Today's Science News
Thursday, April 24, 2014
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from universities, journals, and other organizations
Astronomical Forensics Uncover Planetary Disks in NASA's Hubble Archive
Apr. 24, 2014 — Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have applied a new image processing technique to obtain near-infrared scattered light photos of five disks observed around young stars in the ... full story
Male or Female? First Sex-Determining Genes Appeared in Mammals Some 180 Million Years Ago
Apr. 23, 2014 — The Y chromosome, which distinguishes males from females at the genetic level, appeared some 180 million years ago. It originated twice independently in all mammals. Scientists have managed to date ... full story
Brain Circuits Involved in Emotion Discovered by Neuroscientists
Apr. 22, 2014 — A brain pathway that underlies the emotional behaviors critical for survival have been discovered by neuroscientists. The team has identified a chain of neural connections which links central ... full story
Hearing Quality Restored With Bionic Ear Technology Used for Gene Therapy: Re-Growing Auditory Nerves
Apr. 23, 2014 — Researchers have for the first time used electrical pulses delivered from a cochlear implant to deliver gene therapy, thereby successfully regrowing auditory nerves. The research also heralds a ... full story
Scientists Identify Source of Mysterious Sound in the Southern Ocean
Apr. 23, 2014 — Scientists have conclusive evidence that the source of a unique rhythmic sound, recorded for decades in the Southern Ocean and called the 'bio-duck,' is the Antarctic minke whale ... full story
New Shape Discovered Using Rubber Bands
Apr. 23, 2014 — While setting out to fabricate new springs to support a cephalopod-inspired imaging project, a group of researchers stumbled upon a surprising discovery: the hemihelix, a shape rarely seen in nature. ... full story
Your T-Shirt's Ringing: Printable Tiny Flexible Cell Phones for Clothes?
Apr. 24, 2014 — A new version of 'spaser' technology being investigated could mean that mobile phones become so small, efficient, and flexible they could be printed on clothing. A spaser is effectively a ... full story
Microbes Provide Insights Into Evolution of Human Language
Apr. 23, 2014 — Research into Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria common in water and soil, shows that they can communicate in a way that was previously thought to be unique to humans and perhaps some other ... full story
Drought May Take Toll on Congo Rainforest, NASA Satellites Show
Apr. 23, 2014 — A new analysis of NASA satellite data shows Africa's Congo rainforest, the second-largest tropical rainforest in the world, has undergone a large-scale decline in greenness over the past decade. ... full story
Rural Microbes Could Boost City Dwellers' Health, Study Finds
Apr. 23, 2014 — The greater prevalence of asthma, allergies and other chronic inflammatory disorders among people of lower socioeconomic status might be due in part to their reduced exposure to the microbes that ... full story
Superconducting Qubit Array Points the Way to Quantum Computers
Apr. 23, 2014 — A fully functional quantum computer is one of the holy grails of physics. Physicists have moved one step closer to making a quantum computer a reality by demonstrating a new level of reliability in a ... full story
Cow Manure Harbors Diverse New Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Apr. 22, 2014 — Manure from dairy cows, which is commonly used as a farm soil fertilizer, contains a surprising number of newly identified antibiotic resistance genes from the cows' gut bacteria. The findings ... full story
New Electric Fish Genus, Species Discovered in Brazil's Rio Negro
Apr. 22, 2014 — Discovery of a new species of electric knife fish in the Amazon Basin in Brazil is leading to a new interpretation of classifications and interrelationships among closely related groups. As the ... full story
Liquid Spacetime: What If Spacetime Were a Kind of Fluid?
