Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for May 26, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Researchers analyze performance of first updatable holographic 3D display- Blocking tumor's 'death switch' paradoxically stops tumor growth
- Self-Assembling Gold Nanoparticles Use Light to Kill Tumor Cells
- Planetary scientists solve 40-year-old mysteries of Mars' northern ice cap
- Sony develops roll-up OLED video screen (w/ Video)
- IBM wants traffic lights to stop your car
- Palaeontologists solve mystery of 500 million-year-old squid-like carnivore
- Quantum Communication in Random Networks
- ONR's wall-climbing 'power' tool ratchets up Fleet Week New York
- CSU scientist simplifies aerosols for modeling
- Discovery: Yeast make plant hormone that speeds infection
- Mutant fungus threatens global wheat supply: scientists
- Physicists pin down the proton-halo state in Flourine-17
- Detailed metabolic profile gives 'chemical snapshot' of the effects of exercise
- Know that noise? Scientists probe formation of auditory memories
Space & Earth news
Germany, Norway give $1.5B to fight deforestation
(AP) -- Germany and Norway will pledge $1.5 billion to fight deforestation, blamed for releasing some of the carbon dioxide contributing to global warming, Norway's prime minister said Wednesday on the eve of a conference in Oslo.
UM researchers develop model for locating and forecasting sunken oil following spills
A team of researchers at the University of Miami (UM) has developed a computer model for finding and projecting in time sunken oil masses on the bottom of bays, after an oil spill. The unique model can be used in oil spill planning, response, and recovery applications.
NASA completes critical design review of one Landsat instrument
NASA engineers have begun building hardware for a new Landsat satellite instrument that helps monitor water consumption — an important capability in the U.S. West where precipitation is sparse and water rights are allocated — now that they have passed an independent review of the instrument's design and integration and testing methods.
Gulf of Mexico fishing ban extended
US officials Tuesday expanded a fishing ban in the Gulf of Mexico by more than 8,000 square miles (20,000 square kilometers) amid a spreading oil slick.
Space shuttle crew head back to Earth
The crew of the shuttle Atlantis made their final preparations for a return to Earth Wednesday after a 12-day resupply mission to the International Space Station.
The IBEX Ribbon: Are we in for a new era in the Sun's voyage through the Galaxy?
Is the Sun going to enter soon a million-degree galactic cloud of interstellar gas? Scientists from the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Los Alamos Labs, Southwest Research Institute, and Boston University suggest that the Ribbon of enhanced emissions of Energetic Neutral Atoms, discovered last year by a NASA Small Explorer satellite IBEX, could be explained by a geometric effect coming up because of approach of the Sun to the boundary between the Local Cloud of interstellar gas and another cloud of a very hot gas called the Local Bubble. If this hypothesis is correct, IBEX is catching matter from a hot neighboring interstellar cloud, which the Sun might enter in a hundred years.
Study: Major hurricane could devastate Houston
With the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season less than a week away, a new analysis from experts at several Texas universities is warning that a major hurricane could devastate the Houston/Galveston region. A report issued today by the Rice University-based Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center (SSPEED) indicates that even a moderately powerful hurricane could endanger tens of thousands of lives and cripple the Houston Ship Channel, which is home to about one-quarter of U.S. refineries.
Astronomers Discover Clue to Origin of Milky Way Gas Clouds
A surprising discovery that hydrogen gas clouds found in abundance in and above our Milky Way Galaxy have preferred locations has given astronomers a key clue about the origin of such clouds, which play an important part in galaxy evolution.
Aussies and Kiwis forge a cosmic connection
Six radio telescopes across Australia and New Zealand have joined forces to act as one giant telescope, linking up over a distance of 5500 km for the first time.
BP starts 'top kill' operation to stop oil leak
BP on Wednesday launched a complex, risky deep sea operation to cap the Gulf of Mexico oil leak, under huge pressure to get it right this time and stop the five-week-old gusher.
