Today's Science News
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
Long-Necked 'Dragon' Discovered in China: Dinosaur's Lightweight Neck Spanned Half the Length of Its Body
Jan. 28, 2015 — Paleontologists have discovered a new species of a long-necked dinosaur from a skeleton found in China. The new species belongs to a group of dinosaurs called mamenchisaurids, known for their ... full story
Some Potentially Habitable Planets Began as Gaseous, Neptune-Like Worlds
Jan. 28, 2015 — Two phenomena known to inhibit the potential habitability of planets -- tidal forces and vigorous stellar activity -- might instead help chances for life on certain planets orbiting low-mass stars, ... full story
Anthropology: Ancient Skull from Galilee Cave Offers Clues to the First Modern Europeans
Jan. 28, 2015 — The discovery of a 55,000-year-old partial skull in Northern Israel provides new insights into the migration of modern humans out of Africa. A key event in human evolution was the expansion of modern ... full story
Did Genetic Links to Modern Maladies Provide Ancient Benefits?
Jan. 28, 2015 — Genetic variations associated with some modern maladies are extremely old, scientists have discovered, predating the evolution of Neanderthals, Denisovans (another ancient hominin) and contemporary ... full story
The Origin of Life: Labyrinths as Crucibles of Life
Jan. 27, 2015 — Water-filled micropores in hot rock may have acted as the nurseries in which life on Earth began. A team has now shown that temperature gradients in pore systems promote the cyclical replication and ... full story
Gully Patterns Document Martian Climate Cycles
Jan. 28, 2015 — Gullies carved into impact craters on Mars provide a window into climate change on the Red Planet. A new analysis suggests Mars has undergone several ice ages in the last several million years. The ... full story
Smothered Oceans: Extreme Oxygen Loss in Oceans Accompanied Past Global Climate Change
Jan. 28, 2015 — From the subarctic Pacific to the Chilean margins, extreme oxygen loss is stretching from the upper ocean to about 3,000 meters deep. In some oceanic regions, such loss occurred within 100 years or ... full story
Molecular Alterations in Head and Neck Cancers Uncovered by Study
Jan. 28, 2015 — A new study shows genomic differences in head and neck cancers caused by infection with the human papillomavirus. In addition, researchers have uncovered new smoking-related cancer subtypes and ... full story
Quantum Computer as Detector Shows Space Is Not Squeezed
Jan. 28, 2015 — Ever since Einstein proposed his special theory of relativity in 1905, physics and cosmology have been based on the assumption that space looks the same in all directions -- that it's not ... full story
Missing Link in Metal Physics Explains Earth's Magnetic Field
Jan. 28, 2015 — Earth's magnetic field shields the life on our planet's surface from cosmic rays. It is generated by turbulent motions of liquid iron in Earth's core. Iron is a metal, which means it ... full story
Earlier Menopause Linked to Everyday Chemical Exposures
Jan. 28, 2015 — Women whose bodies have high levels of chemicals found in plastics, personal-care products, common household items and the environment experience menopause two to four years earlier than women with ... full story
The Two Faces of Mars: Moon-Sized Celestial Object Crashed Into South Pole
Jan. 28, 2015 — The two hemispheres of Mars are more different from any other planet in our solar system. Non-volcanic, flat lowlands characterize the northern hemisphere, while highlands punctuated by countless ... full story
Researchers Use Sound to Slow Down, Speed Up, and Block Light
Jan. 28, 2015 — How do you make an optical fiber transmit light only one way? Researchers have experimentally demonstrated, for the first time, the phenomenon of Brillouin Scattering Induced Transparency (BSIT), ... full story
Blind Beetles Show Extraordinary Signs of Sight
Jan. 28, 2015 — Researchers have made a surprising discovery in the aquifers beneath the Western Australian desert, which challenges the traditional Darwinian view of evolution. They have discovered that a species ... full story
Intracranial Stimulation Proved Efficient in the Recovery of Learning and Memory in Rats
Jan. 27, 2015 — Stimulation of the hypothalamus completely reverses learning and memory deficits caused by brain lesions in rats, according to a first time discovery. The research has also served to study the ... full story
- Long-Necked 'Dragon' Discovered in China
- Some Habitable Planets Began as Gaseous Worlds
- Ancient Skull from Galilee: Migration Clues
- Genetics and Modern Maladies: Ancient Benefits?
- Origin of Life: Labyrinths as Crucibles of Life
- Gully Patterns Document Martian Climate Cycles
- Smothered Oceans: Extreme Oxygen Loss Found
- Molecular Alterations in Head and Neck Cancers
- Quantum Discovery: Space Is Not Squeezed
- Earth's Magnetic Field Now Explained
- Earlier Menopause Linked to Chemical Exposures
- Mars: Moon-Sized Object Crashed Into South Pole
- Sound Used to Slow Down, Speed Up, Block Light
- Blind Beetles Show Extraordinary Signs of Sight
- Intracranial Stimulation for Recovery of Memory
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last updated on 2015-01-29 at 11:23 am EST
Why Upper Motor Neurons Degenerate in ALS
Jan. 28, 2015 — Scientists have revealed a mechanism underlying the cellular degeneration of the upper motor neurons that die in ALS, and developed a model system that will allow further research on the ... full story
Damaged DNA May Stall Patrolling Molecule to Initiate Repair
Jan. 28, 2015 — Sites where DNA is damaged may cause a molecule that slides along the DNA strand to scan for damage to slow on its patrol, delaying it long enough to recognize and initiate repair. These finding ... full story
Protein Pathway Involved in Nicotine-Induced Lung Cancer Metastasis Found
Jan. 28, 2015 — Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, and it is estimated that more than 159,000 people in the United States died from the disease last year. Most of these deaths were because the cancer had ... full story
What's Happening With Your Donated Specimen?