Apr. 23, 2014 — What if spacetime were a kind of fluid? This is the question tackled by theoretical physicists working on quantum gravity by creating models attempting to reconcile gravity and quantum mechanics. ... full story
Political Ravens? Ravens Notice the Relationships Among Others, Study Shows
Apr. 23, 2014 — Cognitive biologists have revealed that ravens do understand and keep track of the rank relations between other ravens. Such an ability has been known only from primates. Like many social mammals, ... full story
- Astronomical Forensics Uncover Planetary Disks
- Y Chromosome Appeared 180 Million Years Ago
- Brain Circuits Involved in Emotion Discovered
- Hearing Quality Restored With Bionic Ear Tech
- Solved: Mysterious Sound in the Southern Ocean
- New Shape Discovered Using Rubber Bands
- Tiny Flexible Cell Phones to Print On Clothes?
- Microbes and Evolution of Human Language
- Drought May Take Toll On Congo Rainforest
- Rural Microbes Boost City Dwellers' Health?
- Quantum Computers: Superconducting Qubit Array
- Cow Manure: Diverse New Antibiotic Resistance
- New Electric Fish Species Discovered in Brazil
- What If Spacetime Were a Kind of Fluid?
- Ravens Notice Relations Among Others: Study
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last updated on 2014-04-24 at 2:23 pm EDT
Scientists Build New 'Off Switch' to Shut Down Neural Activity
Apr. 24, 2014 — Scientists have used an analysis of channelrhodopsin’s molecular structure to guide a series of genetic mutations to the ion channel that grant the power to silence neurons with an unprecedented ... full story
Why Does Breast Cancer Often Spread to the Lung? Experts Explain
Apr. 24, 2014 — New research shows why breast cancer often spreads or metastasizes to the lung. The breast cancer stem cell (CSC) has been shown to be responsible for metastasis in animal models, particularly to the ... full story
Oxygen Diminishes Heart's Ability to Regenerate, Researchers Discover
Apr. 24, 2014 — Scientific research previously discovered that the newborn animal heart can heal itself completely, whereas the adult heart lacks this ability. New research by the same team today has revealed why ... full story
Paying Closer Attention to Attention
Apr. 24, 2014 — There may be an overreporting of attention problems in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), simply because parents and teachers are using a misplaced basis for comparison. They are ... full story
Leaders Call for Expanded Use of Medications to Combat Opioid Overdose Epidemic
Apr. 24, 2014 — A national response to the epidemic of prescription opioid overdose deaths was outlined by leaders of agencies in the US Department of Health and Human Services. The commentary calls upon health care ... full story
Bake Your Own Droplet Lens: Cheap, High-Quality Lenses Made from Droplets of Transparent Silicone
Apr. 24, 2014 — Researchers have created a new type of lens that costs less than a penny to make, and can be used in a 3-D printed attachment that turns a Smartphone into a dermascope, a tool to diagnose skin ... full story
New Ultrasound Device May Add in Detecting Risk for Heart Attack, Stroke
Apr. 24, 2014 — A new ultrasound device that could help identify arterial plaque that is at high risk of breaking off and causing heart attack or stroke has been developed by researchers. The prototype device has ... full story
Boring Cells Could Hold the Key to Heart Disease
Apr. 24, 2014 — Fibroblasts, cells long thought to be boring and irrelevant, could offer an alternative to heart transplants for patients with heart disease. "Heart disease is still one of the major killers in our ... full story
Motor Skill Deficiencies Linked to Autism Severity, Reseearch Says
Apr. 24, 2014 — A relationship between motor skill deficiencies and the severity of the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder has been found in very young children. The findings indicate that development of motor ... full story
Virtual Artificial Heart Implantation: Advances Made by Scientists
Apr. 24, 2014 — The first virtual implantation of a pioneering artificial heart has been performed. The artificial heart was implanted into an undersized adolescent, and supported the boy for 11 days before he ... full story
- 'Off Switch' Built to Shut Down Neural Activity
- Why Does Breast Cancer Often Spread to Lung?
- Oxygen Diminishes Heart's Ability to Regenerate
- Paying Closer Attention to Attention
- Fighting Opioid Overdose Epidemic: Expert Opinion
- Bake Your Own Droplet Lens
- New Device Improves Detection of Heart Attack?