Air traffic poised to become a major factor in global warming
The first new projections of future aircraft emissions in 10 years predicts that carbon dioxide and other gases from air traffic will become a significant source of global warming as they double or triple by 2050. The study is in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology.
Household detergents, shampoos may form harmful substance in wastewater
Scientists are reporting evidence that certain ingredients in shampoo, detergents and other household cleaning agents may be a source of precursor materials for formation of a suspected cancer-causing contaminant in water supplies that receive water from sewage treatment plants. The study sheds new light on possible environmental sources of this poorly understood water contaminant, called NDMA, which is of ongoing concern to health officials. Their study is in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology.
Researchers calculate the greenhouse gas value of ecosystems
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a new, more accurate method of calculating the change in greenhouse gas emissions that results from changes in land use.
Bright galaxies like to stick together
(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronomers using the European Space Agency's Herschel telescope have discovered that the brightest galaxies tend to be in the busiest parts of the Universe. This crucial piece of information will enable theorists to fix up their theories of galaxy formation.
Image: Phytoplankton Bloom in the North Atlantic
(PhysOrg.com) -- Late May 2010 brought peacock-hued swirls of blue and green to the North Atlantic. The iridescent waters formed a giant arc hundreds of kilometers across, extending from west of Ireland to the Bay of Biscay.
Astronomers discover 'defiant' new supernova
(PhysOrg.com) -- An international team of astronomers has uncovered a supernova whose origin cannot be explained by any previously known mechanism and which promises exciting new insights into stellar explosions.
Beyond polar bears - finding a new way to communicate climate change
(PhysOrg.com) -- Fear-laden images of a planet in chaos are a real turn off when it comes to changing public perception about climate change, according to research by Newcastle University.
Shuttle Atlantis completes 32nd and final flight (Update 2)
(AP) -- How would you look after 120 million miles? Atlantis might appear a little scuffed up to outsiders as it heads into retirement after a quarter-century of spaceflight.
Astronomers discover new star-forming regions in Milky Way
Astronomers studying the Milky Way have discovered a large number of previously-unknown regions where massive stars are being formed. Their discovery provides important new information about the structure of our home Galaxy and promises to yield new clues about the chemical composition of the Galaxy.
CSU scientist simplifies aerosols for modeling
The large number of tiny organic aerosols floating in the atmosphere - emitted from tailpipes and trees alike - share enough common characteristics as a group that scientists can generalize their makeup and how they change in the atmosphere.
Undersea forces from hurricanes may threaten Gulf pipelines
Hurricanes could snap offshore oil pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico and other hurricane-prone areas, since the storms whip up strong underwater currents, a new study suggests.
Swift Survey finds 'Smoking Gun' of Black Hole Activation (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Data from an ongoing survey by NASA's Swift satellite have helped astronomers solve a decades-long mystery about why a small percentage of black holes emit vast amounts of energy.
Planetary scientists solve 40-year-old mysteries of Mars' northern ice cap
Scientists have reconstructed the formation of two curious features in the northern ice cap of Mars—a chasm larger than the Grand Canyon and a series of spiral troughs—solving a pair of mysteries dating back four decades while finding new evidence of climate change on Mars.
Technology news
Foxconn opens plant to reporters after suicides
(AP) -- The head of the giant electronics company whose main facility in China has been battered by a string of worker suicides opened the plant's gates to scores of reporters Wednesday, hours after saying that intense media attention could make the situation worse.
Wired's first iPad issue comes out; costs $5
(AP) -- As the magazine for a digital generation, Wired has talked a big game about the opportunities for publishers on Apple's new iPad.
Students harness vibrations from wind for electricity
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Vibro-Wind Research Group is working on an efficient, low-cost method of converting vibrations from wind energy to electricity.
Japan could be geothermal energy leader: US expert
A prominent US environmentalist said Wednesday Japan should focus on developing geothermal energy, saying the volcanic island-nation could become the global leader in the field.