Jan. 28, 2015 — When donating blood, plasma, human tissue or any other bodily sample for medical research, most people might not think about how it's being used. But if you were told, would you care? A new study ... full story
New Model for Preserving Donor Tissue Will Allow More Natural Joint Repair for Patients
Jan. 28, 2015 — Currently, doctors have to throw away more than 80 percent of donated tissue used for joint replacements because the tissue does not survive long enough to be transplanted. Now, researchers have ... full story
New Protein Detonates 'Invincible' Bacteria from Within
Jan. 28, 2015 — The epidemic of 'superbugs,' bacteria resistant to antibiotics, knows no borders -- presenting a clear and present danger around the globe. Now a groundbreaking discovery may strengthen efforts by ... full story
Eyeglasses That Turn Into Sunglasses -- At Your Command
Jan. 28, 2015 — Imagine eyeglasses that can go quickly from clear to shaded and back again when you want them to, rather than passively in response to changes in light. Scientists report a major step toward that ... full story
Beer Compound Could Help Fend Off Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases
Jan. 28, 2015 — The health-promoting perks of wine have attracted the spotlight recently, leaving beer in the shadows. But scientists are discovering new ways in which the latter could be a more healthful beverage ... full story
Novel Compound Switches Off Epilepsy Development
Jan. 28, 2015 — A novel compound helps curtail the onset and progression of temporal lobe epilepsy, researchers have discovered. The finding may contribute to the development of anti-epileptic therapies, they ... full story
New Biological Evidence Reveals Link Between Brain Inflammation and Major Depression
Jan. 28, 2015 — The measure of brain inflammation in people who were experiencing clinical depression was increased by 30 per cent, researchers have discovered. These findings have important implications for ... full story
- Why Upper Motor Neurons Degenerate in ALS
- Damaged DNA May Stall Repair Initiation
- Nicotine-Induced Lung Cancer Metastasis: Pathway
- What's Happening With Your Donated Specimen?
- Preservation Method for Donor Tissue Developed
- New Protein Detonates 'Invincible' Bacteria
- Eyeglasses That Turn Into Sunglasses, On Command
- Beer Compound Could Help Fend Off Alzheimer's
- Novel Compound Switches Off Epilepsy Development
- Brain Inflammation, Depression: Link Confirmed
Can Synesthesia Be Taught? Colored Letters, Tasty Sounds?
Jan. 29, 2015 — Can synesthesia have cognitive benefits and can it be taught? There are over 60 known types of synesthesia, a condition in which stimulation of one sense, such as taste, leads to automatic, ... full story
Love and Intimacy in Later Life: Active Sex Lives Common in the Over 70s
Jan. 29, 2015 — Older people are continuing to enjoy active sex lives well into their seventies and eighties, according to new research. More than half (54%) of men and almost a third (31%) of women over the age of ... full story
Concentrating on Word Sounds Helps Reading Instruction and Intervention
Jan. 28, 2015 — A neuroimaging study by psychologist suggests that phonics shouldn't be overlooked in favor of a whole-language technique, a finding that could help improve treatment and diagnosis of common reading ... full story
Playing With Puzzles, Blocks May Build Children's Spatial Skills
Jan. 28, 2015 — Play may seem like fun and games, but new research shows that specific kinds of play are actually associated with development of particular cognitive skills. Data from an American nationally ... full story
Picture This: Technology Tightens Focus on Who's Watching Women
Jan. 28, 2015 — Findings of a new study point to emotional consequences for women who are objectified for their physical appearance. The author concludes that the findings reflect objectification theory that ... full story
Children Feel Most Positively About Mothers Who Respect Their Autonomy
Jan. 28, 2015 — Mothers who support their children's need for autonomy as the children grow tend to be viewed more positively by their children. The study included more than 2,000 mothers and their children. It ... full story
Seeing Selves as Overweight May Be Self-Fulfilling Prophecy for Some Teens
Jan. 28, 2015 — Teens who mistakenly perceive themselves as overweight are actually at greater risk of obesity as adults, according to research ... full story
Psychopathic Violent Offenders’ Brains Can’t Understand Punishment
Jan. 27, 2015 — Psychopathic violent offenders have abnormalities in the parts of the brain related to learning from punishment, according to an MRI ... full story
How Creative Are You? Depends Where You're from
Jan. 27, 2015 — With the 'creative class' on the rise, many businesses are trying to capitalize on imagination and innovation. But when it comes to creative juices, some societies have a faster flow than others. ... full story
That's Using Your Head: Brain Regulates Fat Metabolism, Potentially Stopping Disease
Jan. 27, 2015 — Atherosclerosis -- hardening and narrowing of the arteries -- can be caused by fat build up that causes plaque deposits, and is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease. Now a researcher has ... full story
- Can Synesthesia Be Taught?
