Today's Science News
Friday, December 5, 2014
Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
Successful Launch of NASA's Orion Spacecraft Heralds First Step on Journey to Mars
Dec. 5, 2014 — NASA marked a critical step on the journey to Mars with its Orion spacecraft during a roaring liftoff into the dawn sky over eastern Florida on Friday, Dec. 5, 2014, aboard a Delta IV Heavy ... full story
California's Drought Is the Worst in 1,200 Years, Evidence Suggests
Dec. 5, 2014 — As California finally experiences the arrival of a rain-bearing Pineapple Express this week, two climate scientists have shown that the drought of 2012-2014 has been the worst in 1,200 ... full story
Electric Eels Deliver Taser-Like Shocks
Dec. 4, 2014 — The electric eel -- the scaleless Amazonian fish that can deliver an electrical jolt strong enough to knock down a full-grown horse -- possesses an electroshock system uncannily similar to a Taser. ... full story
Blows to Head Damage Brain's 'Garbage Truck,' Accelerate Dementia
Dec. 2, 2014 — Traumatic brain injury can disrupt the function of the brain's waste removal system, research confirms. When this occurs, toxic proteins may accumulate in the brain, setting the stage for the ... full story
Oldest Ever Engraving Discovered on 500,000-Year-Old Shell
Dec. 3, 2014 — Homo erectus on Java was already using shells of freshwater mussels as tools half a million years ago, and as a 'canvas' for an engraving. The discovery of an engraved geometrical pattern ... full story
New Technique Offers Spray-on Solar Power
Dec. 5, 2014 — Pretty soon, powering your tablet could be as simple as wrapping it in cling wrap. Scientists have just invented a new way to spray solar cells onto flexible surfaces using miniscule light-sensitive ... full story
Barrier-Breaking Drug May Lead to Spinal Cord Injury Treatments
Dec. 3, 2014 — Injections of a new drug may partially relieve paralyzing spinal cord injuries, based on indications from a study in rats. Every year, tens of thousands of people are paralyzed by spinal cord ... full story
Penicillin Tactics Revealed by Scientists
Dec. 5, 2014 — One of the oldest and most widely used antibiotics, penicillin, attacks enzymes that build the bacterial cell wall. Researchers have now shown that penicillin and its variants also set in motion a ... full story
Drugs in the Environment Affect Plant Growth
Dec. 5, 2014 — By assessing the impacts of a range of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, research has shown that the growth of edible crops can be affected by these chemicals -- even at the very low ... full story
Obesity May Shorten Life Expectancy Up to Eight Years
Dec. 5, 2014 — 'Tis the season to indulge. However, restraint may be best, according to a new study. The researchers examined the relationship between body weight and life expectancy. Their findings show that ... full story
New Research Paves the Way for Nano-Movies of Biomolecules
Dec. 5, 2014 — Scientists have caught a light sensitive biomolecule at work using an X-ray laser. Their new study proves that high speed X-ray lasers can capture the fast dynamics of biomolecules in ultra ... full story
Birds Conform to Local 'Traditions'
Dec. 3, 2014 — Birds learn new foraging techniques by observing others in their social network, 'copycat' behavior that can sustain foraging 'traditions' that last years, according to a study of ... full story
Parasites and the Evolution of Primate Culture
Dec. 3, 2014 — Learning from others and innovation have undoubtedly helped advance civilization. But these behaviors can carry costs as well as benefits. And a new study by an international team of evolutionary ... full story
Finding Infant Earths and Potential Life Just Got Easier
Dec. 4, 2014 — Among the billions and billions of stars in the sky, where should astronomers look for infant Earths where life might develop? New research shows where -- and when -- infant Earths are most likely to ... full story
Source of Volcanoes May Be Much Closer Than Thought: Geophysicists Challenge Traditional Theory Underlying Origin of Mid-Plate Volcanoes
Dec. 4, 2014 — Geophysicists point to a super-hot layer beneath the tectonic plates as the place of origin for volcanoes, as opposed to deep within the Earth's ... full story
- Successful Launch of NASA's Orion Spacecraft
- California's Drought Is Worst in 1,200 Years
- Electric Eels Deliver Taser-Like Shocks
- Blows to Head Damage Brain's 'Garbage Truck'
- Oldest Ever Engraving On 500,000-Year-Old Shell
- Spray-On Solar Power
- Barrier-Breaking Drug for Spinal Cord Injury?
- Penicillin Tactics Revealed by Scientists
- Drugs in the Environment Affect Plant Growth
- Obesity Shortens Life Expectancy Up to 8 Years
- Nano-Movies of Biomolecules
- Birds Conform to Local 'Traditions'
- Parasites and the Evolution of Primate Culture
- Finding Infant Earths, Potential Life
- Source of Volcanoes Much Closer Than Thought?
