Dear Reader ,
Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for November 23, 2010:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Enhanced efficiency when determining band gap in solids- Early Universe was a liquid: First results from the Large Hadron Collider's ALICE experiment
- 'Ubice': Nokia builds a touchscreen made of ice (w/ Video)
- 1,000 mph car to be built next year
- Scientists glimpse universe before the Big Bang
- Plant-derived scavengers prowl the body for nerve toxins
- Rare Apple I computer sells for $210,000 in London
- Shallow groundwater reservoirs may have been common on Mars
- High magnetic fields coax new discoveries from topological insulators
- Worth a thousand million words: Researchers create 3-D models from online photo databases (w/ Video)
- Shrubby crops can help fuel Africa's green revolution
- Scientists crack materials mystery in vanadium dioxide
- Technology uses auto exhaust heat to create electricity, boost mileage
- Predicting sea level rise: Understanding how icebergs form could lead to better forecasts
- Socialising led to bigger brains in some mammals
Space & Earth news
UN: Emission pledges fall short of climate target
(AP) -- Emissions cuts pledged by countries in a nonbinding climate accord last year fall short of what's needed to avoid the worst consequences of global warming, the U.N.'s environment agency said Tuesday.
Europe maintains its presence on the final frontier
ESA has decided to extend the productive lives of 11 of its operating space science missions. This will enable ESA's world-class science missions to continue returning pioneering results until at least 2014.
Express map delivery from space
(PhysOrg.com) -- Meeting the environmental needs of an ever-expanding Europe requires consistent and regularly updated information on its land cover and use. As part of ESA's GlobCorine project, a pan-European land cover and use map for 2009 is now available online.
Astronomer, renowned comet-chaser Brian Marsden dies
Prominent British-born astronomer and comet-chaser Brian Marsden has died at the age of 73 after a long illness, the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics said.
ESA's ice mission goes live
With the commissioning of ESA's CryoSat now complete, the mission has been officially transferred to the operations team. This milestone marks the beginning of the satellite’s operational life delivering ice-thickness data to understand the impact of climate change on the polar environment.
Image: Rings around a crescent
A crescent Saturn appears nestled within encircling rings in this Cassini spacecraft image. Clouds swirl through the atmosphere of the planet and a barely visible Prometheus orbits between the planet's main rings and its the thin F ring.
LIDAR applications in coastal morphology and hazard assessment
Southampton scientists along with colleagues in New Zealand have used a sophisticated optical mapping technique to identify and accurately measure changes in coastal morphology following a catastrophic series of landslides.
Developing countries often outsource deforestation, study finds
In many developing countries, forest restoration at home has led to deforestation abroad, according to a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Glory satellite team overcomes engineering obstacles (w/ Video)
Engineers have faced and overcome a number of unique challenges in recent years while preparing NASA's newest climate-monitoring mission for launch. Yet the engineering has begun to gel, and engineers are now reaching the final stretch of their effort to prepare the Glory spacecraft for launch.
T-dwarf stars finally reveal their mysterious secrets
Astronomers have recently discovered an exotic star system which has shed some light on the mass and age of one of the systems rare stellar components. Using data from World’s largest optical telescope, the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, the team has had a new insight into the properties of the unusual T-dwarf stars. Its believed there are around 200 of these stars in our Galaxy but this is the first one to be discovered as part of a binary star system which has given astronomers an extra special insight into their properties.
NASA study finds Earth's lakes are warming
(PhysOrg.com) -- In the first comprehensive global survey of temperature trends in major lakes, NASA researchers determined Earth's largest lakes have warmed during the past 25 years in response to climate change.
Cloud atlas: Scientist maps the meaning of mid-level clouds
Clouds play a major role in the climate-change equation, but they are the least-understood variable in the sky, observes a Texas A&M University geoscientist, who says mid-level clouds are especially understudied. The professor, Shaima Nasiri, is making those "in-between" clouds the focus of her research, which is being funded by NASA.
O/OREOS reaches orbit, begins astrobiology experiments
(PhysOrg.com) -- The Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses, or O/OREOS, nanosatellite managed by NASA's Ames Research Center, successfully launched at 5:25 p.m. PST on Friday, Nov. 19, 2010, from Alaska Aerospace Corporation?s Kodiak Launch Complex on Kodiak Island, Alaska.
