ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Milky Way's magnetic attraction ten times stronger than rest of galaxy
• A solution to obesity? Muscles that act as an energy drain
• Birds fight alien parasites: Darwin's finches develop antibodies to flies, pox virus
• Researchers pin down long-elusive protein that's essential to 'life as we know it'
• Astronomers get new tools for gravitational-wave detection
• How people work ... and the fingerprint mystery
• Cell phone exposure may protect against and reverse Alzheimer's disease
• Stomach-cancer bug linked to cancer-promoting factor
• Sun glints seen from space signal oceans and lakes
• It's good to talk: Changing how nerves communicate in congestive heart failure
• Researchers discover a way to strengthen proteins
• Seeing with your hands? Hand amputation may result in altered perception around the hands
• Astronomers unveil images of 12-billion-year-old space nursery
• Discovery may help baby boomers get buff: Free radicals damage mitochondria in muscle cells
• Behavioral identification can help stop terrorists, researcher says
• Study links vitamin D, race and cardiac deaths
• Scientists probe mystery of loop current in eastern Gulf of Mexico
• Negative phys ed teacher can cause a lifetime of inactivity
• Silencing brain cells with yellow and blue light
• UV LED therapy shows promising results in preventing focal seizures
• New panchromatic capabilities of Hubble reveal unprecedented view of universe
• Obese pregnant women should gain less weight than currently recommended, researcher suggests
• Canine compulsive disorder gene identified in dogs
• Fewer headaches on the horizon, thanks to latest guidelines
• First Earth-like planet spotted outside solar system likely a volcanic wasteland
• Experimental drug reduces tumor resistance to breast cancer therapy
• Impact of unsettled summer weather on UK marine life
• HIV-infected postmenopausal women at high risk for bone fractures
• Resistance to antibiotics can be drawback for bacteria
• Music therapy can assist toddlers' communication rehabilitation process
• Physicists beginning to see data from the Large Hadron Collider
• Fat mass helps build bone mass in girls, study suggests; excessive fat reduction may increase osteoporosis risk
• Miscanthus, a biofuels crop, can host western corn rootworm
• Strength training, self-management improve outcomes for knee osteoarthritis
• Smarter cars are gaining traction
• Benefit of antidepressant medications appears to vary with severity of depression symptoms

Milky Way's magnetic attraction ten times stronger than rest of galaxy Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST The magnetic field in the center of the Milky Way is at least 10 times stronger than the rest of the galaxy, according to new research.

A solution to obesity? Muscles that act as an energy drain Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST Many people have traded in their gas-guzzling old "clunkers" for newer and more efficient models or cut back on energy use at home by opting for Energy Star appliances and compact fluorescent light bulbs. But, when it comes to our muscles, a little less efficiency might be just what the doctor ordered, suggests new research.

Birds fight alien parasites: Darwin's finches develop antibodies to flies, pox virus Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST Unlike Hawaii and other island groups, no native bird has gone extinct in the Galapagos Islands, although some are in danger. Biologists have found that finches -- the birds Darwin studied -- develop antibodies against two parasites that moved to the Galapagos, suggesting the birds can fight the alien invaders.

Researchers pin down long-elusive protein that's essential to 'life as we know it' Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST A team of researchers is being recognized for devising a new way to study a human protein that long has evaded close scrutiny by scientists investigating its role in the communication of important genetic messages inside a cell's nucleus to workhorse molecules found elsewhere.

Astronomers get new tools for gravitational-wave detection Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST A breakthrough in discovering new millisecond pulsars is providing astronomers a greatly improved capability to use those natural cosmic tools to make the first direct detections of gravitational waves.

How people work ... and the fingerprint mystery Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 PM PST Why do we chew our food? Research has shown that it is not, as has long been presumed, to make chunks of food small enough to swallow without choking. Biomechanics, who have modelled the cohesive strength of food after a certain amount of chewing, have shown that we actually chew our food to ensure it is in a firm blob and, therefore, safe to swallow.

Cell phone exposure may protect against and reverse Alzheimer's disease Posted: 07 Jan 2010 11:00 AM PST The millions of people who spend hours every day on a cell phone may have a new excuse for yakking. A new indicates long-term exposure to electromagnetic waves emitted by cell phones may protect against and reverse Alzheimer's disease.