- Love and Intimacy, Still Going On in 70s, 80s
- Learning to Read: Phonics Are Important
- Puzzles, Blocks Play May Build Spatial Skills
- Who's Watching Women? Technology Tightens Focus
- Kids Feel Best About Moms Who Respect Autonomy
- Seeing Selves as Overweight May Make It True
- Psychopath's Brains Don't Understand Punishment
- How Creative Are You? Depends Where You're from
- That's Using Your Head: Fat Metabolism Regulation
Hygiene Practices Affect Contact Lens Case Contamination
Jan. 28, 2015 — Contact lens wearers who don't follow certain hygiene habits have increased bacterial contamination of their contact lens cases, reports a new study. Washing hands with soap and water, allowing cases ... full story
Dutch Babies Trump US Peers in Laughing, Smiling, Cuddling
Jan. 28, 2015 — Dutch babies laugh, smile and like to cuddle more than their American counterparts. A new study examining temperamental differences between US and Dutch babies found infants born in the Netherlands ... full story
Sugary Drinks Linked to Earlier Onset of Menstrual Periods
Jan. 27, 2015 — Girls who frequently consume sugary drinks tend to start their menstrual periods earlier than girls who do not, according to new research. The findings are important not only because of the growing ... full story
Infant Failure to Thrive Linked to Lysosome Dysfunction
Jan. 27, 2015 — Neonatal intestinal disorders that prevent infants from getting the nutrients they need may be caused by defects in the lysosomal system -- or cell recycling center -- that occur before weaning. ... full story
Neuroscience Researchers Believe in Quitting Smoking Gradually
Jan. 27, 2015 — The immediate reaction in the brain after quitting smoking has been the focus of a recent study. At just 12 hours after kicking the habit, the oxygen uptake and blood flow in the brain decrease ... full story
Where You Can Find New Labels and Why It's Not All About the Numbers
Jan. 27, 2015 — A nutritionist explains a new regulation requiring calorie labeling at restaurants and why it's not just the numbers that put weight on your ... full story
Decisions on Future Childbearing in Women Diagnosed With a Meningioma
Jan. 27, 2015 — 43% of surveyed female meningioma survivors aged 25--44 yrs stated they were warned that pregnancy was a risk factor for meningioma recurrence. Nevertheless, these women were more likely to want a ... full story
Using Stem Cells to Grow New Hair
Jan. 27, 2015 — Researchers have used human pluripotent stem cells to generate new hair. The study represents the first step toward the development of a cell-based treatment for people with hair loss. In the United ... full story
Ads Effective Even in the Midst of Multitasking, Studies Find
Jan. 26, 2015 — Those video ads playing in the corner of your computer screen, in the midst of multitasking, may have more impact than you realize. They may be as effective as ads you're really watching, says one ... full story
Students Master Math Through Movement Using Kinect for Windows
Jan. 26, 2015 — Significant gains in the understanding of angles and angle measurements by elementary school students are seen in those who performed body-based tasks while interacting with a Kinect for Windows ... full story
- Contact Lens Case Contamination: Hygiene Methods
- Laughing, Smiling, Cuddles: Dutch Babies Trump US
- Sugary Drinks: Early Menstrual Period Onset
- Lysosome Dysfunction Linked to Failure to Thrive
- Is Quitting Smoking Gradually the Best Way?
- New Labels: Why It's Not All About the Numbers
- Meningioma and the Decision to Have Children
- Using Stem Cells to Grow New Hair
- Ads Effective Even While Multitasking
- Kinect: Students Master Math Through Movement
Vehicle Body Made from Cotton, Hemp, and Wood
Jan. 29, 2015 — Carbon and glass fibers reinforce synthetics so that they can be used for vehicle body construction. But in this regard, there is an abundance of potential found in natural fibers -- obtained from ... full story
Solar Chip Monitors Windows
Jan. 29, 2015 — A new kind of radio chip is intended to warn when windows are left open. This way, you can avoid having the heat go out the window on cold days. The sensor also detects break-in attempts early on. ... full story
Could a New Proposed Particle Help to Detect Dark Matter?
Jan. 29, 2015 — Researchers have proposed a new fundamental particle which could explain why no one has managed to detect 'Dark Matter', the elusive missing 85 per cent of the Universe's mass. Dark Matter is thought ... full story
Researchers Produce Two Bio-Fuels from a Single Algae
Jan. 28, 2015 — A common algae commercially grown to make fish food holds promise as a source for both biodiesel and jet fuel, according to a new ... full story
To Reassure Electric Car Buyers, Combine Battery Leasing With Better Charging
Jan. 28, 2015 — A proper choice of business model plays a critical role in electric vehicle industry where many consumers are subject to range and resale anxieties. In particular, a combination of owning or leasing ... full story
Holes in Valence Bands of Nanodiamonds Discovered: Potential Catalysts for Splitting Water
Jan. 28, 2015 — Nanodiamonds are tiny crystals only a few nanometers in size. While they possess the crystalline structure of diamonds, their properties diverge considerably from those of their big brothers, because ... full story
Demystifying Nanocrystal Solar Cells
Jan. 28, 2015 — Researchers have developed a comprehensive model to explain how electrons flow inside new types of solar cells made of tiny crystals. The model allows for a better understanding of such cells and may ... full story
Detecting Chemical Weapons Quickly With a Color-Changing Film
Jan. 28, 2015 — In today's world, in which the threat of terrorism looms, there is an urgent need for fast, reliable tools to detect the release of deadly chemical warfare agents (CWAs). Scientists are reporting new ... full story
A Robot to Help Improve Agriculture and Wine Production
Jan. 28, 2015 — Agricultural researchers and computer scientists are working on the development of an unmanned robot, equipped with non-invasive advanced sensors and artificial intelligence systems, which will help ... full story
New Instrument to Study the Extreme Universe -- The X-Ray Polarimeter X-Calibur
Jan. 28, 2015 — X-ray polarimetry promises to give qualitatively new information about high-energy astrophysical sources, such as black hole systems, the bright and active centers of galaxies, compact neutron stars, ... full story
- Vehicle Body Made from Cotton, Hemp, and Wood
- Solar Chip Monitors Windows
- Could New Proposed Particle Detect Dark Matter?
