ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Birth of the Milky Way: Astronomers glimpse at earliest phases of our home galaxy
• New formula gives first accurate peak heart rate for women
• Even the midnight sun won't convince bees to work nights
• New drugs to relieve cancer pain
• Biologically inspired technology produces sugar from photosynthetic bacteria
• Studies of women's attitudes to 'social egg freezing' find reasons differ with age
• Whiter clouds could mean wetter land
• Pacemaker for your brain: Brain-to-computer chip revolutionizes neurological therapy
• Introducing Robofish: Leading the crowd in studying group dynamics
• New possibility to determine the severity of appendicitis
• Manure provides higher returns than chemical fertilizers, economist says
• Older adults watch more TV than younger people, enjoy it less
• Gene leads to longer shelf life for tomatoes, possibly other fruits
• Memories are made of this: Uncovering the key to how we learn and remember
• Outliving the Ice Age: Tale of a rhinoceros
• New meta-analysis demonstrates heart risks associated with rosiglitazone
• Western Mediterranean has warmed for more than a century, study finds
• Science historian cracks the 'Plato code'
• North America's first peoples more genetically diverse than thought, mitochondrial genome analysis reveals
• 12 new genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes identified in new study
• Climate changes in the Atlantic can affect drought in distant regions
• Type 2 diabetes medication rosiglitazone associated with increased cardiovascular risks and death, study finds
• Geometry affects drift and diffusion across entropic barriers
• Public transit systems contribute to weight loss and improved health, study finds
• Competition matters: New study challenges long-held assumption about competition in disturbed ecosystems
• Statins associated with lower cancer recurrence following prostatectomy
• Cycad pest uses small size to hide from predators: Researchers look for small control organism
• Adults with newly diagnosed diabetes at risk of liver disease, study finds
• New radio telescope will listen to the universe on the FM-band
• National School Lunch Program increases educational achievement, study finds
• Physics of the 'bends': New study helps explain decompression sickness
• Dark chocolate lowers blood pressure, research finds
• 'Velcro' effect in Guianese ants
• Immune system important in fight against stomach cancer
• Turning off the air conditioning helps save fuel, Swiss study finds
• Battle of the sexes exists in the plant world, too
• Manipulating microbes in the gut may remedy disease and enhance health
• Bursting bubbles with sound offers new treatments for cancer
• Enterprise PCs work while they sleep – saving energy and money – with new software
• New measurement of telomere DNA could help identify most viable embryos for IVF
• Prepare for hotter and drier Southwestern US, climate experts urge
• High sugar content in packaged toddler and baby food products
• Reseachers predict larger-than-average Gulf 'dead zone'; Impact of oil spill unclear
• Agent Orange exposure linked to Graves' disease in Vietnam veterans, study finds
• Rocky mounds and a plateau on Mars
• BCG vaccination appears promising as a treatment for people with existing type 1 diabetes, Phase I trial results show
• Depth charge: Using atomic force microscopy to study subsurface structures
• Piglets open doors to study infant brain development

Birth of the Milky Way: Astronomers glimpse at earliest phases of our home galaxy Posted: 29 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT For the first time, a team of astronomers has succeeded in investigating the earliest phases of the evolutionary history of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. The scientists deduce that the early galaxy went from smooth to clumpy in just a few hundred million years.

New formula gives first accurate peak heart rate for women Posted: 29 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT A new gender-based formula based on a large study provides a more accurate estimate of the peak heart rate a healthy woman should attain during exercise. It also will more accurately predict the risk of heart-related death during a stress test. Researchers found women's normal peak rate is lower than men's.

Even the midnight sun won't convince bees to work nights Posted: 29 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Bees observe a strict working day, even in conditions of 24-hour sunlight. Researchers tagged worker bumblebees with a radio identifier, similar to an Oyster Card, which was used to monitor their movements during the constant light of the Arctic summer.

New drugs to relieve cancer pain Posted: 29 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers in the UK and Italy have collaborated to develop new drugs which have the potential to relieve cancer pain without causing many of the side effects of current pain-treatments like morphine.

Biologically inspired technology produces sugar from photosynthetic bacteria Posted: 29 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have engineered photosynthetic bacteria to produce simple sugars and lactic acid. This innovation could lead to new, environmentally friendly methods for producing commodity chemicals in bulk. It could also lead to reduced carbon dioxide emissions, greater availability of biodegradable plastics, and the capture of harmful CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial facilities.