Greenpeace praises Nokia, slams Nintendo in 'green' study
Greenpeace panned Nintendo and Toshiba for low environmental standards Wednesday but praised Nokia and Sony Ericsson for recycling, energy efficiency and phasing out hazardous substances.
Wireless patients
A wireless monitoring system for people with debilitating conditions such as Parkinson's disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) could allow healthcare workers to assess a patient's health and the development of their disease without hindering their movements. Details of the system are reported in the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology.
Google Earth tool will provide online WTC access
(AP) -- Online visitors to the World Trade Center site will be able to explore the site with a click of the mouse thanks to a partnership between the National Sept. 11 Memorial & Museum and Google Earth.
New technology will make election voting more efficient
Did you stay up all night to hear your local result during the recent election? Time-consuming manual vote-counts and ballot boxes could soon be consigned to the history books, thanks to innovative new secure voting technology.
Microsoft looks beyond China amid piracy problem
(AP) -- Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said Wednesday that China's weak enforcement of copyright laws has undermined revenues and pushed the company to focus on markets elsewhere in Asia.
US examining Apple over online music: NYT
The US Justice Department is examining Apple's tactics in the market for digital music in a preliminary antitrust inquiry, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.
US lawmakers target pre-paid cellphone anonymity
US lawmakers unveiled a bill Wednesday to enable law enforcement to identify users of pre-paid cell phones, charging that anonymity makes the devices attractive to terrorists, drug kingpins and gangs.
Yahoo's latest import: online games from Zynga
(AP) -- Yahoo is turning to another one of the Internet's hottest startups to enliven its website.
Lights, camera, real-time 3D action
(PhysOrg.com) -- The 3D movies on today's cinema screens rely on visual tricks to cope with fast action. A new generation, produced at lower cost but delivering higher quality with real-time action, is soon to follow.
Scientists suggest silicon chips should be allowed to make errors
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers in the U.S. have discovered allowing silicon chips to make errors could ensure computers continue to become more powerful, while using less energy.
Major step ahead for cryptography
Imagine you could work out the answer to a question, without knowing what the question was. For example, suppose someone thinks of two numbers and then asks another person to work out their sum, without letting them know what the two numbers are. However, they are given an encryption of the two numbers but not told how to decrypt them.
Microsoft Web site aims to make your house a Hohm
(AP) -- Microsoft Corp. is slowly beefing up a Web site aimed at helping people monitor their home energy use and pinpoint ways to cut costs.
ONR's wall-climbing 'power' tool ratchets up Fleet Week New York
Move over, Spiderman -- Sailors and Marines are right behind you.
Facebook adjusts privacy controls after complaints
(AP) -- In Facebook's vision of the Web, you would no longer be alone and anonymous. Sites would reflect your tastes and interests - as you expressed them on the social network - and you wouldn't have to fish around for news and songs that interest you.
IBM wants traffic lights to stop your car
(PhysOrg.com) -- IBM has filed a patent application for a traffic light system that can remotely stop and start the engines of vehicles, with the aim of increasing fuel consumption efficiency at busy intersections.
Medicine & Health news
What's more important in the obesity battle -- physical activity or medical treatment?
Experts disagree in the British Medical Journal today about the best way to tackle the obesity crisis. While Professor Louise Baur and colleagues from the Children's Hospital at Westmead and the University of Sydney in Australia acknowledge that "physical inactivity is a major contributor to the global burden of disease," they says that it would be wrong to only focus on this and ignore the problem of obesity.
Appendectomy may be best for patients with positive CT exam
When CT results suggest appendicitis, but a patient's symptoms are inconsistent with the acute condition, physicians should consider a diagnosis of chronic or recurrent appendicitis and surgical treatment, according to a new study published in the online edition and July printed issue of the journal Radiology.
