Why mercury is more dangerous in oceans

ScienceDaily (2010-06-28) -- Even though freshwater concentrations of mercury are far greater than those found in seawater, it's the saltwater fish like tuna, mackerel and shark that end up posing a more serious health threat to humans who eat them.

Accurate way to predict the age when women will hit the menopause developed

ScienceDaily (2010-06-28) -- Researchers have developed a way of accurately predicting when women will hit the menopause using a simple blood test. The average difference between the predicted age and the actual age that the women in their study reached the menopause was only a third of a year, and the maximum margin of error was between three and four years.

Hop, jump and stick; Robots designed with insect instincts

ScienceDaily (2010-06-28) -- A swarm of flying robots soars into a blazing forest fire. With insect-like precision and agility, the machines land on tree trunks and bound over rough terrain before deploying crucial sensors and tools to track the inferno and its effects. This is a scenario one researcher thinks may not be so far off.

Biodiversity's 'holy grail' is in the soil : Soil-borne pathogens drive tree diversity in forests, study shows

ScienceDaily (2010-06-28) -- What determines plant diversity in a forest? It's a question even Charles Darwin wanted to unravel. But most research into forest diversity demonstrates only patterns of species survival and abundance rather than the reason for them -- until now. Scientists have now shown that soil-borne pathogens are one important mechanism that can maintain species diversity and explain patterns of tree abundance in a forest.

Reseachers predict larger-than-average Gulf 'dead zone'; Impact of oil spill unclear

ScienceDaily (2010-06-28) -- Researchers say this year's Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" is expected to be larger than average, continuing a decades-long trend that threatens the health of a $659 million fishery. The 2010 forecast, released by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), calls for a Gulf dead zone of between 6,500 and 7,800 square miles, an area roughly the size of Lake Ontario.

Prepare for hotter and drier Southwestern US, climate experts urge

ScienceDaily (2010-06-28) -- Prominent climate experts are calling for a "no-regrets" strategy for planning for a hotter and drier western North America. Their advice: use water conservatively and continue developing ways to harness energy from the sun, wind and Earth.

Enterprise PCs work while they sleep – saving energy and money – with new software

ScienceDaily (2010-06-28) -- Personal computers in enterprise environments save energy and money by "sleep-working," thanks to new software called SleepServer. Sleep-working enterprise PCs are accessible via remote connections and maintain their presence on voice over IP, instant messaging, and peer-to-peer networks even though the PCs are in low-power sleep mode. SleepServer can reduce energy consumption on enterprise PCs previously running 24/7 by an average of 60 percent.

Immune system important in fight against stomach cancer

ScienceDaily (2010-06-28) -- Researchers have identified cells in the immune system that react to the stomach ulcer bacterium Helicobacter pylori, one of the risk factors for the development of stomach cancer. This discovery could lead to faster diagnosis and treatment as well as a better prognosis for patients with stomach cancer.

Dark chocolate lowers blood pressure, research finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-28) -- For people with hypertension, eating dark chocolate can significantly reduce blood pressure. Researchers combined the results of 15 studies into the effects of flavanols, the compounds in chocolate which cause dilation of blood vessels, on blood pressure.

Physics of the 'bends': New study helps explain decompression sickness

ScienceDaily (2010-06-28) -- As you go about your day-to-day activities, tiny bubbles of nitrogen come and go inside your tissues. This is not a problem unless you happen to experience large changes in pressure, as scuba divers and astronauts may. During large, fast pressure drops, bubbles can grow, causing "the bends." A new study may provide a physical basis for the existence of these bubbles and help explain decompression sickness.

Most concussions deliver 95 g's, neuropsychologist says

ScienceDaily (2010-06-25) -- A head injury expert says that most concussions deliver 95 g's to the human body upon impact. G-force is a unit of force equal to the force exerted by gravity. In addition, the average football player receives 103 g's when hit during a game. In comparison, the average g-force experienced by military fighter pilots is nine g's.

NASA radar images show how Mexico quake deformed Earth

ScienceDaily (2010-06-25) -- Minerals in northern Mars craters seen by two orbiters suggest that a phase in Mars' early history with conditions favorable to life occurred globally, not just in the south.

Tactile sensations influence social judgments and decisions

ScienceDaily (2010-06-25) -- Psychologists report that interpersonal interactions can be shaped, profoundly yet unconsciously, by the physical attributes of incidental objects: Resumes reviewed on a heavy clipboard are judged to be more substantive, while a negotiator seated in a soft chair is less likely to drive a hard bargain. The work suggests physical touch -- the first of our senses to develop -- may continue throughout life as a scaffold upon which we build our social judgments and decisions.

Ecological change in the abyss: The Amperima event

ScienceDaily (2010-06-25) -- Even in the dark abyss of the deep ocean animal communities can undergo rapid, widespread and radical changes. Scientists are monitoring these changes and understanding the mechanisms responsible.

Silencing hepatitis B virus prevents recurrence of liver cancer

ScienceDaily (2010-06-25) -- Previous studies have shown that antiviral treatment reduces the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B. But now, researchers are reporting that the antiviral therapy also prevents recurrence of HCC and extends patients' lives.

Study identifies couples’ underlying concerns during a fight

ScienceDaily (2010-06-26) -- A new study has found that there are two fundamental underlying concerns when partners in a committed relationship fight. Researchers have identified the first type of underlying concern as perceived threat, which involves a perception that one's partner is being hostile, critical, blaming or controlling. The second type of concern is called perceived neglect, which involves a perception that one's partner is failing to make a desired contribution or failing to demonstrate an ideal level of commitment or investment in the relationship.

Pleasing to the eye: Even brooding female birds are sensitive to visual stimulation

ScienceDaily (2010-06-26) -- In a breeding experiment with Houbara bustards -- a North African bird species with a very distinctive courtship behavior -- scientists have concluded that visual stimulation from attractive males of the same species positively affects brooding females, improving offspring growth.

Climate change complicates plant diseases of the future

ScienceDaily (2010-06-26) -- Human-driven changes in the earth's atmospheric composition are likely to alter plant diseases of the future. Researchers are studying the impact of elevated carbon dioxide, elevated ozone and higher atmospheric temperatures on plant diseases that could challenge crops in these changing conditions.

Agriculture's next revolution -- perennial grain -- within sight

ScienceDaily (2010-06-27) -- Earth-friendly perennial grain crops, which grow with less fertilizer, herbicide, fuel, and erosion than grains planted annually, could be available in two decades, according to researchers. Perennial grains would be one of the largest innovations in the 10,000 year history of agriculture, and could arrive even sooner with the right breeding programs.

Scientific expertise lacking among 'doubters' of climate change, says new analysis

ScienceDaily (2010-06-27) -- An analysis of the scientific prominence and expertise of climate researchers shows that the few who are unconvinced of human-caused climate change rank far below researchers who are convinced. Most news media accounts fail to include that context when reporting claims from the doubters.

Tropical biodiversity is about the neighbors

ScienceDaily (2010-06-25) -- Rare plant species are much more negatively affected by the presence of their own species as neighbors than are common species. This may explain how biodiversity arises and is maintained.