- Two Bio-Fuels Made from a Single Algae
- Electric Cars: Buyers Want Battery Leasing
- Holes in Valence Bands of Nanodiamonds
- Demystifying Nanocrystal Solar Cells
- Detecting Chemical Weapons: Color-Changing Film
- Agricultural Robot Checks Up On Grape Vines
- New Instrument to Study the Extreme Universe
The Tell-Tale Signs of a Galactic Merger
Jan. 29, 2015 — Astronomers have captured a striking view of spiral galaxy NGC 7714. This galaxy has drifted too close to another nearby galaxy and the dramatic interaction has twisted its spiral arms out of shape, ... full story
Astronomers Gain a New View of Galaxy M 82
Jan. 29, 2015 — Astronomers have used the giant radio telescope Lofar to create the sharpest astronomical image ever taken at very long radio wavelengths. A new image shows the glowing center of the galaxy Messier ... full story
Cassini Catches Saturn's Moon Titan Naked in the Solar Wind
Jan. 28, 2015 — Researchers studying data from NASA's Cassini mission have observed that Saturn's largest moon, Titan, behaves much like Venus, Mars or a comet when exposed to the raw power of the solar wind. The ... full story
Engineer Advances New Daytime Star Tracker
Jan. 28, 2015 — NASA is developing a precision attitude sensor or star tracker that would be able to locate points of reference, or in other words, stars, during daylight ... full story
Ballooning Offers Platform for Performing Research in a Space-Like Environment
Jan. 28, 2015 — A high-altitude (>20 km) balloon platform is nearly ideal for carrying out scientific observations in a space-like environment, flight qualifying instrumentation, and transporting humans to the edge ... full story
The Mouth of the Beast: VLT Images Cometary Globule CG4
Jan. 28, 2015 — Like the gaping mouth of a gigantic celestial creature, the cometary globule CG4 glows menacingly in this new image from ESO's Very Large Telescope. Although it appears to be big and bright in this ... full story
NASA's Dawn Spacecraft Captures Best-Ever View of Dwarf Planet Ceres
Jan. 27, 2015 — NASA's Dawn spacecraft has returned the sharpest images ever seen of the dwarf planet Ceres. The images were taken 147,000 miles (237,000 kilometers) from Ceres on Jan. 25, and represent a new ... full story
'Knobby Terrain' a Sign of Mars's Explosive Past
Jan. 27, 2015 — The Red Planet's upper crust is brittle and weak. Planetary geologists often attribute this to effusive eruption -- lava pouring out of a volcano onto the ground -- early in Mars's history with later ... full story
Asteroid That Flew Past Earth Has Moon
Jan. 27, 2015 — Scientists working with NASA's 230-foot-wide (70-meter) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, California, have released the first radar images of asteroid 2004 BL86. The images show the asteroid, ... full story
'Yellowballs' Are Part of the Development of Massive Star
Jan. 27, 2015 — Citizen scientists wanted to know: What are the yellow objects on these infrared images from the Spitzer Space Telescope? Astronomers now report that the "yellowballs" are part of the development of ... full story
- Tell-Tale Signs of a Galactic Merger
- Astronomy: New View of Galaxy M 82
- Cassini Catches Titan Naked in the Solar Wind
- New Daytime Star Tracker
- Ballooning: A Space-Like Environment
- Cometary Globule CG4 Imaged
- Best-Ever View of Dwarf Planet Ceres Captured
- 'Knobby Terrain' a Sign of Mars's Explosive Past
- Asteroid That Flew Past Earth Has Moon
- Astronomers Answer 'What Are Yellowballs?'
