Latest Science News

Holographic Universe: Discovery Could Herald New Era In Fundamental Physics
February 4, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Scientists searching the depths of space to study gravitational wave
may have stumbled on one of the most important discoveries in physics.
At least one physicist is convinced that he has found proof in the
data of the gravitational wave detector GEO600 of a holographic
universe.
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Artificial Light At Night: Higher Risk Of Prostate Cancer, Study Suggests
February 4, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Worldwide, countries with the highest levels of artificial light at
night also have the highest rates of prostate cancer.
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Improving Oil Extraction With New Mapping Technology
February 4, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Picture this: an accurate map of a large underground oil reservoir
that can guide engineers' efforts to coax the oil from the vast rocky
subsurface into wells where it can be pumped out for storage or
transport. Researchers have developed technology that can generate
such a map, which has the potential to significantly increase the
amount of oil extracted from reservoirs.
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Healthy Kidney Removed Through Donor's Vagina
February 4, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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In what is believed to be a first-ever procedure, surgeons have
successfully removed a healthy donor kidney through a small incision
in the back of the donor's vagina.
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Differences In Recovered Memories Of Childhood Sexual Abuse
February 4, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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When a child experiences a traumatic event it may not be until well
into adulthood that they remember the incident. It's unknown how
adults are able to retrieve long-forgotten memories of abuse and there
has been some controversy as to the authenticity of these reports. A
new study suggests that there are important differences between people
who gradually recover memories of abuse during suggestive therapy
sessions and those who recover memories of abuse more spontaneously.
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COROT Discovers Smallest Transiting Exoplanet Ever
February 4, 2009 at 11:00 am
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COROT has found the smallest terrestrial planet ever detected outside
the Solar System. The amazing planet is less than twice the size of
Earth and orbits a Sun-like star. Its temperature is so high that it
is possibly covered in lava or water vapor.
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Personal Touch In Farming: Giving A Cow A Name Boosts Her Milk Production
February 4, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Giving a cow a name helps to boost her milk production, scientists
have found. Cows may feel happier and more relaxed if they are given a
bit more one-to-one attention rather than treated as just a part of
the herd, according to researchers.
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Biochemical System Involved In Cancer And Degenerative Disease Disrupted
February 4, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Screening a chemical library of 200,000 compounds, researchers have
identified two new classes that can be used to study and possibly
manipulate a cellular pathway involved in many types of cancer and
degenerative diseases.
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High Pressure Yields Novel Single-element Boron 'Compound'
February 4, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Scientists have found the first case of an ionic crystal consisting of
just one chemical element -- boron. This is the densest and hardest
known phase of this element. The new phase turned out to be a key to
understanding the phase diagram of boron -- the only element for which
the phase diagram was unknown since its discovery 200 years ago.
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Sociability Traced To Particular Region Of Brain
February 4, 2009 at 11:00 am
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People with a genetic condition called Williams syndrome are famously
gregarious. Scientists, looking carefully at brain function in
individuals with Williams syndrome, think they may know why this is
so.
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Removing Some Cloud Seeds Of Doubt: Long-term Cloud Seeding In
Tasmania Shows Promising Increase In Rainfall
February 4, 2009 at 8:00 am
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A team of researchers at Monash University has released a new analysis
of precipitation records from the long-term cloud seeding operation in
Tasmania that shows a promising increase in rainfall during periods of
seeding.
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Animal Eggs Not Suitable Substitutes To Produce Stem Cells, Study Demonstrates
February 4, 2009 at 8:00 am
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Since the cloning of Dolly the Sheep over a decade ago, somatic cell
nuclear transfer has been considered a promising way to generate
human, patient-specific stem cells for therapeutic applications. The
shortage of human donor eggs has led to efforts to substitute animal
oocytes. However, a new study demonstrates that animal oocytes lack
the capacity to fully reprogram adult human cells.
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Plums Poised To Give Blueberries Run For The Money
February 4, 2009 at 8:00 am
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There's an emerging star in the super-food world. Plums are rolling
down the food fashion runway sporting newly discovered high levels of
healthy nutrients, say scientists at Texas AgriLife Research. Far from
fruit snobbery, the plum is being ushered in after more than 100
varieties of plums, peaches and nectarines were found to match or
exceed blueberries in antioxidants and phytonutrients associated with
disease prevention.
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Exercise Underutilized For Chronic Back And Neck Pain
February 4, 2009 at 8:00 am
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Exercise is commonly used to improve physical function, decrease
symptoms and minimize disability caused by chronic low back or neck
pain. Numerous randomized trials and clinical practice guidelines have
supported this practice, and studies suggest that individually
tailored, supervised exercise programs are associated with the best
outcomes.