Sea ice in the Arctic not recovering: Another critical minimum forecast

ScienceDaily (2010-06-24) -- A critical minimum for Arctic sea ice can again be expected for late summer 2010, according to new projections by researchers in Germany.

UN project seeks to protect West African coastline from erosion

Nov. 3, 2009In West Africa, the coast is more than just a simple marker between land and sea. It’s also the home of millions – as much as 80 per cent of the populations of many countries live nearby – and a vital source of livelihoods and income thanks to the critical industries of fishing and tourism. Now the region’s lifeline is under siege. Partly because of man-made climate change, West Africa’s coastline is diminishing, as erosion eats away relentlessly at the land.But a United Nations project in five countries (Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Senegal) is seeking to reverse this trend. The scheme, which is still in a pilot phase, having been rolled out only in Guinea-Bissau so far, aims to protect the region’s biodiversity and to enhance the abilities of local communities to adapt to the erosion.“From my own experience, I don't think people generally are aware of climate change per se,” but they have witnessed changes in coastal areas, said Isabelle Niang, Regional Coordinator of the Adaptation to Climate Change in Coastal Zones of West Africa (ACCC) programme.West Africa’s coasts are home to a rich array of ecosystems, including mangroves, lagoons, wetlands and coral reefs. Many species of fish, crustaceans and turtles make their home here, also a key part of global migration routes for birds.Mangrove restoration activities to encourage the return of birds and fish, as well as protection and restoration of beaches to allow turtles to find better conditions to nest, will be some of the activities within the scheme, which will be executed by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).Aside from its impact on tourism, with several hotels already having been greatly affected, coastal erosion is also hurting maritime and river commerce; the extraction of mineral resources; and agriculture. In the coming years, major urban centres could be inundated as well, with a shortage in drinking water looming.Nations are hoping to ‘seal the deal’ on a new climate change agreement – intended to go into effect after the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012 – this December in Copenhagen, Denmark.Along with emissions reductions targets by industrialized nations, helping developing countries adapt to global warming’s effects is also a large component of the pact set to be reached in the Danish capital.The multi-million dollar ACCC initiative hopes to promote multiple adaptation responses to the degradation.Although the five pilot countries are all in the same region, the problems differ from nation to nation, Dr. Niang noted, adding that “ we can’t [assume] that we will have the same type of solutions for each country.”The scheme will be implemented by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), a partnership among 178 countries, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector.Also supported by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), it will also try to ensure that development plans and policies at the regional and national level incorporate climate change considerations.

Behavior breakthrough: Like animals, plants demonstrate complex ability to integrate information

ScienceDaily (2010-06-25) -- Scientists have discovered that a plant's strategy to capture nutrients in the soil is the result of integration of different types of information. They found plants also have the ability to integrate information about the location of both food and competitors. As a result, plants demonstrate unique behavioral strategies to capture soil resources.

Enlace:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100624144057.htm

Addiction: a loss of plasticity of the brain?

ScienceDaily (2010-06-24) -- Why is it that only some drug users become addicts?Researchers have just discovered that the transition to addiction could result from a persistent impairment of synaptic plasticity in a key structure of the brain.

Enlace:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100624140912.htm

Seventh graders find a cave on Mars

ScienceDaily (2010-06-24) -- Using the camera on NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter, 16 seventh-graders at Evergreen Middle School in Cottonwood, Calif., found lava tubes with one pit that appears to be a skylight to a cave. Mars Odyssey has been orbiting the Red Planet since 2001, returning data and images of the Martian surface and providing relay communications service for Mars Rovers Spirit and Opportunity.

Enlace:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100624141934.htm

Ocean changes may have dire impact on people

ScienceDaily (2010-06-19) -- The heart and lungs of the planet, the world's oceans, shows worrying signs of ill health, concludes the first comprehensive synthesis of recent research into the effects of climate change on oceans.

Enlace:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100618103558.htm

Circadian clock in pancreas directly linked to diabetes

ScienceDaily (2010-06-19) -- The pancreas has its own molecular clock. Now, for the first time, a new study has shown this ancient circadian clock regulates the production of insulin. If the clock is faulty, the result is diabetes. The researchers show that insulin-secreting islet cells in the pancreas, called beta-cells, have their own dedicated clock. The clock governs the rhythmic behavior of proteins and genes involved in insulin secretion, with oscillations over a 24-hour cycle.

Enlace:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100618141627.htm

New air conditioning system has potential to slash energy usage by up to 90 percent

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- A soothing solution to hot, humid days may be on its way, thanks to a melding of technologies in filters, coolers and drying agents. The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory has invented a new air conditioning process with the potential of using 50 percent to 90 percent less energy than today's top-of-the-line units. It uses membranes, evaporative cooling and liquid desiccants in a way that has never been done before in the centuries-old science of removing heat from the air.

Enlace:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100621071943.htm

Oceanographers call for more ocean observing in Antarctica

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- Scientists argue that ocean-observing systems are the way to understand climate change in Antarctica -- and sooner would be better than later.

Enlace:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100618112135.htm

Discovery of how coral reefs adapt to global warming could aid reef restoration

ScienceDaily (2010-06-24) -- Discoveries about tropical coral reefs are expected to be invaluable in efforts to restore the corals, which are succumbing to bleaching and other diseases at an unprecedented rate as ocean temperatures rise worldwide.

Young children are skilled negotiators, Swedish research finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-24) -- Young children are skilled negotiators when it comes to relationships and the content of play, reveals new research from Sweden.

How lead exposure damages the brain: New research fills in the picture

ScienceDaily (2010-06-24) -- Exposure to lead during early childhood and even later in life has long been known to affect the release of critical neurotransmitters. However, the precise mechanism by which lead ions (Pb2+) impair this process has remained unknown. The study demonstrates that during the formation of synapses -- synaptogenesis -- exposure to lead alters the levels of several key proteins involved in neurotransmitter release.

Moldy homes a serious risk for severe asthma attacks in some

ScienceDaily (2010-06-24) -- Exposure to high levels of fungus may increase the risk of severe asthma attacks among people with certain chitinase gene variants, according to a new study.

Breast milk transmits drugs and medicines to the baby

ScienceDaily (2010-06-24) -- Give up smoking, do not drink more than three cups of coffee per day, do not take any kind of drug, or if you do, take it as long as possible before feeding your baby. These are some of the recommendations contained in a study produced by researchers on methods for detecting medicines and drugs in breast milk. The study shows that the risk from substances such as alcohol is still not well understood.

Impacts of Chilean salmon farms on coastal ecosystem discovered accidentally

ScienceDaily (2010-06-23) -- Until recently, the disastrous scale of the threat posed by salmon farms to the fauna and National Park of the Aysén region of southern Chile was entirely unknown. The unexpected discovery was made by researchers who were studying acoustic communication among the native whales in the region. The researchers not only discovered that the salmon industry is rapidly spreading to the hitherto largely unspoiled south of the region; they also documented the previously unknown threat to the region's native sea lions.

Mothers' high blood sugar in pregnancy is linked to children's reduced insulin sensitivity

ScienceDaily (2010-06-23) -- Children of mothers whose blood glucose (sugar) was high during pregnancy are more likely to have low insulin sensitivity -- a risk factor for type 2 diabetes -- even after taking into consideration the children's body weight, a new study shows.

