Foot Pain? Custom-made Insoles Offer Relief

Custom-made insoles known as foot orthoses can reduce foot pain caused by arthritis, overly prominent big toe joints and highly arched feet, a new systematic review shows.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

From Humming Fish To Puccini: Vocal Communication Evolved With Ancient Species

It's a long way from the dull hums of the amorous midshipman fish to the strains of a Puccini aria -- or, alas, even to the simplest Celine Dion melody. But the neural circuitry that led to the human love song -- not to mention birdsongs, frog thrums and mating calls of all manner of vertebrates -- was likely laid down hundreds of millions of years ago with the hums and grunts of the homely piscine.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

Tobacco Industry Manipulated Cigarette Menthol Content To Recruit New Smokers Among Young People, Research Shows

Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health explored tobacco industry manipulation of menthol levels in specific brands and found a deliberate strategy to recruit and addict young smokers by adjusting menthol to create a milder experience for the first time smoker. Internal industry documents, independent lab tests and survey data reveal strategy.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

'Snapshots' Of Eyes Could Serve As Early Warning Of Diabetes

A new vision screening device, already shown to give an early warning of eye disease, could give doctors and patients a head start on treating diabetes and its vision complications, a new study shows. It captures images of the eye to detect metabolic stress and tissue damage that occur before the first symptoms of disease are evident.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

Promising New Method To Fabricate Ultra-thin Silicon Solar Cells Developed

Researchers are developing a new method to produce ~50µm thin crystalline silicon wafers for use in solar cells. The process involves mechanically initiating and propagating a crack parallel to the surface of a Si wafer. In this way, Si foils with an area of 25cm² and a thickness of 30-50µm have already been produced. The method makes use of industrially available tools (screen printer, belt furnace) and is potentially kerf-loss free.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

Partially Shared Genetic Profile Between Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder

Both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can be disabling conditions, and both present clinically with significant mood and psychotic symptoms. These two illnesses also share genetic variants that might be involved in the predisposition to both disorders.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 6:00 pm

Fragile Antarctic Marine Life Pounded By Icebergs: Biodiversity Suffering

Antarctic worms, sea spiders, urchins and other marine creatures living in near-shore shallow habitats are regularly pounded by icebergs. New data suggests this environment along the Antarctic Peninsula is going to get hit more frequently. This is due to an increase in the number of icebergs scouring the seabed as a result of shrinking winter sea ice, according to a study in the journal Science.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 3:00 pm

Gene Produces Hormones That Lead To Obesity

Obesity and common weight gain share a genetic basis. Scientists have discovered a new obesity gene that plays an essential role in the maturation of several key hormones that control food intake. Mutations in this gene increase the risk of severe obesity and can lead to excessive weight.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 3:00 pm

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Linked To Brain Activity

Researchers have discovered that people with OCD and their close family members show under-activation of brain areas responsible for stopping habitual behavior. This is the first time that scientists have associated functional changes in the brain with familial risk for the disorder.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 3:00 pm

Placenta Removal: A Safer Method After Caesareans

In Caesarean deliveries the placenta is usually removed by hand or by a technique known as 'cord traction'. A recent systematic review by Cochrane researchers shows that cord traction poses less risk to the mother than manual removal.
Source: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 3:00 pm

Chip shape

Hi-tech giant Intel marks 40 year milestone
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:18 am

The Nation's Weather (AP)

A cold front pushing through the Plains will trigger showers and storms from the Plains to the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes. High pressure will keep most of the East Coast sunny and warm, while scattered storms continue in the Southwest and Southeast.AP - Thunderstorms packing high winds and heavy rain were expected to move across the Plains, and severe weather including tornadoes and hail was possible.



Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:17 am

National park in Alaska tests hybrid bus (AP)

In this Sunday May 21, 2006 file photo, a tour bus leaves the Wilderness Access Center inside the Alaska's Denali National Park. For years, visitors who wished to see Denali National Park's grizzly bears, moose, sheep and caribou have had to ride diesel buses that spew carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter into the air. But park officials are testing a new hybrid bus that promises to run cleaner and cheaper. (AP Photo/ Al Grillo)AP - For years, visitors wanting to see Denali National Park's grizzly bears, moose, sheep and caribou have had to ride school buses that polluted the air and spoiled the tranquility with their noisy, carbon dioxide-spewing diesel engines.



Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 11:01 am

Satellite radio saga takes unexpected turn (AP)

In this March 21, 2007 file photo, XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio products are advertised side by side on the exterior windows in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles. The potential deciding vote in the U.S. government's review of the $3.1 billion merger between satellite radio companies tells The Associated Press he will vote in favor of the deal if the companies agree to tougher conditions. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)AP - During his tenure at the Federal Communications Commission, Jonathan Adelstein has been a fierce critic of government policies that allow big media companies to get bigger. So it came as a surprise when the Democratic commissioner put forth a proposal that would allow the nation's only two satellite radio companies to merge.



Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:57 am

Breastfeeding trust hormone clue

Scientists have for the first time shown how a "trust" hormone is released in the brains of breastfeeding mothers.
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 10:35 am

Army to shoot live pigs for medical drill (AP)

AP - The Army says it's critical to saving the lives of wounded soldiers. Animal-rights activists call the training cruel and outdated.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:37 am

Canal fossils give clue to formation of Americas

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Scientists in Panama have unearthed hundreds of animal fossils dating back 20 million years, which could shed more light on how and when the American continent became connected.


Source: Reuters: Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 9:24 am

Tiny bug threatens California citrus industry (AP)

The Asian citrus psyllid is seen in this University of Florida photo provided by the University of California, Davis. California and Arizona growers are bracing for a fight they say is potentially more damaging than the Mediterranean fruit fly because entire groves, not just fruit, are at risk. Psyllids feed on the liquid inside citrus leaves and are the only transmitter of a deadly disease officially known by its Chinese name huanglongbing, or 'yellow dragon disease' for its visual effect on leaves. In the U.S. growers call it 'citrus greening' because fruit fails to ripen. (AP Photo/University of Florida, Michael Rogers)AP - Border agents have stepped up searches and hundreds of traps have been placed on the California-Mexico line in an aggressive campaign to stop a tiny bug from bringing in a disease farmers say could wipe out the $1.3 billion citrus industry here.



Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 8:54 am

Gore challenges US to ditch oil

US ex-vice-president Al Gore tells Americans to abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels in 10 years - an idea critics dismiss.
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 8:24 am

Beyond Cold: How the World Works at -459 Degrees (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - This Behind the Scenes article was provided to LiveScience in partnership with the National Science Foundation.
Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 5:03 am

Beyond Cold: How the World Works at -459 Degrees

Atoms at room temperature move at about 500 feet per second, but after we cool them they move at mere tenths of an inch a second, about 10 times slower than the top speed of a common garden snail. How do we accomplish this feat?
Source: Livescience.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 4:57 am

Gore urges total shift to renewable energy to avert disaster (AFP)

Former US Vice President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore outlines his vision for the future of US energy needs during a speech at the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall on July 17 in Washington, DC.(AFP/Tim Sloan)AFP - Nobel laureate and former US vice president Al Gore echoed president John F. Kennedy on Thursday as he urged Americans to shoot for the moon and make a total shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy in 10 years.



Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 1:42 am

Alzheimer's drug trial 'promise'

A drug once used to treat hayfever "improves" symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's disease, research suggests.
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 18 Jul 2008 | 1:31 am

Breast-feeding triggers pulses of feel-good hormone

CHICAGO (Reuters) - When a baby breast-feeds, it triggers a flood of the hormone oxytocin that releases milk from the mammary gland and a feeling of love and trust in the mother that ensures the baby's needs are met.


Source: Reuters: Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 1:19 am

Movie shows alien's-eye view of Earth and Moon

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A spacecraft sent on a mission to inspect comets has filmed the Earth and its moon from 31 million miles away, making an alien's-eye view of our world.


Source: Reuters: Science News | 18 Jul 2008 | 1:02 am

Psychic Nearly Destroys Family

What happens when the psychic lies to the client about something important.
Source: Livescience.com | 18 Jul 2008 | 12:56 am

Researchers report toadfish sing to attract mates (AP)

This undated handout photo provided by the journal Science shows a closeup of the head of a male Gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta. Gulf toadfish build their nests in shallow waters along the southeastern and Gulf coasts of the United States. (AP Photo/Cornell University/Science, Margaret A. Marchaterre)AP - It's not exactly Tony serenading Maria in "West Side Story," but for all their homeliness toadfish also sing to attract mates. OK, singing may be a stretch; it's more of a hum. But it turns out to be useful, for science as well as the fish.



Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 17 Jul 2008 | 11:30 pm

Low-Fat Milk OK for Some Toddlers

Pediatricians look to help those at risk of obesity or with high cholesterol
Source: Livescience.com | 17 Jul 2008 | 11:16 pm

Peter Singer: Of great apes and men

Peter Singer: As Spain takes one great step forward for animal rights and liberty, activists elsewhere are persecuted
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 17 Jul 2008 | 11:10 pm

Drugs: Decision on cervical cancer vaccine is false economy, say health groups

Mass vaccination of 12 to 13-year-old girls won't give protection from common sexual disease
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 17 Jul 2008 | 11:09 pm

Medical: Rules on use of human tissue stifle research, say scientists

Drugs cost more and take longer to get to patients because of regulations bought in after Alder Hey scandal
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 17 Jul 2008 | 11:09 pm