Spitzer sees shrouded burst of stars
(PhysOrg.com) -- Astronomers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have found a stunning burst of star formation that beams out as much infrared light as an entire galaxy. The collision of two spiral galaxies has triggered this explosion, which is cloaked by dust that renders its stars nearly invisible in other wavelengths of light.
NASA spacecraft burns for another comet flyby
(PhysOrg.com) -- Eighty-six days out from its appointment with a comet, NASA's Stardust spacecraft fired its thrusters to help refine its flight path. The Stardust-NExT mission will fly past comet Tempel 1 next Valentine's Day (Feb. 14, 2011). It will perform NASA's second comet flyby within four months.
Shallow groundwater reservoirs may have been common on Mars
(PhysOrg.com) -- An international research team led by the Planetary Science Institute has found evidence for reservoirs of liquid water on Mars at shallow crustal depths of as little as tens of meters.
Shrubby crops can help fuel Africa's green revolution
Crop diversification with shrubby legumes mixed with soybean and peanuts could be the key to sustaining the green revolution in Africa, according to a Michigan State University study.
Predicting sea level rise: Understanding how icebergs form could lead to better forecasts
(PhysOrg.com) -- In an effort to understand how fast sea level could rise as the climate warms, a University of Michigan researcher has developed a new theory to describe how icebergs detach from ice sheets and glaciers.
Technology news
Engineering ways to turn waste into energy
(PhysOrg.com) -- In recent years, Nickolas Themelis has devoted his career to the management of household trash -- a fitting occupation for a professor originally from Athens, where the ancient Greeks created the first municipal garbage dump in the Western world near Athens in the sixth century B.C.E.
Novel use of MEMS microphones to map noise pollution
The UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) has developed a new measurement-based approach to environmental noise monitoring and mapping using unique sensors. NPL in conjunction with Castle Group, QinetiQ and Hoare Lea Acoustics, and with support from the Technology Strategy Board have developed DREAMSys (a Distributed Remote Environmental Array & Monitoring System).
Luxury holiday lure for British energy savers
Britons who take out loans to insulate their houses will be rewarded by being entered into competitions to win luxury holidays, the energy and climate change secretary said Tuesday.
Israel army using Facebook to rumble draft-dodgers
Around a 1,000 Israeli women who tried to avoid military service by pretending to be religious have been caught out through their Facebook accounts, an army spokesman said on Tuesday.
Online dating scams seducing Americans: agency
The US government consumer protection agency warned Americans on Tuesday to be on the lookout for online dating scams.
Naval Academy should be center for study of cybersecurity, new superintendent says
The U.S. Naval Academy's new superintendent wants his campus to become a center for cybersecurity education, with a $100 million building and a slate of new classes devoted to the emerging discipline, he said Friday in his first interview since taking the job in August.
News Corp. buys education technology company
News Corp. said that it had agreed to acquire 90 percent of education technology company Wireless Generation for 360 million dollars in cash.
Oracle wants SAP to pay billions for looted programs
Attorneys for business software giant Oracle want a jury to order German rival SAP to pay billions of dollars for looting its software libraries for competitive advantage.
Underwater robots on course to the deep sea
Robots do not have to breathe. For this reason they can dive longer than any human. Equipped with the necessary sensor technology they inspect docks or venture down to the ocean floor to search for raw materials. At present, researchers are developing a model which will carry out routine tasks independently, without help from humans.
TSA App tries to ease air travel pain
(AP) -- It won't save you from "enhanced patdowns," but an iPhone app from the TSA tries to ease the pain of air travel by offering guidance on prohibited items, security wait times and packing tips.
Google seeking Miramax films for YouTube
Google has been gradually adding professional content to YouTube in a bid to attract advertisers and turn a profit with the site it bought for 1.65 billion dollars four years ago.
No holiday e-mail break for Americans: survey
Americans will take a break from the office over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays but most won't stop checking their work emails, according to a survey released on Tuesday.
Apple sells 450K Beatles albums, 2M songs so far
(AP) -- Apple says people snapped up more than 450,000 copies of Beatles albums plus two million individual songs during the Fab Four's first week on sale through iTunes.
Online game rivals settle suit over stolen secrets
Online social networking game king Zynga on Tuesday said a settlement was reached with a rival accused of stealing its secrets and coaxing employees to betrayal.
Security needs drive cyberforensics
Cyberforensics, the science of finding and securing digital evidence buried deep within company networks, is fast emerging as a global industry.