Brain structure corresponds to personality

ScienceDaily (2010-06-23) -- Personalities come in all kinds. Now psychological scientists have found that the size of different parts of people's brains correspond to their personalities.

Chicken litter has advantages over conventional fertilizers

ScienceDaily (2010-06-23) -- Chicken litter is much more valuable as a fertilizer than previously thought, according to an agricultural study showing its newfound advantages over conventional fertilizers.

Computer program detects depression in bloggers' texts

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- Researchers have developed a computer program capable of identifying language that can indicate a writer's psychological state, which could serve as a screening tool. The software was used to scan more than 300,000 English language blogs that were posted to mental health Web sites. The program identified what it perceived to be the 100 "most depressed" and 100 "least depressed" bloggers.

Underwater gliders may change how scientists track fish

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- Tracking fish across Alaska's vast continental shelves can present a challenge to any scientist studying Alaska's seas. Researchers have successfully tested a possible solution in the form of underwater gliders.

US ranks last among 7 countries on health system performance, new report says

ScienceDaily (2010-06-23) -- Despite having the most expensive health care system, the United States ranks last overall compared to six other industrialized countries -- Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom -- on measures of health system performance in five areas: quality, efficiency, access to care, equity and the ability to lead long, healthy, productive lives, according to a new report.

Loneliness, poor health appear to be linked

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- Two studies have found that hoarding friends doesn't necessarily diminish forlorn feelings and that loneliness is a matter of perception. Superficial relationships, researchers say, can not only result in feelings of detachment, but also contribute to certain health-related problems.

Brave brains: Neural mechanisms of courage uncovered in study of fear of snakes

ScienceDaily (2010-06-23) -- A fascinating new study combines snakes with brain imaging in order to uncover neural mechanisms associated with "courage." The research provides new insight into what happens in the brain when an individual voluntarily performs an action opposite to that promoted by ongoing fear and may even lead to new treatment strategies for those who exhibit a failure to overcome their fear.

Seasonality of child abuse a myth, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- A new study of homicides of 797 children younger than age five has found that these deaths occur uniformly throughout the year, dispelling the widely held anecdotal notion that the winter months, and especially winter holidays, are a time of increased child abuse.

Harmful bacteria carried by pigeons

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- Sampling of pigeons captured on the streets of Madrid has revealed the bacterial pathogens they carry. Researchers found two bugs that were highly prevalent in the bird population, Chlamydophila psittaci and Campylobacter jejuni, both of which cause illness in humans.

Chimpanzee gangs kill for land, new study shows

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- Bands of chimpanzees violently kill individuals from neighboring groups in order to expand their own territory, according to a 10-year study of a chimp community in Uganda that provides the first definitive evidence for this long-suspected function of this behavior.

Some types of arousal can lead to unhealthy choices, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- You might want to avoid food shopping right after a heavy workout or drinking after an intense day of high-powered negotiations, according to a new study.

Alcohol consumption lowers risk of developing several arthritic conditions, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- Alcohol consumption is associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing several arthritic conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and spondylarthropathy, according to results of a new study.

Puberty and sleep regulation can influence alcohol use during early adolescence

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- Alcohol is known to disrupt sleep, but little is known about alcohol use and sleep problems during adolescence. A new study has found that puberty is related to sleep problems and later bedtimes, which were in turn associated with alcohol use.

Portable media players associated with short-term hearing effects

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- Temporary changes in hearing sensitivity are associated with potential harmful effects of listening to an MP3 player, according to a new study.

Can a Victoria's Secret shopping bag make you feel glamorous?

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- Certain brands have personalities that can actually change the way some people feel about themselves, according to a new study.

New design for motorcycle engines powered by compressed air

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- Two scientists in India have conceptually designed a new, cleaner motorcycle engine that uses compressed air to turn a small air turbine, generating enough power to run a motorcycle for up to 40 minutes. Their design could be combined with a compressed air cylinder as a replacement for traditional internal combustion engines.

Growing brain is particularly flexible: How the brain changes during growth

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- Science has long puzzled over why a baby's brain is particularly flexible and why it easily changes. Is it because babies have to learn a lot? Scientists have now put forward a new explanation: Maybe it is because the brain still has to grow.

Caring for an elderly, sick spouse sometimes has positive elements

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- Although long-term care of sick or disabled loved ones is widely recognized as a threat to the caregiver's health and quality of life, a new study finds that in some contexts, helping valued loved ones may promote the well being of helpers.

American scientists help protect Guatemala's Lake Atitlan from harmful algae blooms

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- A team of US scientists has returned from a two-week expedition to Guatemala's tropical high-mountain Lake Atitlan, where they are working to find solutions to the algae blooms that have assailed the ecosystem and the drinking water source for local residents.

No link between early childhood cancers and living near mobile phone base station during pregnancy, says study

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- A new study looking at the patterns of early childhood cancers across Great Britain has found no association between a mother living near to a mobile phone base station during her pregnancy and the risk of that child developing cancer before reaching the age of five.

Secret life of water at very low temperatures

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- The secret life of water just got weirder. For years water has been known to exist in 15 phases -- not just the merry threesome of solid, liquid and gas from grade school science. Now, chemists have confirmed the coexistence of ice and liquid after water crystallizes at very low temperatures.

Polar oceans key to temperature in the tropics

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- Scientists have found that the ocean temperature at Earth's polar extremes has a significant impact thousands of miles away at the equator.

Stroke recovery goes 3-D: Canadian video game takes rehab to the next level

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- Montreal researchers' innovative use of virtual reality to tap into the power of brain plasticity is emerging as a major technique in brain recovery for stroke patients.

Fructose sugar makes maturing human fat cells fatter, less insulin-sensitive, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- Fructose, a sugar widely used in soft drinks and processed foods, often gets some of the blame for the widespread rise in obesity. Now a laboratory study has found that when fructose is present as children's fat cells mature, it makes more of these cells mature into fat cells in belly fat and less able to respond to insulin in both belly fat and fat located below the skin.

Damselfish 'gardeners' selectively weed algal gardens

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- A species of damselfish, Stegastes nigricans, selectively weed the algal gardens on which they feed in order to encourage the growth of their preferred algal species of Polysiphonia and suppress the growth of less palatable algae. In a new study, researchers investigate the feeding preferences of damselfish and explore their diverse gardening systems across the Indo-West Pacific region.

3.6 million-year-old relative of 'Lucy' discovered: Early hominid skeleton confirms human-like walking is ancient

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- An international team of scientists discovered and analyzed a 3.6 million-year-old partial skeleton found in Ethiopia. Research indicates that advanced human-like, upright walking occurred much earlier than previously thought.

Common Alzheimer's medication helps skills necessary for safe driving, study suggests

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- A promising study demonstrated that cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI), a type of medication often prescribed for Alzheimer's disease (AD), improved some cognitive skills in patients with mild AD -- skills that are necessary for driving. Findings from the study showed that after being treated with a ChEI, AD patients improved in some computerized tests of executive function and visual attention, including a simulated driving task.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100621074416.htm

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- Researchers are developing intelligent medical sensors which can be worn by patients to monitor their symptoms and which will alert doctors if medical intervention is needed.

