Today's Science News
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
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from universities, journals, and other organizations
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
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
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," ... full story
Targeting Cancer With a Triple Threat: New Nanoparticles Can Deliver Three Drugs at Once
Apr. 15, 2014 — Chemists have designed nanoparticles that can deliver three cancer drugs at a time. Such particles could be designed to carry even more drugs, allowing researchers to develop new treatment regimens ... 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 ... 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
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
New Method of Screening Children for Autism Spectrum Disorders Works at 9 Months Old
Apr. 15, 2014 — Researchers have identified head circumference and head tilting reflex as two reliable biomarkers in the identification of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children that are between 9 and 12 months ... 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
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
We're Over the Hill at 24, Study Says
Apr. 14, 2014 — It's a hard pill to swallow, but if you're over 24 years of age you've already reached your peak in terms of your cognitive motor performance, according to a new study. In one of the ... full story
- 'Water World' Theory of Life's Origins Outlined
- Brain Changes Linked to Casual Marijuana Use
- Astronomers: 'Tilt-a-Worlds' Could Harbor Life
- Nanoparticles Can Deliver Three Drugs at Once
- Cosmic Slurp: How Black Holes Swallow Stars
- 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
- Tiger Beetle's Chase Highlights Mechanical Law
- New Autism Screening Method Works at 9 Months
- Hunter-Gatherers: Tale of Bacteria Co-Evolution
- Moth Study: Hidden Climate Change Impacts?
- We're Over the Hill at 24, Study Says
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last updated on 2014-04-16 at 1:38 am EDT
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
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
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
Potent, Puzzling and (Now Less) Toxic: Team Discovers How Antifungal Drug Works
Apr. 15, 2014 — Scientists have solved a decades-old medical mystery -- and in the process have found a potentially less toxic way to fight invasive fungal infections, which kill about 1.5 million people a year. 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
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
Breaking Bad Mitochondria: How Hepatitis C Survives for So Long
Apr. 15, 2014 — A mechanism has been discovered that explains why people with the hepatitis C virus get liver disease and why the virus is able to persist in the body for so long. The hard-to-kill pathogen, which ... 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
Osteoporosis Risk Heightened Among Sleep Apnea Patients
Apr. 15, 2014 — A diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea may raise the risk of osteoporosis, particularly among women or older individuals, according to a new study. Sleep apnea is a condition that causes brief ... full story
Genetic Pre-Disposition Toward Exercise, Mental Development May Be Linked
Apr. 15, 2014 — A potential link between the genetic pre-disposition for high levels of exercise motivation and the speed at which mental maturation occurs has been found by researchers. These scientists studied the ... full story
- Antibiotics, Developing Countries: Kids Grow More
- Heavy Bleeding During Menopause Common
- Drug Killed 5 in 1993: Mice Would Have Predicted
- Potent, Puzzling: How Antifungal Drug Works
- Pre-Diabetes, Diabetes Nearly Double in 20 Years
- Kids Misbehave Within 10 Minutes of Spanking
- How Hep C Survives for So Long: Mitochondria
- How Mothers Help Kids Explore Right and Wrong
- Sleep Apnea: Osteoporosis Risk Heightened
- Exercise, Mental Development Linked Genetically?
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
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
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
New Insight Into SIDS Deaths Points to Lack of Oxygen
Apr. 15, 2014 — Researchers have shed new light onto the possible causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which could help to prevent future loss of children's lives. In a world-first study, researchers have ... full story
Vitamin D Deficiency, Cognition Appear to Be Linked in Older Adults
Apr. 15, 2014 — A study that looks at Vitamin D deficiency and cognition relationship in older adults adds to the existing literature on the subject. "This study provides increasing evidence that suggests there is ... full story
Outgoing Behavior Makes for Happier Humans: Across Cultures, Extroverts Have More Fun
Apr. 15, 2014 — Happy is as happy does, apparently -- for human beings all over the world. Not only does acting extroverted lead to more positive feelings across several cultures, but people also report more upbeat ... full story
MRI Pinpoints Region of Brain Injury in Some Concussion Patients
Apr. 15, 2014 — Researchers using information provided by a magnetic resonance imaging technique have identified regional white matter damage in the brains of people who experience chronic dizziness and other ... full story
New Therapy Helps to Improve Stereoscopic Vision in Stroke Patients
Apr. 15, 2014 — Humans view the world through two eyes, but it is our brain that combines the images from each eye to form a single composite picture. If this function becomes damaged, impaired sight can be the ... full story
- Brain Anatomy: Deaf, Hearing and First Language
- Brain-Eye Coordination: Idea Disproved
- Chrono: Last Piece of Circadian Clock Puzzle?
