World shark attacks rise slightlyShark attacks edged up slightly in 2006 but continued an overall long-term decline as overfishing and more cautious swimmers helped take a bite out of the aggressive encounters, new University of Florida research finds.
The total number of shark attacks worldwide increased from 61 in 2005 to 62 in 2006 and the number of fatalities remained stable at four, far below the 79 attacks and 11 fatalities recorded in 2000, said George Burgess,........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/13/2007 9:14:35 PM)
More than meets the tongueDoes orange juice taste sweeter if it's a brighter orange? A new study in the recent issue of the Journal of Consumer Research finds that the color of a drink can influence how we think it tastes. In fact, the researchers found that color was more of an influence on how taste was perceived than quality or price information.
"Perceptual discrimination is fundamental to rational choice in many product categories yet rarely examined in consumer........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/12/2007 9:40:43 PM)
Come up with a good storyA new paper from the recent issue of the Journal of Consumer Research distinguishes between the two ways we think of ourselves or, self-reference -- when we view ads. Jennifer Edson Escalas (Vanderbilt University) finds that narrative self-reference almost always leads to favorable evaluations of the ad, even if the ads logic is shaky. In contrast, analytical self-reference can lead to negative responses if the ads message is not........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/12/2007 9:22:08 PM)
Happy endings aren't always bestAdvertisements for financial planning services and medications often employ mixed emotions in their advertising. They may begin by raising concern about ones future and end in vignettes evoking positive emotions. Or they may start with strong, positive feelings and then induce worry. Does it matter which sequence of emotions advertisers apply in their messages?
A new study from the recent issue of the Journal of Consumer Research finds that........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/12/2007 9:09:32 PM)
Natural Selection ContinuesSome breaking news, just in time for Valentine's Day: Researchers have identified something called "sperm competition" that they think has evolved to ensure a genetic future. In sexual reproduction, natural selection is generally thought of as something that happens prior to and in fact leads to -- the Big Event. This thinking holds, for example, that we are drawn to physical features that tell us our partner is healthy and will give us a........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/12/2007 8:59:53 PM)
Wildlife Birth-control MethodProfessor Cooper also raises concerns that individuals that survive the vaccine may be more likely to carry infectious diseases with the potential to affect other animals.
An immuno-contraceptive vaccine causes an animal's immune system to produce antibodies that act against some essential event or structure in the reproductive process. The antibodies can act against sperm, eggs or reproductive hormones, which prevent either fertilization or........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/11/2007 8:49:20 PM)
Restless Legs Syndrome And Compulsive GamblingA new Mayo Clinic study is the first to describe this compulsive gambling in RLS patients who are being treated with medications that stimulate dopamine receptors in the brain. The Mayo Clinic report appeared in the Jan. 23 issue of Neurology http://www.neurology.org.
The extent of this problem is unknown. Apparently, it occurs only in a small number of RLS patients treated with drugs called dopamine agonists. Considering this potential side........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/9/2007 4:31:33 AM)
Better Control Of Hemorrhagic Fever VirusesResearchers report discovering the receptor through which a group of life-threatening hemorrhagic fever viruses enter and attack the body's cells, and show that infection can be inhibited by blocking this receptor. The findings, to be published online by the journal Nature on February 7, give a clue to the high lethality of New World arenaviruses, suggest a way of reducing the severity of infection, and point the way toward a sorely needed........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/7/2007 9:13:40 PM)
usual view of elusive forcePhysicists at JILA have demonstrated that the warmer a surface is, the stronger its subtle ability to attract nearby atoms, a finding that could affect the design of devices that rely on small-scale interactions, such as atom chips, nanomachines, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).
The research highlights an underappreciated aspect of the elusive Casimir-Polder force, one of the stranger effects of quantum mechanics. The force arises........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/7/2007 9:06:43 PM)
Children who sleep less more likely to be overweightResearch indicates that getting inadequate sleep has negative effects on children's social and emotional well-being and school performance. Now a Northwestern University study finds it also increases their risk of being overweight.
