ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• New Ancient Fungus Finding Suggests World's Forests Were Wiped Out In Global Catastrophe
• Estrogen Link In Male Aggression Sheds New Light On Sex-specific Behaviors
• Better Control Of Carbon Nanotube 'Growth' Promising For Future Electronics
• Parasite Bacteria May Help Fight Spread Of Mosquito-borne Diseases
• New Kind Of Search For Dark Energy: First Light For BOSS
• Color Plays Musical Chairs In The Brain
• Genetic Conflict In Fish Led To Evolution Of New Sex Chromosomes
• 'Natural Killer' Cells Keep Immune System In Balance
• Breast Milk Should Be Drunk At The Same Time Of Day That It Is Expressed
• New Approach For The Treatment Of Malignant Brain Tumors
• Laser Technique Has Implications For Detecting Microbial Life Forms In Martian Ice
• Why One Way Of Learning Is Better Than Another
• Technique Distinguishes Malignant Tumor Cells From Healthy Tissue In Real Time During Surgery
• Risk Of Abnormally Slow Heart Rate Twice As High In Those Taking Drugs To Slow Alzheimer's
• Using Satellites To Predict Water Problems In Developing Countries
• Cells In Developing Tissue Consider Their History Of Signaling Exposure To Determine Location
• Algae And Pollen Grains Provide Evidence Of Remarkably Warm Period In Antarctica's History
• College Students Vote Smarter Than Expected
• Scientists Develop Nasal Spray That Improves Memory
• Can Severe Stress Cause Stroke?
• Gene Behind Malaria-resistant Mosquitoes Identified
• Children Found To Be Most At Risk From Malaria
• Computer Network Denial Of Service Denial
• Peer Pressure Builds More Latrines Than Financial Assistance
• Smoking During Pregnancy Puts Children At Risk Of Psychotic Symptoms
• Ulcerative Colitis Treatment Reduces Need For Surgery By Almost Half, Study Suggests
• Hydrogen-making Algae's 'Achilles' Heel' Discovered
• Lung Cancer Risk Increases With Expression Of Specific Genes
• Juvenile Bluefin Tuna Found To Dive To Depths Of More Than 1000 Meters
• Sexually Satisfied Women Have Better General Well-being, Study Finds; Older Women Score Higher Than Younger Women
• Ancient Rainforests Resilient To Climate Change
• Light Shed On Kidney Repair And Disease
• Step Forward For Nanotechnology: Controlled Movement Of Molecules
• Protect Children First With H1N1 Flu Vaccine, Says National Pediatric Disease Expert
• Spallation Neutron Source First Of Its Kind To Reach Megawatt Power
• Alcoholism's Effect On Sleep Persists During Long Periods Of Sobriety
• Eating Sweets Every Day In Childhood 'Increases Adult Aggression'
• Treating Even Mild Gestational Diabetes Reduces Birth Complications; Clear Benefits For Infants And Mothers
• Putting The Squeeze On Sperm DNA: Streamlined Sperm Offer New Way To Read Histone Code
• Oxidized Form Of A Common Vitamin May Bring Relief For Ulcerative Colitis
• New Chemical Method For Distinguishing Between Farmed And Wild Salmon
• Antidepressant And Placebo Are Equally Effective In Child Pain Relief
• Before 'Lucy,' There Was 'Ardi': First Major Analysis Of Early Hominid Published In Science
• Higher Survival Rate Among Intoxicated Trauma Patients
• Archaeologists Discover Amphitheatre In Excavation Of Portus, Ancient Port Of Rome
• Molecular Imaging Holds Promise For Early Intervention In Common Uterine Cancer
• Coal-mining Hazard Resembles Explosive Volcanic Eruption, Study Shows
• Elderly Women Sleep Better Than They Think, Men Sleep Worse

New Ancient Fungus Finding Suggests World's Forests Were Wiped Out In Global Catastrophe Posted: 02 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Tiny organisms that covered the planet more than 250 million years ago appear to be a species of ancient fungus that thrived in dead wood, according to new research. Scientists believe that the organisms were able to thrive during this period because the world's forests had been wiped out. This would explain how the organisms, which are known as Reduviasporonites, were able to proliferate across the planet.

Estrogen Link In Male Aggression Sheds New Light On Sex-specific Behaviors Posted: 02 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Territorial behavior in male mice might be linked to more "girl power" than ever suspected, according to new findings at UCSF. For the first time, researchers have identified networks of nerve cells in the brain that are associated with how male mice defend their territory and have shown that these cells are controlled by the female hormone estrogen.