- Boring Cells Could Hold Key to Heart Disease
- Motor Skill Deficiency Linked to Autism Severity
- Virtual Artificial Heart Implantation: Advances
Fruitfly Study Identifies Brain Circuit That Drives Daily Cycles of Rest, Activity
Apr. 24, 2014 — Researchers describe a circuit in the brain of fruit flies that controls their daily, rhythmic behavior of rest and activity. They also found that the fly version of the human brain protein known as ... full story
Take Notes by Hand for Better Long-Term Comprehension
Apr. 24, 2014 — Dust off those Bic ballpoints and college-ruled notebooks: research shows that taking notes by hand is better than taking notes on a laptop for remembering conceptual information over the long term. ... full story
Luck Affects How We Judge Reckless Actions
Apr. 23, 2014 — A person, who acts immorally or recklessly but is “lucky” by escaping dire consequences, is judged less harshly than an “unlucky” person, even when both have committed the same act. "Moral ... full story
Innovation Improves Drowsy Driver Detection
Apr. 23, 2014 — A new way to detect when drivers are about to nod off behind the wheel has been developed. "Video-based systems that use cameras to detect when a car is drifting out of its lane are cumbersome and ... full story
Finding Safe Drugs to Treat Neurodegenerative Diseases
Apr. 23, 2014 — 'Mutant' protein clusters, long blamed for the progression of Huntington's and other neurodegenerative diseases, have been the primary focus of therapies in development by pharmaceutical companies. ... full story
Novel Compound Halts Cocaine Addiction, Relapse Behaviors
Apr. 23, 2014 — A novel compound that targets an important brain receptor has a dramatic effect against a host of cocaine addiction behaviors, including relapse behavior, an animal study has found. The research ... full story
Some Astronauts at Risk for Cognitive Impairment, Animal Studies Suggest
Apr. 23, 2014 — Rats exposed to high-energy particles, simulating conditions astronauts would face on a long-term deep space mission, show lapses in attention and slower reaction times, even when the radiation ... full story
Airport Security-Style Technology Could Help Doctors Decide on Stroke Treatment
Apr. 23, 2014 — A new computer program could help doctors predict which patients might suffer potentially fatal side-effects from a key stroke treatment. The program assesses brain scans using pattern recognition ... full story
Legalizing Medical Marijuana Doesn't Increase Use Among Adolescents, Study Says
Apr. 23, 2014 — Parents and physicians concerned about an increase in adolescents' marijuana use following the legalization of medical marijuana can breathe a sigh of relief. According to a new study that compared ... full story
Physical Activity Keeps Hippocampus Healthy in People at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease
Apr. 23, 2014 — Moderate physical activity may preserve the hippocampus -- the brain region responsible for memory and spatial orientation that is attacked first in Alzheimer's disease, a study of older adults at ... full story
- Brain Circuit for Circadian Rhythm Identified
- Hand-Written Notes Better for Comprehension
- Luck Affects How We Judge Reckless Actions
- Innovation Improves Drowsy Driver Detection
- Safe Drugs for Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Halting Cocaine Addiction, Relapse Behaviors
- Astronauts: Risk for Cognitive Impairment?