Pacemakers With Internet Connection, a Not-So-Distant Goal
Jan. 28, 2015 — An efficient security protocol has been designed to protect the information provided by pacemakers and similar medical devices connected to the Internet. Thanks to the latest advances in ... full story
Game Theory Explains Social Interactions of Cancer Cells
Jan. 28, 2015 — The interactions of cancer cells may be explained by using game theory. The Public Goods Game is part of game theory and is used in economics as a model to analyze the provision of common goods. ... full story
Nanoscale Mirrored Cavities Amplify, Connect Quantum Memories
Jan. 28, 2015 — Constructing tiny "mirrors" to trap light increases the efficiency with which photons can pick up and transmit information about electronic spin states -- which is essential for scaling up quantum ... full story
New Pathway to Valleytronics: Femtosecond Laser Used to Manipulate Valley Excitons
Jan. 27, 2015 — Researchers have uncovered a promising new pathway to valleytronics, a potential quantum computing technology in which information is coded based on the wavelike motion of electrons moving through ... full story
New Search Engine Lets Users Look for Relevant Results Faster
Jan. 27, 2015 — Researchers have developed a new search engine that outperforms current ones, and helps people to do searches more ... full story
Bad Weather Warnings Most Effective If Probability Included, New Research Suggests
Jan. 27, 2015 — Risk researchers find that the public may respond best to severe weather warnings if they include a probability estimate, an important finding not only for the present but also for the longer-term ... full story
Maximizing Access to Mobile Networks by Seamlessly 'Offloading' Some Traffic
Jan. 27, 2015 — Mathematical analysis reveals how to maximize access to mobile networks by seamlessly ‘offloading’ traffic to smaller Wi-Fi and cellular ... full story
Researchers Use Oxides to Flip Graphene Conductivity
Jan. 26, 2015 — A team of researchers has demonstrated a new way to change the amount of electrons that reside in a given region within a piece of graphene, they have a proof-of-principle in making the fundamental ... full story
Electronic Circuits With Reconfigurable Pathways Closer to Reality
Jan. 26, 2015 — Multitasking circuits capable of reconfiguring themselves in real time and switching functions as the need arises -- this is the promising application stemming from a new discovery. Other potential ... full story
Largest-Ever Autism Genome Study Finds Most Siblings Have Different Autism-Risk Genes
Jan. 26, 2015 — The largest-ever autism genome study reveals that the disorder's genetic underpinnings are more complex than previously thought: Most siblings who have autism have different autism-linked genes. The ... full story
- Pacemakers With Internet Connection Coming Soon
- Social Interactions of Cancer Cells: Game Theory?
- Nanoscale Cavities Amplify Quantum Memories
- Quantum Computing: New Path to Valleytronics
- New Highly Efficient Search Engine Developed
- Bad Weather Warnings Best If Probability Included
- WiFi: Smoother Sailing Through Sharing
- Graphene Conductivity Flips With Oxides
- Multitasking Circuits To Reconfigure Themselves
- Most Siblings Have Different Autism-Risk Genes
Chimps With Higher-Ranking Moms Do Better in Fights
Jan. 28, 2015 — For chimpanzees, just like humans, teasing, taunting and bullying are familiar parts of playground politics. An analysis of twelve years of observations of playground fights between young chimpanzees ... full story
News from the Depths: A New Cave-Dwelling Flatworm Species from the Brazilian Savanna
Jan. 28, 2015 — Field research in a limestone cave in the Brazilian savanna recorded the first obligate cave-dwelling flatworm of the suborder Continenticola in South America. The species has the characteristic ... full story
Into the Dark: Two New Encrusting Anemones Found in Coral Reef Caves
Jan. 28, 2015 — Three marine biologists from Japan have discovered two new and unusually unique species of encrusting anemone. Unlike almost all known species within their genus, these two new species do not have ... full story
Urban Sprawl Promotes Worm Exchange Across Species
Jan. 28, 2015 — The complex exchange of parasitic worms between wildlife, rats and humans is a little more clear, thanks to new research. “We developed a model concept that allows us to link the probability of ... full story
Ocean Acidification Changes Balance of Biofouling Communities
Jan. 28, 2015 — A new study of marine organisms that make up the 'biofouling community' -- tiny creatures that attach themselves to ships' hulls and rocks in the ocean around the world -- shows how they adapt to ... full story
From Bacterium to Biofactory
Jan. 28, 2015 — A genetic blueprint for organelles that give simple cells new functions has been developed by scientists. A research team has refuted a long-held assumption in biology: The scientists have shown that ... full story
Research Projects Contribute to Shaping EU Regulation to Control Invasive Species
Jan. 28, 2015 — A new regulation governing the control of invasive alien species became effective in all EU states on 1 January 2015. The European Union hopes that it will actively combat one of the greatest threats ... full story
Researchers Capture, Document First Northern Saw-Whet Owl in Arkansas
Jan. 28, 2015 — Wildlife biologists have captured and documented the first northern saw-whet owl in Arkansas. Between 1959 and 2010, only a dozen sightings of this rare bird -- much smaller than screech, barred or ... full story
Spider Electro-Combs Its Sticky Nano-Filaments
Jan. 27, 2015 — A spider commonly found in garden centers in Britain is giving fresh insights into how to spin incredibly long and strong fibers just a few nanometers thick. The majority of spiders spin silk threads ... full story