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UV Light-enhanced Tooth Bleaching Dangerous To Eyes And Skin, Study Shows
February 4, 2009 at 8:00 am
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UV light-enhanced tooth bleaching is not only a con, but is dangerous
to your eyes and skin, according to new research. The light treatment
gives absolutely no benefit over bleaching without UV, and damages
skin and eyes up to four times as much as sunbathing.
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Ötzi's Last Days: Glacier Man May Have Been Attacked Twice
February 4, 2009 at 8:00 am
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Another chapter in a murder case over 5000 years old. Scientists
reconstructed the chronology of the injuries that Ötzi, the glacier
man preserved as a frozen mummy, received in his last days. It turns
out, for example, that he did in fact only survive the arrow wound in
his back for a very short time -- a few minutes to a number of hours,
but no more -- and also definitely received a blow to the back with a
blunt object only shortly before his death. In contrast, the cut wound
on his hand is some days older.
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Why Don't More Animals Change Their Sex?
February 4, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Most animals, like humans, have separate sexes -- they are born, live
out their lives and reproduce as one sex or the other. However, some
animals live as one sex in part of their lifetime and then switch to
the other sex, a phenomenon called sequential hermaphroditism. What
remains a puzzle is why the phenomenon is so rare, since a detailed
analysis shows the biological "costs" of changing sexes rarely
outweigh the advantages.
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Genes May Predict Vascular Malformation In Common Birthmarks
February 4, 2009 at 5:00 am
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A pair of studies may translate into rapid molecular tests to
distinguish between hemangiomas and congenital blood or lymph vessel
malformations in infants. Hemangiomas are common birthmarks consisting
of benign tumors of blood vessels.
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Glaciers Around The Globe Continue To Melt At High Rates
February 4, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Glaciers around the globe continue to melt at high rates. Tentative
figures for the year 2007, of the World Glacier Monitoring Service
indicate a further loss of average ice thickness of roughly 0.67 meter
water equivalent (m w.e.). Some glaciers in the European Alps lost up
to 2.5 m w.e.
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Oncogene Inhibits Tumor Suppressor To Promote Cancer: Study Links B-RAF And LKB1
February 4, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Scientists have uncovered an interesting connection between two
important protein kinase signaling pathways that are associated with
cancer. The research may direct new therapeutic strategies for
multiple types of cancer.
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Open Source Research Platform: Wireless At WARP Speed
February 4, 2009 at 5:00 am
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In less than two years, WARP -- a new open-source wireless research
platform -- has found its way into laboratories at Nokia, MIT, Toyota,
NASA, Ericsson and dozens of other organizations. WARP is already
being used to test everything from "cognitive" wireless networks and
low-cost wireless Internet in rural India to futuristic "unwired"
spacecraft.
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Bipolar Disorder Linked To Risk Of Early Death From Natural Causes
February 4, 2009 at 5:00 am
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People with bipolar disorder have a higher death rate from natural
causes compared to people in the general population of the same age
and gender but without mental illness.
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'Longevity Gene' Common Among People Living To 100 Years Old And Beyond
February 4, 2009 at 2:00 am
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Kiel scientists show that 100-year-old Europeans carry a special
sequence variation of the FOXO3A gene. A variation in the gene FOXO3A
has a positive effect on the life expectancy of humans, and is found
much more often in people living to 100 and beyond -- moreover, this
appears to be true worldwide. Scientist have now confirmed this
assumption by comparing DNA samples taken from 388 German centenarians
with those from 731 younger people.
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Novel Method Of Immunization Completely Eliminates Malaria Parasites
February 4, 2009 at 2:00 am
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A novel method of immunization completely eliminates the malaria
parasites in both stages of the parasite's development, according to
new research.
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Wild Boar Given Plenty Of Food And Shelter Do Not Live As Long As
Struggling Wild Boar
February 4, 2009 at 2:00 am
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Lack of shelter and the large amount of food available from crops in
the mid-valley of the Ebro reflect primarily how human beings
influence the landscape, and the demography and reproduction of wild
boar. Wild boar living in the Ebro Valley with plenty of food and
shelter do not survive for as long as those struggling to live in the
Pyrenees.
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Assessing The Real Risk Of Heart Disease In Young People With Low
Short-term Risks
February 4, 2009 at 2:00 am
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Risk stratification has become central to strategies for the
prevention of coronary heart disease. However, stratification using
the conventional risk estimation models may not be accurately achieved
in individuals without symptoms. A new study suggests that many
younger individuals defined as low risk by conventional risk
stratification methods may not remain at low risk throughout their
lives.