- Airport Tech Could Inform Stroke Treatment
- Medical Marijuana Doesn't Spur Teen Use: Study
- Physical Activity Keeps Hippocampus Healthy
'Tis the Season: Be on the Lookout for Brown Recluse Spiders
Apr. 24, 2014 — Warmer, spring weather has many of us getting out and becoming more active, and the brown recluse spider is no exception. Scientists shared 10 facts about the somewhat small, shy ... full story
Genetics Explain Why Some Kids Are Bigger Than Others
Apr. 23, 2014 — The influence of genetic factors on differences between children's Body Mass Index increases from 43 percent at age four to 82 percent at age 10, reports a new study. The researchers studied 2,556 ... full story
Vitamin D Supplements Have Little Effect on Risk of Falls in Older People
Apr. 23, 2014 — A new meta-analysis concludes that there is no evidence to suggest that vitamin D supplements prevent falls, and that ongoing trials to test this theory are unlikely to change this result. Falls can ... full story
Pollutants from Coal-Burning Stoves Strongly Associated With Miscarriages in Mongolia
Apr. 23, 2014 — Burning coal for domestic heating may contribute to early fetal death according to a new study that took place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia -- the coldest capital city in the world. Researchers report ... full story
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Contribute to U.S. Obesity Epidemic, Particularly Among Children
Apr. 23, 2014 — In response to the ongoing policy discussions on the role of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) on weight and health, The Obesity Society (TOS) concludes that SSBs contribute to the United States’ ... full story
In Lab Tests, the Antimicrobial Ingredient Triclosan Spurs Growth of Breast Cancer Cells
Apr. 23, 2014 — Some manufacturers are turning away from using triclosan as an antimicrobial ingredient in soaps, toothpastes and other products over health concerns. And now scientists are reporting new evidence ... full story
High-Calorie, Low-Nutrient Foods in Kids' TV Programs
Apr. 23, 2014 — Fruits and vegetables are often displayed in the popular Swedish children’s TV show Bolibompa, but there are also plenty of high-sugar foods. A new study explores how food is portrayed in ... full story
ADHD Drug May Help Preserve Self-Control Resources
Apr. 23, 2014 — Methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin, may prevent the depletion of self-control, according to research. Self-control can be difficult -- sticking with a diet or trying to focus attention on a ... full story
Picture Books Aren't Just Fun: Children Learn Sophisticated Animal Facts When Parent Read Them
Apr. 23, 2014 — Children hear as much sophisticated information about animals when parents read picture book stories about animals as when they read flashcard-type animal vocabulary books, according to a new study. ... full story
Researchers Compare Hip Width and Sexual Behavior
Apr. 23, 2014 — Hip width and risk of birth-related trauma may play a role in a woman's decision to have sex. Women who were more inclined to have one-night stands had wider hips, reveals a study into how a woman's ... full story
- Brown Recluse Spiders More Active in Spring
- Why Are Some Kids Bigger Than Others? Genetics
- Vitamin D Supplements Don't Prevent Elderly Falls
- Coal-Burning Pollutants Linked to Miscarriages
- Sugary Drinks and Childhood Obesity
- Triclosan Spurs Growth of Breast Cancer Cells
- High-Calorie, Low-Nutrient Foods in Kids' TV
- ADHD Drug May Help Preserve Self-Control
- Picture Books Teach Sophisticated Information
- Hip Width and Sexual Behavior Compared
'Double-Duty' Electrolyte Enables New Chemistry for Longer-Lived Batteries
Apr. 24, 2014 — Researchers have developed a new and unconventional battery chemistry aimed at producing batteries that last longer than previously thought possible. Researchers have challenged a long-held ... full story
A Step Up for NASA’s Robonaut: Ready for Climbing Legs
Apr. 24, 2014 — Getting your "space legs" in Earth orbit has taken on new meaning for NASA's pioneering Robonaut program. Thanks to a successful launch of the SpaceX-3 flight of the Falcon 9/Dragon capsule on ... full story
How Do Liquid Foams Completely Block Sound?