Better Control Of Carbon Nanotube 'Growth' Promising For Future Electronics Posted: 02 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have overcome a major obstacle in efforts to use tiny structures called carbon nanotubes to create a new class of electronics that would be faster and smaller than conventional silicon-based transistors.

Parasite Bacteria May Help Fight Spread Of Mosquito-borne Diseases Posted: 02 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT Infecting mosquitoes with a bacterial parasite could help prevent the spread of lymphatic filariasis, one of the major neglected tropical diseases of the developing world, according to new research in the journal Science.

New Kind Of Search For Dark Energy: First Light For BOSS Posted: 02 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT BOSS, the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey, is the most ambitious attempt yet to map the expansion history of the Universe using the technique known as baryon acoustic oscillation. Part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III, BOSS achieved "first light" on the night of Sept. 14-15, when it acquired data with its upgraded spectrographic system across the entire focal plane of the Sloan Foundation telescope at Apache Point Observatory.

Color Plays Musical Chairs In The Brain Posted: 02 Oct 2009 08:00 AM PDT The brain's neural mechanisms keep straight which color belongs to what object, so one doesn't mistakenly see a blue flamingo in a pink lake. But what happens when a color loses the object to which it is linked? Research shows for the first time, that instead of disappearing along with the lost object, the color latches onto a region of some other object in view -- a finding that reveals a new basic property of sight.

Genetic Conflict In Fish Led To Evolution Of New Sex Chromosomes Posted: 02 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Biologists have genetically mapped the sex chromosomes of several species of cichlid fish from Lake Malawi, East Africa, and identified a mechanism by which new sex chromosomes may evolve.

'Natural Killer' Cells Keep Immune System In Balance Posted: 02 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that the natural killer, or NK cells, help prevent T cells from over-responding when a virus hits. This balance helps prevent T cells, which ordinarily serve the immune system, from causing harm.

Breast Milk Should Be Drunk At The Same Time Of Day That It Is Expressed Posted: 02 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT The levels of the components in breast milk change every 24 hours in response to the needs of the baby. A new study shows, for example, how this milk could help newborn babies to sleep.

New Approach For The Treatment Of Malignant Brain Tumors Posted: 02 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT Initial chemotherapy alone after surgery is just as successful as initial radiation therapy for patients from whom a very malignant brain tumor (anaplastic glioma) was removed, a new study has found. With this treatment, the patients survive on average more than 30 months without a recurrence. Patients in primary therapy benefit to the same extent from chemotherapy alone as from radiation alone.

Laser Technique Has Implications For Detecting Microbial Life Forms In Martian Ice Posted: 02 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT An innovative technique called L.I.F.E. imaging used successfully to detect bacteria in frozen Antarctic lakes could have exciting implications for demonstrating signs of life in the polar regions of Mars, according to a new article.

Why One Way Of Learning Is Better Than Another Posted: 02 Oct 2009 05:00 AM PDT A new study reveals that different patterns of training and learning lead to different types of memory formation. The significance of the study is that it identifies the molecular differences between spaced training (distributed over time) and massed training (at very short intervals), shedding light on brain function and guiding learning and training principles.

Technique Distinguishes Malignant Tumor Cells From Healthy Tissue In Real Time During Surgery Posted: 02 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT A German-Hungarian research team has developed a mass-spectrometry-based technique by which malignant tumor cells and the surrounding healthy tissue can be distinguished in real time during cancer surgery.

Risk Of Abnormally Slow Heart Rate Twice As High In Those Taking Drugs To Slow Alzheimer's Posted: 02 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT People taking one of several drugs commonly prescribed to treat Alzheimer's disease are more likely to be hospitalized for a potentially serious condition called bradycardia than patients not taking these medications.

Using Satellites To Predict Water Problems In Developing Countries Posted: 02 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Drought, high water and the availability of water can all be predicted more easily by using modern satellite information. This is particularly relevant in river basins where little 'ground-level data' is available.

Cells In Developing Tissue Consider Their History Of Signaling Exposure To Determine Location Posted: 02 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Researchers have proposed a novel model that differs from a widely held hypothesis about the mechanisms by which developing animals pattern their tissues and structures.

Algae And Pollen Grains Provide Evidence Of Remarkably Warm Period In Antarctica's History Posted: 02 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT Scientists now have proof of a sudden, remarkably warm period in Antarctica that occurred about 15.7 million years ago and lasted for a few thousand years.

College Students Vote Smarter Than Expected Posted: 02 Oct 2009 02:00 AM PDT College students make strategic choices about where to vote, most prefer absentee ballots, and they are especially likely to vote absentee if their homes are in swing states, according to a new study of student absentee voting in the 2008 presidential election. The researchers found that students from swing states preferred home-state voting by an 8-to-1 ratio. Even students from non-swing states preferred to vote back home, by a 2-to-1 ratio.