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Improved Test To Detect Steroid Abuse In Cattle
February 4, 2009 at 2:00 am
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Innovative new tests which can identify the illegal use of steroids in
the European beef industry have been devised. The tests are cheaper,
more accurate and more convenient in tracing the illegal drugs than
conventional doping tests.
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Intervention Method Reduces Binge Drinking
February 4, 2009 at 2:00 am
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Brief but personal intervention reduces drinking among risky college
drinkers, according to new research. Motivational interviewing with
feedback (MIF) significantly reduced drinking among a group of
heavy-drinking college students.
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Not Just Your Imagination: Brain Perceives Optical Illusions As Real Motion
February 3, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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Ever get a little motion sick from an illusion graphic designed to
look like it's moving? A new study suggests that these illusions do
more than trick the eye; they may also convince the brain that the
graphic is actually moving.
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Worm Provides Clues About Preventing Damage Caused By Low-oxygen
During Stroke, Heart Attack
February 3, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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Neurobiologists have identified pathways that allow microscopic worms
to survive in a low-oxygen, or hypoxic, environment. They believe the
finding could have implications for conditions such as stroke, heart
attack and cancer. Sensitivity to low oxygen helps determine how
damaging those medical conditions can be.
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Stat3 Signaling Tips The Balance Of Immunity In Favor Of Cancer
February 3, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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New research reveals how a cancer-associated protein enables tumor
cells to evade the immune system by both suppressing anti-tumor
influences and promoting tumor-enhancing conditions, in essence
turning the immune system to the dark side of the force. The study is
published by Cell Press in the Feb. 3 issue of the journal Cancer
Cell.
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Data Mining Promises To Dig Up New Drugs
February 3, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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A robot scientist that can make informed guesses about how effective
different chemical compounds will be at fighting different diseases
could revolutionize the pharmaceutical industry by developing more
effective treatments more cheaply and quickly than current methods.
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Mental Illness By Itself Does Not Predict Future Violent Behavior, Study Finds
February 3, 2009 at 11:00 pm
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People with mental illness alone are no more likely than anyone else
to commit acts of violence, a new study concludes. But mental illness
combined with substance abuse or dependence elevates the risk for
future violence.
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Early Humans Had 'Jaws Of Steel'
February 3, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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New research reveals nut-cracking abilities in our
250-million-year-old relatives that enabled them to alter their diet
to adapt to changes in food sources in their environment. Computer
simulation shows early humans had jaws to eat diet of hard seeds and
nuts.
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New Vaccine Developed For Preventing 'Uncommon Cold' Virus
February 3, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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Common colds typically cause a week of sneezing, aches and pains and
then fade away leaving only a sore nose and a few used sick days
behind. But what if that cold turned out to be something more?
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Mystery Of Twin Quasar Brightness Revealed
February 3, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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Variations in the brightness of the Q0957+561 quasar, also known as
the "twin quasar" due to its duplicated image on Earth, are intrinsic
to the entity itself and not caused by the gravitational effects of
possible planets or stars from a far away galaxy. This is the
conclusion of a new study resolving a mystery that has intrigued
astronomers for the past 30 years.
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Controversial Medication May Decrease Spasms For Infants With Epilepsy
February 3, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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The antiepileptic drug vigabatrin has been shown to be one of the best
treatments against a special form of epilepsy in infants, called
infantile spasm. However, its use has been limited in many countries
because it has been shown to cause a permanent narrowing of visual
fields in approximately 40 percent of adults who have been exposed at
school age or later.
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Cassini Thruster Swap Planned
February 3, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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The Cassini spacecraft will swap to a backup set of propulsion
thrusters in mid-March due to degradation in the performance of the
current set of thrusters.
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The Irony Of Harmony: Why Positive Interactions May Sometimes Be Negative
February 3, 2009 at 8:00 pm
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By recognizing their inequalities, members of disadvantaged groups can
mobilize and attempt to bring about social change. However, the
results of a new study suggests that positive contact with majority
groups may result in disadvantaged groups being less likely to support
social change- with improved attitudes towards the advantaged groups
and reduced attention to social inequality, the disadvantaged groups
may become less motivated to promote change.
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Insulin Is A Possible New Treatment For Alzheimer's
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Researchers report that insulin may slow or prevent the damage and
memory loss caused by toxic proteins (called ADDLs) in Alzheimer's
disease. Scientists treated hippocampal cells with insulin and an
insulin-sensitizing drug. They discovered that damage to neurons
exposed to ADDLs was blocked by insulin, which kept ADDLs from
attaching to the cells. The findings provide additional evidence that
Alzheimer's could be due to a novel third form of diabetes.