New pathway to cheap insulin
More than eight million diabetics live in Germany. Diabetes is not restricted to our prosperous society and the highest growth rates often occur in countries with aspiring economies such as in Asia. Worldwide, more than 285 million people suffer from this illness; with 50 million diabetics, India is the country with the most people affected by this disease. In Europe, Germany shows the highest prevalence in the population with twelve percent. In a German-Indo collaboration, researchers from the Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, Germany have now developed a new method to cheaply produce insulin for the treatment of diabetes. The group's results have now been published in the open access online research magazine Microbial Cell Factories. With this, all information is freely accessible for everyone and is not subject to patent law.
Slow-release NSAIDs pose greater risk of GI bleeding
A study conducted at the Spanish Centre for Pharmacoepidemiological Research revealed that the risk of gastrointestinal complications due to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use varies by specific NSAID administered and by dosage. The study further determined that NSAIDs with a long half-life or slow-release formulation are associated with a greater risk of GI bleeding or perforation. Study findings are published in the June issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
Some bisphosphonates users unfamiliar with drug's possible side effects on oral health
People undergoing bisphosphonate therapy to prevent or treat osteoporosis (a thinning of the bones) may be unfamiliar with the drug and possible adverse side effects on oral health, according to a study in the May issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).
Modified measles virus shows potential for treating childhood brain tumors
The use of modified measles virus may represent a new treatment for a childhood brain tumor known as medulloblastoma, according to a new study appearing in Neuro-Oncology.
New treatment approach to rare cancer results in prolonged survival
Aggressive treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma has dramatically increased survival in the small group of patients who chose to undergo it, say physicians at Mayo Clinic. Their findings will be presented at the annual meeting of the merican Society of Clinical Oncology, to be held June 4-8 in Chicago.
Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Review of pain management practices for cirrhosis patients
In the May issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, physician experts review current practices for pain management in cirrhotic patients. The physician experts reviewed all current literature available on PubMed and MEDLINE with no limits in the search to recommend a uniform and practical guide to approaching analgesia in the cirrhotic patients.
Opioid-blocking medication reduces brain's response to alcoholism cues
Researchers at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital have produced the first evidence that the opioid blocker extended-release injectable naltrexone (XR-NTX) is able to reduce the brain's response to cues that may cause alcoholics to relapse.
The Medical Minute: Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become thin. As a result, the bones are more likely to break. Bones most often affected are in the hip, spine and wrist, but the ribs and other bones also are at risk.
Detection of breast cancer in screening mammography has improved over time
Researchers analyzing 2.5 million screening mammograms performed on nearly one million women found discrimination of cancerous from non-cancerous lesions improved over a nine-year period. Results of the study are published in the online edition of the journal Radiology.
Genome-wide association studies need larger sample sizes
While genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified several genetic risk factors for common cancers, their predictive power is limited by their small effect sizes, according to a new study published online May 26 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Single-lens distance glasses reduce falls in active older people
Providing single lens distance glasses to older people who wear multifocal glasses and who regularly take part in outdoor activities is a simple and effective way of preventing falls, concludes a study published in the British Medical Journal today.
The usual suspects: Identifying serial offenders and their crimes
Research conducted by psychologists at the University of Leicester and by Northamptonshire Police has found that criminals have their own distinctive 'local haunts' when committing crime.
Rheumatoid arthritis incidence on the rise in women
The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in women has risen during the period of 1995 to 2007, according to a newly published study by researchers from the Mayo Clinic. This rise in RA follows a 4-decade period of decline and study authors speculate environmental factors such as cigarette smoking, vitamin D deficiency, and lower dose synthetic estrogens in oral contraceptives may be the source of the increase. Details of the study which includes more than 50 years of RA epidemiology data appear in the June issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.
Lack of exercise key to increased BMI in children
A new independent study of scientific research has revealed that, contrary to the widely held hypothesis, dietary sugars are not the driving factor behind rising body mass index (BMI) levels in children in Great Britain.