After 250,000 flushes, Western engineered toilet valve now saving water
When Masco Canada was looking to expand one of its tried and true products with an environmental feature, the plumbing giant tagged a pair of engineers from The University of Western Ontario to flush its problem away.
Ford announces which cities will get first crack at Focus Electric
Ford's first all-electric, zero emissions vehicle, the Ford Focus Electric, will go on sale in late 2011. As is the case with the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf, initial availability will be limited to certain markets. Ford has announced that the first wave of Ford Focus Electric sales will be made in 19 American cities.
Who would benefit most from solar energy? Study ranks states
(PhysOrg.com) -- Americans have become more and more concerned with the idea of using cleaner energy sources and creating new jobs through the use of solar energy. A new study from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University takes a closer look at which states might benefit the most both from generating solar energy and from consuming that energy. These are believed to be the first state rankings of their kind.
Worth a thousand million words: Researchers create 3-D models from online photo databases (w/ Video)
Who says Rome wasn't built in a day? Computer scientists have invented a technique that automatically creates 3-D models of landmarks and geographical locations, using ordinary two-dimensional pictures available through Internet photo sharing sites like Flickr.
Technology uses auto exhaust heat to create electricity, boost mileage
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers are creating a system that harvests heat from an engine's exhaust to generate electricity, reducing a car's fuel consumption.
Software allows interactive tabletop displays on web
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers have developed a new type of software that enables people to use large visual displays and touch screens interactively over the Internet for business and homeland security applications.
1,000 mph car to be built next year
(PhysOrg.com) -- The "Bloodhound SSC," a car expected to be able to travel at 1,000 mph (around 1,600 km/h) or faster, is on track to be constructed in the UK early next year. The design was finalized last year, as reported in this PhysOrg article.
'Ubice': Nokia builds a touchscreen made of ice (w/ Video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Nokia researchers in Finland have created a massive touchscreen display from a wall made of blocks of ice, dubbed ubiquitous ice or "Ubice."
Medicine & Health news
Allotment gardeners reap healthy rewards
People who have an allotment, especially those aged over 60, tend to be significantly healthier than those who do not. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health have shown that the small gardens were associated with increased levels of physical activity at all ages, and improved health and well-being in more elderly people.
Vatican: Everyone can use condoms to prevent HIV
(AP) -- Using a condom is a lesser evil than transmitting HIV to a sexual partner - even if that means a woman averts a possible pregnancy, the Vatican said Tuesday, signaling a seismic shift in papal teaching as it explained Pope Benedict XVI's comments.
Vanderbilt experts warn overeating extends past the holidays
(PhysOrg.com) -- Vanderbilt experts are asking Americans to focus beyond the Thanksgiving table when it comes to holiday overeating and the larger obesity epidemic facing the country. The struggle with obesity is year-round.
New device may reduce swallowing health risk in patients with Parkinson's disease
(PhysOrg.com) -- A hand-held device that strengthens the muscles involved in swallowing can address a serious symptom of Parkinson's disease, according to a new University of Florida study.
Finding the 'fingerprints' of prostate cancer
(PhysOrg.com) -- Dr. Dan Mercola has identified genetic biomarkers -- or 'fingerprints' -- of prostate cancer that yield specific information about tumors, permitting earlier detection and more effective treatment.
Too much of a good thing: Important mechanism in hormone-sensitive breast cancer uncovered
In two out of three breast tumors, extraordinarily high levels of the estrogen receptor ERalpha are found. Scientists of the German Cancer Research Center have now uncovered a mechanism which causes this overproduction. This result might contribute to developing new strategies for fighting the most frequent type of cancer affecting women.
Under suspicion: The painkiller ziconotide could increase suicidal ideation
The active agent ziconotide, the synthetic toxin of the cone snail (Conus magus), was acclaimed a safe alternative to morphine when it was introduced six years ago. Now it is increasingly suspected of causing patients to commit suicide.
Cigarette smoking increases rheumatoid arthritis risk in African-Americans
A new study determined that African Americans who smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA risk is more pronounced among individuals positive for the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope, a genetic risk factor for RA. Findings from this study -- the largest to date examining the impact of smoking on RA risk in an African American population -- are available in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
Early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis crucial to positive outcomes for patients
Positive outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are closely linked to early diagnosis and treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). A study by researchers in the Netherlands found that patients who are assessed by rheumatologists soon after RA symptoms appear are more likely to experience less joint destruction and improved chances of DMARD-free disease remission. Details of this novel study are published in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
Expecting? Don't neglect your teeth
Even though most people are aware that good oral health is essential for the overall health of both mother and child, misunderstandings about the safety of dental care during pregnancy may cause pregnant women to avoid seeing their dentist. The fact is that dentists can create a treatment plan that is safe, effective, and essential for combating the adverse effects of oral disease during pregnancy.