Stomach-cancer bug linked to cancer-promoting factor Posted: 07 Jan 2010 11:00 AM PST Researchers report that Helicobacter pylori, the only bacterium known to survive in the harsh environment of the human stomach, directly activates an enzyme in host cells that has been associated with several types of cancer, including gastric cancer.

Sun glints seen from space signal oceans and lakes Posted: 07 Jan 2010 11:00 AM PST In two new videos from NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft, bright flashes of light known as sun glints act as beacons signaling large bodies of water on Earth. These observations give scientists a way to pick out planets beyond our solar system (extrasolar planets) that are likely to have expanses of liquid, and so stand a better chance of having life.

It's good to talk: Changing how nerves communicate in congestive heart failure Posted: 07 Jan 2010 11:00 AM PST A team of researchers has now determined in rodents how congestive heart failure triggers substantive changes to the nerves that control heart function.

Researchers discover a way to strengthen proteins Posted: 07 Jan 2010 11:00 AM PST Proteins, which perform such vital roles in our bodies as building and maintaining tissues and regulating cellular processes, are a finicky lot. In order to work properly, they must be folded just so, yet many proteins readily collapse into useless tangles when exposed to temperatures just a few degrees above normal body temperature.

Seeing with your hands? Hand amputation may result in altered perception around the hands Posted: 07 Jan 2010 11:00 AM PST The space within reach of our hands -- where actions such as grasping and touching occur -- is known as the "action space." New research indicates that amputation of the hand results in distorted visuospatial perception (i.e., figuring out where in space objects are located) of the action space. These findings suggest that losing a hand may shrink the action space on the amputated side, leading to permanent distortions in spatial perception.

Astronomers unveil images of 12-billion-year-old space nursery Posted: 07 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST Astronomers have produced the most detailed images of deep space from 12 billion years ago, using data from the European Space Agency's Herschel Space Observatory.

Discovery may help baby boomers get buff: Free radicals damage mitochondria in muscle cells Posted: 07 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST If you're an aging baby boomer hoping for a buffer physique, there's hope. A team of scientists has made a significant discovery about the cause of age-related muscle atrophy that could lead to new drugs to halt this natural process.

Behavioral identification can help stop terrorists, researcher says Posted: 07 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST The effective use of multiple layers of intelligence gathering, including existing behavioral identification programs, could have excluded Farouk Abdul Mutallab from travel before he got anywhere near Northwest Flight 253, a researcher says.

Study links vitamin D, race and cardiac deaths Posted: 07 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST Vitamin D deficiency may contribute to a higher number of heart and stroke-related deaths among black Americans compared to whites, according to a new study.

Scientists probe mystery of loop current in eastern Gulf of Mexico Posted: 07 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST A new study examines the circulation in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and sheds new light on the behavior of the Loop Current and Loop Current Eddies, the relation between the upper- and lower-layer currents, and the variability of water mass characteristics in deep water.

Negative phys ed teacher can cause a lifetime of inactivity Posted: 07 Jan 2010 08:00 AM PST A negative physical education teacher can turn people off fitness for good, according to new research.

Silencing brain cells with yellow and blue light Posted: 07 Jan 2010 05:00 AM PST Neuroscientists have developed a powerful new class of tools to reversibly shut down brain activity using different colors of light. When targeted to specific neurons, they could potentially lead to new treatments for abnormal brain activity associated with disorders including chronic pain, epilepsy, brain injury and Parkinson's disease.

UV LED therapy shows promising results in preventing focal seizures Posted: 07 Jan 2010 05:00 AM PST Researchers have discovered that light from an ultraviolet diode (UV LED) reduced "seizure-like" activity in a rat epilepsy model. Results of this study have considerable potential in treating focal epilepsy in humans.

New panchromatic capabilities of Hubble reveal unprecedented view of universe Posted: 07 Jan 2010 05:00 AM PST More than 12 billion years of cosmic history are shown in an unprecedented, panoramic, full-color view of thousands of galaxies in various stages of assembly. The image was assembled from mosaics taken with the newly installed Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) in fall 2009 and with Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys taken in 2004.