The study -- conducted in two waves of data collection approximately five years apart -- is the first nationally representative, longitudinal investigation of the relationship between sleep, Body Mass Index (BMI)........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/7/2007 5:01:11 AM)
Volcanism with Under-Ocean SensorsEarthquakes and volcanic activity occur when the tectonic plates that make up Earth's surface move apart or converge. While this activity is relatively easy to observe on land, it's more difficult to observe under the ocean, where most of it occurs. A University of Missouri-Columbia researcher will soon undertake a study to learn more about this process by placing sensors on a mid-ocean ridge called the East Pacific Rise.
"Right now, we can........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/5/2007 6:31:47 PM)
Battery-free Warmth to HandsIn winters when your hands get cold, you blow your air into them to warm them. It is believed that blowing warm air is better than gloves because at times even your gloves cannot keep you warm. Imagine if these two techniques mingle to up and provides you with gloves in which you can blow your warm air. That will be the best gloves you have ever had to keep you warm in coldest weather.
Keeping this concept in mind Gorgonz developed 'Exhale........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/1/2007 7:51:54 PM)
Oral Wounds Heal Slower In WomenWounds in the mouth heal more slowly in women and older adults, a new study at the University of Illinois at Chicago reveals.
"While wounds to the skin heal more quickly in women than in men, our study suggested the opposite is true for healing of wounds inside the mouth," said Dr. Phillip Marucha, head of periodontics at the UIC College of Dentistry.
"We discovered that, regardless of age, men's mouth wounds heal faster than women's".
........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/31/2007 8:42:41 PM)
What Causes Highly Dynamic AuroraOn a clear night over the far northern areas of the world, you may witness a hauntingly beautiful light display in the sky that can disrupt your satellite TV and leave you in the dark.
The eerie glow of the northern lights seems exquisite and quite harmless. Most times, it is harmless. The display, resembling a slow-moving ribbon silently undulating in the sky, is called the aurora. It is also visible in far southern regions around the South........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/30/2007 9:22:44 PM)
Blood-cell-sized Memory DeviceResearchers have created an ultra-dense memory device the size of a white blood cell that has enough capacity to store the Declaration of Independence and still have space left over. The accomplishment represents an important step toward the creation of molecular computers that are much smaller and could be more powerful than today's silicon-based computers.
"Using molecular components for memory or computation or to replace other electronic........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/30/2007 6:40:14 PM)
Vaginal Birth Increases Risk Of Brain HemorrhageThe first researchers to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the brains of a large group of babies soon after birth found a small amount of bleeding in and around the brains of one in four babies who were delivered vaginally. The study appears in the recent issue of Radiology.
"Small bleeds in and around the brain are very common in infants who are born vaginally," said John H. Gilmore, M.D., professor of psychiatry and Vice-Chair........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/30/2007 4:48:22 AM)
Major Link In Brain-obesity PuzzleA single protein in brain cells may act as a linchpin in the body's weight-regulating system, playing a key role in the flurry of signals that govern fat storage, sugar use, energy balance and weight, University of Michigan Medical School researchers report.
And although it's far too early to say how this protein could be useful in new strategies to fight the world's epidemic of obesity, the finding gives scientists an important system to........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/29/2007 5:10:58 AM)
Changing Commuting TrendsCommuting trends are changing as baby boomers near retirement age at the same time that a large immigrant population has joined the U.S. labor force, according to Commuting in America III, the latest decadal review of the nation's commuting patterns authored by transportation consultant Alan Pisarski and published by the Transportation Research Board. While the personal vehicle is still the most common way to go to work, transit and carpooling........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/26/2007 4:45:11 AM)
The jet stream of TitanA pair of rare celestial alignments that occurred in November 2003 helped an international team of astronomers investigate the far-off world of Titan. In particular, the alignments helped validate the atmospheric model used to design the entry trajectory for ESA's Huygens probe.
Now the unique results are helping to place the descent of Huygens in a global context, and to investigate the upper layers of Titan's atmosphere.
Occasionally........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/24/2007 7:33:25 PM)
The Sun May Have A Dimmer SwitchTHERE'S a dimmer switch inside the sun that causes its brightness to rise and fall on timescales of around 100,000 years - exactly the same period as between ice ages on Earth. So says a physicist who has created a computer model of our star's core.