Faster employees may indirectly motivate colleagues to increase production

ScienceDaily (2010-06-20) -- You wouldn't think that there would be much similarity between a hockey line and an automobile assembly line. However, management-science researchers say that both groups can learn something about line design and human behavior, which may help them perform better.

Retooling the ocean conveyor belt

ScienceDaily (2010-06-20) -- Oceanographer are reviewing the growing body of evidence that suggests it's time to rethink the ocean conveyor belt model.

Songbirds learn their songs during sleep

ScienceDaily (2010-06-20) -- When zebra finches learn their songs from their father early in life, their brain is active during sleep. These findings are a further demonstration that birdsong learning is very similar to the way that children learn how to speak.

More than just baby blues: How postpartum depression arises and how it could be prevented

ScienceDaily (2010-06-20) -- Within the first week after giving birth, up to 70 percent of all women experience symptoms of the baby blues. While most women recover quickly, up to 13 percent of all new mothers suffer from symptoms of a clinical-level postpartum depression.

Caribbean coral reef protection efforts miss the mark, research suggests

ScienceDaily (2010-06-21) -- Conservation efforts aimed at protecting endangered Caribbean corals may be overlooking regions where corals are best equipped to evolve in response to global warming and other climate challenges.

Canyon carved in just three days in Texas flood: Insight into ancient flood events on Earth and Mars

ScienceDaily (2010-06-20) -- In the summer of 2002, a week of heavy rains in Central Texas caused Canyon Lake -- the reservoir of the Canyon Dam -- to flood over its spillway and down the Guadalupe River Valley in a planned diversion to save the dam from catastrophic failure. The flood excavated a 2.2-kilometer-long, 7-meter-deep canyon in the bedrock. According to a new analysis, that canyon formed in just three days.

Comprehensive look at human impacts on ocean chemistry

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- Numerous studies are documenting the growing effects of climate change, carbon dioxide, pollution and other human-related phenomena on the world's oceans. But most of those have studied single, isolated sources of pollution and other influences. Now, a marine geochemist has published a report that evaluates the total impact of such factors on the ocean and considers what the future might hold.

Intelligent 3-D simulation robots to compete in the Robocup 2010

ScienceDaily (2010-06-19) -- Researchers have developed a multiagent system and motion capture techniques for graphical animation of soccer playing robots.

Fly cells flock together, follow the light

ScienceDaily (2010-06-19) -- Scientists report using a laser beam to activate a protein that makes a cluster of fruit fly cells act like a school of fish turning in social unison, following the lead of the one stimulated with light.

Children with home computers likely to have lower test scores, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-19) -- Around the country and throughout the world, politicians and education activists have sought to eliminate the "digital divide" by guaranteeing universal access to home computers, and in some cases to high-speed Internet service. However, according to a new study, these efforts would actually widen the achievement gap in math and reading scores.

Vitamin D deficiency confirmed as common across a range of rheumatic conditions

ScienceDaily (2010-06-19) -- Two separate studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with a range of rheumatic diseases, with over half of all patients having below the "normal" healthy levels of vitamin D (48-145 nmol/L) in their bodies. A further study assessing response to vitamin D supplementation found that taking the recommended daily dose did not normalize vitamin D levels in rheumatic disease patients.

Coffee or tea: Enjoy both in moderation for heart benefits, Dutch study suggests

ScienceDaily (2010-06-19) -- The pancreas has its own molecular clock. Now, for the first time, a new study has shown this ancient circadian clock regulates the production of insulin. If the clock is faulty, the result is diabetes. The researchers show that insulin-secreting islet cells in the pancreas, called beta-cells, have their own dedicated clock. The clock governs the rhythmic behavior of proteins and genes involved in insulin secretion, with oscillations over a 24-hour cycle.

Love ballad leaves women more open to a date

ScienceDaily (2010-06-18) -- If you're having trouble getting a date, French researchers suggest that picking the right soundtrack could improve the odds. Women were more prepared to give their number to an 'average' young man after listening to romantic background music, according to new research.

Computer intelligence predicts human visual attention for first time

ScienceDaily (2010-06-16) -- Scientists have just come several steps closer to understanding change blindness -- the well studied failure of humans to detect seemingly obvious changes to scenes around them -- with new research that used a computer-based model to predict what types of changes people are more likely to notice.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100616171720.htm

AIDS drugs given to pregnant women block 99 percent of HIV transmission to breastfed babies

ScienceDaily (2010-06-16) -- An international clinical trial has found that AIDS-fighting antiretroviral drug combinations given to pregnant and breastfeeding women in Botswana, Africa, prevented 99 percent of the mothers from transmitting the human immunodeficiency virus to their infants.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100616171635.htm

May 2010 global temperature is warmest on record; Spring and January-May also post record breaking temps

ScienceDaily (2010-06-16) -- The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the warmest on record for May, March-May (Northern Hemisphere spring-Southern Hemisphere autumn), and the period January-May, 2010, according to NOAA. Worldwide average land surface temperature for May and March-May was the warmest on record while the global ocean surface temperatures for both May and March-May were second warmest on record, behind 1998.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100616134641.htm

Incidence of malaria jumps when Amazon forests are cut, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- Establishing a firm link between environmental change and human disease has always been an iffy proposition. Now, however, a team of scientists presents the most enumerated case to date linking increased incidence of malaria to land-use practices in the Amazon.

Little is understood about alcohol's effect on fetal development, researchers say

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- It's long been known that alcohol use in pregnancy can lead to children with mental retardation and birth defects, but researchers who study fetal alcohol syndrome have not made definitive progress on preventing the disorder, detecting it early, or effectively treating it, say researchers.

New world Helicobacter pylori genome sequenced, dynamics of inflammation-related genes revealed

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- An international team of researchers has sequenced the genome of an Amerindian strain of the gastric bug Helicobacter pylori, confirming the out-of-Africa migration of this bacterial stowaway to the New World. Experiments in animals have highlighted how specific genes in the bacterial strain may be crucial to the onset of inflammation and disease.

Symptoms of 'male menopause' unzipped

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- Scientists have for the first time identified the symptoms associated with what has been termed late-onset hypogonadism or "male menopause" caused by a reduction in testosterone production in aging men.

Dinosaur-chewing mammals leave behind oldest known tooth marks

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- Paleontologists have discovered the oldest mammalian tooth marks yet on the bones of ancient animals, including several large dinosaurs.

Teen boys who attempted suicide more like to abuse partners as adults, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- Young men who attempt suicide before age 18 are much more likely as adults to be aggressive toward their girlfriends or wives, including hitting and injuring their partners, according to a new study.

NOAA, FDA continue ramping up efforts to ensure safety of Gulf of Mexico seafood

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are taking additional steps to enhance inspection measures designed to ensure that seafood from the Gulf of Mexico reaching America's tables is safe to eat.

Signal like you mean it: Orangutan gestures carry specific intentional meanings, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- Great ape gestures have intentional meaning and are made with the expectation of specific behavioral responses, according to researchers. The study of meaning in animal communication takes a significant step forward with the authors' new systematic approach to assessing intentional meaning in the gestural communication of non-humans, applied here to a group of orangutan gestures.