Apr. 24, 2014 — Liquid foams have a remarkable property: they completely block the transmission of sound over a wide range of frequencies. Physicists have studied how sound is attenuated in liquid foams. Their ... full story
Asteroids Made Easy: 'Patch of Asteroid' Being Built Inside a Satellite
Apr. 24, 2014 — A dozen astronauts have walked on the moon, and several rovers have been piloted on Mars, giving us a good understanding of these off-world environments. But when it comes to asteroids, scientists ... full story
It's a Bubble, but Not as We Know It
Apr. 23, 2014 — Multi-sensory technology that creates soap bubbles, which can have images projected onto them or when the bubbles are burst release a scent, is being unveiled at an international conference. The ... full story
Mapping the Road to Quantum Gravity
Apr. 23, 2014 — The road uniting quantum field theory and general relativity -- the two great theories of modern physics -- has been impassable for 80 years. Could a tool from condensed matter physics finally help ... full story
Atomic Switcheroo Explains Origins of Thin-Film Solar Cell Mystery
Apr. 23, 2014 — Treating cadmium-telluride (CdTe) solar cell materials with cadmium-chloride improves their efficiency, but researchers have not fully understood ... full story
Halving Hydrogen: First View of Nature-Inspired Catalyst After Ripping Hydrogen Apart Provides Insights for Better Fuel Cells
Apr. 23, 2014 — A fuel cell catalyst that converts hydrogen into electricity must tear open a hydrogen molecule. Now researchers have captured a view of such a catalyst holding onto the two halves of its hydrogen ... full story
Gold Nanoparticles Help Target, Quantify Breast Cancer Segments in a Living Cell
Apr. 23, 2014 — A way to detect and measure cancer levels in a living cell by using tiny gold particles with tails of synthetic DNA has been developed by scientists. The process uses gold nanoparticles to target and ... full story
Odds of Storm Waters Overflowing Manhattan Seawall Up 20-Fold
Apr. 23, 2014 — Maximum water levels in New York harbor during major storms have risen by nearly two and a half feet since the mid-1800s, making the chances of water overtopping the Manhattan seawall now at least 20 ... full story
- New Chemistry for Longer-Lived Batteries
- NASA’s Robonaut: Ready for Climbing Legs
- How Do Liquid Foams Block Sound?
- 'Patch of Asteroid' Being Built Inside Satellite
- It's a Bubble, but Not as We Know It
- Mapping the Road to Quantum Gravity
- Thin-Film Solar Cell Mystery Solved
- Halving Hydrogen: Nature-Inspired Catalyst
- Gold Nanoparticles Help Breast Cancer Treatment
- Manhattan Seawall at Risk During Storms
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
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
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
- For an Immune Cell, Microgravity Mimics Aging
- Big Bulges: How Black Holes Shape Galaxies
- 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
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
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
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
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 people ... 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
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
- New Mammalian Clock Gene Identified
- Nanoreporters Tell 'Sour' Oil from 'Sweet'
- Software ID's Mutations in Undiagnosed Illnesses
- Speed-Reading Apps Hurt Reading Comprehension?
- We Pay More Attention to Upper Half of Vision
- iPad Users Explore Data With Their Fingers
- Progress Made in Developing Nanoscale Electronics
- Computer-Assisted Accelerator Design
- Speeding Up Estimates of Gene Expression
- Tracking Flu Levels With Wikipedia
Carbon Loss from Soil Accelerating Climate Change
Apr. 24, 2014 — New research has found that increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere cause soil microbes to produce more carbon dioxide, accelerating climate change. This research challenges our previous ... full story
Oldest Pterodactyloid Species Discovered: Primitive Pterodactyloid Flew Above Earth 163 Million Years Ago
Apr. 24, 2014 — Scientists have discovered and named the earliest and most primitive pterodactyloid —- a group of flying reptiles that would go on to become the largest known flying creatures to have ever existed ... full story
How a Plant Beckons Bacteria That Will Do It Harm
Apr. 24, 2014 — A common plant puts out a welcome mat to bacteria seeking to invade, and scientists have discovered the mat’s molecular mix. The team showed that the humble and oft-studied plant Arabidopsis puts ... full story
