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Dec 21, 2024

Early, Heavy Pot Use Kills Parts of Brain: Study

Young, heavy smokers of marijuana might suffer a loss of gray matter in the parts of their brains that help with decision making, says a new study. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,

167,000 Kinds of Microbes Live in NYC's Central Park

When you think of a place teeming with life forms, you usually think of the Amazon rainforest or some other wilderness. But Manhattan’s Central Park, located in the midst of the nation’s most densely populated city with 27,000

Ground Zero for HIV/AIDS Identified

The deadly virus responsible for the global HIV/AIDS pandemic emerged around 1920 in the city of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to new research that has relevance to the effort to understa

Dying brain cells cue new brain cells to grow in songbird

Brain cells that multiply to help birds sing their best during breeding season are known to die back naturally later in the year. For the first time researchers have described the series of events that cues new neuron growth each

U.S. Aims to Curb Peril of Antibiotic Resistance

The Obama administration on Thursday announced measures to tackle the growing threat of antibiotic resistance, outlining a national strategy that includes incentives for the development of new drugs, tighter stewardship of existin

DNA Places Third Group in European Descendent Mix

Modern Europeans are descended from three major groups of ancient humans, not two as was previously thought, according to a gene analysis published on Wednesday. Until now, the mainstream theory was that Europeans descended fro

Ebola: research team says migrating fruit bats responsible for outbreak

The largest-ever outbreak of Ebola was triggered by a toddler's chance contact with a single infected bat, a team of international researchers will reveal, after a major investigation of the origins of the deadly disease now ravag

Pruning Process May Go Awry in Brains of Children With Autism

As a baby’s brain develops, there is an explosion of synapses, the connections that allow neurons to send and receive signals. But during childhood and adolescence, the brain needs to start pruning those synapses, limiting their

Rock-Eating Microbes Found in Buried Antarctic Lake

A large and diverse family of hearty rock-eating bacteria and other microorganisms live in a freshwater lake buried a half-mile beneath Antarctic ice, new research confirms. The finding not only adds another extreme environment

Drug Used for Ebola-Related Virus Shows Promise

An experimental drug has completely protected monkeys from lethal doses of a virus related to Ebola, bolstering confidence that a similar medicine might be effective if deployed in the current outbreak in Africa, researchers repor

What happens to the human immune system in outer space

Here’s something to consider before getting your heart set on a trip to Mars. From NASA: Spaceflight may temporarily alter the immune system of crew members flying long duration missions aboard the International Space Station. T

Beautiful New Species of Tree Frog Discovered in Madagascar

A multinational team of scientists headed by Dr Goncalo Rosa of the University of Kent’s Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology has described a new species in the tree frog genus Boophis from the hidden streams of Ankaraf

Stem cell research gets huge boost from Australian zebrafish discovery

Australian researchers studying zebrafish have made one of the most significant ever discoveries in stem cell research. They have uncovered the mystery of how a critical type of stem cell found in blood and bone marrow, and e

Dolphins 'squeal with pleasure': study

Dolphins and whales literally squeal with pleasure, say scientists who claim to have shown that the sound expresses emotion. Initially, squeals emitted by the animals when offered tasty fish treats were thought to be signals commu

Bee, scorpion and snake venom may hold cancer cure

It's ancient medicine with a sci-fi-sounding twist. A scientist at the University of Illinois, Dipanjan Pan, and his team say they may have found a way to stop cancer cell growth, according to a paper presented at the American Che

Geneticists Are Hacking Plants So They Can Grow in the Shade

The human version of nocturnal shutdowns has absolutely nothing on plants. When we sleep, our bodies continue doing a lot of the functions they do when we're awake. But when darkness sets in over the plant kingdom, at least the ve

Galapagos hawks hand down lice like family heirlooms

AUA-led study provides some of the first evidence for the hypothesis of co-divergence between parasites and hosts acting as a major driver of biodiversity. Say what you will about the parasitic lifestyle, but in the game of evolut