Research will help submariners breathe more easily

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- Engineers in the UK and US are teaming up to develop a chemical-free way of removing carbon dioxide from the air inside deep sea human habitats.

Brain comes hard-wired with working navigational neurons, rat study suggests

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- Are we born with an innate sense of direction, or is it learned? Research from Norway suggests that the brain comes hard-wired with working navigational neurons. While these neurons -- head direction cells, place cells and grid cells -- mature over time, they appear to function in rodents as soon as they make their first exploratory steps outside the nest.

Blueberry ameliorates hepatic fibrosis, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- A research team from China examined the effect of blueberry on hepatic fibrosis and detoxification enzyme systems in rats. The results demonstrated that blueberry has a therapeutic effect on CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis by reducing hepatocyte injury and lipid peroxidation.

Climate change threatens food supply of 60 million people in Asia

ScienceDaily (2010-06-16) -- Climate change will drastically reduce the discharge of snow and ice meltwater in a region of the Himalayas, threatening the food security of more than 60 million people in Asia in the coming decades, according to new research in Science. The Indus and Brahmaputra basins are expected to be the most adversely affected, while in the Yellow River basin the availability of irrigation water will actually increase.

It's in the bones: Human bone as a biological material for environmental monitoring

ScienceDaily (2010-06-18) -- Exposure to chemical pollutants is of growing concern to regulators, health workers, and environmentalist groups alike. Now, researchers in the US and Russia have demonstrated that samples of human bone can act as a biological marker for dozens of metals and toxic elements across the periodic table. They describe details in a study published in the International Journal of Environment and Health.

Connection elucidated between obesity, salt sensitivity and high blood pressure

ScienceDaily (2010-06-17) -- One way obese people become salt sensitive and hypertensive has been identified. Researchers have documented a chain of events in which excess inflammatory factors resulting from excess fat cause the body to retain more sodium and, consequently, more fluid and higher blood pressure.

Hand study reveals brain's distorted body model

ScienceDaily (2010-06-16) -- Our brains contain a highly distorted model of our own bodies, according to researchers. A new study on the brain's representation of the hand found that our model of our bodies is out of sync with reality -- with a strong tendency to think that the hands are shorter and fatter than their true shape.

Tequila and cheese offer lessons for rural economies in developing world

ScienceDaily (2010-06-16) -- Tequila and cheese may sound like the makings of an awkward cocktail party, but new research shows that they can tell us what works, and what doesn't, when it comes to geographic indications and efforts to boost rural economies around the world.

Relying too much on e-mail bad for business, study says

ScienceDaily (2010-06-16) -- A new study says high-tech communication strips away the personal interaction needed to breed trust, a key ingredient in getting workers to pull together and carry their share of the load.

First detailed national map of land-cover vegetation in U.S. released

ScienceDaily (2010-06-15) -- The most detailed national vegetation US land-cover map to date has been released by the US Geological Survey. The map will enable conservation professionals to identify places in the country with sufficient habitat to support wildlife.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100614114526.htm

Babies grasp number, space and time concepts

ScienceDaily (2010-06-15) -- Even before they learn to speak, babies organize information about numbers, space and time in more complex ways than previously realized. "We've shown that 9-month-olds are sensitive to 'more than' or 'less than' relations across the number, size and duration of objects. What's really remarkable is they only need experience with one of these quantitative concepts to guess what the other quantities should look like," says a psychologist.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100615141751.htm

Climate change increases hazard risk in alpine regions, study shows

ScienceDaily (2010-06-15) -- Climate change could cause increasing and unpredictable hazard risks in mountainous regions, according to a new study. The study analyzes the effects of two extreme weather events -- the 2003 heatwave and the 2005 flood -- on the Eastern European Alps
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100615105241.htm

GPS not just for driving: Tool for crowd management and medical follow-up

ScienceDaily (2010-06-16) -- Drivers around the world use the global positioning system (GPS) to figure out how to get from point A to point B. But a researcher has shown that GPS can also be applied commercially to better deal with crowd or shopper management and even to evaluating patient recovery following surgery.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100614093345.htm

Harbor seals' whiskers as good at detecting fish as echolocating dolphins, researchers find

ScienceDaily (2010-06-13) -- Seals use their whiskers to track hydrodynamic trails left by passing fish, but how sensitive are the whiskers? Testing the responses of a seal to trails left by an artificial fin, researchers found that seals can detect trails up 35 seconds after a fin has passed. Fish can cover hundreds of meters in that time, so the whiskers compare well with the performance of echolocating whales and dolphins.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100610191044.htm

New online map shows network of protection for North America's marine ecosystems

ScienceDaily (2010-06-10) -- North America's nearly 2,000 marine protected areas represent an unprecedented effort to protect the continent's fragile marine environments and are found throughout the marine eco-regions that encircle our continent.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100610191052.htm

New evidence that drinking coffee may reduce the risk of diabetes

ScienceDaily (2010-06-10) -- Scientists are reporting new evidence that drinking coffee may help prevent diabetes and that caffeine may be the ingredient largely responsible for this effect.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100609111316.htm

World's oldest leather shoe found in Armenia

ScienceDaily (2010-06-10) -- A perfectly preserved shoe -- 1,000 years older than the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt and 400 years older than Stonehenge in the UK -- has been discovered in a cave in Armenia by an international team of archaeologists.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100609201426.htm

Rare lady beetles prefer traditional diet

ScienceDaily (2010-06-11) -- Experts watched helplessly as a colony of rare, captive lady beetles was lost in 2008, then teetered on the edge of disaster again in 2009http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100322091907.htm

Pumping up the heat for a climate-friendly future

ScienceDaily (2010-06-14) -- Making ground-source heat a cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels has long been a dream for countries that depend on energy imports and need to cut their carbon dioxide emissions. A team of businesses and researchers in Slovenia and Serbia set out to develop the heat pump technology that would make this dream a reality.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100611085354.htm

Link between depression, abdominal obesity confirmed by new study

ScienceDaily (2010-06-14) -- A new study confirms the relationship between depression and abdominal obesity, which has been linked to an increased risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100609171853.htm

NASA demonstrates tsunami prediction system

ScienceDaily (2010-06-14) -- A NASA-led research team has successfully demonstrated for the first time elements of a prototype tsunami prediction system that quickly and accurately assesses large earthquakes and estimates the size of resulting tsunamis.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100614161722.htm

Replacing white rice with brown rice or other whole grains may reduce diabetes risk

ScienceDaily (2010-06-14) -- In a new study, researchers have found that eating five or more servings of white rice per week was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, eating two or more servings of brown rice per week was associated with a lower risk of the disease.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100614161349.htm

Turning a painkiller into a cancer killer: Pain reliever redirected to trigger death pathways in cancer cells

ScienceDaily (2010-06-14) -- Without knowing exactly why, scientists have long observed that people who regularly take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin have lower incidences of certain types of cancer. Now, in a new study, researchers have figured out how one NSAID, called Sulindac, inhibits tumor growth.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100614121608.htm

Yellow fever vaccine modified to fight malaria

ScienceDaily (2010-06-11) -- There is no vaccine for malaria, which sickens almost a quarter of a billion people each year and kills a child every 30 seconds. That could be changing: researchers have genetically transformed the yellow fever vaccine to prime the immune system to fend off the mosquito borne parasites that cause the disease. The researchers found that the modified vaccine, along with a booster, provided mice with immunity to the deadly disease. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100611222839.htm

Youth clubs strengthen kids' self image to keep them out of trouble

ScienceDaily (2010-06-12) -- When children belong to a youth club, they gain a stronger sense of who they are as a person, a new has revealed. The study suggests that even small improvements in self concept go a long way toward keeping children out of trouble.