Scientists Develop Nasal Spray That Improves Memory Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Good news for procrastinating students: a nasal spray developed by scientists promises to give late night cram sessions a major boost, if a good night's sleep follows. Scientists show that a molecule from the body's immune system (interleukin-6) when administered through the nose helps the brain retain emotional and procedural memories during REM sleep.

Can Severe Stress Cause Stroke? Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Many patients urgently admitted to hospital with cerebral infarction state that they were under great stress over a prolonged period prior to suffering their stroke, is shown in a unique patient study.

Gene Behind Malaria-resistant Mosquitoes Identified Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Scientists have discovered that variations in a single gene affect mosquitoes' ability to resist infection by the malaria parasite

Children Found To Be Most At Risk From Malaria Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Insecticide treated mosquito nets reduce the chances of developing life-threatening malaria in Africa, however recent research shows that older children are the least well protected by nets in the community. The research has found that parents and their young children were much more likely to have malaria nets than older children.

Computer Network Denial Of Service Denial Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT A way to filter out denial of service attacks on computer networks, including cloud computing systems, could significantly improve security on government, commercial, and educational systems.

Peer Pressure Builds More Latrines Than Financial Assistance Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 PM PDT Government subsidies persuade some people to change habits, but social shame works even better, suggests a recent study of efforts to reduce elevated childhood death and disease rates blamed on the microbial pathogens that cause diarrhea in rural India.

Smoking During Pregnancy Puts Children At Risk Of Psychotic Symptoms Posted: 01 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Mothers who smoke during pregnancy put their children at a higher risk of psychotic behavior, according to a new study. Researchers studied more than 6,000 children aged for psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions. They found the risk of psychotic symptoms was highest in those children whose mothers smoked most heavily in pregnancy.

Ulcerative Colitis Treatment Reduces Need For Surgery By Almost Half, Study Suggests Posted: 01 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT A new study has found that ulcerative colitis patients had a 41 percent reduction in colectomy after a year when treated with infliximab.

Hydrogen-making Algae's 'Achilles' Heel' Discovered Posted: 01 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Scientists have discovered how oxygen stops green algae from producing hydrogen. The findings could help those working towards 'solar H2-farms' in which microorganisms produce hydrogen fuel from sunlight and water.

Lung Cancer Risk Increases With Expression Of Specific Genes Posted: 01 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT A recent study determined that variations of specific genetic markers identified in previous research, or SNPs, may indicate a greater lung cancer risk in African Americans than in whites. The genes CHRNA3 and CHRNA5 may contribute to lung cancer risk due directly or through their association with nicotine dependence. Although their presence is less frequent in African-Americans, the risk for lung cancer may be greater when present.

Juvenile Bluefin Tuna Found To Dive To Depths Of More Than 1000 Meters Posted: 01 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT A bluefin tuna, tagged by researchers in August 2008, was caught a year later by a professional bait boat off the coast of northern Spain. The animal had internally implanted electronic tag which enabled its migratory movements and the depth of these, amongst other data, to be obtained. First estimations of the geographical location of the recovered tag revealed that this fish had undertaken migrations between the Azores and Portugal during the winter, later to return to the Gulf of Bizkaia in spring and also that it had dropped, during the winter, to depths of more than 1000 meters.

Sexually Satisfied Women Have Better General Well-being, Study Finds; Older Women Score Higher Than Younger Women Posted: 01 Oct 2009 08:00 PM PDT Pre- and post-menopausal women who self-rated themselves as being sexually satisfied had a higher overall psychological well-being score and scores for "positive well-being" and "vitality," compared with sexually dissatisfied women in a study of 295 women sexually active more than twice a month. The study also uncovered a positive association between age and well-being, but a negative association for general health.

Ancient Rainforests Resilient To Climate Change Posted: 01 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Climate change wreaked havoc on the Earth's first rainforests but they quickly bounced back, scientists reveal. The findings are based on spectacular discoveries of 300-million-year-old rainforests in coal mines in Illinois, USA.

Light Shed On Kidney Repair And Disease Posted: 01 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have shed new light on the microscopic antennas in the kidney that are involved in the organ's repair process. The work may be a crucial step towards a cure for polycystic kidney disease, a potentially fatal disease that affects more than one in 1000 people.

Step Forward For Nanotechnology: Controlled Movement Of Molecules Posted: 01 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT Scientists in the United Kingdom are reporting an advance toward overcoming one of the key challenges in nanotechnology: getting molecules to move quickly in a desired direction without help from outside forces.

