Saturday, March 05, 2011

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Fossils of horse teeth indicate 'you are what you eat'

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 05:00 PM PST

Fossil records verify a long-standing theory that horses evolved through natural selection. Scientists arrived at the conclusion after examining the teeth of 6,500 fossil horses representing 222 different populations of more than 70 extinct horse species.

New non-surgical autopsy technique set to revolutionize post-mortem practice

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 05:00 PM PST

A new non-surgical post-mortem technique that has the potential to revolutionize the way autopsies are conducted around the world has been pioneered by forensic pathologists and radiologists.

Observing Arctic ice-edge plankton blooms from space

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 05:00 PM PST

Ongoing climate-driven changes to the Arctic sea-ice could have a significant impact on the blooming of tiny planktonic plants (phytoplankton) with important implications for the Arctic ecosystem, according to new research,

Possible new treatment strategies for pancreatic cancer

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 05:00 PM PST

Researchers have identified a protein that can be modified to improve the effectiveness of one of the most common drugs used to treat pancreatic cancer.

Feet first? Old mitochondria might be responsible for neuropathy in the extremities

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 05:00 PM PST

The burning, tingling pain of neuropathy may affect feet and hands before other body parts because the powerhouses of nerve cells that supply the extremities age and become dysfunctional as they complete the long journey to these areas, scientists suggest in a new study. The finding may eventually lead to new ways to fight neuropathy, a condition that often accompanies other diseases including HIV/AIDS, diabetes and circulatory disorders.

Can you predict your mate will cheat by their voice?

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 05:00 PM PST

When choosing a partner, women believe the lower the man's voice, the more likely he's going to cheat. Conversely, men think a woman with a higher voice is more likely to be unfaithful, researchers have found. The study is the first to examine the link between voice pitch and perceived infidelity and offers insight into the evolution of the human voice and how we choose our mates.

Rising carbon dioxide is causing plants to have fewer pores, releasing less water to the atmosphere

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 02:00 PM PST

As carbon dioxide levels have risen during the last 150 years, the density of pores that allow plants to breathe has dwindled by 34 percent, restricting the amount of water vapor the plants release to the atmosphere, report scientists.

How long do stem cells live?

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 02:00 PM PST

A unique computer model calculates how long a blood stem cell will live, information that could predict the outcome of bone marrow transplants.

Nanotechnology: New 'frozen smoke' may improve robotic surgery, energy storage

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 02:00 PM PST

A spongy substance that could be mistaken for packing material has the nanotechnology world buzzing. Scientists have engineered the world's lightest carbon material in such a way that it could be used to detect pollutants and toxic substances, improve robotic surgery techniques and store energy more efficiently.

Some overweight adolescents may be at risk for weak bones

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 02:00 PM PST

Overweight adolescents already struggling with risk factors such as insulin resistance may need to add weak bones to their list of health concerns, researchers report. A study of 143 overweight 14- to 18-year-olds showed those with risk factors such as the precursor for diabetes and low levels of the blood-vessel protecting HDL cholesterol have less bone mass -- an indicator of bone strength -- than their overweight but otherwise healthy peers, according to new research.

New system can warn of tsunamis within minutes

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 02:00 PM PST

Seismologists have developed a new system that could be used to warn future populations of an impending tsunami only minutes after the initial earthquake. The system, known as RTerg, could help reduce the death toll by giving local residents valuable time to move to safer ground.

Constant race-based discrimination can lead to 'racial battle fatigue' for African-Americans

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 02:00 PM PST

Just as the constant pressure soldiers face on the battlefield can follow them home in the form of debilitating stress, African-Americans who face chronic exposure to racial discrimination may have an increased likelihood of suffering a race-based battle fatigue, according to researchers.

New light-sensing mechanism found in neurons

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 11:00 AM PST

Scientists have discovered a second form of phototransduction light sensing in cells that is derived from vitamin B2. This discovery may reveal new information about cellular processes controlled by light.

Star-shaped brain cells feed long-term memory

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 11:00 AM PST

Researchers have found that lactate, a type of energy fuel in the brain, plays a critical role in the formation of long-term memory. These findings have important implications for common illnesses like Alzheimer's disease, other neurodegenerative disorders, aging-related memory impairment and diabetes.

Drop in temperature may explain the increase in dry eye suffering

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 11:00 AM PST

Springtime may be just what the doctor orders for individuals suffering from dry eye condition, a disorder resulting from insufficient tear production or altered tear film composition. According to a new study, a temperature less than 30 degrees Celsius on the eye and eyelid could be the cause for the onset or worsening of the disorder.

Worms strike see-saw balance in disease resistance

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 11:00 AM PST

New research has shown that nematode worms have to trade-off resistance to different diseases, gaining resistance to one microbe at the expense of becoming more vulnerable to another. This finding reveals that the worms, called C. elegans, have a much more complex immune system than was previously thought and shows how important such trade-offs are across the animal kingdom.

Moderate sleep loss impairs vigilance and sustained attention in children with ADHD

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 11:00 AM PST

A new study indicates that the ability of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to remain vigilant and attentive deteriorated significantly after losing less than one hour of nightly sleep for a week.

NASA's Glory satellite fails to reach orbit

Posted: 04 Mar 2011 08:00 AM PST

NASA's Glory spacecraft launched aboard a Taurus XL rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California March 4, 2011 at 5:09:45 a.m. EST failed to reach orbit. Telemetry indicated the fairing, the protective shell atop the Taurus XL rocket, did not separate as expected about three minutes after launch.

New microscope produces dazzling 3-D movies of live cells

Posted: 03 Mar 2011 09:00 PM PST

Scientists have invented a new microscope that uses an exquisitely thin sheet of light -- similar to that used in supermarket bar-code scanners -- to peer inside single living cells. The images they obtained reveal the three-dimensional shapes of cellular landmarks in unprecedented detail.

No such thing as a dormant volcano? Magma chambers awake sooner than thought

Posted: 03 Mar 2011 09:00 PM PST

Until now it was thought that once a volcano's magma chamber had cooled down it remained dormant for centuries before it could be remobilized by fresh magma. A theoretical model was tested on two major eruptions and completely overturned this hypothesis: the reawakening of a chamber could take place in just a few months. This research should lead to a reassessment of the dangerousness of some dormant volcanoes.

Breakthrough in molecular motors: First molecular piston capable of self-assembly

Posted: 03 Mar 2011 09:00 PM PST

Researchers have developed the first molecular piston capable of self-assembly. Their research represents a significant technological advance in the design of molecular motors. Such pistons could, for example, be used to manufacture artificial muscles or create polymers with controllable stiffness.

The scars of impacts on Mars

Posted: 03 Mar 2011 09:00 PM PST

ESA's Mars Express has returned new images of an elongated impact crater in the southern hemisphere of Mars. Located just south of the Huygens basin, it could have been carved out by a train of projectiles striking the planet at a shallow angle.

Possible role of damaged DNA in tumor development

Posted: 03 Mar 2011 09:00 PM PST

DNA provides the instruction manual for all life forms. Occasionally, instructions are not carried out properly, and bad messages are sent leading to the creation of mutant proteins and possible tumor development.

Novel mechanism for control of gene expression revealed

Posted: 03 Mar 2011 09:00 PM PST

Scientists have recently discovered a novel, evolutionarily conserved mechanism for the regulation of gene expression. Normal cell growth, embryonic development, and responses to stress, require proper spatial and temporal control of gene expression. Studies on control of transcription (RNA biosynthesis) are typically centered on understanding how the RNA polymerase is recruited to the promoter, the control region of a gene. However, new work has revealed the existence of a second level of control in a yeast model system.
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