Robert Ehrlich of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, modelled the effect of temperature fluctuations in the sun's interior. As per the standard view, the temperature of the sun's core........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/24/2007 5:55:46 PM)
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Water Through Nanotube MembranesTroy, N.Y. By fusing wet and dry nanotechnologies, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have found a way to control the flow of water through carbon nanotube membranes with an unprecedented level of precision. The research, which will be described in the March 14, 2007 issue of the journal Nano Letters, could inspire technologies designed to transform salt water into pure drinking water almost instantly, or to immediately separate a........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/13/2007 9:10:16 PM)
Migration Played Key Role in HIV SpreadLabor migration played a critical role in the spread of HIV in South Africa, according to new research published in the journal AIDS.
Using data collected from nearly 500 men and women living in bustling towns and rural villages, researchers from Brown University, Harvard Medical School and Imperial College London created a mathematical model that shows that migration of South African workers played a major role in the spread of HIV mainly........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/13/2007 8:36:56 PM)
A clever catchphrase goes a long wayA new study in the Journal of Consumer Research discusses the benefits of slogans with multiple meanings, like a cell phone company using the slogan, "The Clear Alternative" or a tax-preparation service advertising that "You Get More in Return." The researchers found that some people are better at recognizing additional meanings than others, but they also found that degree of understanding has little impact on how well people respond to the........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/12/2007 9:25:31 PM)
American Culture in Conflict with Hispanic Male ImmigrantsTraditional family values may be strongest among immigrant men in one of the fastest growing populations of American society. A recent study by researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia is one of the first to intently interview Hispanic immigrant men in focus groups about their opinions and concerns toward family planning in the United States. The study found that family values are central to the culture of Hispanic male immigrants and........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/12/2007 9:05:04 PM)
New mechanism for nutrient uptake discoveredStanford, CABiologists at the Carnegie Institution's Department of Plant Biology have discovered a new way that plant cells govern nutrient regulationneighboring pore-like structures at the cell's surface physically interact to control the uptake of a vital nutrient, nitrogen. It is the first time scientists have found that the interaction of neighboring molecules is essential to this regulation. Since plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi all........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/11/2007 9:32:54 PM)
Nanotechnology meets biologyThe object of fascination for most is the DNA molecule. But in solution, DNA, the genetic material that hold the detailed instructions for virtually all life, is a twisted knot, looking more like a battered ball of yarn than the famous double helix. To study it, scientists generally are forced to work with collections of molecules floating in solution, and there is no easy way to precisely single out individual molecules for study.
Now,........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/9/2007 4:38:55 AM)
Calm Your Car's RattlingResearchers at Purdue University are getting close to eliminating those rattling and squeaking noises in your car's headrest and other components, major sources of consumer dissatisfaction that automakers would like to eliminate.
The headrest and its seemingly simple adjusting mechanism have proved surprisingly complex, said Douglas Adams, an associate professor of mechanical engineering. He and doctoral student Janette Jaques have applied........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/8/2007 9:05:57 PM)
Risk of extinction accelerated due to humanThe simultaneous effect of habitat fragmentation, overexploitation, and climate warming could accelerate the decline of populations and substantially increase their risk of extinction, a study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B has warned.
Using experimental microcosm populations of rotifers (a type of zooplankton), the study found that individually each of these threats caused significant population declines. The study also........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/7/2007 9:38:54 PM)
Adaptation to global climate changeTemperatures are rising on Earth, which is heating up the debate over global warming and the future of our planet, but what may be needed most to combat global warming is a greater focus on adapting to our changing planet, says a team of science policy experts writing in this week's Nature magazine.
While many consider it taboo, adaptation to global climate change needs to be recognized as just as important as "mitigation," or cutting back,........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/7/2007 9:09:09 PM)
Human Activity Fuels Global WarmingToday's release of a widely anticipated international report on global warming coincides with a growing clamor within the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent the potentially devastating consequences of global climate change.
"There's more interest in this now than at any time in the last 20 years," says Ronald Prinn, TEPCO Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at MIT, who was a lead author of the report issued by the........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 2/5/2007 7:29:58 PM)
US develop 'portfolio of fuelsPresident Bush called on fuel makers to produce 35 billion gallons of alternative fuels a year by 2017. That's not going to happen using corn as the basis for ethanol, said Ernest J. Moniz, director of the MIT Energy Initiative.
