ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Have black holes been turning up the volume on the cosmic radio background?
• Patients gain limb movement years after stroke with help of robotic aids
• Gene that regulates hair growth identified
• Bacteria in household dust may help or hinder childhood asthma
• Volcanic eruption in Iceland unlikely to have global effects
• Implications of 'intelligent design' for human behavior
• Lost light from the Moon may be sent astray by dusty reflectors
• Uncovering early stages of Alzheimer's disease
• Iceland volcano could continue erupting for more than a month, researcher says
• Cellular channel may open doors to skin conditions, hair growth
• Astrophysicists cast doubt on link between excess positrons and dark matter
• Older drivers often involved in daytime crashes more severe than younger drivers' crashes, study finds
• Dry regions becoming drier: Ocean salinities show an intensified water cycle
• First evidence that chitosan could repair spinal damage
• Icelandic volcanoes can be unpredictable and dangerous
• Chinese scientists discover marker indicating the developmental potential of stem cells
• Scientists discover new genetic sub-code
• Who is injured determines who gets the blame
• New 'green' technologies make die castings stronger

Have black holes been turning up the volume on the cosmic radio background? Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT Astronomers investigating why the cosmic background radiation is much brighter at radio wavelengths than expected have identified a potential culprit: fast spinning black holes early in the galaxy formation process.

Patients gain limb movement years after stroke with help of robotic aids Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT A clinical study has found that stroke patients can regain limb movement long after an injury through intensive therapy with specially trained personnel and newly created robotic aids.

Gene that regulates hair growth identified Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT Activation of the gene Lhx2 leads to increased hair growth. The findings partly refute earlier research results in the field.

Bacteria in household dust may help or hinder childhood asthma Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT Bacterial populations found in household dust may determine whether or not a child living in that home develops asthma, according to new research.

Volcanic eruption in Iceland unlikely to have global effects Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT The eruption of an Icelandic volcano that sent a huge plume of ash into the atmosphere and caused sweeping disruptions of air traffic over Great Britain and Scandinavia today will likely dissipate in the next several days, according to an atmospheric scientist.

Implications of 'intelligent design' for human behavior Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 PM PDT Although evolutionists and creationists strongly disagree about the role that intelligent design plays in the origins of bodies and brains, they curiously agree about the role that intelligent design plays in the origins of human inventiveness. However, both camps would do well to focus less on perceived foresight and purpose and more on the actual origins of behavior, according to one expert.

Lost light from the Moon may be sent astray by dusty reflectors Posted: 18 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT Light bounced off reflectors on the Moon is fainter than expected and mysteriously dims even more whenever the moon is full. Astronomers think dust is a likely culprit.

Uncovering early stages of Alzheimer's disease Posted: 18 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT A major Australian study has provided new insights into the loss of structure in regions of the brain and its potential association with Alzheimer's disease.

Iceland volcano could continue erupting for more than a month, researcher says Posted: 18 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT The airspace over much of northern Europe remains shut and the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, is stranded in New York City because of the threat from a volcanic ash plume being belched out of Iceland. How long will the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano continue and what other kinds of activity can we expect? A volcanologist in Norway who has worked extensively in Iceland says a month-long eruption would not be out of the question. But the eruption could also continue for a year or more, he says.

Cellular channel may open doors to skin conditions, hair growth Posted: 18 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT Skin and hair follicles are constantly renewed in the body, maintained by specialized stem cells. New research identifies a small cellular channel that regulates skin and hair growth and that could be targeted with small-molecule drugs, potentially treating variety of skin conditions, as well as thinning hair or unwanted hair growth.

Astrophysicists cast doubt on link between excess positrons and dark matter Posted: 18 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT Astrophysicists are looking everywhere -- inside the Large Hadron Collider, in deep mines and far out into space -- for evidence of dark matter, which makes up about 25 percent of the energy density of the universe.

Older drivers often involved in daytime crashes more severe than younger drivers' crashes, study finds Posted: 18 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT Engineers identified the characteristics of older drivers in Kansas and the types of crashes they are involved in. Their research found most car accidents involving older drivers occur during the daytime and are more severe, often ending in injury or fatality, than those for younger populations. The researchers will follow up with a study to learn what changes can be made to improve these difficulties for older drivers.

Dry regions becoming drier: Ocean salinities show an intensified water cycle Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT There is new evidence that the world's water cycle has already intensified. The stronger water cycle means arid regions have become drier and high rainfall regions wetter as atmospheric temperature increases.

First evidence that chitosan could repair spinal damage Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Spinal injuries are some of the most debilitating that anyone can suffer. However, a new study offers spinal cord damage sufferers some hope. Researchers have discovered that chitosan, a sugar, can target and repair damaged spinal cord nerve membranes and restore nerve function.

Icelandic volcanoes can be unpredictable and dangerous Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT If history is any indication, the erupting volcano in Iceland and its immense ash plume could intensify, says a researcher who has explored Icelandic volcanoes for the past 25 years.

Chinese scientists discover marker indicating the developmental potential of stem cells Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers in China are reporting that they have found a way to determine which somatic cells -- or differentiated body cells -- that have been reprogrammed into a primordial, embryonic-like state are the most viable for therapeutic applications.

Scientists discover new genetic sub-code Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Computer scientists are chasing possible sub-codes in genomic information. The study led to the identification of novel sequence biases and their role in the control of genomic expression.

Who is injured determines who gets the blame Posted: 18 Apr 2010 02:00 AM PDT Researchers conducted a study to determine how much public blame is placed on organizations that undergo crises. The researchers determined that the public places more blame on organizations when customers are injured in a crisis, while less blame is placed if employees or members of the organization are injured.

New 'green' technologies make die castings stronger Posted: 16 Apr 2010 09:00 PM PDT Conventional die castings can be made stronger using new, more environmentally friendly technologies developed by researchers in Australia.

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