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last updated on 2014-12-05 at 7:08 pm EST
Evidence for 'Bilingual Advantage' May Be Less Conclusive Than Previously Thought
Dec. 5, 2014 — Study results that challenge the idea that bilingual speakers have a cognitive advantage are less likely to be published than those that support the bilingual-advantage theory, according to new ... full story
Protein That Controls the 'Guardian of the Genome' Identified
Dec. 5, 2014 — A well-known mechanism required for the immune response is now better understood, thanks to new research. Researchers have identified a protein that controls the activity of the p53 tumor suppressor ... full story
Salience Network Linked to Brain Disorders
Dec. 5, 2014 — A brain structure called the insula is essential for selecting things out of the environment that are 'salient' for an individual, and dysfunction of this system is linked to brain disorders such as ... full story
Stick out Your Tongue: Tongue Appearance and Illness
Dec. 5, 2014 — The tongue can betray signs of illness, which combined with other symptoms such as a cough, fever, presence of jaundice, headache or bowel habits, can help a physician offer a diagnosis. For people ... full story
Loss of a Chemical Tag on RNA Keeps Embryonic Stem Cells in Suspended Animation
Dec. 5, 2014 — A novel mechanism of RNA regulation in embryonic stem cells has been discovered by scientists. They present strong evidence that a specific chemical modification or 'tag' on RNA plays a key role in ... full story
More Patients With Lou Gehrig's Disease Have Genetic Origin Than Previously Thought
Dec. 5, 2014 — Genetics may play a larger role in causing Lou Gehrig’s disease than previously believed, potentially accounting for more than one-third of all cases, according to one of the most comprehensive ... full story
New Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Complex Variations in Stem Cells
Dec. 5, 2014 — Using powerful new single-cell genetic profiling techniques, scientists have uncovered far more variation in pluripotent stem cells than was previously appreciated. The findings bring researchers ... full story
Basic Medical Care of Ebola Patients Neglected and Must Improve
Dec. 5, 2014 — The widespread misconception that there are no proven treatments for Ebola virus disease has meant that simple treatments -- especially intravenous fluids and electrolytes, which could reduce the ... full story
Coordinated Care Beneficial to Kids With Complex Respiratory, Gastrointestinal Disorders
Dec. 5, 2014 — Coordinated care by specialists for children with complex respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders helped lower hospital charges by reducing clinic visits and anesthesia-related procedures in a ... full story
Boosting Length of Breastfeeding Could Save NHS More Than £40 Million Every Year
Dec. 5, 2014 — Doubling the number of mothers who breastfeed for 7-18 months in their lifetime and helping others to continue for at least four months could save the National Health Service more than £40 million ... full story
- 'Bilingual Advantage:' Case of Publication Bias?
- Protein That Controls 'Guardian of the Genome'
- Salience Network Linked to Brain Disorders
- Stick out Your Tongue: Tongue and Illness
- Loss of Tag On RNA Keeps Stem Cells in Suspense
- Lou Gehrig's: Genetic Origin Surprisingly Common
- Many Complex Variations in Stem Cells
- Basic Medical Care of Ebola Patients Neglected
- Coordinated Care for Respiratory, Gastro Issues
- Longer Breastfeeding: Big Savings for Healthcare
Images of Brain After Mild Stroke Predict Future Risk
Dec. 5, 2014 — A CT scan of the brain within 24 hours of a mild, non-disabling stroke can predict when patients will be at the highest risk of another stroke or when symptoms may worsen, according to new research. ... full story
Cerebral Oxygenation in Elite Kenyan Athletes
Dec. 5, 2014 — A pioneering study in the world of the physiology of exercise describes for the first time that elite Kenyan athletes have greater brain oxygenation during periods of maximum physical effort, which ... full story
Smoking and Higher Mortality in Men
Dec. 4, 2014 — An association between smoking and loss of the Y chromosome in blood cells has been demonstrated by recent research. The researchers have previously shown that loss of the Y chromosome is linked to ... full story
Endocrine Disruptors Alter Thyroid Levels in Pregnancy, May Affect Fetal Brain Development
Dec. 4, 2014 — A new study provides 'the strongest evidence to date' that endocrine disrupting chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls found in flame retardant cloth, paint, adhesives and electrical ... full story
Wireless Brain Sensor Could Unchain Neuroscience from Cables
Dec. 4, 2014 — Neuroscience research has been constrained by the cables required to connect brain sensors to computers for analysis. Scientists have now described a wireless brain-sensing system to acquire ... full story
Scarcity Breeds Rationality, New Economic Study Finds
Dec. 4, 2014 — Through a series of surveys, researchers determined that people with less time or money to spare are better able to focus on what the purchase might be worth to them. The researchers began their ... full story
People With Mental Illness More Likely to Be Tested for HIV
Dec. 4, 2014 — People with mental illness are more likely to have been tested for HIV than those without mental illness, according to a new study. The researchers also found that the most seriously ill – those ... full story
Engineer Applies Robot Control Theory to Improve Prosthetic Legs
Dec. 4, 2014 — New research enables powered prosthetics to dynamically respond to the wearer’s environment and help amputees walk. Wearers of the robotic leg could walk on a treadmill almost as fast as an ... full story
Don’t Worry, Be Happy: Just Go to Bed Earlier
Dec. 4, 2014 — Researchers link late evenings to repetitive negative thoughts. When you go to bed, and how long you sleep at a time, might actually make it difficult for you to stop worrying. So say researchers, ... full story
New Model to Detect Aggressive Driving
Dec. 4, 2014 — Researchers have developed a system capable of detecting patterns of reckless driving behavior with non intrusive methods for the ... full story
- Brain Images After Mild Stroke Predict Risk
- Cerebral Oxygenation in Elite Kenyan Athletes
- Smoking and Higher Mortality in Men
- Pregnancy: Endocrine Disruptors Harm Fetal Brain?