NIH adds first images to major research database
The National Institutes of Health has expanded a genetic and clinical research database to give researchers access to the first digital study images. The National Eye Institute (NEI), in collaboration with the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), has made available more than 72,000 lens photographs and fundus photographs of the back of the eye, collected from the participants of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS).
Speedier recovery from joint-related problems following resort training
Patients with joint problems such as rheumatism or arthritis who are discharged from hospital often require a significant recovery time before they return to a reasonable degree of mobility. Yvette Bulthuis of the University of Twente IBR Research Institute for Social Sciences and Technology, The Netherlands, researched the effect that an intensive, three-week training programme in a resort would have on these patients. The results show that this multidisciplinary method not only improves physical condition, mobility, functioning and quality of life in both the short and long term, but that it is also no more expensive than traditional approaches to recovery.
Less invasive method for determining stage of lung cancer shows benefits
A comparison of two strategies to determine the stage of suspected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) finds that the less invasive method is more effective at identifying a type of lung cancer that has spread, and may result in a reduction of unnecessary surgical procedures and associated adverse effects for certain patients, according to a study in the November 24 issue of JAMA.
World's most advanced system to help Aussie researchers detect and analyze rare cells
A world-first research system to be launched today at the Centenary Institute will give medical researchers in Australia a new weapon in the fight against cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The new BD LSR-9 Flow Cytometer with its nine lasers will be the first user-operated flow cytometer with unprecedented ability to detect and analyse rare cells.
Fecal immunochemical testing best and most cost-effective method for screening for colorectal cancer
a test that detects blood in the stool, has high sensitivity and specificity, and might improve participation rates through increased patient acceptability—reduces the risk of colorectal cancer and colorectal cancer related deaths, and reduces healthcare costs in comparison to all other screening strategies and to no screening. These are the conclusions of a complete economic evaluation performed by Braden Manns and colleagues from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and published in this week's PLoS Medicine.
Registered dietitians play essential role in effective management of diabetes in adults
Proper nutrition therapy is essential for the successful management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and registered dietitians (RDs) can play a key role as part of the health care team. An article in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reviews the evidence and nutrition practice recommendations presented in the American Dietetic Association Nutrition Practice Guidelines for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Adults. This complete and systematic review presents 29 key nutrition practice guidelines in order to best support people with diabetes.
Feds say glasses with lead are kids' products
(AP) -- It didn't take long for federal regulators to put new rules on what makes a consumer product a "children's product" to a very public test.
Pilot transplant project aims to spur kidney swaps
(AP) -- Too often, would-be kidney donors are wasted because the friend or loved one they want to help isn't a match. Now a new national database promises to help find matches for those frustrated pairs so they can be part of so-called kidney exchanges and cut the wait for a transplant.
New AIDS cases fall by one fifth in a decade: UN
The number of new cases of HIV/AIDS has dropped by about one-fifth over the past decade but millions of people are still missing out on major progress in prevention and treatment, the UN said Tuesday.
Genomic 'markers' may head off thousands of thyroid surgeries
Doctors at the University of Colorado School of Medicine were concerned recently when they found a nodule in the thyroid of a 64-year-old Colorado man. They extracted cells from the nodule, hoping to determine whether the man had cancer. But the biopsy results were inconclusive.
Dealt a bad hand: Pathological gamblers are also at risk for mental health disorders
(PhysOrg.com) -- Pathological gamblers are risking more than their money, they are also three times more likely to commit suicide than non-betters. A new Montreal inter-university study has shown these gamblers are also plagued by personality disorders. These findings, published in a recent issue of the Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, may have implications for developing improved targeted suicide prevention programs.
Erectile dysfunction may indicate an increased risk of heart disease
(PhysOrg.com) -- A study published today suggests that older men affected by erectile dysfunction may have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The authors of the study say it highlights the importance for men affected by the condition to discuss it with their GP.
Method to trick cancer cells to self-destruct shows promise in mice
(PhysOrg.com) -- Tulane University researcher W T. Godbey has developed a treatment for cancer using a method that causes cancer cells to self-destruct while sparing surrounding healthy cells.