- Kids' Earliest Memories Earlier Than They Think
- Cultivating Happiness Often Misunderstood
- Study On SIDS Deaths Points to Lack of Oxygen
- Vitamin D Deficiency Affects Adult Cognition?
- Across Cultures, Extroverts Have More Fun
- MRI Show Region of Brain Injury in Concussion
- Improving Stereoscopic Vision in Stroke Patients
Obesity: Are Lipids Hard Drugs for the Brain?
Apr. 15, 2014 — Why can we get up for a piece of chocolate, but never because we fancy a carrot? Research has demonstrated part of the answer: triglycerides, fatty substances from food, may act in our brains ... full story
Exams in Cold Auditoriums? Better Memory at Ideal Temperature
Apr. 15, 2014 — People’s working memory functions better if they are working in an ambient temperature where they feel most comfortable. The conjecture is that working in one's preferred temperature counteracts ... 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
Lashing out at Your Spouse? Check Your Blood Sugar
Apr. 14, 2014 — Lower levels of blood sugar may make married people angrier at their spouses and even more likely to lash out aggressively, new research reveals. Researchers found that levels of blood glucose in ... full story
Babies Prefer Fairness -- But Only If It Benefits Them -- In Choosing a Playmate
Apr. 14, 2014 — Babies as young as 15 months preferred people with the same ethnicity as themselves -- a phenomenon known as in-group bias, or favoring people who have the same characteristics as oneself. The ... full story
Detrimental Effects of Television Viewing on Sleep in Young Children
Apr. 14, 2014 — A study following more than 1,800 children from ages 6 months to nearly 8 years found a small but consistent association between increased television viewing and shorter sleep duration. The presence ... full story
Women Who Gain Too Much or Too Little Weight During Pregnancy at Risk for Having an Overweight Child
Apr. 14, 2014 — Gaining both too much or too little weight during pregnancy appears to increase the risk of having an overweight or obese child, according to a study. In one of the largest studies to examine current ... 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
To Be an Organ Donor, Specific Attitudes Trump General Support, Study Finds
Apr. 11, 2014 — Most Americans say they support the idea of organ donation, yet fewer than half of eligible donors ever register, national polls show. That may be because supporting a good cause doesn’t mean ... full story
Taking Iron Improves Women's Exercise Performance, Study Shows
Apr. 11, 2014 — Women who take iron supplements experience a marked improvement in their exercise performance, a new study shows. Iron supplementation improved women's exercise performance, in terms of both the ... full story
- Obesity: Are Lipids Hard Drugs for the Brain?
- Better Memory at Ideal Temperature
- Concussion the Same Despite Brand of Helmet?
- Lashing out at Your Spouse? Check Blood Sugar
- Babies Prefer Fairness Only If It Benefits Them
- Detrimental Effects of TV On Kids Sleep
- Pregnancy Risk: Too Much, Too Little Weight Gain
- Disruptive Behavior in Schools Underestimated
- Organ Donors: Specific Attitudes Trump Support
- Women: Taking Iron Improves Exercise Performance
Repeated Self-Healing Now Possible in Composite Materials
Apr. 15, 2014 — Internal damage in fiber-reinforced composites, materials used in structures of modern airplanes and automobiles, is difficult to detect and nearly impossible to repair by conventional methods. A ... 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
Key to Easy Asthma Diagnosis Is in the Blood
Apr. 15, 2014 — Using just a single drop of blood, a team of researchers has developed a faster, cheaper and more accurate tool for diagnosing even mild cases of asthma. This handheld technology — which takes ... 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
Engineers Develop New Materials for Hydrogen Storage
Apr. 15, 2014 — Engineers have created new ceramic materials that could be used to store hydrogen safely and efficiently. The researchers have created for the first time compounds made from mixtures of calcium ... full story
Scientists Come Up With Method of Reducing Solar Panel Glare
Apr. 15, 2014 — The glare from solar farms could be a thing of the past, thanks to new research. Researchers have developed a multi-layer anti-reflection coating for glass surfaces, which reduces the sun's ... full story
New Design for Mobile Phone Masts Could Cut Carbon Emissions
Apr. 15, 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
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
Nanocrystalline Cellulose Modified Into Efficient Viral Inhibitor