Studies of women's attitudes to 'social egg freezing' find reasons differ with age Posted: 29 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Women of different ages differ in their reasons for wishing to undergo egg freezing, two studies show.

Whiter clouds could mean wetter land Posted: 29 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT One proposed emergency fix for global warming is to seed clouds over the ocean to make them more reflective, reducing the solar radiation absorbed by the Earth. But the scheme could also change global rainfall patterns, raising concerns of water shortages on land. A new study suggests that the scheme could actually increase monsoonal rains and cause continents to become wetter, not drier, on average.

Pacemaker for your brain: Brain-to-computer chip revolutionizes neurological therapy Posted: 29 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Researchers in Israel are delving deep into human behavior, neurophysiology and engineering to create a chip that can help doctors wire computer applications and sensors to the brain. The chip will provide deep brain stimulation precisely where and when it's needed.

Introducing Robofish: Leading the crowd in studying group dynamics Posted: 29 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT Scientists have created the first convincing robotic fish that shoals will accept as one of their own. The innovation opens up new possibilities for studying fish behavior and group dynamics, which provides useful information to support freshwater and marine environmental management, to predict fish migration routes and assess the likely impact of human intervention on fish populations.

New possibility to determine the severity of appendicitis Posted: 29 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT The symptoms of appendicitis are often diffuse and it can be difficult to obtain an accurate diagnosis early in the course of the disease. It may be possible to predict the severity from a blood sample, and in this way determine the treatment on an individual basis, according to new research from Sweden.

Manure provides higher returns than chemical fertilizers, economist says Posted: 29 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT No significant differences in corn yield were found between organic and chemical sources of nutrients, but a new study suggests that manure generates higher economic returns than anhydrous ammonia.

Older adults watch more TV than younger people, enjoy it less Posted: 29 Jun 2010 08:00 AM PDT We usually scold our children and teenagers for watching too much TV. It turns out that their grandmas and grandpas spend even more of their time watching TV, and it is not good for them either, according to researchers.

Gene leads to longer shelf life for tomatoes, possibly other fruits Posted: 29 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT A researcher has found a sort of fountain of youth for tomatoes that extends their shelf life by about a week. Adding a yeast gene increases production of a compound that slows aging and delays microbial decay in tomatoes, and the results likely would transfer to most fruits.

Memories are made of this: Uncovering the key to how we learn and remember Posted: 29 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers in the UK have revealed new information on the mechanism by which memories are formed. Their study found one of the key proteins involved in the process of memory and learning -- a breakthrough that has potential to impact drug design to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Outliving the Ice Age: Tale of a rhinoceros Posted: 29 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Species extinction is a fundamental part of evolution: the best adapted species survive, while others die out. A new study shows why, after 800,000 years of successful survival, a species of rhinoceros suddenly disappeared.

New meta-analysis demonstrates heart risks associated with rosiglitazone Posted: 29 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT Eleven years after the introduction of the diabetes drug rosiglitazone, data from available clinical trials demonstrate an increased risk for heart attack associated with its use and suggest an unfavorable benefit-to-risk ratio, according to a new study.

Western Mediterranean has warmed for more than a century, study finds Posted: 29 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT The longest sequences of temperature and salinity data analyzed (from 1900 to present) have confirmed the gradual warming of the waters of the western Mediterranean, according to new research.

Science historian cracks the 'Plato code' Posted: 29 Jun 2010 05:00 AM PDT A science historian in the UK has cracked the "Plato Code" -- the long disputed secret messages hidden in the great philosopher's writings. The findings may revolutionize the history of the origins of Western thought.

North America's first peoples more genetically diverse than thought, mitochondrial genome analysis reveals Posted: 29 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT The initial peopling of North America from Asia occurred approximately 15,000-18,000 years ago. However, estimations of the genetic diversity of the first settlers have remained inaccurate. In a new study, researchers have found that the diversity of the first Americans has been significantly underestimated, underscoring the importance of comprehensive sampling for accurate analysis of human migrations.

12 new genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes identified in new study Posted: 29 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT An international consortium has identified 12 new gene variants which impact the individual's risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The study represents a major contribution towards elucidating the complex pathogenesis of this important widespread disease.

