Big Vegetarian Mammals And EcosystemsRemoving large herbivorous mammals from the African savanna can cause a dramatic shift in the relative abundance of species throughout the food chain, according to scientists from Stanford University, Princeton University and the University of California-Davis. Their findings were published in the Jan. 2 edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
In the study, the research team used large electric fences to exclude........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/16/2007 8:20:41 PM)
Spread Of Modern Humans Occurred LaterThe spread of modern humans out of Africa occurred 40,000 to 50,000 years later than previously thought, according to researchers including one Texas A&M University anthropologist.
Ted Goebel, associate director of the Center for the Study of the First Americans at Texas A&M, is the author of the paper titled "The Missing Years for Modern Humans" that appears in the Jan. 12 (Friday) issue of Science.
Goebel's paper is one of three........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/11/2007 9:23:55 PM)
Fixing The Nitrogen BalanceResearchers in the US have found that, reassuringly, the global nitrogen cycles can be more easily balanced out than previously thought, as sources and sinks of usable nitrogen are geographically close and respond to each other in rapid feedback.
Conventional wisdom in biogeochemistry suggested that most of the nitrogen fixation in the oceans was going on in the Atlantic, where the supply of iron, required by the nitrogenase enzyme, is more........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/11/2007 7:53:13 PM)
High school physics enrollment record highMore U.S. high-school students are taking physics than ever before, and the number of physics bachelor's degree recipients in the nation has increased 31 percent since 2000, according to new data presented today by the American Institute of Physics (AIP). In addition, physics bachelor's degree recipients are eight times more likely to go on to earn any kind of PhD than those with non-physics bachelor's, the new data show. Michael Neuschatz,........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/11/2007 5:05:52 AM)
But Now You Can Touch ItEngineers have developed a system that uses a simple water purification technique that can eliminate 100 percent of the microbes in New Orleans water samples left from Hurricane Katrina. The technique makes use of specialized resins, copper and hydrogen peroxide to purify tainted water.
The system--safer, cheaper and simpler to use than many other methods--breaks down a range of toxic chemicals. While the method cleans the water, it doesn't........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/10/2007 9:31:44 PM)
Beavers Helping FrogsThe humble beaver, besides claiming a spot of honour on the Canadian nickel, is also helping fellow species survive.
Though considered a pest because of the culvert-clogging dams it builds on streams, the beaver is an ally in conserving valuable wetland habitat for declining amphibian populations, a University of Alberta study shows.
The study, conducted in the boreal forests of west-central Alberta, showed that frog and toad choruses are........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/10/2007 8:20:53 PM)
Finding Patterns Of ImportanceDartmouth engineers George Cybenko and Vincent Berk think that PQS, or process query systems, are the way to go to make sense of the huge volume of data we collect each day from computer network monitors, video surveillance cameras, financial transaction records, databases of email exchanges, etc. The duo present their case in a paper published in this month's IEEE Computer, the flagship magazine of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/9/2007 8:19:28 PM)
How Some Invasive Plants Gain a Foothold?University of California, Riverside genetics Professor Norman Ellstrand led a team of researchers whose findings suggest that harnessing the sexual requirements of some plants can help control the establishment of invasive species.
Using the California wild radish as their model, Ellstrand and graduate student Caroline Ridley at the UCR Department of Botany and Plant Sciences co-authored the research study titled Population size and........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/9/2007 8:15:54 PM)
Foods High In Calcium, Vitamin D And Prevention Of OsteoporosisThe Food and Drug Administration has issued a new and amended health claims with regard to consumption of foods that are rich in vitamin D and calcium. This new statement is meant to educate consumers the value of foods high in calcium and vitamin D for reducing the risk of osteoporosis. The National Dairy Council acknowledges and supports the body of scientific evidence that backs the proposed claim, which indicates that a lifestyle that........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/7/2007 7:05:15 AM)
Ground Spider DiversityNone of Takesha Henderson's discoveries are named Charlotte, but they are weaving a new chapter in Texas entomology. Her graduate studies at Texas A&M University have led to the discovery of 25 new spiders in Brazos County and one species found for the first time in Texas.