Stomach Acid-Powered Micromotors Get Their First Test in a Living Animal
Jan. 27, 2015 — Researchers have shown that a micromotor fueled by stomach acid can take a bubble-powered ride inside a mouse. These tiny motors, each about one-fifth the width of a human hair, may someday offer a ... full story
- Chimps With High-Ranking Moms: Better in Fights
- New Cave-Dwelling Flatworm Species
- Two New Encrusting Anemones Found in Caves
- Urban Sprawl Aids Worm Exchange Across Species
- Ocean Acidification and the Biofouling Community
- From Bacterium to Biofactory
- Shaping EU Regulation to Control Invasive Species
- Arkansas: First Northern Saw-Whet Owl Documented
- Spider Electro-Combs Its Sticky Nano-Filaments
- Stomach Acid-Powered Micromotors in Live Mouse
Building a Better Weather Forecast? SMAP May Help
Jan. 28, 2015 — If you were trying to forecast tomorrow's weather, you would probably look up at the sky rather than down at the ground. But if you live in the U.S. Midwest or someplace with a similar climate, one ... full story
Erratic as Normal: Arctic Sea Ice Loss Expected to Be Bumpy in the Short Term
Jan. 28, 2015 — Arctic sea ice extent plunged precipitously from 2001 to 2007, then barely budged between 2007 and 2013. Even in a warming world, researchers should expect such unusual periods of no change -- and ... full story
Slope on Ocean Surface Lowers Sea Level in Europe
Jan. 28, 2015 — A ‘slope’ on the ocean surface in the Strait of Gibraltar is lowering the sea level in Europe by 7cm, researchers have discovered. This research will help to more accurately predict future sea ... full story
Satellite Study Identifies Water Bodies Important for Biodiversity Conservation
Jan. 28, 2015 — Using satellite images to study changing patterns of surface water is a powerful tool for identifying conservationally important 'stepping stone' water bodies that could help aquatic species survive ... full story
Early Mesoamericans Affected by Climate Change
Jan. 27, 2015 — Scientists have reconstructed the past climate for the region around Cantona, a large fortified city in highland Mexico, and found the population drastically declined in the past, at least in part ... full story
Easter Island Mystery: Why Did the Native Culture Die Out?
Jan. 27, 2015 — Long before the Europeans arrived on Easter Island in 1722, the native Polynesian culture known as Rapa Nui showed signs of demographic decline. However, the catalyst has long been debated in the ... full story
The World's Oldest Known Snake Fossils: Rolling Back the Clock by Nearly 70 Million Years
Jan. 27, 2015 — Fossilized remains of four ancient snakes have been dated between 140 and 167 million years old -- nearly 70 million years older than the previous record of ancient snake fossils -- and are changing ... full story
Carbon Accumulation by Southeastern U.S. Forests May Slow
Jan. 27, 2015 — Carbon accumulation levels in the Southeastern US may be slowing due to forest dynamics and land use changes, according to findings of a new study. The research is the first to isolate the impacts of ... full story
How Do Small Birds Survive Cold Winters?
Jan. 27, 2015 — Norway's small birds face many challenges during the winter, including short days and long energy-intensive nights, tough weather conditions and food shortages, along with the risk of becoming a meal ... full story
Pilotless Aircraft Will Play Critical Roles in Precision Agriculture
Jan. 26, 2015 — A new article outlines many of the potential roles drones can play in university research, and the advantages they can offer in speed, cost and data ... full story
- Better Weather Forecasts? SMAP May Help
- Arctic Sea Ice Loss Expected to Be Bumpy
- Slope On Ocean Surface Lowers Sea Level in Europe
- Water Bodies Vital for Biodiversity Conservation
- Early Mesoamericans Affected by Climate Change
- Easter Island: What Doomed Native Culture?
- World's Oldest Known Snake Fossils Dated
- Carbon Accumulation by U.S. Forests May Slow
- How Do Small Birds Survive Cold Winters?
- Drones for Precision Agriculture
New Tattoos Discovered on Iceman Oetzi: All of the Skin Marks on the Mummy Mapped
Jan. 27, 2015 — With the aid of a non-invasive photographic technique, researchers at the EURAC-Institute for Mummies and the Iceman have been able to show up all the tattoos on the man who was found preserved in a ... full story
Climate Affects Development of Human Speech
Jan. 23, 2015 — A correlation between climate and the evolution of language has been uncovered by researchers. To find a relationship between the climate and the evolution of language, one needs to discover an ... full story
Early Human Ancestors Used Their Hands Like Modern Humans
Jan. 22, 2015 — New research suggests pre-Homo human ancestral species, such as Australopithecus africanus, used human-like hand postures much earlier than was previously thought. The distinctly human ability for ... full story
Major Breakthrough in Reading Ancient Scrolls
Jan. 22, 2015 — Revolutionary software is making a breakthrough in reading 2,000-year old Herculaneum scrolls, computer scientists report. After working for more than 10 years on unlocking an ancient piece of ... full story
Doubt Cast on Global Firestorm Generated by Dino-Killing Asteroid
Jan. 22, 2015 — Pioneering new research has debunked the theory that the asteroid that is thought to have led to the extinction of dinosaurs also caused vast global firestorms that ravaged planet Earth. Scientists ... full story
Fossils Survive Volcanic Eruption to Tell Us About the Origin of the Canary Islands
Jan. 22, 2015 — The most recent eruption on the Canary Islands -- at El Hierro in 2011 -- produced spectacularly enigmatic white "floating rocks" that originated from the layers of oceanic sedimentary rock ... full story
Which 'Letters' in the Human Genome Are Functionally Important?