Killed by cold: Heart and stroke deaths peak in winter
Rates of cardiovascular disease increase dramatically in Australian winters because many people don't know how to rug up against the cold, a Queensland University of Technology seasonal researcher has found.
Brain volume found to change following weight gain in adults with anorexia
A team of American psychologists and neuroscientists have found that adult brain volume, which can be reduced by Anorexia Nervosa, can be regained. The research, published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders, revealed that through specialist treatment patients with this eating disorder can reverse this symptom and regain grey matter volume.
New research at the University of Leicester links shoplifting to your personality
A new study by psychologists at the University of Leicester has identified dimensions of personality seen in persons prone to shoplifting. Three characteristics in his study stood out: Being male; unpleasant and antisocial; and disorganised and unreliable.
Male sex hormones in ovaries essential for female fertility
Male sex hormones, such as testosterone, have well defined roles in male reproduction and prostate cancer. What may surprise many is that they also play an important role in female fertility. A new study finds that the presence and activity of male sex hormones in the ovaries helps regulate female fertility, likely by controlling follicle growth and development and preventing deterioration of follicles that contain growing eggs.
Foreigners use the pill more, sterilization less
(AP) -- The pill is still the No. 1 contraceptive for American women, but it's even more popular in other countries, according the first government report comparing nations.
Some statins have unintended effects and warrant closer monitoring, study finds
The type and dosage of statin drugs given to patients to treat heart disease should be proactively monitored as they can have unintended adverse effects, concludes a new study published in the BMJ.
Vaccine hope for skin cancer sufferers
Nottingham scientists have been given the green light to test a vaccine which they hope could reverse, and even cure malignant melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer.
Study finds macho men a liability on roads
"Catch that car!," was the instruction given to 22 men sitting in a driving simulator. The more "macho" the man, the more risks he took on the road, according to a study by Julie Langlois, a graduate student at the University of Montreal Department of Psychology, who presented her findings at the annual conference of the Association francophone pour le savoir (ACFAS).
Study sheds light on deadly GI disease in infants born with complex congenital heart disease
Infants born with complex congenital heart disease are not only at risk for serious heart-related complications, but also for developing a deadly bowel disease, regardless of the type of surgical intervention they receive for their heart. These are the findings from a study by Nationwide Children's Hospital, and appearing in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine published online May 6 ahead of print.
Milk: Two glasses a day tones muscles, keeps the fat away in women, study shows
Women who drink two large glasses of milk a day after their weight-lifting routine gained more muscle and lost more fat compared to women who drank sugar-based energy drinks, a McMaster study has found.
Understanding the relationship between bacteria and obesity
Research presented today sheds new light on the role bacteria in the digestive tract may play in obesity. The studies, which were presented at the 110th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, paint a picture that may be more complex than originally thought.
Study identifies promising treatment for aggressive lymphoma
New research illustrates that some patients with transformed lymphoma showed "remarkable" response to lenalidomide, an oral drug with few side effects.
'Thriving infant' genes increase risk of obesity
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists using data from the University of Bristol's ALSPAC study have discovered a genetic link between obesity and rapid weight gain in babies as young as six weeks old. The research is published in PLoS Medicine.
Obesity in Teen Girls May Lead To Depressive Symptoms
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers, led by Kerri Boutelle, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have found that obesity is a risk factor for depressive symptoms, but not for clinical depression, suggesting that weight status could play a part in the development of depression in some adolescent girls.
Ground-breaking study to improve quality of life and outcomes for kids born with heart defect
A trial on shunts used to direct blood flow to the lungs, led by researchers at the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, will lead to better outcomes for kids worldwide born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the most common severe heart birth defect.
In infant heart surgery, newer technique yields better survival in first year of life
Pediatric researchers report that a recently introduced surgical procedure offers infants with severely underdeveloped hearts a better chance at surviving during their first year of life, in comparison to the standard surgery.
Researchers create retina from human embryonic stem cells
UC Irvine scientists have created an eight-layer, early-stage retina from human embryonic stem cells, the first three-dimensional tissue structure to be made from stem cells.