Revealing the secrets of the red planet

An ancient waterway on Mars breaks through the wall of a giant crater, flooding a huge lake with water and clay minerals
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 17 Jul 2008 | 11:09 pm

Anti-allergy drug may tackle symptoms of Alzheimer's

Drug previously used as antihistamine in Russia may help sufferers of Alzheimer's disease, says Lancet
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 17 Jul 2008 | 11:09 pm

Canal fossils give clue to formation of Americas (Reuters)

A recently discovered fossilized jaw of a carnivore is seen at Smithsonian Research Institute in Panama City, July 18, 2008. Engineers digging to widen the Panama canal have uncovered more than 500 fossils including teeth and bones of rodents, horses, crocodiles and turtles that lived before a land bridge linked North and South America. REUTERS/Camilo Montes/Smithsonian Research Institute/HandoutReuters - Scientists in Panama have unearthed hundreds of animal fossils dating back 20 million years, which could shed more light on how and when the American continent became connected.



Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 17 Jul 2008 | 9:43 pm

FDA Says It's Safe to Eat Tomatoes

Salmonella outbreak may be winding down; peppers remain suspect
Source: Livescience.com | 17 Jul 2008 | 9:18 pm

Warming Health Report: Poor, Elderly Most Hurt

EPA report on global warming warns of health problems from heat waves and drought.
Source: Livescience.com | 17 Jul 2008 | 9:03 pm

Solitary Hyenas Still Get the Last Laugh

New research indicates that, to offset the cost of competition among the group, spotted hyenas still demonstrate an ancestral tendency to separate themselves when searching for their next meal.
Source: Livescience.com | 17 Jul 2008 | 8:44 pm

Moving Species to Save Them: Pros and Cons

Some species might be better off after a climate-induced move, say scientists.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 17 Jul 2008 | 7:30 pm

Singing for Sex: Even Toadfish Do It

To attract mates, male toadfish make up for their homeliness with a song.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 17 Jul 2008 | 7:30 pm

More Icebergs Scouring Antarctica's Seabed

More icebergs are scraping Antarctica's seabed, crushing plants and animals.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 17 Jul 2008 | 7:02 pm

Brain region linked to obsessive disorder risk

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have located an area in the brain that fails to "kick-in" for people with obsessive compulsive disorder and those at risk of developing the condition.


Source: Reuters: Science News | 17 Jul 2008 | 6:34 pm

Victor Emerges in Stormy Battle on Jupiter

Jupiter's Great Red Spot may swallow a smaller storm.
Source: Livescience.com | 17 Jul 2008 | 6:21 pm

Antarctic Iceberg Scouring

Divers investigate iceberg scouring on sea floor of Antarctica. Credit: British Antarctic Survey
Source: Livescience.com | 17 Jul 2008 | 6:17 pm

Grunting fish yield vocal clues

A grunting fish helps scientists to date the origins of vocal sounds to about 400 million years ago.
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 17 Jul 2008 | 6:10 pm

Bigger is Better, Until You Go Extinct

There are more evolutionary pros than cons to being big, and mammal species tend to develop larger body sizes over time.
Source: Livescience.com | 17 Jul 2008 | 6:10 pm

Iceberg Damage to Seafloor Increases

Iceberg scouring of Antarctic seafloor increasing as warming melts winter sea ice.
Source: Livescience.com | 17 Jul 2008 | 6:02 pm

Sexes May Need Different Dinners

What do cricket diets have to say about the differing needs of men and women?
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 17 Jul 2008 | 2:45 pm

Two genes may prevent HIV infection: Canadian research centre (AFP)

A scientist tests blood samples for HIV. Scientists have isolated two genes which may prevent people from contracting HIV or at least slow the rate at which they develop AIDS, a new study published in the journal AIDS has found.(AFP/File/Noah Seelam)AFP - Scientists have isolated two genes which may prevent people from contracting HIV or at least slow the rate at which they develop AIDS, a new study has found.



Source: Yahoo! News: Science News | 17 Jul 2008 | 2:40 pm

Invisible Carpet Idea Close to Actual Invisibility

An invisible carpet using silica could hide anything under it from visible light.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 17 Jul 2008 | 1:57 pm

Water 'widespread' on early Mars

Water was once widespread on Mars, data show, raising the prospect the planet could have supported life.
Source: BBC News | Science/Nature | UK Edition | 17 Jul 2008 | 1:28 pm

Nature's Own Nano Gold Found

Natural, microscopic plates of gold are found in salty groundwaters.
Source: Discovery News Top Stories : Discovery Channel | 17 Jul 2008 | 1:12 pm

Genetic variant makes Africans more vulnerable to HIV

A gene that once protected people of African descent from malaria is now making them more susceptible to HIV infection
Source: guardian.co.uk Science | 17 Jul 2008 | 10:51 am