Apr. 15, 2014 — Researchers have succeeded in creating a surface on nano-sized cellulose crystals that imitates a biological structure. The surface adsorbs viruses and disables them. The results can prove useful in ... full story
Fiber-Optic Microscope Will Help Physicians Detect Cancer, Diseases at Early Stages
Apr. 15, 2014 — An inexpensive, portable and re-usable endoscopic microscope has been developed that will help clinicians detect and diagnose early-stage disease, primarily cancer. An endoscopic microscope is a tool ... full story
- Repeated Self-Healing in Composite Materials
- Lens Turns Any Smartphone Into a Microscope
- Key to Easy Asthma Diagnosis Is in the Blood
- Impeding Illicit Nuclear Trafficking
- New Materials for Hydrogen Storage
- Method of Reducing Solar Panel Glare
- Green Design for Mobile Phone Masts
- Intelligent Prosthetic Liners May Mean Less Pain
- Nanocrystalline Cellulose: Good Viral Inhibitor
- Fiber-Optic Microscope to Detect Diseases Early
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
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
Mars: Gusev Crater Once Held a Lake After All, Scientist Says
Apr. 9, 2014 — Evidence for an ancient 'Lake Gusev' on Mars has come and gone several times. That lake is looking pretty good today, thanks to new research. New research suggests floodwaters entered the crater ... full story
Recycling Astronaut Urine for Energy and Drinking Water
Apr. 9, 2014 — On the less glamorous side of space exploration, there's the more practical problem of waste -- in particular, what to do with astronaut pee. But rather than ejecting it into space, scientists are ... full story
Chance Meeting Creates Celestial Diamond Ring
Apr. 9, 2014 — Astronomers have captured an eye-catching image of planetary nebula PN A66 33 -- usually known as Abell 33. Created when an aging star blew off its outer layers, this beautiful blue bubble is, by ... full story
Images from NASA Mars Rover Include Bright Spots
Apr. 8, 2014 — Images taken by NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on April 2 and April 3 include bright spots, which might be due to the sun glinting off a rock or cosmic rays striking the camera's ... full story
- Images May Reveal Birth of a Saturn Moon
- 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
- Mars: Gusev Crater Once Held a Lake After All?
- Recycling Astronaut Urine for Drinking Water
- Chance Meeting Creates Celestial Diamond Ring
- NASA Mars Rover Images Include Bright Spots
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
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
Look Who's Evolving Now: Using Robots to Study Evolution
Apr. 14, 2014 — Scientists have demonstrated the usefulness of robots in studying evolution. They successfully used a colony of rodent-like robots to watch different mating strategies evolve. The work not only ... 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
Odds That Global Warming Is Due to Natural Factors: Slim to None
Apr. 11, 2014 — An analysis of temperature data since 1500 all but rules out the possibility that global warming in the industrial era is just a natural fluctuation in the earth’s climate, according to a new ... full story
Nanostructures With Applications in Infrared and Terahertz Ranges
Apr. 11, 2014 — Scientists have created a compound semiconductor of nearly perfect quality with embedded nanostructures containing ordered lines of atoms that can manipulate light energy in the mid-infrared range. ... full story
The ATM Strikes Back: Researchers Protect Money With Method Borrowed from an Aggressive Beetle
Apr. 11, 2014 — Its head and pronotum are usually rusty red, and its abdomen blue or shiny green: the bombardier beetle is approximately one centimeter long and common to Central Europe. At first glance, it appears ... full story
Sneak a Peek Through the Mist to Technology of the Future
Apr. 10, 2014 — A tabletop display with personal screens made from a curtain of mist that allow users to move images around and push through the fog-screens and onto the display, will be unveiled at an international ... full story
3-D Printing Cancer Cells to Mimic Tumors
Apr. 10, 2014 — A 3-D model of a cancerous tumor using a 3-D printer has been successfully created by researchers. The model consists of a grid structure, 10 mm in width and length, made from gelatin, alginate and ... full story
- Privacy at Risk: Flaw in 'Secure' Cloud Storage
- Cybersecurity: New Heartbleed Solution
- Surgery Practice: Personalized 3-D Printed Kidney
- Using Robots to Study Evolution
- Tiny Particles Could Help Verify Goods
- Odds That Global Warming Is Due to Nature?