In research sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Henderson, who is earning a master's degree, has been studying ground spider diversity, distribution and........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/31/2006 7:52:32 PM)
Scarlett Johansson: Most Stunning Beauty Of All TimesAccording to a poll, Scarlett Johansson is the most stunning beauty of all times. What made her that are her youthful looks. Scarlett came ahead of the likes of Kylie Minogue and Liv Tailor in the poll. However, all three of them won accolades for their natural looks without the aid of heavy cosmetics or surgery.
The spokesperson for the site that had the poll conducted, Tina Reichards, said:
These celebrities are so beautiful they don't........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 12/31/2006 7:38:12 PM)
What Killed and Preserved Juvenile Fossil PlesiosaurAmid 70-mile-an-hour winds and freezing Antarctic conditions, an American-Argentine research team has recovered the well-preserved fossil skeleton of a juvenile plesiosaur--a marine reptile that swam the waters of the Southern Ocean roughly 70 million years ago.
The fossil remains represent one of the most-complete plesiosaur skeletons ever found and is believed to be the best-articulated fossil skeleton ever recovered from Antarctica. The........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/28/2006 9:31:32 PM)
As Kisspeptin Levels PlummetA hormone implicated in the onset of human puberty also appears to control reproductive activity in seasonally breeding rodents, report Indiana University Bloomington and University of California at Berkeley scientists in the March 2007 issue of Endocrinology. The paper is now accessible online via the journal's rapid electronic publication service.
The researchers present evidence that kisspeptin, a recently discovered neuropeptide encoded........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/28/2006 8:45:31 PM)
Links Between African And U.S. Weather SystemsWhen their DC-8 flew into a tropical storm off the coast of West Africa, Aaron Pratt and Tamara Battle realized their lifelong dream--to study storms and weather systems at their source. During that flight, lightning struck their plane. The resulting storm turned into a tropical depression and ultimately became known as Hurricane Helene, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in 2006.
Pratt and Battle were thrilled. They, along with........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 12/27/2006 4:54:43 AM)
Developing InvisibilityThe theorists who first created the mathematics that describe the behavior of the recently announced "invisibility cloak" have revealed a new analysis that may extend the current cloak's powers, enabling it to hide even actively radiating objects like a flashlight or cell phone.
Allan Greenleaf, professor of mathematics at the University of Rochester, working with colleagues around the globe, has announced a mathematical theory that predicts........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/26/2006 6:32:19 PM)
Beaked Whales ObservedOn the 17th of December, Meike Scheidat & Linn Lehnert, the whale watchers on board of Polarstern, made a remarkable cetaceans sighting: Four Arnoux's Beaked Whales (Berardius arnuxii), observed from the helicopter.
The Arnoux's Beaked Whales is one of the least known species of the Beaked Whales family (Ziphidae), itself poorly known in general. Arnoux's is one of the biggest species amongst beaked whales. The ones observed were probably 9........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 12/23/2006 10:57:14 AM)
Giraffe: Winning by a neckWhenever I go to a zoo, I stand in front of the giraffes and watch with awe and respect at these wonderful creatures. I always consider them to be an extreme example of natural selection. I read this article and thought it would be worth mentioning in our blog.
The giraffe's elongated neck has long been used in textbooks as an illustration of evolution by natural selection, but this common example has received very little experimental........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/23/2006 9:01:23 AM)
Tropical Glaciers Vanishing Dramatically!Not just the poles, the Equator is having its turn now! The global warming seems to be having its impact on the Equator now. Rivers of ice at the Equator are found to be melting away in this new century.
The great glaciers of Mount Kenya are found to have retreated through years, shrinking to white stains on the rocky landscapes of the 16,897-foot peak.
With the tropical glaciers, some 200 miles due south of the Mount Kilimanjaro are........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 12/20/2006 4:55:03 AM)
Language of the Nerve CellsUC San Diego biologists have shown that the chemical language with which neurons communicate depends on the pattern of electrical activity in the developing nervous system. The findings suggest that modification of nerve activity could have potential as a therapy for a wide range of brain disorders.
In the study, published this week in the early on-line edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the biologists........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/20/2006 4:17:11 AM)
Borneo's Rainforests"The more we look the more we find," says Stuart Chapman, WWF International Coordinator of the Heart of Borneo Program. "These discoveries reaffirm Borneo's position as one of the most important centers of biodiversity in the world and why conservation there is so important".
