ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Mimicking the moon's surface in the basement
• Key mechanism in brain's computation of sound location identified
• Looking for the coolest forms of life on Earth
• Newly discovered mechanism controls levels and efficacy of a marijuana-like substance in the brain
• Timely technology sees tiny transitions
• Beautiful women face discrimination in certain jobs, study finds
• Greenland glacier calves island four times the size of Manhattan
• Human embryonic stem cells purified in new, rapid technique
• Nuclear physicists study 'magic' nature of tin
• Tattooing linked to higher risk of hepatitis C, study finds
• Insular evolution: Large and big-footed voles in an outer archipelago
• Economic status, genetics together influence psychopathic traits
• Secret of life on Earth may be as simple as what happens between the sheets -- mica sheets, that is
• Encouraging data on preventing Crohn's disease recurrence
• Selenium makes more efficient solar cells
• How cells make specific interactions during development
• Image of new antibiotic in action opens up new opportunities to combat antibacterial resistance
• Worst impact of climate change may be how humanity reacts to it
• Newts' ability to regenerate tissue replicated in mouse cells
• Novel bee venom derivative forms a nanoparticle 'smart bomb' to target cancer cells
• Reading zip codes of 3,500-year-old letters: Non-destructive X-ray scanning of archaeological finds
• Non-human primate study generates information relevant to HIV-1 vaccine strategies
• A 'crystal ball' for predicting the effects of global climate change
• Children's vegetable intake linked to Popeye cartoons
• Bats facing regional extinction in Northeastern US from rapidly spreading white-nose syndrome
• Deep Brain Stimulation shows promise for patients with Alzheimer's
• Robot climbs walls
• Diabetes or not, dietary habits of Aftrican-Americans are similar
• First evidence of genetically modified plants in the wild, scientists report
• 'Asynchronous telepsychiatry' found effective for assessing patients' mental health

Mimicking the moon's surface in the basement Posted: 07 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT A team of scientists used an ion beam in a basement room at Los Alamos National Laboratory to simulate solar winds on the surface of the moon. The table-top simulation helped confirm that the moon is inherently dry.

Key mechanism in brain's computation of sound location identified Posted: 07 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers have identified a mechanism the brain uses to help process sound localization. Their findings focus on how the brain computes the different arrival times of sound into each ear to estimate the location of its source.

Looking for the coolest forms of life on Earth Posted: 07 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT Two UK scientists are traveling to one of the coldest places on Earth to help them understand how life could exist on other planets in our Solar System. During their trip to Ny-Ålesund on the island of Svalbard, they will investigate how the snow and ice there was first colonized by extremophiles – organisms that thrive in harsh conditions.

Newly discovered mechanism controls levels and efficacy of a marijuana-like substance in the brain Posted: 07 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT A newly discovered molecular mechanism helps control the amount and effectiveness of a substance that mimics an active ingredient in marijuana, but that is produced by the body's own nerve cells. Cannabinoid signaling systems are common throughout the body and affect a variety of functions. Developing new therapies that modulate these molecular communications might help patients with autoimmune or neurological disorders, including brain inflammation following a viral infections. Specifically targeted treatments would have medicinal benefits without mind-altering side effects.

Timely technology sees tiny transitions Posted: 07 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT Scientists can detect the movements of single molecules by using fluorescent tags or by pulling them in delicate force measurements, but only for a few minutes. A new technique will allow them to track single molecules without modifying them -- and it works over longer timescales.

Beautiful women face discrimination in certain jobs, study finds Posted: 07 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT New research shows that beautiful women are discriminated against when applying for "masculine" jobs or when looks don't matter.

Greenland glacier calves island four times the size of Manhattan Posted: 07 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT A researcher reports that an "ice island" four times the size of Manhattan has calved from Greenland's Petermann Glacier. The last time the Arctic lost such a large chunk of ice was in 1962.

Human embryonic stem cells purified in new, rapid technique Posted: 07 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers are reporting the first success in very rapidly purifying one type of embryonic stem cell from a mix of many different types of embryonic stem cells in the culture dish. The technique, which avoids the need to genetically alter the cells to distinguish them, is a key advance, the researchers say, for obtaining the appropriate cells for repairing specific damaged tissues.

Nuclear physicists study 'magic' nature of tin Posted: 07 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT The metal tin lacks the value and prestige of gold, silver and platinum, but to nuclear physicists, tin is magic. Physicists recently reported studies on the metal tin that add knowledge to a concept known as magic numbers while perhaps helping scientists to explain how heavy elements are made in exploding stars.

Tattooing linked to higher risk of hepatitis C, study finds Posted: 07 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT Youth, prison inmates and individuals with multiple tattoos that cover large parts of their bodies are at higher risk of contracting hepatitis C and other blood-borne diseases, according to a new study.

Insular evolution: Large and big-footed voles in an outer archipelago Posted: 07 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT According to evolutionary theory, natural selection favors traits that enhance dispersal of populations to new habitats. The empirical evidence supporting this theory, however, is relatively scarce. Scientists now report on the rapid evolution of traits facilitating dispersal in an outer archipelago.

Economic status, genetics together influence psychopathic traits Posted: 07 Aug 2010 05:00 AM PDT Researchers studying the genetic roots of antisocial behavior report that children with one variant of a serotonin transporter gene are more likely to exhibit psychopathic traits if they also grow up poor. Children were more likely to score high on tests for psychopathic traits if they had both low socioeconomic status and the variant gene.