- Nanostructures for Infrared and Terahertz Ranges
- The ATM Strikes Back Like an Aggressive Beetle
- Display Screens of Curtain of Moveable Mist
- 3-D Printing Cancer Cells to Mimic Tumors
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
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
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
Whooping Cough Bacterium Evolving in Australia, Research Shows
Apr. 15, 2014 — The bacterium that causes whooping cough, Bordetella pertussis, has changed in Australia -- most likely in response to the vaccine used to prevent the disease -- with a possible reduced effectiveness ... full story
Bizarre Parasite May Provide Cuttlefish Clues
Apr. 15, 2014 — New research into parasites of cuttlefish, squid and octopus has uncovered details of the parasites’ astonishing life cycles, and shown how they may help in investigating populations of their ... full story
Deforestation Could Intensify Climate Change in Congo Basin by Half
Apr. 15, 2014 — By 2050, deforestation could cause temperatures in the Congo Basin to increase by 0.7 °C. The increase would intensify warming caused by greenhouse gases by half, according to a new ... full story
Penicillin Redux: Rearming Proven Warriors for the 21st Century
Apr. 14, 2014 — Drug-resistant bacteria like MRSA are hard to treat because so many antibiotics are ineffective against them. A team of researchers has shown a new way to reclaim the power of penicillin and similar ... 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
Fire and Drought May Push Amazonian Forests Beyond Tipping Point
Apr. 14, 2014 — Future simulations of climate in the Amazon suggest a longer dry season leading to more drought and fires. Scientists have published a new study on the impacts of fire and drought on Amazon tree ... 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
- Genetic Characterization of Photosynthesis
- Nanosensors for Plant Stress Hormone
- Sibling Cooperation in Earwig Families
- Whooping Cough Bacterium Evolving in Australia
- Bizarre Parasite May Provide Cuttlefish Clues
- Deforestation: Intensifying Climate Change
- Penicillin Redux: Rearming Proven Warriors
- Faithful Allies Since the Cretaceous
- Fire and Drought Killing Amazonian Forests
- Ferns Borrowed Genes to Flourish in Low Light
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
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
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
Everest Trek Shows How Some People Get Type II Diabetes
Apr. 14, 2014 — Scientists have gained new insights into the molecular process of how some people get type II diabetes, which could lead to new ways of preventing people from getting the condition. The research, ... full story
'Problem Wells' Source of Greenhouse Gas at Unexpected Stage of Natural Gas Production
Apr. 14, 2014 — High levels of the greenhouse gas methane were found above shale gas wells at a production point not thought to be an important emissions source. The findings could have implications for the ... 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
Air Pollution Over Asia Influences Global Weather and Makes Pacific Storms More Intense
Apr. 14, 2014 — In the first study of its kind, scientists have compared air pollution rates from 1850 to 2000 and found that anthropogenic (human-made) particles from Asia impact the Pacific storm track that can ... 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
Four New Species of 'Killer Sponges' from the Deep Sea
Apr. 14, 2014 — Killer sponges sound like creatures from a B-grade horror movie. In fact, they thrive in the lightless depths of the deep sea. Scientists first discovered that some sponges are carnivorous about 20 ... full story
House Windows That Double as Solar Panels? Shiny Quantum Dots Brighten Future of Solar Cells
Apr. 14, 2014 — A house window that doubles as a solar panel could be on the horizon, thanks to recent quantum-dot work. Scientists have demonstrated that superior light-emitting properties of quantum dots can be ... full story
- Long-Term Predictions for Miami Sea Level Rise
- Climate Change: Human Mobility in Ancient Sahara
- European Climate at Global Warming Threshold
- Everest Trek Shows How People Get Diabetes
- 'Problem Wells' Source of Greenhouse Gas
- Plugging an Ozone Hole: Limits Helping
- Pollution from Asia Intensifies Pacific Storms
- Making Dams Safer for Fish Around the World
- 4 New Species of 'Killer Sponges' from the Deep
- House Windows That Double as Solar Panels?