Researchers have discovered at least 52 new species of animals and plants this past year on the island of Borneo. The discoveries, described in a new WWF report,........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/18/2006 9:11:32 PM)
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Fast-Food Business LessonsWhat really happens after you place an order for a Big Mac or a Whopper with Cheese?
Jerry M. Newman, Ph.D., SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor in the University at Buffalo School of Management, knows because he worked undercover in seven fast food restaurants across the country, observing operations from the top down -- from the biggest management whoppers to the smallest fries at the fry station.
Newman has chronicled his experiences........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/17/2007 8:08:25 PM)
Rca Small Wonder Digital CamcorderOne of my favorite toys at CES this year is the RCA Small Wonder, a digital camcorder which is "EZ," to quote the packaging. With this "point-and-shoot" MPEG-4 digital camcorder, there are no tapes or discs to buy, and the device runs on standard AA batteries, meaning that you won't be trying to shoot a family milestone and realize you forgot to charge the battery. At 60 minutes of standard-quality recording time (30 minutes of high-quality........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/15/2007 9:00:41 PM)
An Astronaut's Endless EndeavorAn astronaut's work, it seems, is never done.
Eileen Collins retired in May, but by October she still hadn't found time to finish cleaning out her office.
"I'm still answering mail from 2005," she said. "I haven't wound down yet. I've been extremely busy".
Of course, that statement could also apply to the past three decades of Collins' life. In 1976, when Collins was a college sophomore, the Air Force announced it would begin training........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/11/2007 6:44:06 PM)
How to Swallow A ThermometerFrom the football turf to high above the Earth, heat exhaustion can be life-threatening. Now the same type of "thermometer pill" that astronaut John Glenn swallowed as part of space shuttle medical experiments is also helping athletes to beat the heat.
Just as an engine overheats on a hot day, heat exhaustion -- or hyperthermia -- occurs when the body retains too much heat due to extreme environmental conditions or increased internal heat........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 1/11/2007 6:29:23 PM)
Female Ducks Negotiate Joint RearingFemale eider ducks are well known to team up and share the work of rearing ducklings, but it now appears that they also negotiate not only how much effort each puts into the partnership, but also profit-sharing. An international group of scientists used a long-running study of the eider population in a Finnish archipelago to test predictions about how each hen seeks to maximize her benefits from the partnership without making it so unattractive........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/10/2007 9:26:38 PM)
Brightest SupernovaTwenty years ago next month, the closest and brightest supernova in four centuries lit up the southern sky, wowing astronomers and the public alike.
Ongoing observations of the exploded star, called supernova 1987A, provided important tests for theories of how stars die, but it also raised some new questions. Principal among these was how a bizarre, triple-ring nebula surrounding the supernova - ejected by the star a few thousand years........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/9/2007 9:21:43 PM)
Letting The Blind SeeKristina Narfstrom, a University of Missouri-Columbia veterinary ophthalmologist, has been working with a microchip implant to help blind animals "see." According to Narfstrom, the preliminary results are promising.
"About one in 3,500 people worldwide is affected with a hereditary disease, retinitis pigmentosa, that causes the death of retinal cells and, eventually, blindness," Narfstrom said. "Our current study is aimed at determining........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/9/2007 8:26:26 PM)
Tracing Agent, Ultrasound Combo And CancerAn inexpensive tracing agent used in combination with ultrasound can pinpoint how effectively drugs targeting pancreatic cancer work, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have demonstrated for the first time.
The study, involving human pancreatic tumor cells implanted in mice, opens a new avenue for real-time imaging of a patient's response to cancer therapies. It appears in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Clinical Cancer Research.
........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/9/2007 5:00:04 AM)
Rapid, Low-Cost DNA TestingProfessor Lewis Rothberg of the University of Rochester Chemistry Department received a NYSTAR grant in August 2006 to continue working on a recent discovery by Huixiang Li, a research associate in his group: how to rapidly test DNA to improve our health and make sure we're drinking clean water and eating uncontaminated food. In fact, his new method can be used to help forensics labs identify criminals, test ponds and pools before children swim........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 1/7/2007 9:21:51 PM)
Adults Living With Children Eat More FatAdults living with children eat more saturated fat -- the equivalent of nearly an entire frozen pepperoni pizza each week -- than do adults who do not live with children, according to a University of Iowa and University of Michigan Health System study.