Climate changes in the Atlantic can affect drought in distant regions Posted: 29 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Cyclical changes in atmospheric pressure and sea surface temperature in the North Atlantic Ocean affect drought in the Sahel region on the southern Sahara rim.

Type 2 diabetes medication rosiglitazone associated with increased cardiovascular risks and death, study finds Posted: 29 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT A new study shows that among patients age 65 years and older, rosiglitazone (a medication for treating Type 2 diabetes) is associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart failure, and all-cause mortality (death) when compared with pioglitazone (another medication for diabetes).

Geometry affects drift and diffusion across entropic barriers Posted: 29 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Understanding particle diffusion in the presence of constrictions is essential in fields as diverse as drug delivery, cellular biology, nanotechnology, materials engineering, and spread of pollutants in the soil. When a driving force is applied, displacement of particles occurs as well as diffusion. A new paper quantifies the effects of periodic constrictions on drift and diffusion in systems experiencing a driving force.

Public transit systems contribute to weight loss and improved health, study finds Posted: 29 Jun 2010 02:00 AM PDT Increasing the availability of public transit systems is one among a number of modifications to the built environment that offers opportunities for increasing physical activity and reducing the prevalence of obesity and its associated problems. In a new study, researchers found that construction of a light-rail system (LRT) resulted in increased physical activity (walking) and subsequent weight loss by people served by the LRT. These findings suggest that improving neighborhood environments and increasing the public's use of LRT systems could improve health outcomes and potentially impact millions of individuals.

Competition matters: New study challenges long-held assumption about competition in disturbed ecosystems Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Hurricanes, wildfires and influxes of pollutants create disturbances that can put ecological systems under extreme stress. Ecologists had believed that at times like these, competition between species becomes less important as all struggle to survive. But a new laboratory study of microscopic organisms subjected to varying degrees of acoustic disturbance now challenges that assumption -- and could lead ecologists to reconsider how organisms compete during challenging times.

Statins associated with lower cancer recurrence following prostatectomy Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Men who use statins to lower their cholesterol are 30 percent less likely to see their prostate cancer come back after surgery compared to men who do not use the drugs, according to a new study. Researchers also found that higher doses of the drugs were associated with lower risk of recurrence.

Cycad pest uses small size to hide from predators: Researchers look for small control organism Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT One way to keep from getting eaten is to run. But recent research shows that sometimes it's better to just hide.

Adults with newly diagnosed diabetes at risk of liver disease, study finds Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT Adults with newly diagnosed diabetes are at higher long-term risk of serious liver disease, including cirrhosis and liver failure, according to a new study.

New radio telescope will listen to the universe on the FM-band Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT The first major radio telescope to be built in Britain for many decades will 'listen' to the sky at FM frequencies, providing vast quantities of data to a supercomputer in Holland, paving the way for unexpected new discoveries.

National School Lunch Program increases educational achievement, study finds Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 PM PDT A new study is the first to evaluate the long-term health and educational effects of participation in the National School Lunch Program. Researchers found that the program leads to a significant increase in educational opportunity and attainment, but an insignificant increase in health levels from childhood to adulthood.

Physics of the 'bends': New study helps explain decompression sickness Posted: 28 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT As you go about your day-to-day activities, tiny bubbles of nitrogen come and go inside your tissues. This is not a problem unless you happen to experience large changes in pressure, as scuba divers and astronauts may. During large, fast pressure drops, bubbles can grow, causing "the bends." A new study may provide a physical basis for the existence of these bubbles and help explain decompression sickness.

Dark chocolate lowers blood pressure, research finds Posted: 28 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT For people with hypertension, eating dark chocolate can significantly reduce blood pressure. Researchers combined the results of 15 studies into the effects of flavanols, the compounds in chocolate which cause dilation of blood vessels, on blood pressure.

'Velcro' effect in Guianese ants Posted: 28 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT In Guiana, symbiosis between Azteca ants and the Cecropia tree (or trumpet tree) is frequent. However, a surprising discovery has been made: one species of ant (Azteca andreae) uses the 'Velcro' principle to cling on firmly to the leaves of Cecropia and thus capture very large prey.