Getting extra sleep improves the athletic performance of collegiate football players

ScienceDaily (2010-06-09) -- Football players' sprint times improved significantly after seven to eight weeks of sleep extension. Average sprint time in the 20-yard shuttle improved from 4.71 seconds to 4.61 seconds, and average 40-yard dash time decreased from 4.99 seconds to 4.89 seconds. Daytime sleepiness and fatigue also decreased significantly, while vigor scores significantly improved. Participants were seven healthy students on the Stanford football team. Results support previous research involving students who compete in other sports.

Alcohol use and smoking are associated with headaches in high schoolers

ScienceDaily (2010-06-09) -- Alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking were associated with increased migraines and tension-type headaches in high school students, according to new research. Coffee drinking and physical inactivity were associated specifically with migraines.

Detecting tumors faster

ScienceDaily (2010-06-09) -- To diagnose cancer reliably, doctors usually conduct a biopsy including tissue analysis, which is a time-consuming process. A microscopic image sensor, fitted in an endoscope, is being developed for in vivo cancer diagnosis, to speed up the detection of tumors.

Scientists uncover protein that thwarts tumor invasion

ScienceDaily (2010-06-09) -- Researchers have determined that cancer cells lacking a key protein are more invasive and more likely to metastasize, providing a possible drug target to combat certain tumor types.

Understanding the mechanisms of liver regeneration through computer simulation

ScienceDaily (2010-06-09) -- How does the liver manage to regenerate itself even after severe damage? Seeking to find an answer to this significant medical question, scientists in Germany have gained new insights into the underlying processes involved in the regeneration of liver lobules using computer simulation and laboratory experiments.

Dolphins use diplomacy in their communication, biologists find

ScienceDaily (2010-06-09) -- Marine biologists are studying the repertoire of sounds used by bottlenose dolphins to communicate. The study reveals stunning complexity in dolphin communication and our lack of understanding about the communication of these marine mammals.

Even small patches of urban woods are valuable for migrating birds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-08) -- Even tiny patches of woods in urban areas seem to provide adequate food and protection for some species of migrating birds as they fly between wintering and breeding grounds, new research has found. The results are important because, with the expansion of cities worldwide, migrating land birds increasingly must pass through vast urban areas which offer very little of the forest habitats on which many species rely.

Gulf oil spill could widen, worsen 'dead zone'

ScienceDaily (2010-06-08) -- While an out-of-control gusher deep in the Gulf of Mexico fouls beaches and chokes marshland habitat, another threat could be growing below the oil-slicked surface. The nation's worst oil spill could worsen and expand the oxygen-starved region of the Gulf labeled "the dead zone" for its inhospitality to marine life, suggest scientists.

Indian Eddies Supply Atlantic Ocean With Warm Water

ScienceDaily (2005-10-17) -- Water from the Indian Ocean does not reach the South Atlantic Ocean continuously, but in separate packages. These are called Agulhas eddies, after the current along the east coast of Southern Africa where they originate from. Dutch researcher Astrid van Veldhoven characterised the fate of these rapidly rotating, three hundred kilometre wide and five kilometres deep, warm eddies during their journey to the Atlantic Ocean.

Massive Southern Ocean current discovered

ScienceDaily (2010-04-27) -- A deep ocean current with a volume equivalent to 40 Amazon Rivers has been discovered by Japanese and Australian scientists near the Kerguelen plateau, in the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean, 4200 kilometers south-west of Perth.

Crocodiles ride ocean currents for ocean travel

ScienceDaily (2010-06-08) -- The mystery of how the world's largest living reptile -- the estuarine crocodile -- has come to occupy so many South Pacific islands separated by huge stretches of ocean despite being a poor swimmer has at last been solved by a group of Australian ecologists. They say that like a surfer catching a wave, the crocodiles ride ocean currents to cross large areas of open sea.

No place to hide: New 360-degree video surveillance system uses image stitching technology that is perfectly detailed edge to edge

ScienceDaily (2010-06-08) -- The US Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate new Imaging System for Immersive Surveillance is as detailed as 50 full-HDTV movies playing at once, with optical detail to spare.

Violent video games may increase aggression in some but not others, says new research

ScienceDaily (2010-06-08) -- Playing violent video games can make some adolescents more hostile, particularly those who are less agreeable, less conscientious and easily angered. But for others, it may offer opportunities to learn new skills and improve social networking.

Vacuum cleaner sucks up strokes

ScienceDaily (2010-06-08) -- A clot vacuum cleaner that sucks out stroke-producing blockages from blood vessels in the brain may sound like science fiction. But this potentially paradigm-shifting procedure may successfully salvage brain cells for more than just the first three hours following a major stroke, with fewer risks.

Climate change linked to major vegetation shifts worldwide

ScienceDaily (2010-06-09) -- Vegetation around the world is on the move, and climate change is the culprit, according to a new analysis of global vegetation shifts.

More adults report excessive sleepiness in the US than in Europe

ScienceDaily (2010-06-08) -- Results indicate that 19.5 percent of US adults reported having moderate to excessive sleepiness, which was comparable between men and women. Furthermore, 11 percent of participants reported severe sleepiness, which was more prevalent in women (13 percent) than in men (8.6 percent). The cross-sectional study involved a representative sample of 8,937 adults. In a previous study the author reported that the prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness in five European countries was 15 percent.

'Baby Bubbler': Student invention helps infants with respiratory ailments

ScienceDaily (2010-06-09) -- Undergraduates have developed a device that could save babies' lives. The Baby Bubbler -- or in its more technical guise, the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device -- helps children with acute respiratory infections breathe naturally as they recover.

Including Environmental Data Improves Effectiveness Of Invasive Species Range Predictions

ScienceDaily (2009-03-19) -- Predicting the future spread of invasive species presents a challenge to ecologists that has until recently only been addressed by comparing species climate tolerance with established climate maps to predict susceptible areas. A new study finds, however, that when land-use and habitat data are incorporated, models predict that species may also be likely to colonize areas with unfavorable climates.

11,000 Alien Species Invade Europe

ScienceDaily (2008-11-20) -- For the first time it is now possible to get a comprehensive overview of which alien species are present in Europe, their impacts and consequences for the environment and society. More than 11,000 alien species have been documented by DAISIE, a unique three year research project with more than 100 European scientists, that provides new knowledge on biological invasions in Europe.

Freshwater Fish Invasions The Result Of Human Activity

ScienceDaily (2008-02-09) -- Mapping worldwide freshwater fish invasions allowed the identification of major invasion hot spots and demonstrated that economic activity is the main determinant of freshwater fish invasions at the global scale.