Two New River Turtle Species Described
Apr. 24, 2014 — The alligator snapping turtle is the largest river turtle in North America, weighing in at up to 200 pounds and living almost a century. Now researchers have discovered that it is not one species -- ... full story
Stem Cells in Circulating Blood Affect Cardiovascular Health
Apr. 23, 2014 — New research suggests that attempts to isolate an elusive adult stem cell from blood to understand and potentially improve cardiovascular health -- a task considered possible but very difficult -- ... full story
Picky Male Black Widow Spiders Prefer Well-Fed Virgins
Apr. 23, 2014 — New research shows that male black widow spiders prefer their female mates to be well-fed virgins -- a rare example of mate preference by male spiders. The study found they can tell whether a ... full story
Enzymes That Help Fix Cancer-Causing DNA Defects Disovered
Apr. 23, 2014 — An important enzyme pathway that helps prevent new cells from receiving too many or too few chromosomes, a condition that has been directly linked to cancer and other diseases, has been discovered by ... full story
From Liability to Viability: Genes on the Y Chromosome Prove Essential for Male Survival
Apr. 23, 2014 — The human Y chromosome has, over the course of millions of years of evolution, preserved a small set of genes that has ensured not only its own survival but also the survival of men. Moreover, the ... full story
How Australia's Outback Got One Million Feral Camels: Camels Culled on Large Scale
Apr. 23, 2014 — A new study has shed light on how an estimated one million-strong population of wild camels thriving in Australia's remote outback have become reviled as pests and culled on a large ... full story
Cell Division Speed Influences Gene Architecture
Apr. 23, 2014 — Speed-reading is a technique used to read quickly. It involves visual searching for clues to meaning and skipping non-essential words and/or sentences. Similarly in humans, biological systems are ... full story
- Carbon Loss from Soil Accelerating Climate Change
- Oldest Pterodactyloid Species Discovered
- How Plants Beckon Harmful Bacteria
- Two New River Turtle Species Described
- Circulating Stem Cells Affect Heart Health
- Picky Black Widow Spiders Like Well-Fed Virgins
- Enzymes to Help Fix Cancer-Causing DNA Defects
- Genes On Y Chromosome: Male Survival
- Culling Feral Camels in Australia's Outback
- Cell Division Speed Influences Gene Architecture
Increased Infrastructure Required for Effective Oil Spill Response in U.S. Arctic
Apr. 23, 2014 — A changing climate is increasing the accessibility of U.S. Arctic waters to commercial activities such as shipping, oil and gas development, and tourism, raising concern about the risk of oil spills. ... full story
Predicting Drift of Floating Pumice 'Islands' Can Benefit Shipping
Apr. 23, 2014 — A new technique will aid in predicting the dispersal and drift patterns of large floating ‘islands’ of pumice created by volcanic eruptions at sea. Known as pumice rafts, these large mobile ... full story
How to Avoid Water Wars Between 'Fracking' Industry and Residents
Apr. 23, 2014 — The shale gas boom has transformed the energy landscape in the U.S., but in some drier locations, it could cause conflict among the energy industry, residents and agricultural interests over ... full story
New Discovery Helps Solve Mystery Source of African Lava
Apr. 23, 2014 — Floods of molten lava may sound like the stuff of apocalyptic theorists, but history is littered with evidence of such past events where vast lava outpourings originating deep in the Earth accompany ... full story
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
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
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 logic ... full story
UV-Radiation Data to Help Ecological Research
Apr. 22, 2014 — Existing data on global UV-B radiation has been processed by researchers in such a way that they can use them to find answers to many ecological questions. According to a new paper, this data set ... full story
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
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 way to ... full story
- Artic Oil Spill Response Needs Infrastructure
- Predicting Drift of Floating Pumice 'Islands'
- Water Wars: Fracking Industry Versus Residents
- Solved: Mystery Source of African Lava
- Is Wildlife Response to Climate Underestimated?
