounced 4,000 years ago, and ... full story
New Study Outlines 'Water World' Theory of Life's Origins
Apr. 15, 2014 — Life took root more than four billion years ago on our nascent Earth, a wetter and harsher place than now, bathed in sizzling ultraviolet rays. What started out as simple cells ultimately transformed ... full story
New Technique Will Accelerate Genetic Characterization of Photosynthesis
Apr. 15, 2014 — Photosynthesis provides fixed carbon and energy for nearly all life on Earth, yet many aspects of this fascinating process remain mysterious. We do not know the full list of the parts of the ... full story
Drought Hormones Measured in Plants to Prepare for Food Security
Apr. 15, 2014 — Floods and droughts are increasingly in the news, and climate experts say their frequency will only go up in the future. As such, it is crucial for scientists to learn more about how these extreme ... full story
Long-Term Predictions for Miami Sea Level Rise Could Be Available Relatively Soon
Apr. 15, 2014 — Miami could know as early as 2020 how high sea levels will rise into the next century, according to a team of researchers. Scientists conclude that sea level rise is one of the most certain ... full story
Biologists Develop Nanosensors to Visualize Movements and Distribution of Plant Stress Hormone
Apr. 15, 2014 — Biologists have succeeded in visualizing the movement within plants of a key hormone responsible for growth and resistance to drought. The achievement will allow researchers to conduct further ... full story
Tiger Beetle's Chase Highlights Mechanical Law
Apr. 15, 2014 — If an insect drew a line as it chased its next meal, the resulting pattern would be a tangled mess. But there’s method to that mess: It turns out the tiger beetle, known for its speed and agility, ... full story
Bioarchaeologists Link Climate Instability to Human Mobility in Ancient Sahara
Apr. 15, 2014 — Researchers have uncovered clues to how past peoples moved across their landscape as the once lush environment deteriorated. Scientists sampled bone and teeth enamel, and used their chemical ... full story
Sibling Cooperation in Earwig Families Provides Clues to the Early Evolution of Social Behavior
Apr. 15, 2014 — Looking at the question of how social behavior has developed over the course of evolution, scientists have gained new insights from the study of earwigs. "Young earwig offspring don't simply compete ... full story
- Reliable Batteries for Electric Vehicles
- U.S.: Warm West, Cold East: 4,000-Year Pattern
- 'Water World' Theory of Life's Origins Outlined
- Genetic Characterization of Photosynthesis
- Food Security, Drought: Plant Hormones Measured
- Long-Term Predictions for Miami Sea Level Rise
- Nanosensors for Plant Stress Hormone
- Tiger Beetle's Chase Highlights Mechanical Law
- Climate Change: Human Mobility in Ancient Sahara
- Sibling Cooperation in Earwig Families
Medieval Slave Trade Routes in Eastern Europe Extended from Finland and the Baltic Countries to Central Asia
Apr. 15, 2014 — The routes of slave trade in Eastern Europe in the medieval and pre-modern period extended all the way to the Caspian Sea and Central Asia. A recent study suggests that persons captured during raids ... full story
Faithful Allies Since the Cretaceous: Symbiosis Between Beewolves and Protective Bacteria Originated Millions of Years Ago
Apr. 14, 2014 — Scientists have discovered that certain wasps tightly control mother-to-offspring transmission of their bacterial symbionts. This stabilizes the symbiotic alliance and contributed to its persistence ... full story
Ferns Borrowed Genes to Flourish in Low Light
Apr. 14, 2014 — During the age of the dinosaurs, the arrival of flowering plants as competitors could have spelled doom for primitive ferns. Instead, ferns diversified and flourished under the new canopy -- using a ... full story
Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons Did Not Coexist on the Iberian Peninsula, Suggests Re-Analysis of Dating
Apr. 14, 2014 — The meeting between a Neanderthal and one of the first humans, which we used to picture in our minds, did not happen on the Iberian Peninsula. That is the conclusion reached by an scientists after ... full story
Does Germ Plasm Accelerate Evolution?
Apr. 14, 2014 — Scientists have challenged a long held belief about the way certain species of vertebrates evolved. They found that genes evolve more rapidly in species containing germ plasm. The results came about ... full story
Computer Rendering: Graduate Student Brings Extinct Plants 'Back to Life'
Apr. 11, 2014 — Most fossilized plants are fragments indistinguishable from a stick, but a graduate student hopes a new technique will allow paleontologists to more precisely identify these fossils. A graduate ... full story
Climate Paradox Deciphered from the Miocene Era
Apr. 11, 2014 — A supposed climate paradox from the Miocene era has been deciphered by means of complex model simulations. When the Antarctic ice sheet grew to its present-day size around 14 million years ago, it ... full story
Rare Fossilized Embryos More Than 500 Million Years Old Found
Apr. 10, 2014 — The Cambrian Period is a time when most phyla of marine invertebrates first appeared. Also dubbed the 'Cambrian explosion,' fossilized records from this time provide glimpses into evolutionary ... full story
Ancient 'Spider' Images Reveal Eye-Opening Secrets
Apr. 10, 2014 — Stunning images of a 305-million-year-old harvestman fossil reveal ancestors of the modern-day arachnids had two sets of eyes rather than one. The researchers say their findings add significant ... full story
Reef Fish Arrived in Two Waves, Before and After Mass Extinction 66 Million Years Ago
Apr. 10, 2014 — The world's reefs are hotbeds of biological diversity, including over 4,500 species of fish. A new study shows that the ancestors of these fish colonized reefs in two distinct waves, before and after ... full story
- Medieval Slave Trade Routes in Eastern Europe
- Faithful Allies Since the Cretaceous
- Ferns Borrowed Genes to Flourish in Low Light
- Neanderthals Never Met Cro-Magnons in Iberia?
