Ancient mega-piranha had mega-bite
University of Washington (UW) researchers say Megapiranha paranensis, a prehistoric relative of piranhas weighing about 20 pounds, delivered a bite…
Stanford announces peel-and-stick solar panels
Solar cells have traditionally been deployed in heavy, fixed panels, but Stanford scientists aim to change that with the development…
Human hands evolved for punching, not just dexterity, says prof
A University of Utah study suggests human hands evolved not only for the manual dexterity needed to use tools or…
Evidence for HIV in humans in distant past
HIV may have affected humans for much longer than is currently believed, according to a scientist who says that the…
New type of cell division discovered
Scientists trying to understand the cellular mechanics of how cancer begins have discovered a new type of cell division which…
Steroid use found to damage brain’s spatial functioning
Long-term use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) appears to severely impact a user’s ability to accurately recall the shapes and spatial…
Three new species of venomous loris identified
University of Missouri researchers recently identified three new species of slow loris (Nycticebus sp.)that had originally been mistakenly grouped with…
Rethink creation of life in terms of information, argues new theory
Attempts to recreate the emergence of life by mixing and reacting basic chemicals are wrong-headed, argue two US scientists, who…
Epigenetics might explain evolutionary puzzle of homosexuality
Epigenetics – how gene expression is regulated by temporary switches, called epi-marks – appears to be a critical and overlooked…
Are we living in a computer simulation? Physicists propose test to find out
In 2003, British philosopher Nick Bostrom (pictured) published a probabilistic analysis examining the possibility that we might all be living…
Successful clinical trial for ketamine-like antidepressant
Researchers are reporting a successful phase IIa clinical trial of GLYX-13, a first-of-its-kind ketamine-like antidepressant that takes effect within 24…
Ultrasound used to stimulate tactile sensations in brain
Scientists have provided the first neurophysiological evidence for something that medicos have long suspected: ultrasound applied to parts of the…
Oops. Greenhouse gas levels appear to be significantly underestimated
Measuring greenhouse gas emissions has traditionally relied on estimating emissions from all the activities and processes that might generate the…
Radioactive elements may make extraterrestrial life more likely on exoplanets
An abundance of radioactive elements observed in a number of distant solar systems would make the constituent planets much warmer,…
Squirrels and birds inspire latest deceptive robots
From the Trojan Horse to D-Day, deception has frequently played a vital role in wartime. Now, with an eye on…
Tap water implicated in rise of food allergies
Chemicals known as dichlorophenols, which are used in pesticides and to chlorinate water supplies, could be partially to blame for…