Follow the money: Wealth, population are key drivers of invasive species

ScienceDaily (2010-06-07) -- A new study of biological invasions in Europe found they were linked not so much to changes in climate or land cover, but to two dominant factors -- more money and more people.

Students develop device to help blind maneuver

ScienceDaily (2010-06-03) -- The radar system incorporates a computer, two video cameras and a scanning light source to warn the blind of obstacles with audible alerts. The system detects obstacles -- even those overhead -- by scanning the depth of its surroundings, taken from two different angles -- similar to that of the human eye.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603172252.htm

Lack of skilled birth care costs 2 million lives each year worldwide, study estimates

ScienceDaily (2010-06-03) -- A lack of skilled attendants at birth accounts for two million preventable maternal deaths, stillbirths and newborn deaths each year, according to the newly released Countdown to 2015 Decade Report (2000-2010). The report shows that nearly 50 percent of women in the 68 countries carefully tracked in the Countdown report -- most of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia -- still give birth without the aid of a trained midwife, nurse, doctor, or other skilled birth attendant.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603193929.htm

Oasis near Death Valley fed by ancient aquifer under Nevada Test Site

ScienceDaily (2010-06-04) -- A new study indicates that water arriving at Ash Meadows in Death Valley is completing a 15,000-year journey, flowing slowly underground from what is now the Nevada Test Site.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603172256.htm

Ocean Acidification in the Arctic: What are the consequences of carbon dioxide increase on marine ecosystems?

ScienceDaily (2010-06-03) -- Carbon dioxide emissions not only lead to global warming, but also cause another, less well-known but equally disconcerting environmental change: ocean acidification. Scientists have just started the first major CO2 perturbation experiment in the Arctic Ocean. Their goal is to determine the response of Arctic marine life to the rapid change in ocean chemistry.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603092018.htm

How trekking-poles help hikers maintain muscle function while reducing soreness

ScienceDaily (2010-06-03) -- A new study shows for the first time how trekking-poles help hikers maintain muscle function while significantly reducing soreness in the days following a hike.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100602121000.htm

New evidence that chili pepper ingredient fights fat

ScienceDaily (2010-06-03) -- Scientists are reporting new evidence that capsaicin, the stuff that gives chili peppers their kick, may cause weight loss and fight fat buildup by triggering certain beneficial protein changes in the body. Their study could lead to new treatments for obesity.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100602121202.htm

Too much weight in pregnancy may lead to future heart risks, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-03) -- Researchers have uncovered evidence to show that piling on too many pounds in pregnancy may lead to future heart risks in the child.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100602212841.htm

Second language learners recall native language when reading, brain research suggests

ScienceDaily (2010-06-01) -- Adults fluent in English whose first language is Chinese retrieve their native language when reading in English, according to new research. The study suggests that people who learn a second language in adolescence or later recall the sounds of words from their native language.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100601171848.htm

Scientists create artificial mini 'black hole'

ScienceDaily (2010-06-03) -- Chinese researchers have successfully built an electromagnetic absorbing device for microwave frequencies. The device, made of a thin cylinder comprising 60 concentric rings of metamaterials, is capable of absorbing microwave radiation, and has been compared to an astrophysical black hole (which, in space, soaks up matter and light).
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603091829.htm

Bone drug suppresses wandering tumor cells in breast cancer patients; May reduce metastatic disease

ScienceDaily (2010-06-03) -- The bone-strengthening drug zoledronic acid (Zometa) can help fight metastatic breast cancer when given before surgery, new research suggests. When the drug was given along with chemotherapy for three months before breast cancer surgery, it reduced the number of women who had tumor cells in their bone marrow at the time of surgery.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100602152418.htm

Hold the salt: Engineers develop revolutionary new desalination membrane

ScienceDaily (2010-04-05) -- Researchers have unveiled a new class of reverse-osmosis membranes for desalination that resist the clogging which typically occurs when seawater, brackish water and waste water are purified. The highly permeable, surface-structured membrane can easily be incorporated into today's commercial production system, the researchers say, and could help to significantly reduce desalination operating costs.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100406093636.htm

Do we clamp the umbilical cord too soon? Early clamping may interrupt humankind's first 'natural stem cell transplant'

ScienceDaily (2010-05-24) -- The timing of umbilical cord clamping at birth remains controversial. The cord has been clamped early to facilitate resuscitation and stabilization of infants. Now, a new review paper suggests clamping should be delayed in normal births to tap the physiological benefits of "nature's first stem cell transplant."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100524111728.htm

Oil spill puts commercially significant cold-water reefs in peril

ScienceDaily (2010-06-06) -- Thousands of barrels of oil are leaking out of the Deepwater Horizon site each day. The oil ascends from depths of approximately 1502 m. (4928 ft.), but not all of it reaches the sea surface. The stratified seawater of the Gulf of Mexico captures or slows the ascent of the oil, and the addition of dispersants near the oil source produces tiny droplets that float for a considerable time in the water column and may never reach the surface. According to a group of Florida researchers, the oil that remains in suspension in the water column and creates plumes poses a serious risk for the planktonic and benthic (sea floor) life throughout the region, including the deep-sea reefs they study.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100606004815.htm

An extra driver behind the wheel

ScienceDaily (2010-06-05) -- When the steering wheel starts vibrating strongly, your car is too close to the edge of the road. WayPilot, a new Norwegian product, helps to keep it where it should be in the driving lane.

'Little brown balls' tie malaria and algae to common ancestor, researchers find

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- Inconspicuous "little brown balls" in the ocean have helped settle a long-standing debate about the origin of malaria and the algae responsible for toxic red tides, according to a new study.

TV food advertisements promote imbalanced diets, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- Making food choices based on television advertising results in a very imbalanced diet, according to a new study comparing the nutritional content of food choices influenced by television to nutritional guidelines.

Unique computer model used to predict active 2010 hurricane season

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- Scientists who have developed a unique computer model with a knack for predicting hurricanes with unprecedented accuracy are forecasting an unusually active season this year.

Count your chickens (and robins and pigeons ...), urge researchers working to protect birds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- People could help to prevent species of birds from becoming extinct by recording sightings of all kinds of birds online, including common species, according to a new study.

Who are we sharing the planet with? Millions less species than previously thought, new calculations suggest

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- New calculations reveal that the number of species on Earth is likely to be in the order of several million rather than tens of millions. The findings, from an Australian-led study, are based on a new method of estimating tropical insect species -- the largest and one of the most difficult groups on the planet to study -- having significant implications for conservation efforts.

Squirrels show softer side by adopting orphans, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- Squirrels will take in orphaned pups if the babies are closely related to the adoptive mother, according to new research. Although adoptions occur among species that live in extended family groups, it's much less common among asocial animals, such as squirrels, who are territorial, live alone and rarely interact with one another. The study also shows squirrels are able to asses which pups they are related to before determining whether to adopt.

Apologies may fuel settlement of legal disputes, study says

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- Apologies can potentially help resolve legal disputes ranging from injury cases to wrongful firings, giving wounded parties a sense of justice and satisfaction that promotes settlements and trims demands for damages, a new study finds.