- Does Germ Plasm Accelerate Evolution?
- Extinct Plants Rendered 'Back to Life'
- Climate Paradox Deciphered from Miocene Era
- Fossilized Embryos 500 Million Years Old Found
- Ancient Spider Images: Eye-Opening Secrets
- Waves of Reef Fish, Before and After Extinction
Using Video Surveillance to Measure Peoples' Hand Washing Habits
Apr. 16, 2014 — Use of video surveillance to better understand essential hygiene behavior has been pioneered by researchers. Still, despite years of global public awareness campaigns, hand washing rates remain low. ... full story
Mouse Model Would Have Predicted Toxicity of Drug That Killed 5 in 1993 Clinical Trial
Apr. 15, 2014 — Over 20 years after the fatal fialuridine trial, a new study demonstrates that mice with humanized livers recapitulate the drug's toxicity. The work suggests that this mouse model should be added to ... full story
Thyroid Disease Risk Varies Among Blacks, Asians, Whites
Apr. 15, 2014 — An analysis that included active military personnel finds that the rate of the thyroid disorder Graves disease is more common among blacks and Asian/Pacific Islanders compared with whites. The ... full story
Pre-Diabetes, Diabetes Nearly Double Over the Past Two Decades
Apr. 15, 2014 — Cases of diabetes and pre-diabetes in the United States have nearly doubled since 1988, suggests new research, with obesity apparently to blame for the surge. The researchers also found that the ... full story
Sensitive Detection Method May Help Impede Illicit Nuclear Trafficking
Apr. 15, 2014 — According to a new study, coupling commercially available spectral X-ray detectors with a specialized algorithm can improve the detection of uranium and plutonium in small, layered objects such as ... full story
European Climate at the 2 Degrees Celsius Global Warming Threshold
Apr. 15, 2014 — A global warming of 2 degrees Celsius relative to pre-industrial climate has been considered as a threshold which society should endeavor to remain below, in order to limit the dangerous effects of ... full story
Moth Study Suggests Hidden Climate Change Impacts
Apr. 15, 2014 — A 32-year study of subarctic forest moths in Finnish Lapland suggests that scientists may be underestimating the impacts of climate change on animals and plants because much of the harm is hidden ... full story
Brand/type of Helmet, Mouthguard May Not Significantly Reduce Risk of Sport-Related Concussion in High School Football Players
Apr. 14, 2014 — A sports medicine physician has concluded the the brand or type of helmet or mouthguard does not significantly reduce concussion risk among high school football players. While helmet brand or age did ... full story
Plugging an Ozone Hole: Extreme Antarctic Ozone Holes Have Not Been Replicated in Arctic
Apr. 14, 2014 — Since the discovery of the Antarctic ozone hole, scientists, policymakers, and the public have wondered whether we might someday see a similarly extreme depletion of ozone over the Arctic. But a new ... full story
Making Dams Safer for Fish Around the World
Apr. 14, 2014 — The pressure changes that many fish experience when they travel through the turbulent waters near a dam can seriously injure or kill the fish. Scientists from around the world, including areas like ... full story
- Video Surveillance of Hand Washing Habits
- Drug Killed 5 in 1993: Mice Would Have Predicted
- Thyroid Disease Risk Varies Across Races
- Pre-Diabetes, Diabetes Nearly Double in 20 Years
- Impeding Illicit Nuclear Trafficking
- European Climate at Global Warming Threshold
- Moth Study: Hidden Climate Change Impacts?
- Concussion the Same Despite Brand of Helmet?
- Plugging an Ozone Hole: Limits Helping
- Making Dams Safer for Fish Around the World
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
A Majority Prefers Letting Computers Decide
Mar. 19, 2014 — When individuals engage in risky business transactions with each other, they may end up being disappointed. This is why they'd rather leave the decision on how to divvy up jointly-owned monies to a ... full story
Quantum Physics Secures New Cryptography Scheme
Mar. 12, 2014 — The way we secure digital transactions could soon change. An international team has demonstrated a form of quantum cryptography that can protect people doing business with others they may not know or ... full story
- 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
- A Majority Prefers Letting Computers Decide
- Quantum Physics Secures New Cryptography Scheme
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
Life Lessons: Children Learn Aggressive Ways of Thinking and Behaving from Violent Video Games, Study Finds
Mar. 24, 2014 — Children who repeatedly play violent video games are learning thought patterns that will stick with them and influence behaviors as they grow older, according to a new study. The effect is the same ... full story
Preterm Children at Increased Risk of Having Math Problems
Mar. 21, 2014 — Preterm children are at an increased risk of having general cognitive and mathematic problems, research has concluded. "Teachers should be aware of these children's problems and need to work on ways ... full story
Genes Play Key Role in Parenting: Children Also Shape Parents' Behavior
Mar. 20, 2014 — Scientists have presented the most conclusive evidence yet that genes play a significant role in parenting. The study sheds light on another misconception: that parenting is solely a top-down process ... full story
- 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
- Kids Learn Violence from Video Games: Study
- Preterm Kids at Risk of Future Math Problems
- Genes Play Key Role in Parenting