- Wireless Brain Sensor Could Unchain Neuroscience
- Scarcity Breeds Rationality, Economic Study Finds
- People With Mental Illness: More HIV Testing
- Robot Control Theory Improves Prosthetic Legs
- Don’t Worry, Be Happy: Just Go to Bed Earlier
- New Model to Detect Aggressive Driving
Type 2 Diabetes Risk Starts in Pregnancy
Dec. 5, 2014 — The risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease is affected by exposures in the uterus, research shows. Experts are now calling for updated guidelines in light of research ... full story
Antioxidant Capacity of Orange Juice Is Multiplied Tenfold
Dec. 5, 2014 — The antioxidant activity of citrus juices and other foods is undervalued, experts say. A new technique for measuring this property generates values that are ten times higher than those indicated by ... full story
High-Sugar Diet in Fathers Can Lead to Obese Offspring
Dec. 4, 2014 — Increasing sugar in the diet of male fruit flies for just one or two days before mating can cause obesity in their offspring through alterations that affect gene expression in the embryo. There is ... full story
Genome Sequencing for Newborns: What Do New Parents Think?
Dec. 4, 2014 — New parents' attitudes toward newborn genomic testing has been the focus of a new study, which finds that if newborn genomic testing becomes available, there would be robust interest among new ... full story
Are the Benefits of Breast Milk Stimulant Worth the Risk?
Dec. 4, 2014 — While some specialists encourage the off-label use of domperidone to stimulate breast milk production, some studies have suggested it may be related to negative side effects, including irregular ... full story
Current Guidelines Not Clear on Which Children Most at Risk of Severe Flu Complications
Dec. 4, 2014 — Children born prematurely are at an increased risk of flu-related complications, despite not being identified as an “at risk” group in UK, USA, or WHO guidelines, and should be a priority group ... full story
Natural Substance in Red Wine Has an Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Cardiovascular Diseases
Dec. 4, 2014 — A natural substance present in red wine, resveratrol, inhibits the formation of inflammatory factors that trigger cardiovascular diseases, a research team concludes. They report that resveratrol ... full story
How Red Wine Prevents Cancer
Dec. 3, 2014 — 'Alcohol damages cells and resveratrol kills damaged cells,' says a scientist who studied red wine and its relationship to preventing cancer. "Alcohol bombards your genes. Your body has ways to ... full story
Commuting Linked to Lower Life Satisfaction
Dec. 3, 2014 — The more time you spend getting to and from work, the less likely you are to be satisfied with life, says a new study. The research reveals exactly why commuting is such a contentment killer -- and ... full story
Overweight and Obesity in Pregnancy Linked to Greater Risk of Infant Death
Dec. 3, 2014 — Overweight and obesity in early pregnancy are associated with increased risks of infant mortality, with the greatest risks seen among severely obese mothers, finds a ... full story
- Type 2 Diabetes Risk Starts in Pregnancy
- Antioxidant Capacity of Orange Juice Multiplied
- High-Sugar Diet in Dad Can Lead to Obese Kids
- Genome Sequencing for Newborns: Accepted?
- Benefits of Breast Milk Stimulant: Worth Risks?
- Which Children Most at Risk of Severe Flu Issues?
- Red Wine: Anti-Inflammatory Effect in CV Diseases
- How Red Wine Prevents Cancer
- Commuting Linked to Lower Life Satisfaction
- Overweight in Pregnancy: More Infant Death Risk
45-Year Physics Mystery Shows a Path to Quantum Transistors
Dec. 5, 2014 — An odd, iridescent material that's puzzled physicists for decades turns out to be an exotic state of matter that could open a new path to quantum computers and other next-generation ... full story
Computers That Teach by Example: New Computer System Enables Pattern-Recognition Systems to Convey What They Learn to Humans
Dec. 5, 2014 — Computers are good at identifying patterns in huge data sets. Humans, by contrast, are good at inferring patterns from just a few examples. Researchers have developed a new system that bridges these ... full story
Imaging Techniques Reliably Predict Treatment Outcomes for TB Patients
Dec. 4, 2014 — Two medical imaging techniques, called positron emission tomography and computed tomography, could be used in combination as a biomarker to predict the effectiveness of antibiotic drug regimens being ... full story
Rattled Atoms Mimic High-Temperature Superconductivity
Dec. 4, 2014 — An experiment has provided the first fleeting glimpse of the atomic structure of a material as it entered a state resembling room-temperature superconductivity – a long-sought phenomenon in which ... full story
X-Ray Laser Reveals How Bacterial Protein Morphs in Response to Light
Dec. 4, 2014 — Researchers have captured the highest-resolution snapshots ever taken with an X-ray laser that show changes in a protein’s structure over time, revealing how a key protein in a photosynthetic ... full story
A New Look at the Finer Details of Rust Show an Assumed Atomic Structure Has Been Wrong All Along
Dec. 4, 2014 — Scientists have been studying the behavior of iron oxide surfaces. The atomic structure of iron oxide, which had been assumed to be well-established, turned out to be wrong. The behavior of iron ... full story
The Walls Can Talk: New Optical Technique Extracts Audio from Video
Dec. 4, 2014 — A simple new optical technique to extract audio information from silent high-speed video has been demonstrated. The work is based on an image-matching ... full story
New Revelations on Dark Matter and Relic Neutrinos
Dec. 4, 2014 — Satellite have been studying relic radiation (the most ancient light in the Universe). This light has been measured precisely across the entire sky for the first time, in both intensity and ... full story
Reliable RNA Analysis Now Easier With 'Dashboard' Tool
Dec. 4, 2014 — An international multi-laboratory team has demonstrated a new software tool, the 'erccdashboard,' that can evaluate the performance of experimental methods used to study gene expression. It provides ... full story
Milestones in Human-Machine Cooperation
Dec. 4, 2014 — Major technical progress has been made on several fronts with the Robo-Mate exoskeleton. A key focus of the initial twelve months of the Robo-Mate project was to define the various production ... full story
- Physics Mystery: Path to Quantum Transistors?
