http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/behavior/ Animal behavior news. Scientific research on altruism in animals; bullying, anti-predator behavior, weird eating and mating habits and more. en-us Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/behavior/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214121854.htm Bumblebees can use cues from their rivals the honeybees to learn where the best food resources are, according to new research. In a new study, researchers trained a colony of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) to use cues provided by a different species, the honeybee (Apis mellifera), as well as cues provided by fellow bumblebees to locate food resources on artificial flowers. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214121854.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210111302.htm A new study has shown that boosting the estrogen levels of male garter snakes causes them to secrete the same pheromones that females use to attract suitors, and turned the males into just about the sexiest snake in the neighborhood -- attracting dozens of other males eager to mate. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210111302.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144005.htm Neuroscientists have made a dramatic breakthrough in their efforts to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. The use of a drug appears to quickly reverse the pathological, cognitive and memory deficits caused by the onset of Alzheimer's in mice. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144005.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101456.htm Beauty is more than skin deep, at least for fruit flies studied in new research that demonstrates how age-related changes in pheromone production can reduce sexual attractiveness. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152340.htm Scientists searching for the genomics version of the holy grail – more insight into predicting how an animal’s genes affect physical or behavioral traits – now have a reference manual that should speed gene discoveries in everything from pest control to personalized medicine. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152340.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126134001.htm A key feature of human and animal brains is that they are adaptive; they are able to change their structure and function based on input from the environment and on the potential associations, or consequences, of that input. To learn more about such neural adaptability, researchers have explored the brains of insects and identified a mechanism by which the connections in their brain change to form new and specific memories of smells. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126134001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126100633.htm It comes as a surprise to many that male house mice produce melodious songs to attract mates.  Unfortunately for us, because the melodies are in the ultra-sonic range human ears cannot detect them.  Through spectrographic analyses of the vocalizations of wild house mice, researchers have found that the songs of male mice contain signals of individuality and kinship.  Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126100633.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125132810.htm If you were a blind, cannibalistic sea slug, living among others just like you, nearly every encounter with another creature would require a simple cost/benefit calculation: Should I eat that -- or flee? In a new study, researchers report that these responses are linked to a simple circuit in the brain of the sea slug Pleurobranchaea. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125132810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183806.htm Why different animals carry different amounts of fat depends on how they have solved the problem of avoiding both starving to death and being killed by predators, new research suggests. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:38:38 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183806.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118111708.htm A new study demonstrates how introducing certain polymers—like those found in human mucus and saliva—into an aquatic environment makes it significantly more difficult for ulcer-causing bacteria and other microorganisms to coordinate. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118111708.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112100625.htm Scientists have long seen evidence of social behavior among many species of animals. Dolphins frolic together and lions live in packs. And, right under our feet, it appears that nematodes are having their own little gatherings in the soil. Until recently, it was unknown how the worms communicate to one another when it's time to come together. Now, researchers have identified, for the first time, the chemical signals that promote aggregation. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120112100625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110114533.htm Virginia Tech researchers have identified a novel anti-viral pathway in the immune system of culicine mosquitoes, the insect family to which mosquitoes that spread yellow fever, West Nile fever, dengue fever, and chikungunya fever belong. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:45:45 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110114533.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105164740.htm Scientists have shed new light on how early embryonic stem cells develop and take part in formation of the primate species. The research has also resulted in the first successful birth of chimeric monkeys -- monkeys developed from stem cells taken from two separate embryos. Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105164740.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104115055.htm Researchers have made a new discovery into the complex world of spiders that reflects what some might perceive as similar behavior in human society. As male wolf spiders go searching for a mate, it appears they eavesdrop, match and even try to outdo the mating dances of their successful rivals, a behavior seen mainly in vertebrate animals. Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104115055.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111227093103.htm Efforts to help people with learning impairments are being aided by a species of sea snail. The mollusk, which is used by researchers to study the brain, has much in common with other species including humans. Neuroscientists have used this animal model to test an innovative learning strategy designed to help improve the brain's memory and the results were encouraging. Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111227093103.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221151721.htm How do marine mammals, whose very survival depends on regular diving, manage to avoid decompression sickness or "the bends?" Do they, indeed, avoid it? Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111221151721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219203951.htm For pets suffering critical illness or injury, researchers have found that even tiny increases of creatinine in blood also could indicate acute kidney damage. Using human blood measurement guidelines for acute kidney injuries, the researchers believe they can now help pet owners better know the severity of their animals' illness. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219203951.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219152518.htm New research has found that a protein associated with learning and memory plays an integral role in changing the behavior of locusts from that of harmless grasshoppers into swarming pests. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219152518.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219152516.htm A discovery of the unique chemical composition of a cockroach signal -- a "Let's hook up" sex pheromone emitted by certain female wood cockroaches to entice potential mates -- could have far-ranging benefits, including improved conservation of an endangered woodpecker. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219152516.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216174442.htm In the world of insects, high risk of attack has led to the development of camouflage as a means for survival. Researchers have uncovered some of the most extensive evidence of caterpillars using another strategy previously best-known in adult butterflies: mimicry. Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:44:44 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111216174442.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215145719.htm The following is a statement by NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins on the Institute of Medicine report addressing the scientific need for the use of chimpanzees in research. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:57:57 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215145719.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215135840.htm Given that chimpanzees are so closely related to humans and share similar behavioral traits, the U.S. National Institutes of Health should allow their use as subjects in biomedical research only under stringent conditions, including the absence of any other suitable model and inability to ethically perform the research on people, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215135840.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214171541.htm New research has revealed how dinosaurs like Velociraptor and Deinonychus used their famous killer claws, leading to a new hypothesis on the evolution of flight in birds. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111214171541.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212124707.htm Researchers report that the brains of tiny spiders may fill their body cavities and overflow into their legs. As part of research to understand how miniaturization affects brain size and behavior, the scientists measured the central nervous systems of nine species of spiders, from rainforest giants to spiders smaller than the head of a pin. As the spiders get smaller, their brains get proportionally bigger, filling up more and more of their body cavities. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212124707.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212124555.htm A line of laboratory mice drinks more alcohol than other animal models and consumes it in a fashion similar to humans: choosing alcohol over other options and binge drinking. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:45:45 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212124555.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209105326.htm A new study examines the complex and dynamic interactions between white sharks and Cape fur seals in False Bay, South Africa; Offers new insights on physical and biological factors underlying predator-prey interactions in marine environment. Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111209105326.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208142017.htm The emotions of rats and mice and the mental infrastructure behind them promise to illuminate the nature of human emotions, including empathy and nurturance, a neuroscientist says. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208142017.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208141933.htm The first evidence of empathy-driven helping behavior in rodents has been observed in laboratory rats that repeatedly free companions from a restraint, according to a new study by University of Chicago neuroscientists. The observation, published today in Science, places the origin of pro-social helping behavior earlier in the evolutionary tree than previously thought. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:19:19 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208141933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207132914.htm Researchers report that, using a conceptually new approach and state-of-the-art research tools, they have created the first realistic three-dimensional diagram of a thalamocortical column in the rodent brain. This is the first step toward creating a complete computer model of the brain, and may ultimately lead to an understanding of how the brain computes and how it goes awry in disease. Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207132914.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207132908.htm Scientists working on fossils from Kangaroo Island, South Australia, have found eyes belonging to a giant 500 million-year-old marine predator that sat at the top of the earth's first food chain. Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111207132908.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201142756.htm Though paper wasps have brains less than a millionth the size of humans', they have evolved specialized face-learning abilities analogous to the system used by humans, according to researchers. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201142756.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201105355.htm Researchers have confirmed a unique behavior within the male population of tiny fig wasps that pollinate fig trees -- they team up to help pregnant females, regardless of whether they have mated themselves. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201105355.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201094819.htm Anthropologists report that chimpanzees in Senegal frequently share food and hunting tools with other chimps. This is thought to be the first study to document non-meat sharing behavior among chimpanzees. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201094819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111117140635.htm Ever wondered why flies are attracted to beer? Entomologists have, and offer an explanation. They report that flies sense glycerol that yeasts make during fermentation. Specifically, they found that Gr64e, a receptor associated with neurons located in the fly's mouth-parts, is instrumental in signaling a good taste for beer. Once a fly has settled on beer, Gr64e detects glycerol and transmits this information to the fly's neurons, thus influencing the fly's behavior. Thu, 17 Nov 2011 14:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111117140635.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116174735.htm Playful behavior is widespread in mammals, and has important developmental consequences. A recent study of young chimpanzees shows that these animals play and develop much the same way as human children. The work can therefore also shed light on the role of human play behavior. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116174735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109115816.htm In the fight for survival, plants are capable of complex social behaviors and may exhibit altruism towards family members, but aggressively compete with strangers. A growing body of work suggests plants recognize and respond to the presence and identity of their neighbors. But can plants cooperate with their relatives? Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109115816.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111108195131.htm Scientists have produced amazing three-dimensional images of a prehistoric mite as it hitched a ride on the back of a 50-million-year-old spider. At just 176 micrometres long and barely visible to the naked eye, the mite -- trapped inside Baltic amber (fossil tree resin) -- is believed to be the smallest arthropod fossil ever to be scanned using X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning techniques. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111108195131.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102190400.htm Cigarettes and alcohol serve as gateway drugs, which people use before progressing to the use of marijuana, cocaine and other illicit substances; this progression is called the "gateway sequence" of drug use. Latest findings provide the first molecular explanation for the gateway sequence. They show that nicotine causes specific changes in the brain that make it more vulnerable to cocaine addiction -- a discovery made by using a novel mouse model. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:04:04 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102190400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111027125241.htm The mere presence of a predator causes enough stress to kill a dragonfly, even when the predator cannot actually get at its prey to eat it, say biologists. The scientists suggest that their findings could apply to all organisms facing any amount of stress, and that the experiment could be used as a model for future studies on the lethal effects of stress. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111027125241.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024172742.htm A new study shows that rats given a popularly prescribed antidepressant during development exhibit brain abnormalities and behaviors characteristic of autism spectrum disorders. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024172742.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024153415.htm Rats exposed to an antidepressant just before and after birth showed substantial brain abnormalities and behaviors, according to a new study. After receiving citalopram, a serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor, during this critical period, long-distance connections between the two hemispheres of the brain showed stunted growth and degeneration. The animals also became excessively fearful when faced with new situations and failed to play normally with peers. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024153415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024133030.htm Scientists have taken a promising step toward creating an animal model for decoding the specific brain circuits involved in depression. By electrically stimulating a brain region central to an animal's primary emotions, the researchers saw rats exhibit a variety of behaviors associated with a depressed, negative mood, or affect. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024133030.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024084331.htm Instinctive mothering behavior towards care of newborns has long been recognized as a phenomenon in humans and animals, but now research has shown that motherhood is associated with the acquisition of a host of new behaviors that are driven, at least in part, by alterations in brain function. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024084331.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024084232.htm Behavioral experiments and brain research reveal surprising similarities between fish and humans. For example, some individuals are routine-bound creatures of habit, while others are better able to improvise, a new study shows. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024084232.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111021074732.htm In many bird species males have a more elaborate plumage than females. This elaborate plumage is often used to signal body condition, to intimidate rivals or to attract potential mates. In many cases plumage colouration also depends on the hormone testosterone. Researchers have now investigated whether this also holds true for sex role-reversed bird species. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 07:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111021074732.