Meditation reduces the emotional impact of pain, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- People who meditate regularly find pain less unpleasant because their brains anticipate the pain less, a new study has found.

Bacterioplankton responses to desert dust in the (sub)tropical northeast Atlantic

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- Inputs of dust from the Sahara desert could change the composition of microbial communities in the (sub)tropical eastern North Atlantic, say researchers.

Tidy house, fitter body?

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- A study that examined the relationship between physical activity and a range of variables involving urban residents' homes and neighborhoods found that the inside of their homes had more to do with higher physical activity levels than sidewalks, lighting and other elements.

Ablation proved as effective as traditional surgery in treating kidney cancer

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- A minimally invasive technique used to destroy kidney tumors with an electrically controlled heating probe showed similar effectiveness as surgical removal of tumors in curbing cancer recurrence rates for up to five years after treatment.

Using nature's design principles to create specialized nanofabrics

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- Bioengineers have developed a new technology based on nature's design principles for self assembly and self organization. The technology can be used to regenerate heart and other tissues and to make nanometer-thick fabrics that are strong and elastic. The key breakthrough came in the development of a matrix that can assemble itself through interaction with a thermosensitive surface. The protein composition of that matrix can be customized to generate specific properties.

Coffee consumption unrelated to alertness: Stimulating effects may be illusion, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-06-02) -- The stimulatory effects of caffeine may be nothing more than an illusion, according to new research that shows there is no real benefit to be gained from the habitual morning cup of coffee.

Researcher decodes Rembrandt's 'magic'

ScienceDaily (2010-05-29) -- A researcher using computer-rendering programs has uncovered what makes Rembrandt's masterful portraits so appealing. Rembrandt may have pioneered a technique that guides the viewer's gaze around a portrait, creating a special narrative and "calmer" viewing experience.

Empathy: College students don't have as much as they used to, study finds

ScienceDaily (2010-05-29) -- Today's college students are not as empathetic as college students of the 1980s and '90s, a new study shows.

'Law-like' mathematical patterns in human preference behavior discovered

ScienceDaily (2010-05-28) -- Scientists have found mathematical patterns underlying the way individuals unconsciously distribute their preferences regarding approaching or avoiding objects in their environment. These patterns appear to meet the strict criteria used to determine whether something is a scientific law and, if confirmed in future studies, could potentially be used to guide diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Understanding the relationship between bacteria and obesity

ScienceDaily (2010-05-30) -- Research sheds new light on the role bacteria in the digestive tract may play in obesity. The studies paint a picture that may be more complex than originally thought.

Cut the salt and ditch the drugs: Controlling blood pressure in dialysis patients

ScienceDaily (2010-05-29) -- For kidney patients trying to control their blood pressure, reducing fluid build-up in the blood is more effective than using antihypertensive medications, according to a new analysis. The research suggests that lowering salt intake may help reduce build-up.

Consent forms for research: Have they improved in 25 years?

ScienceDaily (2010-05-31) -- Consent forms that people sign before participating in research are widely considered difficult to understand and sometimes inaccurate. Lack of clarity was implicated in a high-profile legal settlement in April between Arizona State University and a Native American tribe, which claimed that blood samples that its members provided for genetic research were used for purposes not stated in the consent form. Efforts have been made to improve the forms, but how effective are they?

New source of stem cells form heart muscle cells, repair damage

ScienceDaily (2010-05-30) -- A new and noncontroversial source of stem cells can form heart muscle cells and help repair heart damage, according to results of preliminary lab tests.

NOAA expands fishing closed area in Gulf of Mexico; approximately 75 percent of Gulf still open for fishing

ScienceDaily (2010-05-31) -- NOAA has extended the closed fishing area in the Gulf of Mexico to include a large area of oil sheen patches crossing the eastern edge of the current boundary, as well as an area currently outside the southern boundary which a small portion of the sheen is moving toward.

Spawning habitat of bluefin tuna in Gulf of Mexico: Critical area intersects Deepwater Horizon oil spill

ScienceDaily (2010-05-31) -- Electronic tagging and fisheries catch data have revealed pronounced differences in preferred habitat of Atlantic bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico, despite their close ancestry, according to a new study. Bluefin tuna return to the same regions of the Gulf of Mexico during spring months to spawn. Yellowfin tuna are more widely distributed throughout the warm Gulf waters and occupy the region throughout the year.

From butterflies' wings to bank notes: How nature's colors could cut bank fraud

ScienceDaily (2010-05-31) -- Scientists have discovered a way of mimicking the stunningly bright and beautiful colors found on the wings of tropical butterflies. The findings could have important applications in the security printing industry, helping to make bank notes and credit cards harder to forge.

Predicting severity of breast cancer

ScienceDaily (2010-05-31) -- Researchers have identified a biomarker in patient blood which can predict the severity of breast cancer in patients and may enable clinicians to track patients throughout the course of their treatment.

Acupuncture's molecular effects pinned down: New insights spur effort to boost treatment's impact significantly

ScienceDaily (2010-05-31) -- Scientists have identified the molecule adenosine as a central player in parlaying some of the effects of acupuncture in the body. Building on that knowledge, scientists were able to triple the beneficial effects of acupuncture in mice by adding a medication approved to treat leukemia in people.

How whales have changed over 35 million years

ScienceDaily (2010-05-31) -- Evolutionary biologists have looked back 35 million years to provide the first test of why whales show such rich diversity. Species diversification and body size of whales were established early in their evolution.

NOAA predicts below normal Eastern Pacific hurricane season

ScienceDaily (2010-05-31) -- NOAA's National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center has announced that projected climate conditions point to a below normal hurricane season in the Eastern Pacific this year. The outlook calls for a 75 percent probability of a below normal season, a 20 percent probability of a near normal season and a five percent probability of an above normal season.

What happens when we get angry?

ScienceDaily (2010-06-01) -- When we get angry, the heart rate, arterial tension and testosterone production increases, cortisol (the stress hormone) decreases, and the left hemisphere of the brain becomes more stimulated. This is indicated by a new investigation that analyzes the changes in the brain's cardiovascular, hormonal and asymmetric activation response when we get angry.

Alcohol-related traffic-risk behaviors among college students become worse at age 21

ScienceDaily (2010-06-01) -- Drinking and driving among college students continues to be a major public-health concern. A new study has examined how these behaviors may change as students move through their college years. Results showed that the prevalence and frequency of alcohol-related traffic-risk behaviors took a significant upturn when students turned 21 years old.

Student uses pedal power to create novel machine

ScienceDaily (2010-06-01) -- An innovative bicycle-powered water pump, created by a student in the UK, has proved a huge success and is now in regular production in Guatemala, transforming the lives of rural residents.

After the oil spill: New research sheds light on coral susceptibility to environmental stress

ScienceDaily (2010-06-01) -- Much attention has been paid to the fate of wildlife living on and above the Gulf of Mexico's surface. Now, new research looks toward the seafloor to explain coral susceptibility to disease outbreaks when they encounter environmental stress and to set the stage for understanding what type of undersea environment is necessary to promote coral health and growth after the oil spill cleanup.