Immune system important in fight against stomach cancer Posted: 28 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have identified cells in the immune system that react to the stomach ulcer bacterium Helicobacter pylori, one of the risk factors for the development of stomach cancer. This discovery could lead to faster diagnosis and treatment as well as a better prognosis for patients with stomach cancer.

Turning off the air conditioning helps save fuel, Swiss study finds Posted: 28 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Automobile air conditioning systems do not run "free of charge". In fact in the hot parts of the world they can account for up to thirty per cent of fuel consumption. Even in Switzerland, with its temperate climate, the use of air conditioning systems is responsible for about five per cent of total fuel usage, rising to around ten per cent in urban traffic, as shown by a new study. Furthermore, two thirds of the additional fuel usage could be saved if air conditioning systems were simply turned off when the air temperature falls below 18 degrees Celsius.

Battle of the sexes exists in the plant world, too Posted: 28 Jun 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have shown for the first time that in plants, fathers, as well as mothers, can influence the size of seeds. Their findings could open new avenues to increase crop yields and improve food security for an ever-growing global human population.

Manipulating microbes in the gut may remedy disease and enhance health Posted: 28 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT We are what we eat, but who are "we?" New, high-powered genomic analytical techniques have established that as many as 1,000 different single-celled species coexist in relative harmony in every healthy human gut.

Bursting bubbles with sound offers new treatments for cancer Posted: 28 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT A new way to deliver cancer drugs using gas bubbles and sound waves is being developed. The project will enable highly toxic drugs to be delivered in small doses directly to tumors, where their toxicity can safely be put to good use. If successful, the technique could easily be adapted for other diseases.

Enterprise PCs work while they sleep – saving energy and money – with new software Posted: 28 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Personal computers in enterprise environments save energy and money by "sleep-working," thanks to new software called SleepServer. Sleep-working enterprise PCs are accessible via remote connections and maintain their presence on voice over IP, instant messaging, and peer-to-peer networks even though the PCs are in low-power sleep mode. SleepServer can reduce energy consumption on enterprise PCs previously running 24/7 by an average of 60 percent.

New measurement of telomere DNA could help identify most viable embryos for IVF Posted: 28 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have directly measured a specific region of DNA in human embryos -- telomeres -- and discovered that the length of telomeres could be a quality marker for embryonic development.

Prepare for hotter and drier Southwestern US, climate experts urge Posted: 28 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT Prominent climate experts are calling for a "no-regrets" strategy for planning for a hotter and drier western North America. Their advice: use water conservatively and continue developing ways to harness energy from the sun, wind and Earth.

High sugar content in packaged toddler and baby food products Posted: 28 Jun 2010 02:00 PM PDT More than half of foods specifically targeted to babies and toddlers in Canada have excessive sugar content, says a new study.

Reseachers predict larger-than-average Gulf 'dead zone'; Impact of oil spill unclear Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers say this year's Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" is expected to be larger than average, continuing a decades-long trend that threatens the health of a $659 million fishery. The 2010 forecast, released by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), calls for a Gulf dead zone of between 6,500 and 7,800 square miles, an area roughly the size of Lake Ontario.

Agent Orange exposure linked to Graves' disease in Vietnam veterans, study finds Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Vietnam-War-era veterans exposed to Agent Orange appear to have significantly more Graves' disease, a thyroid disorder, than veterans with no exposure, a new study by endocrinologists has shown.

Rocky mounds and a plateau on Mars Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT When Mars Express set sail for the crater named after Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, it found a windblown plateau and mysterious rocky mounds nearby.

BCG vaccination appears promising as a treatment for people with existing type 1 diabetes, Phase I trial results show Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers in Massachusetts have announced the completion of the Phase I BCG clinical trial in type 1 diabetes. Plans for the Phase II clinical study, which will continue the investigation of bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination as a treatment type 1 diabetes, are actively underway.

Depth charge: Using atomic force microscopy to study subsurface structures Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have shown that under the right circumstances, surface science instruments such as the atomic force microscope can deliver valuable data about sub-surface conditions.

Piglets open doors to study infant brain development Posted: 28 Jun 2010 11:00 AM PDT Events occurring during the development of an infant's brain can leave behind fingerprints. And researchers are interested in learning how these fingerprints can predict future behavioral problems such as cognitive deficits, anxiety disorders, depression and even autism. New research shows that the baby pig may provide some answers.

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