- Computers That Teach by Example
- TB: Imaging Reliably Predicts Treatment Outcomes
- Rattled Atoms Mimic High-Temp Superconductivity
- X-Ray Lasers and Proteins Morphing in the Light
- A New Look at the Finer Details of Rust
- New Optical Technique Extracts Audio from Video
- Revelations On Dark Matter and Relic Neutrinos
- RNA Analysis Easier With 'Dashboard' Tool
- Milestones in Human-Machine Cooperation
Dawn Snaps Its Best-Yet Image of Dwarf Planet Ceres
Dec. 5, 2014 — The Dawn spacecraft has delivered a glimpse of Ceres, the largest body in the main asteroid belt, in a new image taken 740,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) from the dwarf planet. This is Dawn's ... full story
Astronomers Observe Two Stars So Close to Each Other That They Will End Up Merging Into a Supermassive Star
Dec. 5, 2014 — A study of "MY Camelopardalis" binary system shows that the most massive stars are made up by merging with other smaller stars, as predicted by theoretical ... full story
Stardust Not Likely to Block Planet Portraits
Dec. 5, 2014 — Planet hunters received some good news recently. A new study concluded that, on average, sun-like stars aren't all that dusty. Less dust means better odds of snapping clear pictures of the stars' ... full story
Astronomers Observe Galactic 'Blow Out'
Dec. 4, 2014 — For the first time, an international team of astronomers has revealed the dramatic ‘blow out’ phase of galactic evolution. The astronomers have discovered dense gas being blasted out of a compact ... full story
Green Light for European Extremely Large Telescope Construction
Dec. 4, 2014 — ESO’s main governing body, the Council gave the green light for the construction of the European Extremely Large Telescope in two phases. Spending of around one billion euros has been authorized ... full story
Pulsars With Black Holes Could Hold the 'Holy Grail' of Gravity
Dec. 4, 2014 — The intermittent light emitted by pulsars, the most precise timekeepers in the universe, allows scientists to verify Einstein’s theory of relativity, especially when these objects are paired up ... full story
'Mirage Earth' Exoplanets May Have Burned Away Chances for Life
Dec. 3, 2014 — Planets orbiting close to low-mass stars — easily the most common stars in the universe — are prime targets in the search for extraterrestrial life. But new research led by an astronomy graduate ... full story
Space Travel Is a Bit Safer Than Expected
Dec. 3, 2014 — Analysis of data from the MATROSHKA experiment, the first comprehensive measurements of long-term exposure of astronauts to cosmic radiation, has now been completed. This experiment, carried out on ... full story
Astronomers Detect Atomic Hydrogen Emission in Galaxies at Record Breaking Distances
Dec. 3, 2014 — Using the world's largest radio telescope, astronomers have detected the faint signal emitted by atomic hydrogen gas in galaxies three billion light years from Earth, breaking the previous record ... full story
Losing Air: Barrage of Small Impacts Likely Erased Much of the Earth’s Primordial Atmosphere
Dec. 2, 2014 — Researchers believe a blitz of small space rocks, or planetesimals, may have bombarded Earth around the time the moon was formed, kicking up clouds of gas with enough force to permanently eject small ... full story
- Dawn Snaps Image of Dwarf Planet Ceres
- Two Stars Merging Into a Supermassive Star
- Stardust Not Likely to Block Planet Portraits
- Astronomers Observe Galactic 'Blow Out'
- Green Light for E-ELT Construction
- Pulsars With Black Holes: Gravity's Holy Grail?