Blood flows differently through the brains of schizophrenic patients
Researchers in Germany have used a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique called continuous arterial spin labeling (CASL) to map cerebral blood flow patterns in schizophrenic patients quickly and without using radiation or contrast agents. Their findings appear in the online edition and July printed issue of the journal Radiology.
Study pinpoints new role of molecule in the health of body's back-up blood circulation
When the arteries delivering oxygen to our vital organs are obstructed by atherosclerosis or clots, the result is almost always a stroke, heart attack or damage to a peripheral tissue such as the legs (peripheral artery disease). But the severity of tissue injury or destruction from a choked-off blood supply varies from person to person, and may depend in large part on whose circulatory system has the best back-up plan to provide alternate routes of circulation.
Hey Jude: Get that song out my head!
Some 98 to 99 percent of the population has, at some point, been "infected" with a song they just can't seem to shake off. This common phenomenon has rarely been researched, until Andréane McNally-Gagnon, a PhD student at the University of Montreal Department of Psychology, decided to examine the issue in an ongoing investigation.
Tiny blood vessels in brain spit to survive
Spitting can be a good thing when it comes to blood vessels.
Detailed metabolic profile gives 'chemical snapshot' of the effects of exercise
Chemically speaking, you become a different person when you run, according to new research that maps how chemicals change in the blood during exercise, the May 26 issue of Science Translational Medicine reports.
Know that noise? Scientists probe formation of auditory memories
New research uses "noise," sound waves formed from many thousands of completely unpredictable random numbers played as a sound, to probe how the human brain acquires auditory memories. The study, published by Cell Press in the May 27 issue of the journal Neuron, reveals that learning new sounds is quick, robust, and long-lasting, resembling a sudden insight.
Learning strategies are associated with distinct neural signatures
The process of learning requires the sophisticated ability to constantly update our expectations of future rewards so we may make accurate predictions about those rewards in the face of a changing environment. Although exactly how the brain orchestrates this process remains unclear, a new study by researchers at the California Institute of Technology suggests that a combination of two distinct learning strategies guides our behavior.
Brief exercise reduces impact of stress on cell aging, study shows
Exercise can buffer the effects of stress-induced cell aging, according to new research from UCSF that revealed actual benefits of physical activity at the cellular level.
Blocking tumor's 'death switch' paradoxically stops tumor growth
Every cell contains machinery for self-destruction, used to induce death when damaged or sick. But according to a new research study, a receptor thought to mediate cell suicide in normal cells may actually be responsible for the unrestrained growth of cancerous tumors.
Biology news
New computational model being developed for estimating populations of large carnivores
The Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute and the Aalto University School of Science and Technology are together developing a computational method for estimating populations of large carnivores. The new method will provide a quicker and more cost-effective way of keeping track of the number of large carnivores.
Study sheds light on how marine animals survive stress
For marine iguanas living in the Galapagos Islands, an El Nino can be deadly. Some die from starvation while others survive. Scientists have long believed that the difference between life and death for the iguana depended on the animals' ability to secrete the stress hormone corticosterone.
Gene causes blue light to have a banana odor
German scientists have succeeded to genetically modify Drosophila (fruit fly) larvae allowing them to smell blue light. The research team can activate single receptor neurons out of 28 olfactory neurons in the larvae for this sensory perception. Normally animals avoid light. However, blue light simulates in genetically modified larvae the smell of an odorant i.e. banana, marzipan or glue, odors which are all present in rotting fruit and attractive to fruit fly larvae.
Microbes answer more questions collectively
Studying whole microbial communities rather than individual micro-organisms could help scientists answer fundamental questions such as how ecosystems respond to climate change or pollution, says Dr Jack Gilbert writing in the May issue of Microbiology Today.