Flores bones show features of Down syndrome, not a new 'Hobbit' human

In October 2004, excavation of fragmentary skeletal remains from the island of Flores in Indonesia yielded what was called 'the most important find in human evolution for 100 years.' Its discoverers dubbed the find Homo floresiens ScienceDaily: Latest Science N

Chicago water declared safe after testing prompted by Ohio toxins

An overnight test of Lake Michigan water samples showed none of the toxins found in Toledo, Ohio, water that officials over the weekend deemed unsafe to drink. chicagotribune.com - Nation &

Genetic mutations linked to salivary gland tumors

Research conducted at the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute has discovered links between a set of genes known to promote tumor growth and mucoepidermoid carcinoma, an oral cancer that affects the salivary glands. ScienceDaily: Latest Science N

Hit by Climate Change, Dwindling Antarctic Seal Population Grows More Diverse

Although climate change continues to stir up opportunities and challenges for animals across the world, new research published today in Nature shows the ups and down this change is creating for one species in particular. (Scientif Scientific American

Belize safeguards barrier reef with conservation drones (Science Daily)

Seeking to gain a high-tech edge over illegal fishers, the Government of Belize will use "eyes in the sky" to enforce fishing regulations in the biodiverse Glover's Reef Marine Reserve and other reef systems in what is the first u Ocean Today

Tiniest Catch: UA Scientists' Fishing Expedition Reveals Viral Diversity in the Sea

A fishing expedition of microscopic proportions led by University of Arizona ecologists revealed that the lines between virus types in nature are less blurred than previously thought. Using lab-cultured bacteria as "bait," a t

UN chief steps up fight against Haiti cholera epidemic

The UN secretary general has flown to Haiti on a "necessary pilgrimage" to support the fight against cholera, a disease that many Haitians blame UN peacekeepers for introducing to the Caribbean country. Ban Ki-moon is seeking

The Next Generation of HIV Prevention

Doctors now consider HIV infection to be a chronic disease rather than a death sentence because of the success of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), which stop the infection's progression to AIDS. With that success in hand, the top prio

Migrating Monarch Butterflies Use Magnetic Compass to Cut Through Clouds

It turns out they use Earth's magnetic field as a kind of backup navigational system. It's not unusual for animals engaged in long-distance migrations, including sea turtles and birds, to use an internal magnetic compass to get

From barrels to biology: Scientists develop cost-competitive bioderived polymers for a post-petroleum future

The advantages of sustainable, biodegradable, carbon-neutral and bioderived renewable polymers – that is, synthetic polymers based on biomolecules produced by living organisms – are reflected in the extent of the research rece

Rare albino whale 'parades' off Australian coast

In a scene straight out of Moby Dick, a rare white whale is back and putting on a show for his fans off the eastern coast of Australia this week. First spotted on Tuesday, the albino humpback has been nicknamed "Migaloo" by re

New Penguin Flu Found in Antarctica

new version of bird flu unlike any other seen on Earth has been discovered in Antarctica, researchers announced today (May 6). Discovery News - Top Stories

Old Whooping Cranes Teach Youngsters Migration Route, And The Birds Get Better With Practice

Researchers believe older whooping cranes simply teache the youngsters the route, a University of Maryland press release reported. The team also observed that the bird's got better at migrating with experience. The endangered c

How to Stop Insects from Having Sex: Lower Neuropeptide Levels in Their Brains

Want to stop insects from breeding? There may be a new way to do so. Scientists have identified a neuropeptide named natalisin that decreases the desire for sexual activity in pest insects. Like Us on Facebook

Blood Samples: A Snapshot of a Shark’s Biology & Physiological Health

We are all starting to learn so much about the movement patterns of white sharks tagged so far by OCEARCH, and the SPOT tags are providing real-time information that allows us to track these sharks on a day-to-day basis! But whil

Zoo Polar Bear Sports High-Tech Neckwear for Conservation

PORTLAND, Ore. — Tasul, an Oregon Zoo polar bear, recently landed her first white-collar job: research assistant for the U.S. Geological Survey. Her assignment: wearing a high-tech collar to help solve a climate change mystery.

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