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Stem Cell Transplant Reverses Early-stage Multiple Sclerosis
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Researchers appear to have reversed the neurological dysfunction of
early-stage multiple sclerosis patients by transplanting their own
immune stem cells into their bodies and thereby "resetting" their
immune systems. This is the first time neurological disability has
been reversed in MS. The patients' disease also stabilized.
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Mars Exploration Rover Spirit Resumes Driving
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit resumed driving Saturday after
engineers gained confidence from diagnostic activities earlier in the
week evaluating how well the rover senses its orientation.
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Gene Expression Signature Associated With Survival In Advanced Ovarian Cancer
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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A new study identifies molecular pathways associated with outcomes in
ovarian cancer. Currently, outcomes following diagnosis of ovarian
cancer are very poor, with up to 65-70 percent of women dying within
five years of diagnosis.
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Newly Described Contaminant Sources In Katrina-flooded Homes Pose Health Risks
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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Post-Katrina flooded homes may contain harmful levels of contaminants
in addition to sediment deposits. Indoor gases, mold films, and
aerosols may also have exposed residents, first responders and
demolition crews to dangerous contaminant levels without the need for
direct skin contact.
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Driving Under The Influence (Of Stress): Regional Effects Of 9/11
Attacks On Driving
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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A new study reveals that there was an increase in the rate of traffic
fatalities in the three months following the 9/11 attacks, but only in
the Northeast, the region closest to the terrorist attacks. The
findings suggest that being close to the location of a traumatic event
may increase psychological stress, which may, in turn, impair one's
driving ability and thus lead to an increase in fatal traffic
accidents.
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Heavy Marijuana Use May Damage Developing Brain In Teens, Young Adults
February 3, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Adolescents and young adults who are heavy users of marijuana are more
likely than non-users to have disrupted brain development, according
to a new study. Pediatric researchers found abnormalities in areas of
the brain that interconnect brain regions involved in memory,
attention, decision-making, language and executive functioning skills.
The findings are of particular concern because adolescence is a
crucial period for brain development and maturation.
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Scientists Develop 'Crystal Ball' For Personalized Cancer Treatment
February 3, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Scientists have tested a non-invasive approach that may one day allow
doctors to evaluate a tumor's response to a drug before prescribing
therapy, enabling physicians to quickly pinpoint the most effective
treatment and personalize it to the patient's unique biochemistry.
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New Evidence From Excavations In Arcadia, Greece, Supports Theory Of
'Birth Of Zeus'
February 3, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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New excavation evidence indicates that Zeus' worship was established
on Mt. Lykaion as early as the Late Helladic period, if not before,
more than 3,200 years ago.
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Automated Screening Process May Eventually Reduce Additional Breast
Cancer Surgeries
February 3, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Scientists have developed a rapid, automated image screening process
to distinguish breast cancer cells from normal cells. The technique
may eventually lead to better ways for surgeons to determine if they
have removed all of the cancer during breast-conserving cancer surgery
and cut down on the number of needed second operations.
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Novel Approach To Create High-density Magnetic Data Storage
February 3, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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In order to achieve higher storage densities on computer disks, the
last decades were dominated by optimization of magnetic materials,
i.e. the magnetic particles (grains) were gradually shrunk while, at
the same time, the magnetic stability (magnetic anisotropy) was
increased. Usually, about 100 to 600 grains form one bit, i.e.
currently the smallest storage unit.
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Of Mice And Men: Cognitive Scientists Find Both Species Equally Adept
At Assessing Risk
February 3, 2009 at 2:00 pm
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Mice and humans are about equally good at assessing risk in everyday
tasks. Perhaps this activity is very primitive -- a basic, cognitive
mechanism.
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Vitamin Use Is Highest In Kids Who Don't Need Them, Study Finds
February 3, 2009 at 11:00 am
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A study has found that most of the healthy children and teenagers in
the United States who are taking daily vitamin and mineral supplements
probably don't need them.
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New Discovery May Lead To New Class Of Allergy Drugs
February 3, 2009 at 11:00 am
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If you've ever wondered why some allergic reactions progress quickly
and may even become fatal, a new report provides an important part of
the answer. In the report, scientists show for the first time that
eotaxin, a chemical that helps immune cells locate the site of
infection, blocks basic "fighter" cells from transforming into
"seeker" dendritic cells, resulting in a heightened allergic response.
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Fracture Putty Being Developed For Traumatic Leg Injuries
February 3, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Biomedical engineers are developing a bio-compatible compound designed
to mend serious leg fractures. The "fracture putty" could be used to
regenerate bones shattered by roadside bombs or other explosive
devices.