New species of invertebrates discovered in the Antarctic
The polyps of the new gorgonia discovered, Tauroprimnoa austasensis and Digitogorgia kuekenthali, in the region of Austasen, in the Eastern Weddell Sea, and to the south-east of the Falklands and Isla Nueve (in Chilean Patagonia) respectively, are small and elongated. Both species stand out for the number, shape and layout of the scales of calcium carbonate that cover the polyps, and for the type of ramification of the colonies.
Case study analyzes why, where and when of leading shark attack site
Shark attacks are most likely to occur on Sunday, in less than 6 feet of water, during a new moon and involve surfers wearing black and white bathing suits, a first of its kind study from the University of Florida suggests.
Hedgehogs adapt to life in the city
(PhysOrg.com) -- More hedgehogs may now be living in towns and cities than in the countryside but how they trade off the risks and benefits of an urban environment has been little known -- until now. New research from the University of Bristol, published in Animal Behaviour, investigated how hedgehogs are coping with life in the city.
Moth larvae saliva boosts yield of Colombian spud
(PhysOrg.com) -- When a major South American pest infests potato tubers, the plant produces bigger spuds, reports a study by Cornell, University of Goettingen and National University of Colombia researchers.
Two new frog species discovered in Panama's fungal war zone
Trying to stay ahead of a deadly disease that has wiped out more than 100 species, scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute continue to discover new frog species in Panama: Pristimantis educatoris, from Omar Torrijos National Park, and P. adnus from Darien Province near the Colombian border.
Better synchronization helps fish deal with predator threat
Fish alter their movements when under threat from predators to keep closer together and to help them to blend into the crowd, according to new research headed by scientists at the University of York.
Swarming locusts need larger brains
One of the most devastating events in the insect world - the locust swarm - has extraordinary effects on the insect's brains, scientists in Cambridge have discovered.
Sound of success: Top movies manipulate primal response
Evolutionary biologists on Tuesday said they had scientific backing to confirm suspicions that movies exploit our innate response to alarm and distress calls.
Little African grebe becomes extinct
A tawny water fowl that lived in a tiny corner of Madagascar is extinct, wiped out by an introduced species of predatory fish and by nylon fishing nets, conservationists reported on Wednesday.
How do bumblebees get predators to buzz off?
Toxic or venomous animals, like bumblebees, are often brightly coloured to tell would-be predators to keep away. However scientists at Royal Holloway, University of London and Queen Mary, University of London have found a bumblebee's defence could extend further than its distinctive colour pattern and may indeed be linked to their characteristic shape, flight pattern or buzzing sound. The study is published today (26 May) in the Journal of Zoology.
Discovery: Yeast make plant hormone that speeds infection
In their ongoing studies of how yeast (fungi) can infect a host and cause disease, a research team at the Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has made an unexpected discovery. They found that yeast produce a hormone previously known to be made by plants, and that the presence of that hormone in sufficient quantity within the yeast's immediate environment triggers the fungal cells to become more infectious.
Mutant fungus threatens global wheat supply: scientists
Scientists have identified four new strains of a wheat-killing fungus that could endanger the global food supply, according to research presented Wednesday ahead of a conference in Russia.
A Dicty mystery solved: Researchers find first to starve in slime mold thrive at others' expense
(PhysOrg.com) -- The title sounds like a crime novel on a dime-store shelf. But "An Invitation to Die" is quite literal in its meaning. And the prime suspect is very, very small.
Genome comparison tools found to be susceptible to slip-ups
(PhysOrg.com) -- You might call it comparing apples and oranges, but lining up different species' genomes is common practice in evolutionary research. Scientists can see how species have evolved, pinpoint which sections of DNA are similar between species, meaning they probably are crucial to the animals' survival, or sketch out evolutionary trees in places where the fossil record is spotty.
Genetic data added to archaeology and linguistics to get picture of African population history
Genetic researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have combined data from existing archaeological and linguistic studies of Africa with human genetic data to shed light on the demographic history of the continent from which all human activity emerged.
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