- 'Mirage Earth' Exoplanets: Past Too Hot For Life
- Space Travel Is a Bit Safer Than Expected
- Atomic Hydrogen Emission in Distant Galaxies
- Many Impacts Erased Earth's Early Atmosphere
Computer-Based Approach to Treating Anxiety May Reduce Suicide Risk
Dec. 3, 2014 — A group of psychology researchers has developed a simple computer-based approach to treating anxiety sensitivity, something that could have major implications for veterans and other groups who are ... full story
Volunteers Can Now Help Scientists Seek Ebola Cure in Their (Computer's) Spare Time
Dec. 3, 2014 — Beginning today, anyone can download a safe and free app that will put their computer or Android-based mobile device to work to form a virtual supercomputer to help scientists screen millions of ... full story
World’s Fastest 2-D Camera, 100 Billion Frames Per Second, May Enable New Scientific Discoveries
Dec. 3, 2014 — A team of biomedical engineers has developed the world’s fastest receive-only 2-D camera, a device that can capture events up to 100 billion frames per ... full story
Clothes That Can Monitor, Transmit Biomedical Info Developed
Dec. 3, 2014 — Smart textiles are able to monitor and transmit wearers' biomedical information via wireless or cellular networks, developers report. This technological breakthrough clears a path for a host of new ... full story
Extraordinary Throughput at Supercomputing Conference
Dec. 3, 2014 — Computer scientists moved 65 terabytes of data in under just 100 minutes at a recent supercomputing ... full story
Fractal Geometry: Finding the Simple Patterns in a Complex World
Dec. 3, 2014 — A mathematician has developed a new way to uncover simple patterns that might underlie apparently complex systems, such as clouds, cracks in materials or the movement of the stockmarket. The method, ... full story
Computer Model Enables Design of Complex DNA Shapes
Dec. 3, 2014 — Biological engineers have created a new computer model that allows them to design the most complex three-dimensional DNA shapes ever produced, including rings, bowls, and geometric structures such as ... full story
How to Stop the Spread of HIV in Africa
Dec. 2, 2014 — To stop the spread of HIV in Africa, researchers, using a complex mathematical model, have developed a strategy that focuses on targeting “hot zones,” areas where the risk of HIV infection is ... full story
See It, Touch It, Feel It: Researchers Use Ultrasound to Make Invisible 3-D Haptic Shape That Can Be Seen and Felt
Dec. 2, 2014 — Technology has changed rapidly over the last few years with touch feedback, known as haptics, being used in entertainment, rehabilitation and even surgical training. New research, using ultrasound, ... full story
Fighting Air Pollution in China With Social Media
Dec. 2, 2014 — The serious air pollution problem in China has attracted the attention of online activists who want the government to take action, but their advocacy has had only limited success, a new study has ... full story
- Computer-Based Anxiety Treatment: Less Suicides?
- Citizens' Computers to Seek Ebola Cure
- Fastest 2-D Camera: 100B Frames Per Secord
- Clothes That Monitor, Transmit Biomedical Info
- Computing: 65 Terabytes of Data in 100 Minutes
- Simple Patterns in a Complex World
- Complex DNA: Computer Model Enables Design
- How to Stop the Spread of HIV in Africa
- Invisible 3-D Shape That Can Be Seen, Felt
- Fighting Air Pollution in China With Social Media
'Family' Matters When Predicting Ecosystems' Reaction to Global Change
Dec. 5, 2014 — A new study shows that just as our family histories dictate what we look like and how we act, plant evolutionary history shapes community responses to interacting agents of global ... full story
Response to Viral Infections Depends on Entry Route of Virus
Dec. 4, 2014 — Insects can transmit viral diseases to humans. Therefore, understanding how insects cope with viral infection, and what immune mechanisms are triggered, can be important to stop diseases ... full story
Poisonous Cure: Toxic Fungi May Hold Secrets to Tackling Deadly Diseases
Dec. 4, 2014 — Take two poisonous mushrooms, and call me in the morning. While no doctor would ever write this prescription, toxic fungi may hold the secrets to tackling deadly diseases. A team of scientists has ... full story
Why Tool-Wielding Crows Are Left Or Right-Beaked
Dec. 4, 2014 — New Caledonian crows show preferences when it comes to holding their tools on the left or the right sides of their beaks, in much the same way that people are left- or right-handed. Now researchers ... full story
'Non-Echolocating' Fruit Bats Actually Do Echolocate, With Wing Clicks
Dec. 4, 2014 — In a discovery that overturns conventional wisdom about bats, researchers have found that Old World fruit bats -- long classified as 'non-echolocating' -- actually do use a rudimentary form of ... full story
Innate Immune System Condemns Weak Cells to Their Death
Dec. 4, 2014 — In cell competition the strong eliminate the weak, thereby ensuring optimal tissue fitness. Molecular biologists have now demonstrated that the innate immune system plays a key role in this important ... full story
Insecticides Foster 'Toxic' Slugs, Reduce Crop Yields
Dec. 4, 2014 — Insecticides aimed at controlling early-season crop pests, such as soil-dwelling grubs and maggots, can increase slug populations, thus reducing crop yields, according to researchers. "Neonicotinoids ... full story
Thirty New Spider Species Found in One of China's Richest Biodiversity Hotspots
Dec. 4, 2014 — Scientists have devoted years to study the astounding diversity hidden in the depths of the Xishuangbanna tropical rain forests. One team now reveals 30 new spider species, which constitutes a minor ... full story
3-D Printing to the Rescue of Gastronomy for Frail Seniors
Dec. 4, 2014 — Researchers are now developing personalised food for elderly people with chewing or swallowing problems, by working on printable versions of meat and ... full story
Ever Tried a 'Laser Delicious' Apple? Laser Biospeckle Method to Harvest Fruits at Precise Peak in Ripeness
Dec. 3, 2014 — The ability to detect when to harvest “climacteric” fruits -- such as apples, bananas, pears and tomatoes -- at the precise moment to ensure “peak edibleness” in terms of both taste and ... full story
- Plant Evolutionary History and Global Change
- Response to Infections Depends On Entry of Virus
- Toxic Fungi: Secrets to Tackling Deadly Diseases?