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Two Immune-system Proteins Linked To Colitis-associated Cancer
February 3, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Recent research from the first researcher to demonstrate a molecular
link between inflammation and cancer has identified two potential
targets for the prevention and treatment of colitis-associated cancer,
the most serious complication of inflammatory bowel disease.
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Airport Security: Researcher Proposes Statistical Method To Enhance
Secondary Security Screenings
February 3, 2009 at 11:00 am
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A researcher has found that secondary security screening at airports
is mathematically flawed, and has identified a way to select people
for screenings more efficiently and fairly.
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Teens Who Frequently Go Out With Friends More Likely To Use Marijuana
February 3, 2009 at 11:00 am
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Marijuana use appears to have decreased among most European and North
American adolescents between 2002 and 2006, and those who went out
with friends on fewer evenings of the week were less likely to report
using the drug, according to a new report.
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Astronomers Discover Link Between Supermassive Black Holes And Galaxy Formation
February 3, 2009 at 8:00 am
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Astronomers have used many telescopes around the world to uncover new
evidence that the largest, most massive galaxies in the universe and
the supermassive black holes at their hearts grew together over time.
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Newly Discovered Drug Reduces Heart Enlargement, Study Shows
February 3, 2009 at 8:00 am
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Researchers have discovered that a prototype drug reduces heart
enlargement, one of the most common causes of heart failure. Heart
failure, which occurs when the heart can't pump enough blood
throughout the body, affects 5 million people in the United States.
The condition contributes to 300,000 deaths each year.
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Shortened DATE Gene Region Linked To Breast Cancer
February 3, 2009 at 8:00 am
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New research indicates that genetic variation in a piece of DNA (which
has been named DATE) that regulates activity of the HGF gene might be
a useful marker to identify individuals with an increased risk of
developing breast cancer.
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Cellulosic Ethanol May Benefit Human Health And Help Slow Climate Change
February 3, 2009 at 8:00 am
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Filling our fuel tanks with cellulosic ethanol instead of gasoline or
corn-based ethanol may be even better for our health and the
environment than previously recognized, according to new research.
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Teen Media Exposure Associated With Depression Symptoms In Young Adulthood
February 3, 2009 at 8:00 am
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Exposure to more television and other electronic media during the
teenage years appears to be associated with developing depression
symptoms in young adulthood, especially among men, according to a new
report.
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Cell-building Discovery Could Reduce Need For Some Animal Research
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Biomedical engineers, using a 3-D Petri dish they invented, have
successfully built complex-shaped microtissues by assembling small
building blocks of living cell clusters. The finding helps advance the
field of tissue engineering and could reduce the need for some animal
research.
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Key Component In Cell Replication Identified
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Scientists have now identified a protein that does much the same for
the telomerase enzyme -- ferrying the critically important clump of
proteins around to repair the ends of chromosomes that are lost during
normal replication. Without such ongoing maintenance, stem cells would
soon cease dividing and embryos would fail to develop.
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Mountain Caribou's Ancient Ancestry Revealed
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 am
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The declining mountain caribou populations of Canada's southern
Rockies are a more distinct breed than scientists previously believed,
according to a new study that discovered the mountain herbivores are a
unique blend of woodland and tundra subspecies.
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Resistin Arrest: New Approach Shows Human Resistin Contributes To
Insulin Resistance
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Individuals who are obese have an increased risk of developing type 2
diabetes, in part because they often become resistant to the effects
of the hormone insulin. Resistin is a soluble factor produced by fat
cells (adipocytes) that is linked to the development of insulin
resistance in mice. However, studies have thus far failed to determine
such a clear association in humans. But now, researchers have
determined that human resistin contributes to the development of
insulin resistance in mice.
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Electronics Industry: Supercharged Metal-ion Generator
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Scientists have developed a powerful new kind of sputter process for
the electronics industry -- and for other, more exotic applications,
including use in outer space -- which deposits high-quality metal
films in complex, three-dimensional nanoscale patterns at a rate that
by one important measure is orders of magnitude greater than most
existing systems.
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African-American Parents More Likely To Report Distrust Of Medical Research
February 3, 2009 at 5:00 am
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Distrust of medical research appears more common among African
American parents than white parents and may present a barrier to
enrollment of minority children in research studies, according to a
new report.
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Small Male Chimps Use Politics, Rather Than Aggression, To Lead The Pack
February 3, 2009 at 2:00 am
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With most mammals, the biggest and most aggressive male claims the
alpha male role and gets his choice of food and females. But a new
study suggests that at least among chimpanzees, smaller, more
mild-mannered males can also use political behavior to secure the top
position.