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020122313.htm Culture is not a trait that is unique to humans. By studying orangutan populations, researchers have demonstrated that great apes also have the ability to learn socially and pass them down through a great many generations. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020122313.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111019105506.htm People generally exercise to lose fat or build up muscle but it is an unfortunate consequence of hard training that muscle is often lost. To counter this effect, people may elect to take various dietary supplements – legal or otherwise. But what can legally be done to help train sport horses? Recent work has shown that a special mixture of amino acids and proteins is able to prevent muscle breakdown in horses following exercise. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111019105506.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017214919.htm When engineers outfitted a six-legged robotic bug with wings in an effort to improve its mobility, they unexpectedly shed some light on the evolution of flight. The wings nearly doubled the running speed of the 25-gram robot, but was that good enough for takeoff? Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017214919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017102553.htm Researchers have completed the genome sequence and comparison of two non-human primate animal models -- the Chinese rhesus macaque and the cynomolgus. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111017102553.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111014212405.htm A meat-eating dinosaur that terrorized its plant-eating neighbors in South America was a lot deadlier than first thought, a researcher has found. Carnotaurus was a seven-meter-long predator with a huge tail muscle that paleontologists say made it one of the fastest running hunters of its time. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111014212405.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013121503.htm When all else is equal, human children prefer to work together in solving a problem rather than on their own. Chimpanzees, on the other hand, show no such preference. That's according to a study of 3-year-old German kindergarteners and semi-free-ranging chimpanzees. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013121503.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111012185628.htm Subordinate male cichlid fish who help with the childcare for the dominant breeding pair are occasionally actually the fathers of some of the offspring they help to rear, according to new research. This sneaky paternity increases the subordinate fish's investment in the offspring in their care. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111012185628.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011101810.htm Numerical calculus and computer simulation techniques have been used to determine the mechanical properties of the skulls of early tetrapods, the first amphibians to appear on the planet. Thanks to this technology, researchers have been able to learn about the feeding behavior of these prehistoric animals. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011101810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006125408.htm Some male crickets will apparently put the lives of their mating partners ahead of their own. When a mated pair is out together, a male will allow a female priority access to the safety of a burrow, even though it means a dramatic increase in his own risk of being eaten. That's according to infrared video observations of a wild population of field crickets. Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006125408.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006125406.htm The long-standing consensus of why insects stick together after mating has been turned on its head. This study shows that, contrary to previous thinking, females benefit from this arrangement just as much as males. Instead of dominating their female partners through bullying and aggressive behavior, males were revealed to be protective, even laying their lives on the line when their mates faced danger. Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006125406.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006084242.htm A gene responsible for aggressive and bold behavior has been identified in zebrafish. This specific behavioral association, whose three characteristics are boldness, exploratory behavior and aggressiveness, has been described in many animal species. In zebrafish, it could be due to the action of a single gene (fgfr-1) through its regulation of histamine levels in the brain, as histamine is the neurotransmitter involved in numerous behavioral traits. Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111006084242.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111005172639.htm Many different types of animals come together to form vast groups -- insect swarms, mammal herds, or bird flocks, for example. Researchers in France added another example to the list: the huge Wels catfish, the world's third largest and Europe's largest freshwater fish. Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111005172639.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003132454.htm For one species of seabird in the Galapagos, the child abuse "cycle of violence" found in humans plays out in the wild. The new study of Nazca boobies provides the first evidence from the animal world showing those who are abused when they are young often grow up to be abusers. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003132454.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929122749.htm Scientists have created a mouse model for autism that opens a window into the biological mechanisms that underlie the disorder and offers a promising way to test new treatment approaches. The research found that autistic mice display remarkably similar symptoms and behavior as children and adults on the autism spectrum. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929122749.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929122745.htm Mice with a defective version of a single gene show behaviors and symptoms that are remarkably similar to characteristics observed in humans with autism spectrum disorders. The animals also respond similarly to an FDA-approved drug used to treat repetitive behaviors in people with autism. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110929122745.htm