- Tool-Wielding Crows: Left Or Right-Beaked?
- 'Non-Echolocating' Bats? They Use Wing Clicks
- Innate Immune System Condemns Weak Cells to Death
- Insecticides Foster 'Toxic' Slugs, Reduce Yields
- Thirty New Spider Species in China
- 3-D Print Your Meat and Vegetables
- Laser to Determine Best Moment to Pick Fruit
Looking at El Niño's Past to Predict Its Future
Dec. 5, 2014 — Scientists see a large amount of variability in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) when looking back at climate records from thousands of years ago. Without a clear understanding of what caused ... full story
Climate Change Already Showing Effects at Kennedy Space Center
Dec. 5, 2014 — The effects of climate change are already showing up in places from Miami to Alaska, scientists say, but geologists are now focusing their attention on one especially noteworthy and vulnerable piece ... full story
El Niño's 'Remote Control' on Hurricanes in the Northeastern Pacific
Dec. 4, 2014 — El Niño peaks in winter and its surface ocean warming occurs mostly along the equator. However, months later, El Niño events affect the formation of intense hurricanes in the Northeastern Pacific ... full story
Greenhouse Gases Linked to African Rainfall
Dec. 4, 2014 — Scientists may have solved a long-standing enigma known as the African Humid Period -- an intense increase in cumulative rainfall in parts of Africa that began after a long dry spell following the ... full story
Antarctica: Heat Comes from the Deep
Dec. 4, 2014 — The water temperatures on the West Antarctic shelf are rising. The reason for this is predominantly warm water from greater depths, which as a result of global change now increasingly reaches the ... full story
Maintaining a Reliable Value of the Cost of Climate Change
Dec. 4, 2014 — The Social Cost of Carbon puts a dollar value on the climate damages per ton of CO2 released, and is used by -- among others -- policymakers to help determine the costs and benefits of climate ... full story
Localized Climate Change Contributed to Ancient Southwest Depopulation
Dec. 4, 2014 — The role of localized climate change in one of the great mysteries of North American archaeology -- the depopulation of southwest Colorado by ancestral Pueblo people in the late 1200s -- has been ... full story
Research Could Improve Nuclear Power Plant Safety, and Stop Your Kettle Furring Up
Dec. 4, 2014 — Taking inspiration from nature, researchers have created a versatile model to predict how stalagmite-like structures form in nuclear processing plants – as well as how lime scale builds up in ... full story
Uncovering One of Humankind’s Most Ancient Lineages
Dec. 4, 2014 — Scientists have successfully discovered one of modern humans' ancient lineages through the sequencing of genes of the Southern African Khoisan tribespeople. This is the first time that the history ... full story
China Agrees to Enhance Its Role in Global Climate Change Mitigation: Turning the Massive 'Coal Ship' Around Won’t Be Easy, Experts Say
Dec. 4, 2014 — A rapid process of urbanization and an expanding middle class with increasingly western tastes will keep energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in China at high levels over the next 20 ... full story
- Looking at El Niño's Past to Predict Its Future
- Climate Change: Kennedy Space Center
- El Nino's Fueling Effect On Intense Hurricanes
- Greenhouse Gases Linked to African Rainfall
- Antarctica: Heat Comes from the Deep
- Evaluating the Social Cost of Carbon
- Ancient Depopulation: Climate Change to Blame?
- Improving Nuclear Power Plant Safety
- One of Humankind’s Most Ancient Lineages
- China: Global Climate Change Mitigation?
Dirt Provides New Insight Into Roman Burials
Dec. 4, 2014 — The first scientific evidence of frankincense being used in Roman burial rites in Britain has been uncovered by a team of archaeological scientists. The findings demonstrate that, even while the ... full story
Beer, Beef and Politics: Findings at Viking Archaeological Site Show Power Trumping Practicality
Dec. 3, 2014 — Vikings are known for raiding and trading, but those who settled in Iceland centuries ago spent more time producing and feasting on booze and beef — in part to gain political clout in a place very ... full story
Arabian Sea Humpback Whales Isolated for 70,000 Years
Dec. 3, 2014 — Scientists have made a fascinating discovery in the northern Indian Ocean: humpback whales inhabiting the Arabian Sea are the most genetically distinct humpback whales in the world and may be the ... full story
Study Set to Shape Medical Genetics in Africa
Dec. 3, 2014 — The first attempt to comprehensively characterize genetic diversity across Sub-Saharan Africa has been published by researchers. The study of the world’s most genetically diverse region will ... full story
Archaeologists Reveal Layout of Medieval City at Old Sarum
Dec. 3, 2014 — Archaeologists have revealed for the first time the plan of a network of buildings in a once thriving medieval city at the historic site of Old Sarum, near Salisbury. A research team of students and ... full story
King Richard III: Case Closed After 529 Years
Dec. 2, 2014 — King Richard III: a DNA and genealogical study confirms the identity of remains found in Leicester and uncovers new truths about his appearance and Plantagenet ... full story
Turn Back the Molecular Clock, Say Argentina's Plant Fossils
Dec. 2, 2014 — Molecular clocks -- based on changes in genetic material -- indicate much younger ages for a wide variety of plants found as fossils in southern Argentina than do the solid, geologic dates of those ... full story
Predators and Isolation Shape the Evolution of 'Island Tameness,' Providing Conservation Insights
