ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Exoplanets Clue To Sun's Curious Chemistry
• Researchers 'Notch' A Victory Toward New Kind Of Cancer Drug
• Quantum Gas Microscope Offers Glimpse Of Quirky Ultracold Atoms
• Preventing Spinal Cord Damage Using A Vitamin B3 Precursor
• Small Asteroid 2009 VA Whizzes By Earth
• In The War Between The Sexes, The One With The Closest Fungal Relationship Wins
• Why Can't Chimps Speak? Key Differences In How Human And Chimp Versions Of FOXP2 Gene Work
• Novel Mouse Gene Suppresses Alzheimer's Plaques And Tangles
• Tiny Injector To Speed Development Of New, Safer, Cheaper Drugs
• Possible Origins Of Pancreatic Cancer Revealed
• New Explanation For Nature's Hardiest Life Form
• Aisle Placements Affect Grocery Sales
• 'Earth Claw': New Species Of Vegetarian Dinosaur Close To Common Ancestor Of Gigantic Sauropods
• Stem Cells: Scientists Successfully Reprogram Blood Cells
• Inexpensive 'Dipstick' Test For Pesticides In Foods
• Stereotactic Radiotherapy Offers Noninvasive, Effective Treatment For Lung Cancer Patients
• Understanding Plant Reactions To Environment
• New Brain Findings On Dyslexic Children: Good Readers Learn From Repeating Auditory Signals, Poor Readers Do Not
• High-performance Plasmas May Make Reliable, Efficient Fusion Power A Reality
• Nano Bubble Gum For Enhancing Drug Delivery In Gut
• Underground Power Lines That Bypass Monuments In Cities
• Possible Help In Fight Against Muscle-wasting Disease
• Unexpected Properties Of Nanostructures: When Holes Obscure The View
• Language Support In Schools Vital For Children With Autism
• Earth's Early Ocean Cooled More Than A Billion Years Earlier Than Thought
• Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease
• Satellite Imagery Used To Identify Active Magma Systems In East Africa's Rift Valley
• Dentists Can Identify Patients At Risk For Fatal Cardiovascular Event, Study Suggests
• DNA Barcodes: Creative New Uses Span Health, Fraud, Smuggling, History, More
• Unravelling The Pathology Of Dementia
• Wireless Phones Can Affect The Brain, Swedish Study Suggests
• Long-term Statin Use Associated With Decreased Risk Of Gallstones Requiring Surgery
• New Antenna May Reveal More Clues About Lightning
• Persistent Pain Common For Many Women 2 To 3 Years After Breast Cancer Treatment
• Community Education And Evacuation Planning Saved Lives In Sept. 29 Samoan Tsunami
• Poor Leadership Poses A Health Risk At Work
• Are Earth's Oceans Made Of Extraterrestrial Material?
• Chemo-radiation Before Prostate Removal May Prevent Cancer Recurrence
• Why Nice Guys Usually Get The Girls
• Radiation Therapy Technique Successfully Treats Pain In Patients With Advanced Cancer
• Researchers Identify What Makes Deadly Algae More Toxic
• Foreign Subtitles Improve Speech Perception
• NASA Reproduces A Building Block Of Life In Laboratory
• Workplace BPA Exposure Increases Risk Of Male Sexual Dysfunction
• Skunk's Strategy Not Just Black And White
• New Key To Puzzle Of Hormone Therapy And Breast Cancer
• Reducing Greenhouse Gases May Not Be Enough To Slow Climate Change
• Emotions Increase Or Decrease Pain, Say Researchers

Exoplanets Clue To Sun's Curious Chemistry Posted: 12 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST A ground-breaking census of 500 stars, 70 of which are known to host planets, has successfully linked the long-standing "lithium mystery" observed in the Sun to the presence of planetary systems. Using ESO's successful HARPS spectrograph, a team of astronomers has found that sun-like stars that host planets have destroyed their lithium much more efficiently than "planet-free" stars.