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
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
Rare Leafcutter Bee Fossils Reveal Ice Age Environment at the La Brea Tar Pits
Apr. 9, 2014 — The La Brea Tar Pits are celebrated for saber-toothed cats and mastodons. The site's insect collection is also of great significance. Recent examination of fossil leafcutter bee nest cells ... full story
Extinct Carnivorous Marsupial May Have Hunted Prey Larger Than Itself
Apr. 9, 2014 — The reconstruction of an extinct meat-eating marsupial's skull, Nimbacinus dicksoni, suggests that it may have had the ability to hunt vertebrate prey exceeding its own body ... full story
- Medieval Slave Trade Routes in Eastern Europe
- 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
- Leafcutter Bee Fossils Reveal Ice Age Ecology
- Extinct Carnivorous Marsupial Hunted Big Prey
Let the Sun Shine In: Redirecting Sunlight to Dark Urban Alleyways
Apr. 14, 2014 — In response to ever-crowded urban conditions in developing countries, researchers in Egypt have developed an inexpensive way of re-directing natural sunlight into dimly lit streets and alleys, where ... full story
Result of Slow Degradation on Environmental Pollutants
Apr. 14, 2014 — Why do environmental pollutants accumulate in the cold polar regions? This may not only be due to the fact that many substances are less volatile at low temperatures, as has been long suspected, but ... full story
Reduction in HPV in Young Women in England Following National Immunization Program
Apr. 14, 2014 — A reduction in two High Risk human papillomavirus types in sexually-active young women in England has been seen, following the introduction of a national immunization program. "The data provide ... full story
Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Today Will Be Felt for at Least 1,000 Years
Apr. 13, 2014 — Greenhouse gas emissions from today will greatly affect our descendants for at least 1,000 years. In 1,000 years, between 15 and 40 per cent of the CO2 we emit today will still be left in the ... full story
Greenland Ice Cores Show Industrial Record of Acid Rain, Success of US Clean Air Act
Apr. 11, 2014 — Detailed ice core measurements show smog-related ratios leveling off in 1970, and suggest these deposits are sensitive to the same chemicals that cause acid rain. By analyzing samples from the ... full story
How a Bird Flu Virus Spreads Could Prevent Pandemics
Apr. 10, 2014 — The H5N1 bird flu virus has killed hundreds of people, despite the fact that the virus can't spread easily between people. The death toll could become much worse if the virus became airborne. A study ... full story
Name of New Weakly Electric Fish Species Reflects Hope for Peace in Central Africa
Apr. 10, 2014 — Two new species of weakly electric fishes from the Congo River basin have been discovered. One of them, known from only a single specimen, is named 'Petrocephalus boboto.' 'Boboto' is the word for ... 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
Security Barriers in U.S./Mexico National Parks Affect Movement of Animals
Apr. 9, 2014 — Security barriers in national parks on the US/Mexican border which aim to deter illegal migrants are affecting the movements of some native animal species while not necessarily restricting the ... full story
Farming for Improved Ecosystem Services Seen as Economically Feasible
Apr. 9, 2014 — Research conducted over 25 years shows that lowering -- or avoiding -- the use of chemical fertilizers in row-crop agriculture in the northern United States can reduce polluting nitrogen runoff, ... full story
- Redirecting Sunlight to Urban Alleyways
- Slow Degradation On Environmental Pollutants
- England: HPV Down After Immunization Program
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions Will Last 1,000 Years
- Greenland Ice Cores Show Record of Acid Rain
- Preventing Pandemics With Insight Into Bird Flu
- Two New Weakly Electric Fish Species Discovered
- Pseudo-Mathematics and Financial Charlatanism
- Security Barriers Affect Movement of Animals
- Farming for Improved Ecosystem Services Feasible
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
Over Demanding Market Affects Fisheries More Than Climate Change
Mar. 7, 2014 — Fisheries that rely on short life species, such as shrimp or sardine, have been more affected by climate change, because this phenomenon affects chlorophyll production, which is vital for ... full story
Using a Treadmill While Working Can Boost Employee Productivity, Study Finds
Mar. 4, 2014 — Walking while you work may not only improve an employee's health, it may also boost productivity, according to new research. Researchers studied employees using treadmills instead of office chairs as ... full story
- 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
- Climate Change Affects Shrimp, Sardine Markets
- Using Treadmill While Working Boosts Productivity
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
School Hearing Tests Do Not Detect Noise Exposure Hearing Loss
Mar. 20, 2014 — School hearing tests cannot effectively detect adolescent high-frequency hearing loss, which is typically caused by loud noise exposure, according to researchers. School screenings primarily focus on ... full story
- 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
- Noise Exposure Hearing Loss Not Always Detected