Jan. 20, 2015 — A new computational method has been developed to identify which letters in the human genome are functionally important. Their computer program, called fitCons, harnesses the power of evolution, ... full story
New Data About Evolution of Immune Response Genes in Plants
Jan. 20, 2015 — New clues about the evolution of the immune system in European populations of the plant <em>Arabidopsis thaliana </em> have been uncovered by researchers, as well as the underlying genetic mechanisms ... full story
Paleontologist Names a Carnivorous Reptile That Preceded Dinosaurs
Jan. 20, 2015 — Paleontologist have now named a 9-foot-long carnivorous reptile with steak knife-like teeth and bony plates on the back. Its name is ... full story
Fossil Ankles Indicate Earth's Earliest Primates Lived in Trees
Jan. 19, 2015 — Earth's earliest primates have taken a step up in the world, now that researchers have gotten a good look at their ankles. A new study has found that Purgatorius, a small mammal that lived on a diet ... full story
- New Tattoos Discovered On Iceman Oetzi
- Climate Affects Development of Human Speech
- Early Human Ancestors Used Hands Like We Do
- Major Breakthrough in Reading Ancient Scrolls
- No Global Firestorm from Dino-Killing Asteroid?
- Fossils Survive Volcanic Eruption, Tell Story
- Human Genome: Which 'Letters' Are Important?
- Evolution of Immune Response Genes in Plants
- Paleontologist Names Early Carnivorous Reptile
- Fossil Ankles: Earliest Primates Lived in Trees
Crude Oil Conspiracy Theories Could Be Right: Oil Is Often the Reason for Interfering in Another Country's War
Jan. 27, 2015 — Researchers have for the first time provided strong evidence for what conspiracy theorists have long thought -- oil is often the reason for interfering in another country's ... full story
Age Concern in Largest Ever Study of Heroin User Deaths
Jan. 27, 2015 — Older users of opioids such as heroin are 27 times more likely to become a victim of homicide than the general population, a study of almost 200,000 users has found. The study is the first to record ... full story
Lung Cancer Predicted to Overtake Breast Cancer as Leading Cause of Cancer Death Among European Women in 2015
Jan. 26, 2015 — Death rates from lung cancer will exceed those for breast cancer for the first time among European women in 2015, according to the latest predictions. The study by researchers in Italy and ... full story
Girls Lead Boys in Academic Achievement Globally
Jan. 26, 2015 — Considerable attention has been paid to how boys' educational achievements in science and math compare to girls' accomplishments in those areas, often leading to the assumption that boys outperform ... full story
Stock Market Changes: Patents Provide Insight Into Wall Street 'Technology Arms Race'
Jan. 26, 2015 — A new study has used US patent data to shed light on the technological roots behind Wall Street's ongoing 'technology arms race.' The way financial assets are traded, and the nature of the markets ... full story
How Your Friends Might Help You Avoid Flu
Jan. 26, 2015 — A study of social networks has yielded clues about how best to improve vaccination rates for influenza. Influenza is a global health problem, affecting 3 to 5 million people a year and causing ... full story
Calculating the Future of Solar-Fuel Refineries
Jan. 23, 2015 — A team of engineers has developed a new tool to help engineers better gauge the overall yield, efficiency and costs associated with scaling solar-fuel production processes up into large-scale ... full story
New Technique Helps Probe Performance of Organic Solar Cell Materials
Jan. 23, 2015 — Researchers have developed a technique for determining the role that a material's structure has on the efficiency of organic solar cells, which are candidates for low-cost, next generation solar ... full story
New Technique for Producing Cheaper Solar Energy Suggested by Research
Jan. 23, 2015 — Pioneering new research could pave the way for solar energy to be converted into household electricity more cheaply than ever before. The global PV market has experienced rapid growth in recent years ... full story
Stalking Versus Cyberstalking: Effects on Victims, Their Responses Compared
Jan. 23, 2015 — The devastating effects of stalking and cyberstalking – harassing or threatening communication via the Internet – are explored in a new study. Key among the findings is that victims of ... full story
- Crude Conspiracy Theories Could Be Right
- Age Concern in Large Study of Heroin User Deaths
- Europe: Lung Cancer Death To Exceed Breast Cancer
- Academic Achievement: Girls Lead Boys Globally
- Insight Into Wall Street 'Technology Arms Race'
- How Your Friends Might Help You Avoid Flu
- Calculating the Future of Solar-Fuel Refineries
- Organic Solar Cell Materials: Probing Performance
- New Technique for Producing Cheaper Solar Energy
- Stalking Versus Cyberstalking: Effects On Victims
Would You Tell Your Manager You Had a Mental Health Problem?
Jan. 26, 2015 — Although nearly four in 10 workers wouldn't tell their manager if they had a mental health problem, half said that if they knew about a coworker's illness, they would desire to help, a new survey ... full story
Reducing Work-Family Conflicts in the Workplace Helps People to Sleep Better
Jan. 26, 2015 — Workers who participated in an intervention aimed at reducing conflict between work and familial responsibilities slept an hour more each week and reported greater sleep sufficiency than those who ... full story
Heightened Scents: Do Ambient Fragrances Make Consumers Purchase More?