Researchers 'Notch' A Victory Toward New Kind Of Cancer Drug Posted: 12 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Scientists have devised an innovative way to disarm a key protein considered to be "undruggable," meaning that all previous efforts to develop a drug against it have failed. Their discovery lays the foundation for a new kind of therapy aimed directly at a critical human protein -- one of a few thousand so-called transcription factors -- that could someday be used to treat a variety of diseases, especially multiple types of cancer.

Quantum Gas Microscope Offers Glimpse Of Quirky Ultracold Atoms Posted: 12 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Physicists have created a quantum gas microscope that can be used to observe single atoms at temperatures so low the particles follow the rules of quantum mechanics, behaving in bizarre ways. The work represents the first time scientists have detected single atoms in a crystalline structure made solely of light, called a Bose Hubbard optical lattice.

Preventing Spinal Cord Damage Using A Vitamin B3 Precursor Posted: 12 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST Substances naturally produced by the human body may one day help prevent paralysis following a spinal cord injury, according to researchers.

Small Asteroid 2009 VA Whizzes By Earth Posted: 12 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST A newly discovered asteroid designated 2009 VA, which is only about 7 meters in size, passed about 2 Earth radii (14,000 km) from Earth's surface Nov. 6 at around 16:30 EST. This is the third-closest known (non-impacting) Earth approach on record for a cataloged asteroid.

In The War Between The Sexes, The One With The Closest Fungal Relationship Wins Posted: 12 Nov 2009 11:00 AM PST The war between the sexes has been fought on many fronts throughout time -- from humans to birds to insects, the animal kingdom is replete with species involved in their own skirmishes. A recent study demonstrates that certain plants, with some help from fungal friends, may also be involved in this fray.

Why Can't Chimps Speak? Key Differences In How Human And Chimp Versions Of FOXP2 Gene Work Posted: 12 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST If humans are genetically related to chimps, why did our brains develop the innate ability for language and speech while theirs did not? Scientists suspect that part of the answer to the mystery lies in a gene called FOXP2. When mutated, FOXP2 can disrupt speech and language in humans. Now, a new study reveals major differences between how the human and chimp versions of FOXP2 work, perhaps explaining why language is unique to humans.

Novel Mouse Gene Suppresses Alzheimer's Plaques And Tangles Posted: 12 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST A new study reveals that a previously undiscovered mouse gene reduces the two major pathological perturbations commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The research finds that the novel gene interacts with a key cellular enzyme previously linked with AD pathology, thereby uncovering a new strategy for treating this devastating disorder.

Tiny Injector To Speed Development Of New, Safer, Cheaper Drugs Posted: 12 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Engineering researchers have fabricated a palm-sized, automated, micro-injector that can insert proteins, DNA and other biomolecules into individual cells at volumes exponentially higher than current procedures, and at a fraction of the cost. This will allow scientists to vastly increase preclinical trials for drug development and genetic engineering, and provide greater control of the process.

Possible Origins Of Pancreatic Cancer Revealed Posted: 12 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Cancer biologists have identified a subpopulation of cells that can give rise to pancreatic cancer. They also found that tumors can form in other, more mature pancreatic cell types, but only when they are injured or inflamed, suggesting that pancreatic cancer can arise from different types of cells depending on the circumstances.

New Explanation For Nature's Hardiest Life Form Posted: 12 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Got food poisoning? The cause might be bacterial spores, en extremely hardy survival form of bacteria, a nightmare for health care and the food industry and an enigma for scientists. Spore-forming bacteria, present almost everywhere in our environment, can also cause serious infectious diseases, such as tetanus, anthrax, and botulism. Now researchers have made a breakthrough in our understanding of the molecular characteristics of spores that in the long term may lead to new methods for sterilizing food and medical equipment.

