A species of wild yeast goes through a cycle of sexual reproduction once in every 1,000 asexual generations, according to new research. The study focused on the wild yeast Saccharomyces paradoxus, which is able to reproduce both sexually and asexually. The scientific team used this yeast to examine how sexual and asexual reproduction cause different types of variations in an organism's DNA sequence. Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 28 May 2008 | 3:00 am
Fluctuations in sea-surface temperatures to the north of Australia and changes in atmospheric circulation patterns over the sub-tropical Indian Ocean have been identified as key factors leading to declining rainfalls in southeastern Australia since 1950. Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 28 May 2008 | 3:00 am
Ischemic heart disease is the leading killer in the United States and other developed nations, yet clinically effective, noninvasive therapies to prevent ischemic damage of the heart remain elusive. Researchers are studying how a program of brief, moderate hypoxia exposures increases the heart's resistance to ischemia-induced damage. This study shows that hypoxia conditioning dampens enzymatic nitric oxide formation, which minimizes the toxic burst of nitric oxide formation when blocked coronary arteries are reopened. Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 28 May 2008 | 3:00 am
A computer scientist has devised an antifraud strategy for business. He suggests that managers should be made aware of security issues and send out cues to junior staff that they have this knowledge. Researchers in this field and security practitioners have recently begun to emphasize the need to take into account the "social" aspects of information security. They also emphasize that a lack of communication at the wider organizational level is often associated with computer fraud. Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 28 May 2008 | 3:00 am
Researchers have studied the possible effects of vibrations as a mean of neuromuscular activation to improve jumping performance. The results suggest that the effect could be dependent on the level of training. Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 28 May 2008 | 12:00 am
Physicists have used a semiconductor material to create superimposed quantum dots that "trap" single electrons. Not only can these dots be studied with lasers, their energy can be influenced as well. Another point: the state of one of the dots governs that of the other above it. This has taken the researchers another step closer to quantum computers. Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 28 May 2008 | 12:00 am
Scientists have discovered new details about how a simian strain of the AIDS virus replicates. The findings are significant because they suggest new strategies to prevent replication, and because they are applicable to human strains of the virus, which, despite the persistent efforts of scientists over two decades, can only be slowed by drug treatments but neither cured nor prevented. Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 28 May 2008 | 12:00 am
Trade in people is not a new phenomenon, but the modern manifestation of slavery, according to US researchers. However, writing in the Journal of Global Business Advancement, they point out that human trafficking and trade in human organs has intensified with increased globalization. They hope to raise awareness of the issue among the business research community with a view to finding solutions. Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 28 May 2008 | 12:00 am
Students in public schools learn as much or more math between kindergarten and fifth grade as similar students in private schools, according to a new study of multi-year, longitudinal data on nearly 10,000 students. Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 27 May 2008 | 9:00 pm
Heart attack patients who were administered the direct thrombin inhibitor bivalirudin during primary angioplasty had a reduced rate of adverse clinical events, a lower rate of major bleeding, and a lower mortality rate than those who were treated with a regimen of heparin and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 27 May 2008 | 9:00 pm
A French skydiver's attempt to break the world free fall record fails when his balloon takes off without him. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 27 May 2008 | 11:55 am
BEIJING (Reuters) - Pollution levels rose sharply in Beijing on Tuesday, just 2-½ months before the Olympic Games in the city, prompting authorities to warn residents with respiratory problems to stay inside.
PASADENA, California (Reuters) - A sharp-eyed Mars orbiter snapped an image of sister probe Phoenix descending through Martian skies toward a polar landing site to search for water and assess conditions for life, mission managers said on Monday.
Remote controlled planes are helping to predict how damaging the US hurricane season will be. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 27 May 2008 | 9:59 am
MIAMI (Reuters) - U.S. researchers are ramping up their use of unmanned, remote-controlled airplanes this year to penetrate the heart of Atlantic hurricanes in the hope of learning more about what makes the giant storms tick.
Protected areas are needed to prevent damage from the expansion of Brazilian sugar cane, the WWF says. Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 26 May 2008 | 9:18 pm