Dec. 1, 2014 — Charles Darwin noted more than 150 years ago that animals on the Galapagos Islands, including finches and marine iguanas, were more docile than mainland creatures. He attributed this tameness to the ... full story
Brain Folding Study Defines Two Distinct Groups of Mammals
Dec. 1, 2014 — Programs that control the production of neurons during brain development determine how the brain folds, researchers report. The researchers analyzed the gyrencephaly index, indicating the degree of ... full story
Scientists Find 240-Million-Year-Old Parasite That Infected Mammals' Ancestor
Dec. 1, 2014 — The discovery of a 240-million-year-old pinworm egg confirms that herbivorous cynodonts -- the ancestors of mammals -- were infected with the parasitic ... full story
- Dirt Provides New Insight Into Roman Burials
- Vikings: Power Trumps Practicality
- Arabian Sea Humpback Whales Isolated
- Study Set to Shape Medical Genetics in Africa
- Old Sarum: Layout of Medieval City Revealed
- King Richard III: Case Closed After 529 Years
- Turn Back Molecular Clock, Say Plant Fossils
- Isolation and Evolution of 'Island Tameness'
- Brain Folding: Two Distinct Groups of Mammals
- Ancient Parasite Infected Mammal Ancestor
Psychological Problems in Men Experiencing Cancer
Dec. 4, 2014 — Some key markers for vulnerability to psychological problems in men experiencing cancer have been identified by researchers. A group of 127 men aged 18 and over with a cancer diagnosis were recruited ... full story
Lethal Control of Wolves Backfires on Livestock
Dec. 3, 2014 — Researchers have found that it is counter-productive to kill wolves to keep them from preying on livestock. Shooting and trapping lead to more dead sheep and cattle the following year, not fewer. ... full story
Mapping Human Disease: 'Not All Pathogens Are Everywhere'
Dec. 3, 2014 — For the first time, researchers have mapped human disease-causing pathogens, dividing the world into a number of regions where similar diseases occur. The findings show that the world can be ... full story
Managing Reefs to Benefit Coastal Communities
Dec. 3, 2014 — Coral reefs provide a range of benefits, such as food, opportunities for income and education, but not everyone has the same access to them, according to a new ... full story
People Conceived During Dutch Famine Have Altered Regulation of Growth Genes
Dec. 3, 2014 — Individuals conceived in the severe Dutch Famine may have adjusted to this horrendous period of World War II by making adaptations to how active their DNA is. Genes involved in growth and development ... full story
Human Influence Important Factor in Possible Global and UK Temperature Records
Dec. 3, 2014 — Early figures show 2014 is on course to be one of, if not the warmest year on record both globally and for the ... full story
Macho Stereotypes Put Off Men as Well as Women
Dec. 3, 2014 — Some men are being driven away from macho occupations like surgery and the Royal Marines because they don't feel that they are 'man enough', according to new ... full story
Substantial Improvement in England, Wales Cancer Survival Over 40 Years Overshadowed by Low Survival for Brain, Stomach, Lung, Oesophageal, and Pancreatic Cancers
Dec. 3, 2014 — However, although some cancers have a good prognosis, the outlook for others remains extremely poor. For example, while 98% of men with testicular cancer survive from their cancer for at least a ... full story
New Study Explains the Role of Oceans in 'Global Warming Hiatus'
Dec. 3, 2014 — New research shows that ocean heat uptake across three oceans is the likely cause of the ‘warming hiatus’ – the current decade-long slowdown in global surface warming. Using data from a range ... full story
On Environment, Republicans Closer to Independents Than Tea Party
Dec. 2, 2014 — Environmentalists dispirited by the Republicans’ dominance of the recent midterm elections can take heart: non-Tea Party Republicans’ views on science and environmental issues are closer to those ... full story
- Psychological Problems in Men Experiencing Cancer
- Lethal Control of Wolves Backfires On Livestock
- Mapping Disease: All Pathogens Not All Places
- Managing Reefs to Benefit Coastal Communities
- People Conceived in Dutch Famine: Genes Differ
- Human Influence and Temperature Records
- Macho Stereotypes Put Off Men as Well as Women
- UK: Big Improvement in Some Cancer Survival
- Global Warming Hiatus: Role of Oceans Explained
- Environmental Attitudes: Republican, Independent
Occupational Sitting Among Women Linked to Obesity
Dec. 1, 2014 — You might want to stand up for this. Occupational sitting is associated with an increased likelihood of obesity, especially among black women, independent of occupational and leisure time physical ... full story
Bitcoin, Virtual Money: User's Identity Can Be Revealed Much Easier Than Thought
Nov. 25, 2014 — Bitcoin is the new money: minted and exchanged on the Internet. Faster and cheaper than a bank, the service is attracting attention from all over the world. But a big question remains: are the ... full story
Entrepreneurs Are Not Corporate Rebels: High Performers More Likely to Set Off on Own Without Path
Nov. 24, 2014 — Considering leaving the 9-to-5 world of corporate life behind to strike out on your own? When we think of entrepreneurship, we typically imagine a life of untold riches and the satisfaction of being ... full story
Job Authority Increases Depression Symptoms in Women, Decreases Them in Men
Nov. 20, 2014 — Having job authority increases symptoms of depression among women, but decreases them among men, a new study has ... full story
It Pays to Have an Eye for Emotions
Nov. 19, 2014 — Attending to and caring about the emotions of employees and colleagues – that's for wimps, not for tough businesspeople and efficient performers, right? Wrong! An extensive international study has ... full story
Verbal Abuse in the Workplace: Are Men or Women Most at Risk?