Tobacco: Out of sight, out of mind?
Putting tobacco out of sight in shops can change the attitude of young people to smoking, while not hitting retailers in the pocket, researchers at The University of Nottingham have discovered.
Monitoring wear in helicopters -- and hips, knees and ankles, too
Ferrography, a practice used by the American and Israeli air forces to monitor the condition of machinery, extracts tiny iron particles from lubricants such as oil and grease to analyze wear in machines. Determining whether a system requires preventative maintenance can be the key to preventing catastrophic failure.
For your teeth, Thanksgiving dinner is a real food fight
If you're lucky, it will all be kisses and hugs around the Thanksgiving dinner table, with friends and family near and dear gathered about, and puppies gathered around your feet waiting for table scraps.
Hormone's crucial role in 2 anemic blood disorders
A hormone made by the body may be a potential therapeutic tool for the treatment of two anemic blood disorders -- beta-thalassemia and hemochromatosis. The new research was led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation and the journal Blood.
Discovery halts breast cancer stem cells
Breast cancer stem cells (CSCs), the aggressive cells thought to be resistant to current anti-cancer therapies and which promote metastasis, are stimulated by estrogen via a pathway that mirrors normal stem cell development. Disrupting the pathway, researchers were able to halt the expansion of breast CSCs, a finding that suggests a new drug therapy target. The study, done in mice, is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) Early Edition this week.
Researchers investigate cellular mechanisms leading to immune response in airway epithelium
Researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have demonstrated that commensal species of the genus Neisseriae are low inducers of human airway epithelial cell responses as compared to the pathogenic species. Specifically, the study indicates that a Neisserial outer membrane component appears to play a differential role in the host inflammatory responses via interaction with a receptor on the surface of human airway epithelial cells.
New research on developmental co-ordination disorder
New research has found children with developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD) previously known as dyspraxia have an increased risk of difficulties in attention, reading, short-term memory and social skills.
Helping Chinese with depression
(PhysOrg.com) -- A treatment model designed to accommodate the beliefs and concerns of Chinese immigrants appears to significantly improve the recognition and treatment of major depression in this typically underserved group.
Alcohol consumption decreases with the development of disease
In a cross-sectional study from the 2004 and 2007 Australian National Drug Strategy Household (NDSH) surveys, respondents were questioned about their current and past drinking, the presence of formal diagnosis for specific diseases (heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cancer, anxiety, depression) and self-perceived general health status. The sample sizes for the 2004 and 2007 NDSH surveys were 24,109 and 23,356, respectively.
Low education, income levels linked to depression among urban black fathers
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new University of Michigan study finds that black fathers are 50 percent more likely to be depressed than men in the general population. One quarter of black fathers were depressed at some time over the five-year course of the study.
Expect 200,000 Haiti cholera cases: expert
A top health expert warned on Tuesday that Haiti could face as many as 200,000 cases of cholera in the coming three months and needs urgent supplies to treat an explosion of cases of the deadly disease.
Combining aerobic and resistance training appears helpful for patients with diabetes
Performing a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training was associated with improved glycemic levels among patients with type 2 diabetes, compared to patients who did not exercise, according to a study in the November 24 issue of JAMA. The level of improvement was not seen among patients who performed either aerobic exercise or resistance training alone.
Initiative hopes to expedite cell-based treatments for Parkinson's
(PhysOrg.com) -- A unique initiative which brings together some of the world’s leading Parkinson’s researchers, aims to reduce further delays in using cells to treat Parkinson’s disease. The initiative will focus on refining cell-based therapy, which replaces the diseased cells with healthy cells.
3 big developments make AIDS outlook more hopeful
(AP) -- In the nearly 30 years the AIDS epidemic has raged, there has never been a more hopeful day than this. Three striking developments took place Tuesday: U.N. officials said new HIV cases are dropping dramatically worldwide. A study showed that a daily pill already on pharmacy shelves could help prevent new infections in gay men. And the pope opened the way for the use of condoms to prevent AIDS.
Daily dose of HIV drug reduces risk of HIV infection
A daily dose of an oral antiretroviral drug, currently approved to treat HIV infection, reduced the risk of acquiring HIV infection by 43.8 percent among men who have sex with men. The findings, a major advance in HIV prevention research, come from a large international clinical trial published online Nov. 23 by the New England Journal of Medicine. The study, titled "Chemoprophylaxis for HIV Prevention in Men," found even higher rates of effectiveness, up to 72.8 percent, among those participants who adhered most closely to the daily drug regimen.