Secret of life on Earth may be as simple as what happens between the sheets -- mica sheets, that is Posted: 06 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT That age-old question, "where did life on Earth start?" now has a new answer. If the life between the mica sheets hypothesis is correct, life would have originated between sheets of mica that were layered like the pages in a book.

Encouraging data on preventing Crohn's disease recurrence Posted: 06 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT Biological agents may play an important role in maintaining remission in Crohn's disease, according to two new studies.

Selenium makes more efficient solar cells Posted: 06 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT By embedding the element selenium in zinc oxide, researchers have made a relatively inexpensive material that could be promising for solar power conversion by making more efficient use of the sun's energy.

How cells make specific interactions during development Posted: 06 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT Researchers have shed new light on how cells make specific interactions during development -- in the hope of one day learning more about human developmental disorders.

Image of new antibiotic in action opens up new opportunities to combat antibacterial resistance Posted: 06 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT Detailed pictures reveal how a new type of experimental antibiotic can kill bacteria that are already resistant to existing treatments. The findings could ultimately help scientists to develop new antibiotics to tackle the bacteria responsible for many hospital and community-acquired infections.

Worst impact of climate change may be how humanity reacts to it Posted: 06 Aug 2010 05:00 PM PDT The way that humanity reacts to climate change may do more damage to many areas of the planet than climate change itself unless we plan properly, an important new study by a group of leading scientists has concluded.

Newts' ability to regenerate tissue replicated in mouse cells Posted: 06 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT Scientists have taken a big step toward being able to confer a regenerative capacity on mammalian muscle cells; they accomplished this feat in experiments with laboratory mice in which they blocked the expression of just two tumor-suppressing proteins. The finding may move us closer to future regenerative therapies in humans -- surprisingly, by sending us shimmying back down the evolutionary tree.

Novel bee venom derivative forms a nanoparticle 'smart bomb' to target cancer cells Posted: 06 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT The next time you are stung by a bee, here's some consolation: a toxic protein in bee venom, when altered, significantly improves the effectiveness liposome-encapsulated drugs or dyes, such as those already used to treat or diagnose cancer. This research shows how modified melittin may revolutionize treatments for cancer and perhaps other conditions, such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and serious infections.

Reading zip codes of 3,500-year-old letters: Non-destructive X-ray scanning of archaeological finds Posted: 06 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT A researcher in Israel uses a hand-held device based on x-ray fluorescence, a device that can be found in many chemistry labs, to non-destructively ascertain the chemical composition of ancient tablets. Using an index that he's developed, he can determine the geographical origin of coins, ancient plasters, glass and tablets to investigate the secrets of ancient history.

Non-human primate study generates information relevant to HIV-1 vaccine strategies Posted: 06 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT Monkeys repeatedly immunized with a particular form the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein generated antibodies capable of neutralizing diverse strains of HIV-1, according to a paper published online in the Journal of Experimental Medicine on August 2.

A 'crystal ball' for predicting the effects of global climate change Posted: 06 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT In trying to predict how species will respond to climate change caused by global warming, researchers and scientists are turning to comparative physiology, a sub-discipline of physiology that studies how different organisms function and adapt to diverse and changing environments. Overall, the comparative approach gives researchers insights into the effects of global warming that they wouldn't otherwise have.

Children's vegetable intake linked to Popeye cartoons Posted: 06 Aug 2010 02:00 PM PDT Popeye cartoons, tasting parties and junior cooking classes can help increase vegetable intake in kindergarten children, according to new research. Researchers in Thailand found the type and amount of vegetables children ate improved after they took part in a program using multimedia and role models to promote healthy food.

Bats facing regional extinction in Northeastern US from rapidly spreading white-nose syndrome Posted: 06 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT A new infectious disease spreading rapidly across the northeastern United States has killed millions of bats and is predicted to cause regional extinction of a once-common bat species, according to new findings. Estimates show over 99 percent of Northeast's little brown bat population may become extirpated in 20 years due to white-nose syndrome.

Deep Brain Stimulation shows promise for patients with Alzheimer's Posted: 06 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT Using deep brain stimulation on patients with early signs of Alzheimer's disease is safe and may help improve memory, medical researchers say.

Robot climbs walls Posted: 06 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT Wielding two claws, a motor and a tail that swings like a grandfather clock's pendulum, a small robot named ROCR ("rocker") scrambles up a carpeted, 8-foot wall in just over 15 seconds -- the first such robot designed to climb efficiently and move like human rock climbers or apes swinging through trees.

Diabetes or not, dietary habits of Aftrican-Americans are similar Posted: 06 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT Researchers looking for differences in eating habits of African Americans based on whether or not they had Type 2 diabetes uncovered an unexpected result: no matter what the blood sugar level was, the dietary intakes were pretty much the same. African-Americans are 1.8 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes and 1.4 times more likely to be obese than are non-Hispanic whites, according to federal health agencies.

First evidence of genetically modified plants in the wild, scientists report Posted: 06 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT Scientists currently performing field research in North Dakota have discovered the first evidence of established populations of genetically modified plants -- canola -- in the wild.

'Asynchronous telepsychiatry' found effective for assessing patients' mental health Posted: 06 Aug 2010 11:00 AM PDT A new study has found that psychiatrists can accurately assess a patient's mental health by viewing videotaped interviews that are sent to them for consultation and treatment recommendations.

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