Aisle Placements Affect Grocery Sales Posted: 12 Nov 2009 08:00 AM PST Supermarkets could increase their sales of related items, such as chips and soft drinks, by moving the items closer to each other in their stores, according to new research.

'Earth Claw': New Species Of Vegetarian Dinosaur Close To Common Ancestor Of Gigantic Sauropods Posted: 12 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST A new species of dinosaur from the early Jurassic period, approximately 195 million years old, has been discovered in South Africa. Dubbed Aardonyx ("Earth Claw"), the seven-meter-long vegetarian dinosaur gives paleontologists a glimpse into the evolution of giant sauropods that once roamed the prehistoric world.

Stem Cells: Scientists Successfully Reprogram Blood Cells Posted: 12 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers have transplanted genetically modified hematopoietic stem cells into mice so that their developing red blood cells produce a critical lysosomal enzyme -- preventing or reducing organ and central nervous system damage from the often-fatal genetic disorder Hurler's syndrome.

Inexpensive 'Dipstick' Test For Pesticides In Foods Posted: 12 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST Scientists in Canada are reporting the development of a fast, inexpensive "dipstick" test to identify small amounts of pesticides that may exist in foods and beverages. Their paper-strip test is more practical than conventional pesticide tests, producing results in minutes rather than hours by means of an easy-to-read color-change, they say.

Stereotactic Radiotherapy Offers Noninvasive, Effective Treatment For Lung Cancer Patients Posted: 12 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST Stereotactic body radiation therapy should be considered a new standard of care for early-stage lung cancer treatment in patients with co-existing medical problems, according to results from a national clinical trial.

Understanding Plant Reactions To Environment Posted: 12 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST Scientists have identified biomarkers in rice -- 17 markers thus far that can follow changes in metabolism rapidly across a large number of plant samples. The technique is called metabolite screening.

New Brain Findings On Dyslexic Children: Good Readers Learn From Repeating Auditory Signals, Poor Readers Do Not Posted: 12 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST The vast majority of school-aged children can focus on the voice of a teacher amid the cacophony of the typical classroom thanks to a brain that automatically focuses on relevant, predictable and repeating auditory information, according to new research. But for children with developmental dyslexia, the teacher's voice may get lost in the background noise of banging lockers, whispering children, playground screams and scraping chairs, the researchers say.

High-performance Plasmas May Make Reliable, Efficient Fusion Power A Reality Posted: 12 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST In the quest to produce nuclear fusion energy, researchers from the DIII-D National Fusion Facility have recently confirmed long-standing theoretical predictions that performance, efficiency and reliability are simultaneously obtained in tokamaks, the leading magnetic confinement fusion device, operating at their performance limits.

Nano Bubble Gum For Enhancing Drug Delivery In Gut Posted: 12 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST Of the many characteristic traits a drug can have, one of the most desirable is the ability for a drug to be swallowed and absorbed into the bloodstream through the gut. Some drugs, like over-the-counter aspirin, lend themselves to this mode of delivery and are trivial to take. They can be pressed into a pill and swallowed. Other drugs cannot be swallowed and must be administered instead through more complicated routes. Insulin, for instance, must be injected.

Underground Power Lines That Bypass Monuments In Cities Posted: 12 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST Mathematicians have created a method to design underground lines whereby a city's historical buildings are unaffected.

Possible Help In Fight Against Muscle-wasting Disease Posted: 12 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST A compound already used to treat pneumonia could become a new therapy for an inherited muscular wasting disease. Researchers report that pentamidine might be adapted to counter genetic splicing defects in RNA that lead to type 1 myotonic dystrophy.

Unexpected Properties Of Nanostructures: When Holes Obscure The View Posted: 12 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST Metals are opaque: they reflect light almost completely. For that reason they are utilized as mirrors; as films deposited onto a glass -- you find them in any bathroom. If the metal film is very thin, the mirror is semitransparent. These half-silvered mirrors help to hide surveillance video cameras, for instance. One might think that holes in a metal film enhance the view. Exactly the opposite is true. Physicists discovered that tiny holes actually make the metal opaque.