Why do people behave badly? Maybe it's just too easy
Many people say they wouldn't cheat on a test, lie on a job application or refuse to help a person in need.
Getting lost in buildings: Architecture can bias your cognitive map (w/ Video)
Some people always know which way is north and how to get out of a building. Others can live in an apartment for years without knowing which side faces the street. Differences among people that include spatial skills, experience, and preferred strategies for wayfinding are part of what determines whether people get lost in buildings -- and psychological scientists could help architects understand where and why people might get lost in their buildings, according to the authors of an article published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
Findings suggest new cause, possible treatment for multiple sclerosis
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers have found evidence that an environmental pollutant may play an important role in causing multiple sclerosis and that a hypertension drug might be used to treat the disease.
Method to erase traumatic memories may be on the horizon
Soldiers haunted by scenes of war and victims scarred by violence may wish they could wipe the memories from their minds. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University say that may someday be possible.
Biology news
Rice production withers as Egypt diverts water supply
In Kafr el-Sheikh, rice farmers once looked forward to harvest time, but work has dried up in the large Nile Delta town since water shortages prompted heavy restrictions on production.
75 percent of Spanish zoos at risk of exotic animals escaping
Lions, bears, monkeys, crocodiles, parrots and iguanas may seem inoffensive at first glance when they're behind bars in zoos. But some exotic species can escape and become invasive species. This has been confirmed by a scientific team that has checked 1,568 animal houses in 63 Spanish zoos. Birds are the animals most likely to escape.
Ask the Eucalyptus connoisseurs
Koalas may be the pickiest marsupials around: They evolved to feed almost exclusively on the leaves of Eucalyptus trees, and they are highly selective when it comes to which species and even which individual trees they visit. When the furry leaf-eater settles on a particular tree, it relies on a number of factors, including taste, to make its selection.
One-touch make-up -- for our cells (w/ Video)
The cells in the different parts of this video are always the same (grey), but, like actors using make-up to highlight different facial features, they have fluorescent labels that mark different cellular components in different colours: blue shows the nucleus, yellow shows tubulin (a component of the cell’s scaffolding), red shows mitochondria, cyan shows the membranes of vesicles called endosomes, and purple shows other membrane structures.
Ancient insects preferred warmer climates
For millions of years, insects and plants have coevolved—leaf-eaters adapting to the modifications of their hosts and plants changing to protect themselves from herbivory. The abundance and diversity of both insects and plants have varied depending on changes in climate.
California's controlled fires boost biodiversity
In certain ecosystems, such as the mixed-conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada region of the western United States, fires are a natural and essential occurrence for maintaining forest health. However, for many decades, resource managers in California and other western states prevented or suppressed natural fires to limit the potential for catastrophic spread.
13 nations sign declaration meant to save tigers
(AP) -- Officials from the 13 countries where tigers live in the wild have signed a declaration Tuesday aimed at saving the iconic big cats from extinction.
Researchers seek new ways to boost catfish production
(PhysOrg.com) -- A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientist is exploring new ways to enhance farm-raised catfish production with a device he calls the "see-saw."
Shining symbiosis: Bobtail squid and their bacteria buddies
In deep ocean waters, it's sometimes difficult to hide from predators. That's why so many sea creatures have evolved extraordinary methods of disguise.
Secrets of evolution extracted
Massey University's newest Maori PhD, Simon Hills, has taken shell collecting to a new level.
DNA uncovers one of the world's rarest birds
(PhysOrg.com) -- A team of Australian researchers involving DNA experts from the University of Adelaide has identified a new, critically endangered species of ground parrot in Western Australia.
Researchers re-sequence six corn varieties, find some genes missing
Most living plant and animal species have a certain, relatively small, amount of variation in their genetic make-up.
Socialising led to bigger brains in some mammals
(PhysOrg.com) -- Over millions of years dogs have developed bigger brains than cats because highly social species of mammals need more brain power than solitary animals, according to a study by Oxford University.
What makes flies attack?
Pity the poor female fruit fly. Being a looker is simply not enough, it seems. If you're to get a date, much less a proposal, you must also smell and act like a girl. Otherwise, you might just have a fight on your hands. Read more in next week's issue of the online, open access journal PLoS Biology.
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