- New Mobile Phone Masts to Cut Carbon Emissions
- Cloaked DNA Nanodevices Survive Pilot Mission
- UV-Radiation Data to Help Ecological Research
- Higher Solar-Cell Efficiency With Zinc-Oxide
- Today's Antarctica Once as Hot as California
The Blood Preserved in the Preserved Relic Pumpkin Did Not Belong to Louis XVI
Apr. 24, 2014 — The results of an international study indicate that the DNA recovered from the inside of a pumpkin, attributed so far to the French King Louis XVI, does not actually belong to the monarch, ... full story
Cougars’ Diverse Diet Helped Them Survive the Mass Extinction That Wiped out the Saber-Tooth Cat, American Lion
Apr. 22, 2014 — Cougars may have survived the mass extinction that took place about 12,000 years ago because they were not particular about what they ate, unlike their more finicky cousins the saber-tooth cat and ... full story
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
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
First Eurasians Left Africa Up to 130,000 Years Ago
Apr. 21, 2014 — Scientists have shown that anatomically modern humans spread from Africa to Asia and Europe in several migratory movements. The first ancestors of today’s non-African peoples probably took a ... full story
Plague in Your Family: Family Tree of Black Death Bacterium Explored
Apr. 21, 2014 — The first view of the Black Death bacterium's entire family tree shows some how family members evolve to become harmful. The researchers showed that Yersinia pestis and Yersinia enterocolitica, two ... full story
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
- Relic Pumpkin Did Not Belong to Louis XVI
- Cougars' Diet Helped Them Avoid Extinction
- Scientists Sequence Rainbow Trout Genome
- What Gave Modern Humans Edge Over Neanderthals?
- Eurasians Left Africa Up to 130,000 Years Ago
- Family Tree of Black Death Bacterium Explored
- 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
Inverse Effects of Midlife Occupational, Leisure Time Physical Activity on Mobility Limitation in Old Age
Apr. 23, 2014 — Strenuous occupational physical activity in midlife increases the risk of mobility limitation in old age, whereas leisure-time physical activity decreases the risk. This is found in a study that ... full story
More Than Two-Thirds of Americans Support Mandated Coverage of Birth Control in Health Plans
Apr. 22, 2014 — Nearly 7 in 10 Americans support mandated coverage of birth control medications, according to a new American national survey. Women, blacks, Hispanics, parents with children under the age of 18 at ... 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
Regulating Legal Marijuana Could Be Guided by Lessons from Alcohol, Tobacco, Study Says
Apr. 21, 2014 — Recent ballot initiatives that legalized marijuana in Colorado and Washington for recreational uses are unprecedented. A new study outlines how regulations on alcohol and tobacco may provide guidance ... full story
Mental Illness Not Usually Linked to Crime, Research Finds
Apr. 21, 2014 — In a study of crimes committed by people with serious mental disorders, only 7.5 percent were directly related to symptoms of mental illness, according to new research. Researchers analyzed 429 ... full story
People Selectively Remember Details of Atrocities That Absolve in-Group Members
Apr. 21, 2014 — Conversations about wartime atrocities often omit certain details. According to research, these omissions can lead people to have different memories for the event depending on social group ... full story
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
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
Counterfeit Contraceptives Found in South America
Apr. 18, 2014 — A survey of emergency contraceptive pills in Peru found that 28 percent of the batches studied were either of substandard quality or falsified. Many pills released the active ingredient too slowly. ... full story
Future Heat Waves Pose Risk for Population of Greater London
Apr. 18, 2014 — The effects of future heat waves on people living in Greater London in 2050 has been modeled in a study, which concludes that the risk of heat-related deaths could be significantly reduced if ... full story
- Midlife Physical Activity Affects Old Age Health
- Support for Health Plan Birth Control Coverage
- LEDs Get Seal of Approval: Safe for Skin
- Legalizing Pot: Lessons from Alcohol, Tobacco?
- Mental Illness Not Usually Linked to Crime: Study
- Social Group Can Affect Memory of Atrocities
- Codeine Prescribed to Kids, Despite Alternatives
- Biofuels from Corn Residue? Maybe Not
- Counterfeit Contraceptives in South America
- Future Heat Waves: Risk for Greater London
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
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
- Latest Tech Toy Can Make You Seem Like a Leader
- 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
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