Language Support In Schools Vital For Children With Autism Posted: 12 Nov 2009 02:00 AM PST Teachers and parents must be vigilant in observing difficulties with language comprehension, reading and spelling in children and young people with autism, Asperger's syndrome and ADHD.

Earth's Early Ocean Cooled More Than A Billion Years Earlier Than Thought Posted: 11 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST The global ocean covering the Earth 3.4 billion years ago was far cooler than has been thought, according to researchers who analyzed isotope ratios in rocks formed on that ancient ocean floor. Instead of a hot primordial soup, much more tepid temperatures prevailed. Cooler temperatures may have had effects on the evolution of the early atmosphere and could have opened the door to an earlier spread of photosynthetic life forms across the planet.

Small Increases In Phosphorus Mean Higher Risk Of Heart Disease Posted: 11 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Higher levels of phosphorus in the blood are linked to increased calcification of the coronary arteries -- a key marker of heart disease risk, according to a new study.

Satellite Imagery Used To Identify Active Magma Systems In East Africa's Rift Valley Posted: 11 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Scientists have used images compiled over a decade to study volcanic activity in the African Rift. A new article focuses on the section of the rift in Kenya. Surface deformation of four active volcanoes underscore possibility for human hazard, as well as the potential of geothermal resources.

Dentists Can Identify Patients At Risk For Fatal Cardiovascular Event, Study Suggests Posted: 11 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST A new study indicates dentists can play a potentially life-saving role in health care by identifying patients at risk of fatal heart attacks and referring them to physicians for further evaluation.

DNA Barcodes: Creative New Uses Span Health, Fraud, Smuggling, History, More Posted: 11 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Some 350 experts from 50 nations gathering in Mexico for their 3rd global meeting will outline the latest creative applications of DNA barcoding, including several projects related to human health, fraud, smuggling, the food chain and reconstructing environmental history.

Unravelling The Pathology Of Dementia Posted: 11 Nov 2009 11:00 PM PST Combination therapies to tackle multiple changes in the brain may be needed to combat the growing problem of dementia in aging societies, according to a new study.

Wireless Phones Can Affect The Brain, Swedish Study Suggests Posted: 11 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Mobile phones and other cordless telephones have a biological effect on the brain, according to new research from Sweden. It is still too early to say if any health risks are involved, but medical researchers recommend caution in the use of these phones, above all among children and adolescents. Few children who regularly use mobile phones use a headset regularly.

Long-term Statin Use Associated With Decreased Risk Of Gallstones Requiring Surgery Posted: 11 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Use of the cholesterol-lowering drugs statins for more than a year is associated with a reduced risk of having gallstones requiring surgery, according to a new study.

New Antenna May Reveal More Clues About Lightning Posted: 11 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Launch scrubs are nothing new at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. In fact, there have been 116 space shuttle scrubs; 72 for technical reasons and 45 for inclement weather. During the summer, bad weather, particularly lightning, seems to strike as the countdown clock nears zero. Maybe it's because Kennedy and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station are well within what meteorologists call, "Lightning Alley."

Persistent Pain Common For Many Women 2 To 3 Years After Breast Cancer Treatment Posted: 11 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Nearly 50 percent of women surveyed indicate they experience pain symptoms 2 to 3 years after breast cancer treatment, with women who were younger or who received supplemental radiation therapy more likely to have pain, according to a new study.

Community Education And Evacuation Planning Saved Lives In Sept. 29 Samoan Tsunami Posted: 11 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Community-based education and awareness programs minimized the death toll from the recent Samoan tsunami, according to a team of researchers that traveled to Samoa last month. Funded by a National Science Foundation grant, the team collected data to document the impacts of the earthquake and ensuing tsunami that occurred on Sept. 29.