The finding was based on data from the federal government's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III. The UI-led study was made public today, and the paper will appear in the Jan.........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 12/31/2006 7:47:32 PM)
Triggering Reactions In Supply ChainWhen good fortune smiles on a company, the stock market responds by valuing the firm more favorably. It's well known that good news for one firm means other companies in the same industry will be affected as well. But as per new research from a business professor at Washington University in St. Louis, we can anticipate something else that isn't as obvious: there's also a predictable correlation between news announcements of a company and its........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 12/28/2006 9:45:30 PM)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions Andt AtmosphereCarbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels will produce a 3 percent reduction in the density of Earth's outermost atmosphere by 2017, according to a team of scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and Pennsylvania State University (PSU).
The research appears in the latest issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters, and will be presented today at the American Geophysical Union conference in........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/28/2006 9:38:33 PM)
Where to get Dust for Brazilian rainforesMore than half of the dust needed for fertilizing the Brazilian rainforest is supplied by a valley in northern Chad, according to an international research team headed by Dr. Ilan Koren of the Institute's Environmental Sciences and Energy Research Department. According to a research findings published recently in Environmental Research Letters, the scientists have explained how the Bodele valley's unique features might be responsible for making........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/28/2006 8:32:17 PM)
Mixed Prairie Grasses Better Source Of BiofuelDiverse mixtures of native prairie plant species have emerged as a leader in the quest to identify the best source of biomass for producing sustainable, bio-based fuel to replace petroleum.
A new study led by David Tilman, an ecologist at the University of Minnesota, shows that mixtures of native perennial grasses and other flowering plants provide more usable energy per acre than corn grain ethanol or soybean biodiesel and are far better........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/27/2006 5:06:45 AM)
How Does A Zebrafish Grow A New Tail?This interesting article I was reading today illustrates how amazingly zebra fish regains its tail after losing one. Apparently a zebrafish tail grows back within a matter of one week. It not only can replace the tail, but also can replace many other body parts. Amazing!
A tail fin, for example, has many different types of cells and is a very intricate structure. It is the fish version of an arm or leg.
The question of how cold-blooded........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/26/2006 5:59:34 PM)
Ocean Temperature And Marine SpeciesOcean temperature apparently has a great effect on the spread of marine species. I was reading the following article this morning, and thought about writing this article in this column.
Scientists can predict how the distance marine larvae travel varies with ocean temperature - a key component in conservation and management of fish, shellfish and other marine species - according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/25/2006 4:30:00 PM)
How To Measure Holiday SpiritThe holidays just wouldn't be the same without the decorations. From a single wreath or child's picture of Santa taped to a window, to displays so elaborate that they can almost be seen from outer space, the festive season seems to spur the need to express the holiday spirit to our neighbors in addition to our closest kin. But neighborhoods also vary in the vigor of their holiday displays, as anyone who tours the streets of their town or city........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 12/20/2006 6:53:07 PM)
Super Slim Portable DLP Projector From CasioOffering 2x wide-angle zoom lens to project large-size images in a small space and 2000 ANSI lumens brightness, the hot 32mm-thick slim projector supports WLAN capability, together with USB port that allows making presentation even without the need for a PC or laptop.
The latest projector combine water-cooling with heatpipe technology, owing to Casio's super slim manufacturing technologies, as well as four different patent technologies make........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 12/20/2006 4:52:12 AM)
Is workers' comp fair?People who receive higher disability ratings for work-related back injuries don't necessarily fare worse over the long term than those who get lower ratings, a Saint Louis University study finds.
The study, which reinforced prior research showing blacks receive less therapy for their back pain than whites, was published online this month in the Journal of Pain. The new research is among the first to examine the relationship between Workers'........Go to the My-media-blog (Added on 12/20/2006 4:44:32 AM)
How To Avoid A BatCurrent understanding of the co-evolution of bats and moths has been thrown into question following new research reported today in Current Biology.
Dr James Windmill from the University of Bristol, UK, has shown how the Yellow Underwing moth changes its sensitivity to a bat's calls when the moth is being chased. And in case there is another attack, the moth's ear remain tuned in for several minutes after the calls stop.
Dr Windmill said:........Go to the Science-blog (Added on 12/18/2006 9:31:01 PM)
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