Gecko’s tail has a mind of its own
Geckos will shed their tails as a decoy for predators, but little is known about what controls the complex movements…
Compelling new evidence for prostate cancer virus
A type of virus known to cause leukemia and sarcomas in animals has been found for the first time in…
Far out: measuring GDP from orbit
Outer space offers a new way for measuring economic growth, according to a new working paper by three Brown University…
Y chromosome makes sex disorders “roulette game,” say researchers
The human Y chromosome (the male chromosome) is sometimes referred to as a “hall of mirrors” as the genes essential…
Those blinded by brain injury may still “see”
Even in a mad rush, we rarely knock over the box of cereal or glass of orange juice as we…
Monkey music a hit
Music is one of the surest ways to influence human emotion, but non-human primates scarcely respond to our music, and…
PSA test blamed for massive overdiagnosis of prostate cancer
Introduced in 1987, prostate-antigen screening (PSA) has resulted in over 1 million additional men being diagnosed and treated for prostate…
Nano-scale plasmon laser breaks size barrier
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley (UC), have reached a new milestone in laser physics with the creation of…
Ant species goes female-only
It was thought that all social insect species could produce, when needed, a crop of males who would go forth…
Unique tree could help feed Africa
A type of acacia tree with an unusual growth habit – unlike virtually all other trees – holds particular promise…
Obesity linked to stupidity, brain scans show
A person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes and hypertension is known to be linked to obesity, and now…
Boffins ponder DIY black hole
Writing in Physical Review Letters, Dartmouth College researchers have proposed a new way of creating a reproduction black hole in…
Appendix redux
Long-regarded as a useless evolutionary artifact, the appendix won newfound respect two years ago when Duke University Medical Center researchers…
Decomposing plastic refuse releasing BPA into oceans
Plastic waste in the ocean isn’t just unsightly and a danger to marine animals. Scientists have now found that certain…
Social networking maps infectious marsupial cancer
A new study into the socializing habits of Tasmanian devils has produced an intricate social network map of devil relationships,…
Asia facing future food crisis
A comprehensive new study of irrigation in Asia warns that many developing nations face the politically risky prospect of having…
Recording studios may morph into museums
The impact of computing and the Internet on recorded music sales is well documented, but one British researcher has been…
Potent pathogen cocktail found in deserted hives
Honeybees in colonies affected by colony collapse disorder (CCD) have higher levels of pathogens than their non-affected counterparts, but no…
Herbals ineffective in treating menopausal symptoms
Studies conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and Northwestern University have shown that the commonly…
The strange case of the zombie ants
A study in the latest issue of The American Naturalist describes a fungal parasite that coerces ants into dying in…
“Flying frog” discovered in Eastern Himalayas
More than 300 new species, including a flying frog and a 100 million-year old gecko, have been discovered in the…
T-rex a baby killer
The cinematic cliché of two huge dinosaurs battling to the death may be nothing but fantasy if German scientists are…
Bioethanol’s water requirements underestimated
At a time when water supplies are scarce in many parts of the world, scientists from the University of Minnesota…
Unique DNA signature discovered in sperm
English scientists have discovered a unique DNA signature in human sperm which appears to act as a key that unlocks…
Dream therapy set for a revival
European researchers say that similarities in brain activity during lucid dreaming and psychosis indicate that previously discredited dream therapy could…
UK boffins split electron
Physicists from the Universities of Cambridge and Birmingham have shown that electrons, which are indivisible in isolation, can divide into…
Jellyfish significant contributors to large-scale ocean mixing
Climate change scientists may need to rethink the factors governing the interaction of the world’s oceans, thanks to new findings…
Deep oil reserves created without organic matter?
It’s generally agreed that the oil that fuels our cars started out as living organisms that died and were compressed…
Ants trump humans in decision-making
Presenting their findings in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences, US researchers contend that ants can accomplish…