Moniz, the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics, spoke Wednesday, Jan. 24, at an IAP event on "Energy, Security and Environment".
As part of the broad energy picture facing the United States and the world........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/5/2007 6:50:54 PM)
For all the stationery that's fit to storeIf you, like me, have always liked to stash your pens and pencils in a mug so that they're an easy grab away, you'll like the Mug Boss - a wrap-around utility belt that gives you added storage space for all the other desk essentials that might get lost in the bowels of a mug, like erasers, staples, paper clips and scissors. No more having to upend the mug just to get at something that's fallen to the bottom, or scrabbling around in side drawers........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 2/1/2007 8:08:44 PM)
Continuing Tomato Sequence ProjectAn international project led by Cornell and the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research (BTI) at Cornell has received $1.8 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to continue sequencing the tomato genome and to create a database of genomic sequences and information on the tomato and related plants.
The grant for the International Tomato Sequencing Project, a collaboration of researchers from nine other countries, will enable........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/31/2007 9:05:36 PM)
Sources of the World's Tiny PollutantsPinpointing pollutant sources is an important part of the ongoing battle to improve air quality and to understand its impact on climate. Scientists using NASA data recently tracked the path and distribution of aerosols -- tiny particles suspended in the air -- to link their region of origin and source type with their tendencies to warm or cool the atmosphere.
By altering the amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth's surface, aerosols........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/30/2007 7:39:44 PM)
Romantic Films Not Just For Women"Chick flicks" aren't just for women. According to research by Richard Harris, professor of psychology at Kansas State University, guys like romantic movies, too.
Harris said his survey results are surprising and go against common stereotypes.
"Everyone thinks that women like romantic movies and that they drag guys along to them," he said. "What was significant was that the guys also liked the movies, and that the choice to view a........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/30/2007 6:59:23 PM)
Why There Are So Many Presidential Candidates So SoonWith this weekend's announcements that Sens. Hillary Clinton and Sam Brownbeck and former Gov. Bill Richardson have taken major steps toward becoming presidential candidates for 2008, the upcoming election is already approaching one of the largest fields of contenders ever.
John Aldrich, a Duke University political science professor and co-author of the soon-to-be-released book "Change and Continuity in the 2004 and 2006 Elections," says one........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/30/2007 5:02:30 AM)
Dig Deeper To Find Martian LifeProbes designed to find life on Mars do not drill deep enough to find the living cells that scientists believe may exist well below the surface of Mars, according to research led by UCL (University College London). Although current drills may find essential tell-tale signs that life once existed on Mars, cellular life could not survive the radiation levels for long enough any closer to the surface of Mars than a few metres deep - beyond the........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/30/2007 4:38:01 AM)
Improving Energy Efficiency Of Ethanol ProductionCarnegie Mellon University Chemical Engineers have devised a new process that can improve the efficiency of ethanol production, a major component in making biofuels a significant part of the U.S. energy supply.
Carnegie Mellon researchers have used advanced process design methods combined with mathematical optimization techniques to reduce the operating costs of corn-based bio-ethanol plants by more than 60 percent.
The key to the........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/28/2007 9:44:24 PM)
New Species Of Distinctive Cloud-forest RodentA strikingly unusual animal was recently discovered in the cloud-forests of Peru. The large rodent is about the size of a squirrel and looks a bit like one, except its closest relatives are spiny rats.
The nocturnal, climbing rodent is beautiful yet strange looking, with long dense fur, a broad blocky head, and thickly furred tail. A blackish crest of fur on the crown, nape and shoulders add to its distinctive appearance.
Isothrix........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/24/2007 7:53:19 PM)
Training Your Breathing Muscles To Improves SwimmingSwimmers and scuba divers can improve their swimming endurance and breathing capacity through targeted training of the respiratory muscles, researchers at the University at Buffalo have shown.
In this pioneering work, subjects who followed a resistance-breathing training protocol (breathing load) improved their respiratory muscle strength and their snorkel swimming time by 33 percent and underwater scuba swimming time by 66 percent, compared........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/17/2007 8:12:29 PM)
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