Obese pregnant women should gain less weight than currently recommended, researcher suggests Posted: 07 Jan 2010 05:00 AM PST An obstetrician who specializes in obesity disputes current recommendations for weight gain during pregnancy.

Canine compulsive disorder gene identified in dogs Posted: 07 Jan 2010 05:00 AM PST A canine chromosome 7 locus that confers a high risk of compulsive disorder susceptibility has been identified.

Fewer headaches on the horizon, thanks to latest guidelines Posted: 07 Jan 2010 05:00 AM PST If you're one of the millions of headache sufferers around the world, more effective relief might be on the way in years to come. That's because the International Headache Society has just published new research guidelines intended to stimulate more research into headache treatment, and to provide researchers with guidelines to cut health risks associated with treatment.

First Earth-like planet spotted outside solar system likely a volcanic wasteland Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 AM PST When scientists confirmed in October that they had detected the first rocky planet outside our solar system, it advanced the longtime quest to find an Earth-like planet hospitable to life. The rocky planet CoRoT-7 b is, however, a forbidding place. If its orbit is not almost perfectly circular, then the planet might be undergoing continuous, fierce volcanic eruptions.

Experimental drug reduces tumor resistance to breast cancer therapy Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 AM PST Researchers have found a way to cleverly override signals that tell breast cancer cells to keep surviving in the face of anticancer treatment. The investigational agent they used renews the sensitivity of these breast cancer cells to treatment by fulvestrant which had stopped working.

Impact of unsettled summer weather on UK marine life Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 AM PST A recent scientific conference has provided new evidence for the effects of unseasonal summer storms on a variety of spectacular marine life, including deadly jellyfish, basking sharks and oceanic seabirds.

HIV-infected postmenopausal women at high risk for bone fractures Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 AM PST A new study finds that postmenopausal HIV-infected women have a high prevalence of low bone mineral density and high bone turnover, placing them at high risk for future bone fractures.

Resistance to antibiotics can be drawback for bacteria Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 AM PST Neisseria meningitidis, the meningococcus, is a bacterium that can cause diseases with high fatality rates, and there has therefore been considerable concern that, like other bacteria, it might become resistant to antibiotics. But now a study shows that there has not been any increase in resistant meningococci in Sweden over the last 15 years. The reason for this may be that it is not especially advantageous for bacteria to develop resistance.

Music therapy can assist toddlers' communication rehabilitation process Posted: 07 Jan 2010 02:00 AM PST Music therapy can assist in the speech acquisition process in toddlers who have undergone cochlear implantation, as revealed in a new study.

Physicists beginning to see data from the Large Hadron Collider Posted: 06 Jan 2010 11:00 PM PST Physicists are starting to see real data from the Large Hadron Collider, the planet's biggest science experiment. But it will still take years of study before the collider produces new, Nobel-winning physics.

Fat mass helps build bone mass in girls, study suggests; excessive fat reduction may increase osteoporosis risk Posted: 06 Jan 2010 11:00 PM PST According to a new study, fat mass is important in increasing bone size and thickness, but this effect appears to be stronger in girls than boys.

Miscanthus, a biofuels crop, can host western corn rootworm Posted: 06 Jan 2010 11:00 PM PST The western corn rootworm beetle, a pest that feasts on corn roots and corn silk and costs growers more than $1 billion annually in the US, also can survive on the perennial grass Miscanthus x giganteus, a potential biofuels crop that would likely be grown alongside corn, researchers report.

Strength training, self-management improve outcomes for knee osteoarthritis Posted: 06 Jan 2010 11:00 PM PST Researchers have determined that physically inactive, middle-aged people with symptomatic osteoarthritis benefited equally from strength training regimens, self-management programs, or a combination of the two.

Smarter cars are gaining traction Posted: 06 Jan 2010 11:00 PM PST Lives can depend on a vehicle's moment-by-moment traction. New European technology promises to make cars as good as experienced, alert drivers at sensing and adjusting to wet, snowy or icy roads.

Benefit of antidepressant medications appears to vary with severity of depression symptoms Posted: 06 Jan 2010 11:00 PM PST An analysis of randomized trials indicates that compared with placebo, the magnitude of benefit of antidepressant medications varies with the severity of depressive symptoms, and may provide little benefit for patients with mild or moderate depression, but appear to provide substantial benefit for patients with very severe depression, according to a new study.

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