Jan. 21, 2015 — Do consumers make different choices based on the fragrance surrounding them? A new study shows for the first time that the “temperature” of scents in a store atmosphere may have a powerful effect ... full story
New Research Reveals the Power of Hierarchy in High-Pressure Situations
Jan. 20, 2015 — Researchers analyzed more than 30,000 Himalayan climbers and 5,000 expeditions over the past 100 years to assess the impact that hierarchical cultures can have in high-pressure group situations. The ... full story
Hostile Boss? Study Finds Advantages to Giving It Right Back
Jan. 20, 2015 — In a result that surprised researchers, a new study found that employees who had hostile bosses were better off on several measures if they returned the hostility. "Before we did this study, I ... full story
Inventors Choose to Reveal Their Secret Sauce Before Patent Approval
Jan. 15, 2015 — Common wisdom and prior economic research suggest that an inventor filing a patent would want to keep the technical know-how secret as long as possible. But a new study of nearly 2 million patents in ... full story
In the Mood to Trade? Weather May Influence Institutional Investors' Stock Decisions
Jan. 15, 2015 — Weather changes may affect how institutional investors decide on stock plays, according to a new study. Their findings suggest sunny skies put professional investors more in a mood to buy, while ... full story
Huge 3-D Displays Without 3-D Glasses
Jan. 15, 2015 — A new kind of display uses laser beams to send out different pictures into different directions. Each pixel contains lasers and a moving mirror, which directs the laser light. Different pictures can ... full story
Global Warming Reduces Wheat Production Markedly If No Adaptation Takes Place
Jan. 12, 2015 — Future global wheat harvest is likely to be reduced by six per cent per each degree Celsius of local temperature increase if no adaptation takes place. Worldwide this would correspond to 42 million ... full story
Black Women Working Night Shifts Have an Increased Risk of Developing Diabetes
Jan. 11, 2015 — Those who work night shifts are significantly more likely to develop diabetes than those who have never worked night shifts, with more years working the night shift resulting in a higher risk. These ... full story
- Mental Health Problem? Would You Tell Your Boss?
- Better Work-Family Balance Helps With Sleep
- Do Ambient Fragrances Make You Purchase More?
- Power of Hierarchy in High-Pressure Situations
- Hostile Boss? Benefit to Giving It Right Back
- Inventors Reveal 'Secret Sauce' Before Patenting
- Stock Decisions Affected By Weather?
- Huge 3-D Displays Without 3-D Glasses
- Does Global Warming Reduce Wheat Production?
- Night Shifts Linked to More Risk of Diabetes
Mindfulness-Based Program in Schools Making a Positive Impact, Study Shows
Jan. 26, 2015 — A social and emotional learning program started by Academy Award winning actress Goldie Hawn to help school children improve their learning abilities, be more caring, and less stressed is now backed ... full story
For University Students, Walking Beats Sitting
Jan. 26, 2015 — Walking classrooms are better for not only for students' physical health, but classroom engagement, a study shows. What began in a response to a physical activity challenge for the computer science ... full story
How Are Student Loans Affecting the Well-Being of Young Adults?
Jan. 22, 2015 — Young adults who accumulated higher amounts of debt incurred from student loans reported higher levels of depressive symptoms, even with adjustments for parental wealth, childhood socioeconomic ... full story
Rescuing Memories of Past Events: How the Mundane Can Be Meaningful -- And Remembered
Jan. 21, 2015 — It's not surprising that our memories of highly emotional events, such as 9/11 or the birth of a child, are quite strong. But can these events change our memories of the past? Researchers report that ... full story
Facebook Not to Blame for Negative Impact on Grades, Professor Says
Jan. 20, 2015 — The more time college students, particularly freshman, spend on Facebook, the more their grades suffer. But a professor says the problem is not Facebook -- it's an issue of ... full story
Practice Really Does Make Perfect
Jan. 8, 2015 — New research into the way in which we learn new skills finds that a single skill can be learned faster if its follow-through motion is consistent, but multiple skills can be learned simultaneously if ... full story
All in a Good Night's Sleep: How Quality of Sleep Impacts Academic Performance in Children
Jan. 8, 2015 — A good night's sleep is linked to better performance by schoolchildren in math and languages -- subjects that are powerful predictors of later learning and academic success, according to a study. The ... full story
Marine Litter Education Boosts Children's Understanding, Actions
Jan. 6, 2015 — Children could play an important role in solutions to reduce marine litter with some already helping to educate parents and peers about the scale of the issue, experts ... full story
Human Speech's Surprising Influence on Young Infants
Jan. 5, 2015 — America's preoccupation with the 'word gap' -- the idea that parents in impoverished homes speak less to their children, which, in turn, predicts outcomes like school achievement and income later in ... full story
Fast-Food Consumption Linked to Lower Test Score Gains in 8th Graders
Dec. 22, 2014 — The amount of fast food children eat may be linked to how well they do in school, a new America-wide study suggests. This study can't say why fast-food consumption is linked to lower grades, but ... full story
- Mindfulness-Based Program in Schools a Positive
- For University Students, Walking Beats Sitting
- Student Loans and the Well-Being of Young Adults
- Rescuing Memories of Past Events
- Can't Blame Bad Grades On Facebook, Says Prof
- Practice Really Does Make Perfect
- Sleep Impacts Academic Performance in Children
- Marine Litter Education Boosts Children's Actions
- Human Speech's Surprising Influence On Infants
- Kids: Fast-Food Linked to Lower Test Score Gains
