When exotic species invade new territory, they often present a major threat to the other plants and animals living there--that much is clear. In addition to their destructive tendencies, invasive species can also have a surprisingly "creative" side. Researchers discovered that an invasive population of the freshwater snail harbors a tremendous amount of genetic variation for key life-history traits, such as fecundity, juvenile size, and age at first reproduction. And that means they have a remarkably large potential for evolutionary change.
Adult-age offspring of parents who have both been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease appear to have an increased risk of developing the disease compared with the general population, according to a new report.
Since the reporting of the so-called "hobbit" fossil from Flores in Indonesia, debate has raged as to whether these remains are of modern humans (Homo sapiens), reduced in stature, or whether they represent a new species, Homo floresiensis.Now researchers describe fossils of small-bodied humans from Palau, who inhabited the island between 1,400 and 3,000 years ago and share some features with the H. floresiensis specimens.
Scientists have identified the structure of a receptor in the brain implicated in conditions such as epilepsy and pre-menstrual tension. The same receptor has also been reported to be highly sensitive to alcohol.
Cotton fabrics that might save lives on the battlefield --- and make people more comfortable in hospital beds --- are being developed by Agricultural Research Service scientists. They are testing specially-treated cotton fabrics that might someday be made into military uniforms and gauze pads that can stanch bleeding, prevent infections and promote healing. These fabrics can also be made into hospital sheets that are highly absorbent, smooth, soft and antibacterial, to treat or even prevent bed sores.
The first study of how individual wandering albatrosses find food shows that the birds rely heavily on their sense of smell. The birds can pick up a scent from several miles away, researchers have found. Wandering albatrosses fly for thousands of miles across the ocean, usually gliding a few feet above sea level. Floating carrion, especially squid, make up a large part of their diet.
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Authorities in India's east battling to contain a fresh outbreak of bird flu said they were raiding farms at night to catch chickens and ducks and counter unwilling villagers who have refused to hand over poultry.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour blasted off from a seaside Florida launch pad on Tuesday to deliver part of a long-awaited Japanese space laboratory and a Canadian-built robotic system to the International Space Station.
Scientists using a new drug screening method in Drosophila (fruit flies), have identified several drugs and small molecules that reverse the features of fragile X syndrome -- a frequent form of mental retardation and one of the leading known causes of autism. The discovery sets the stage for developing new treatments for fragile X syndrome.
A new blood test could enable doctors to rule out tuberculosis infection within days rather than weeks, according to a new study. Doctors can determine that a patient does not have tuberculosis with 99% accuracy when using the new blood test, ELISpot-Plus, in conjunction with a skin test known as tuberculin skin testing, already in use.
NASA's Cassini spacecraft will make an unprecedented "in your face" flyby of Saturn's moon Enceladus on Wed., March 12. The spacecraft, orchestrating its closest approach to date, will skirt along the edges of huge Old-Faithful-like geysers erupting from giant fractures on the south pole of Enceladus. Cassini will sample scientifically valuable water-ice, dust and gas in the plume. The source of the geysers is of great interest to scientists who think liquid water, perhaps even an ocean, may exist in the area.
The method to the madness of quasicrystals has been a mystery to scientists. Quasicrystals are solids whose atoms aren't arranged in a repeating pattern, as they are in ordinary crystals. Yet they form intricate patterns that are technologically useful.
HONG KONG (Reuters) - A Chinese expert on respiratory diseases says the H5N1 bird flu virus has shown signs of mutation and urged vigilance at a time when seasonal human influenza is at a peak, newspapers reported on Tuesday.
A tiny chemical "brain" which could one day control swarms of nano-machines is invented in Japan. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 11 Mar 2008 | 10:32 am
HIV can survive the onslaught of antiviral drugs for years by hiding away in the body's cells, research shows. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 11 Mar 2008 | 8:03 am
The US shuttle Endeavour lifts off, carrying astronauts and equipment to the International Space Station. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 11 Mar 2008 | 6:31 am
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - British researchers who tried to show why overweight mothers tend to have overweight children said on Monday they had filled in one small piece of the puzzle.
The UN secretary general tells the BBC he is "deeply concerned" about the sharp rise in global food prices. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 11 Mar 2008 | 5:49 am
LONDON (Reuters) - Inhaling diesel exhaust triggers a stress response in the brain that may have damaging long-term effects on brain function, Dutch researchers said on Tuesday.
US research links health problems suffered by Gulf War veterans to exposure to a particular group of chemicals. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 11 Mar 2008 | 1:06 am
Exposure to exhaust fumes appears to affect the way our brains function, Dutch research suggests. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 11 Mar 2008 | 12:54 am
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Exposure to pesticides, nerve agents and other chemicals may explain the chronic, multi-symptom health problems experienced by up to one-third of Gulf War veterans, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
The exceptional floods of 2007 were not related to global warming as has been suggested, a report says. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 10 Mar 2008 | 11:35 pm
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tiny skeletons found in the caves of the Pacific islands of Palau undercut the theory that similar remains found in Indonesia might be a unique new species of humans, researchers reported on Monday.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - If both your parents have Alzheimer's disease, you probably are more much likely than other people to get it, researchers said on Monday.
Japan denies paying for delegates from small states to attend international whaling negotiations. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 10 Mar 2008 | 5:20 pm
An EU report warns that climate change threatens to overburden states that are already prone to conflict. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 10 Mar 2008 | 5:16 pm
Monkeys combine noises to convey different meanings in a human-like way, say scientists. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 10 Mar 2008 | 4:44 pm
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Thou shall not pollute the Earth. Thou shall beware genetic manipulation. Modern times bring with them modern sins. So the Vatican has told the faithful that they should be aware of "new" sins such as causing environmental blight.