Nov. 18, 2014 — There is no significant difference in the prevalence of verbal abuse in the workplace between men and women, according to a systematic review of the literature. Verbal abuse is the most common form ... full story
Working Night Shift Burns Less Energy, Increases Risk of Weight Gain
Nov. 17, 2014 — People who work the night shift are likely burning less energy during a 24-hour period than those on a normal schedule, increasing their risk for weight gain and obesity, according to a new ... full story
Businesses Can Help Preserve Endangered Species With Small Landscape Changes
Nov. 17, 2014 — Businesses can contribute to raptor preservation efforts by engaging in less development of lawn areas and increased planting or preservation of native grasslands and woodlots. As more businesses are ... full story
Model for Evaluating Product-Recommendation Algorithms Suggests That Trial and Error Get It Right
Nov. 14, 2014 — A model for evaluating product-recommendation algorithms suggests that trial and error get it right. Researchers will present a paper that applies their model to the recommendation engines that are ... full story
Obesity-Related Work Absences Are 'Financial Drain' for States
Nov. 13, 2014 — Obese workers miss more work days, and those absences carry high costs at the state and national level, according to a study. "Obesity-attributable absenteeism among American workers costs the nation ... full story
- Women: Occupational Sitting Linked to Obesity
- Virtual Money: User's Identity Easily Revealed
- Entrepreneurs Are Not Corporate Rebels
- Men: Job Authority Decreases Depression Symptoms
- It Pays to Have an Eye for Emotions
- Verbal Abuse in the Workplace: Men and Women?
- Working Night Shift Increases Risk of Weight Gain
- Small Landscape Changes Help Endangered Species
- Trial and Error Get It Right, Model Suggests
- Obesity-Related Work Absences: 'Financial Drain'
Ideals May Play Role in Knowledge Formation, Professor's Research Says
Dec. 2, 2014 — Research by a professor of philosophy indicates that having an ideal can play a role in acquiring new information that makes our beliefs ... full story
Heavier Newborns Show Academic Edge in School
Dec. 2, 2014 — Birth weight makes a difference to a child's future academic performance, according to new research that found heavier newborns do better in elementary and middle school than infants with lower birth ... full story
It's Mean Boys, Not Mean Girls, Who Rule at School, Study Shows
Dec. 1, 2014 — Debunking the myth of the 'mean girl,' new research has found that boys use relational aggression -- malicious rumors, social exclusion and rejection -- to harm or manipulate others more often than ... full story
Education Is Key to Climate Adaptation
Nov. 27, 2014 — According to new research, education makes people less vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods, landslides, and storms that are expected to intensify with climate ... full story
Elderly Brains Learn, but Maybe Too Much
Nov. 26, 2014 — Learning requires both mental flexibility, or 'plasticity,' and stability. A new study finds that in learning a visual task, older people exhibited a surprising degree of plasticity, but had trouble ... full story
Two Studies, 2 Editorials Put Focus on School Breakfasts, Lunches
Nov. 24, 2014 — Schools offering Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) had higher participation in the national school breakfast program and attendance, but math and reading achievement did not differ between schools ... full story
Education Empowers Canadians, but Raises Risks of Overwork, Work-Family Stress
Nov. 20, 2014 — The higher your level of education, the greater your earnings and your sense of “personal mastery” or being in control of your fate, researchers say. But wait: there’s a downside. A new study ... full story
Social Sensing Game Detects Classroom Bullies
Nov. 19, 2014 — Researchers have developed a computer game that can detect classroom bullies, victims and bystanders. The game's behavior analyses effectively identify classroom bullies, even revealing peer ... full story
Training Can Lead to Synesthetic Experiences: Does Learning the 'Color Of' Specific Letters Boost IQ?
Nov. 18, 2014 — A new study has shown for the first time how people can be trained to 'see' letters of the alphabet as colors in a way that simulates how those with synesthesia experience their ... full story
‘Smart’ Drugs Won’t Make Smart People Smarter, Research Concludes
Nov. 12, 2014 — It is claimed one in five students have taken the ‘smart’ drug Modafinil to boost their ability to study and improve their chances of exam success. But new research into the effects of Modafinil ... full story
- Ideals May Play Role in Knowledge Formation
- Heavier Newborns Show Academic Edge in School
- Mean Boys, Not Mean Girls, Rule at School
- Education Is Key to Climate Adaptation
- Elderly Brains Learn, but Maybe Too Much
- Experts Put Focus On School Breakfasts, Lunches
- Education: Empowering, but Risks of Overwork
- Social Sensing Game Detects Classroom Bullies
- Synesthesia Can Be Learned: Boosts IQ?
- 'Smart' Drugs Won't Make Smart People Smarter