Poor Leadership Poses A Health Risk At Work Posted: 11 Nov 2009 08:00 PM PST Perceived poor managerial leadership increases not only the amount of sick leave taken at a workplace, but also the risk of sickness amongst employees later on in life. The longer a person has had a "poorer" manager, the higher his or her risk of for example suffering a heart attack within a ten-year period, according to new research.

Are Earth's Oceans Made Of Extraterrestrial Material? Posted: 11 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Contrary to preconceived notions, the atmosphere and the oceans were perhaps not formed from vapors emitted during intense volcanism at the dawning of our planet. Scientists now suggest that water was not part of the Earth's initial inventory but stems from the turbulence caused in the outer solar system by giant planets. Ice-covered asteroids thus reached the Earth around one hundred million years after the birth of the planets.

Chemo-radiation Before Prostate Removal May Prevent Cancer Recurrence Posted: 11 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have found a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy given before prostate removal is safe and may have the potential to reduce cancer recurrence and improve patient survival.

Why Nice Guys Usually Get The Girls Posted: 11 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST For the insects called water striders, the pushiest guys don't always get the girls. New research provides support for the theory of multi-level selection and contradicts previous laboratory experiments that suggested that the most aggressive males are the most successful at reproducing.

Radiation Therapy Technique Successfully Treats Pain In Patients With Advanced Cancer Posted: 11 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Stereotactic radiosurgery, a radiation therapy procedure that precisely delivers a large dose of radiation to tumors, effectively controls pain in patients with cancer that has spread to the spine, according to researchers.

Researchers Identify What Makes Deadly Algae More Toxic Posted: 11 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST Researchers have identified a key component that increases the toxicity of golden algae which kills millions of fish in the southern U.S. every year.

Foreign Subtitles Improve Speech Perception Posted: 11 Nov 2009 05:00 PM PST You can improve your second-language listening ability by watching the movie with subtitles -- as long as these subtitles are in the same language as the film. Subtitles in one's native language, the default in some European countries, may actually be counter-productive to learning to understand foreign speech, according to a new study.

NASA Reproduces A Building Block Of Life In Laboratory Posted: 11 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST NASA scientists studying the origin of life have reproduced uracil, a key component of our hereditary material, in the laboratory. They discovered that an ice sample containing pyrimidine exposed to ultraviolet radiation under space-like conditions produces this essential ingredient of life.

Workplace BPA Exposure Increases Risk Of Male Sexual Dysfunction Posted: 11 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST High levels of workplace exposure to Bisphenol-A may increase the risk of reduced sexual function in men. This is the first human study to look at the effect of BPA on the male reproductive system. Rodent studies have shown BPA's detrimental effect on male reproductive system. The five-year study of 634 workers in China found workers with BPA exposure had quadruple risk of erectile dysfunction, and seven times more risk of ejaculation difficulty.

Skunk's Strategy Not Just Black And White Posted: 11 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST Predators with experience of skunks avoid them both because of their black-and-white coloration and their distinctive body shape, a new study has found.

New Key To Puzzle Of Hormone Therapy And Breast Cancer Posted: 11 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST The use of postmenopausal hormone therapy has decreased over time in the United States, which researchers suggest may play a key role in the declining rate of atypical ductal hyperplasia, a known risk factor for breast cancer.

Reducing Greenhouse Gases May Not Be Enough To Slow Climate Change Posted: 11 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST Because land use changes are responsible for 50 percent of warming in the US, policymakers need to address the influence of global deforestation and urbanization on climate change, in addition to greenhouse gas emissions, experts urge.

Emotions Increase Or Decrease Pain, Say Researchers Posted: 11 Nov 2009 02:00 PM PST Getting a flu shot this fall? Canadians scientists have found that focusing on a pretty image could alleviate the sting of that vaccine. According to a new study, negative and positive emotions have a direct impact on pain.

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