Protect Children First With H1N1 Flu Vaccine, Says National Pediatric Disease Expert Posted: 01 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT The optimal way to control swine flu, the new H1N1 virus that emerged as a global threat in 2009, is to vaccinate children with the planned H1N1 flu shot, says a national pediatric disease expert.

Spallation Neutron Source First Of Its Kind To Reach Megawatt Power Posted: 01 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT The Department of Energy's Spallation Neutron Source, already the world's most powerful facility for pulsed neutron scattering science, is now the first pulsed spallation neutron source to break the one-megawatt barrier.

Alcoholism's Effect On Sleep Persists During Long Periods Of Sobriety Posted: 01 Oct 2009 05:00 PM PDT A new study shows that long-term alcoholism affects sleep even after long periods of abstinence, and the pattern of this effect is similar in both men and women.

Eating Sweets Every Day In Childhood 'Increases Adult Aggression' Posted: 01 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Children who eat sweets and chocolates every day are more likely to be violent as adults, according to a new study. Researchers found a higher percentage of adults who were violent at age 34 had eaten sweets every day, compared to those who were non-violent. This link persisted after controlling for other factors.

Treating Even Mild Gestational Diabetes Reduces Birth Complications; Clear Benefits For Infants And Mothers Posted: 01 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT A National Institutes of Health network study provided the first conclusive evidence that treating pregnant women who have even the mildest form of gestational diabetes can reduce the risk of common birth complications among infants, as well as blood pressure disorders among mothers.

Putting The Squeeze On Sperm DNA: Streamlined Sperm Offer New Way To Read Histone Code Posted: 01 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT In the quest for speed, olympic swimmers shave themselves or squeeze into high-tech super-suits. In the body, sperm are the only cells that swim and, as speed is crucial to fertility, have developed their own ways to become exceptionally streamlined. Scientists in Europe have been studying the secrets of speedy sperm. Their work shows how a protein only found in developing sperm cells, Brdt, directs tight re-packaging of sperm DNA.

Oxidized Form Of A Common Vitamin May Bring Relief For Ulcerative Colitis Posted: 01 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Here's another reason why you should take your vitamins. A new research report suggests that retinoic acid, the oxidized form of vitamin A, could be a beneficial treatment for people suffering from ulcerative colitis and other irritable bowel diseases. Specifically they found that retinoic acid helps suppress out-of-control inflammation, which is a hallmark of active ulcerative colitis.

New Chemical Method For Distinguishing Between Farmed And Wild Salmon Posted: 01 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT Wild salmon and farmed salmon can now be distinguished from each other by a technique that examines the chemistry of their scales.

Antidepressant And Placebo Are Equally Effective In Child Pain Relief Posted: 01 Oct 2009 02:00 PM PDT When used "off-label," the antidepressant amitriptyline works just as well as placebo in treating pain-predominant gastrointestinal disorders in children.

Before 'Lucy,' There Was 'Ardi': First Major Analysis Of Early Hominid Published In Science Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT For the first time, scientists have thoroughly described Ardipithecus ramidus, a hominid species that lived 4.4 million years ago in what is now Ethiopia. Several new studies offer the first comprehensive, peer-reviewed description of the Ardipithecus fossils, which include a partial skeleton of a female, nicknamed "Ardi."

Higher Survival Rate Among Intoxicated Trauma Patients Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT A new study finds intoxicated trauma patients were more likely to survive their injuries than trauma patients who were sober.

Archaeologists Discover Amphitheatre In Excavation Of Portus, Ancient Port Of Rome Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Archaeologists leading a major excavation of Portus, the ancient port of Rome, have uncovered the remains of an amphitheatre-shaped-building, solving a mystery which has puzzled experts for over 140 years.

Molecular Imaging Holds Promise For Early Intervention In Common Uterine Cancer Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT A promising new molecular imaging technique may provide physicians and patients with a noninvasive way to learn more information about a type of cancer of the uterus lining called "endometrial carcinoma" -- one of the most common malignant female tumors.

Coal-mining Hazard Resembles Explosive Volcanic Eruption, Study Shows Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT Worldwide, thousands of workers die every year from mining accidents, and instantaneous coal outbursts in underground mines are among the major killers. But although scientists have been investigating coal outbursts for more than 150 years, the precise mechanism is still unknown.

Elderly Women Sleep Better Than They Think, Men Sleep Worse Posted: 01 Oct 2009 11:00 AM PDT A new study shows that elderly women sleep better than elderly men even though women consistently report that their sleep is shorter and poorer.

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