ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• NASA map sees Earth's trees in a new light
• Star cluster surrounds wayward black hole in cannibal galaxy
• Linking human evolution and climate change
• Human-made photosynthesis to revolutionize food and energy production
• Who goes there? Verifying identity online
• No kids in public school? You still benefit
• New braille-like texting app lets you text without looking
• Models underestimate future temperature variability: Food security at risk
• How mitochondrial DNA defects cause inherited deafness
• Deepwater Horizon disaster could have billion dollar impact
• Revealed in accurate detail, the underground world of plants
• A robot sketches portraits
• Meet plants' and algae's common ancestor: Primitive organisms not always so simple, researcher says
• Military service, even without combat, can change personality and make vets less agreeable, research suggests
• Puzzle play improves math skills
• 3-D microscopy to aid in cell analysis
• Nano-technology uses virus' coats to fool cancer cell
• How the quarter horse won the rodeo
• More than one in four elderly patients was given potentially hazardous medication during 2007, German study finds
• Origin of photosynthesis revealed by a 'living fossil'
• Norwegian success in creating an artificial child's voice
• Geoscientists use numerical model to better forecast forces behind earthquakes
• Heat energy used to fix odd heart beat
• Brain imaging differences evident at 6 months in high-risk infants who later develop autism
• Brain differences found at 6 months in infants who develop autism
• Nanoparticles in food, vitamins could harm human health, researchers warn
• DNA nanorobot triggers targeted therapeutic responses
• Chimp haven gets an upgrade
• New robots can continuously map their environment with low-cost camera
• Arsenic supply at highest risk of shortages
• New hope for threatened freshwater dolphins in Asia
• Synthetic protein amplifies genes needed for stem cells
• Nanosurgery and the fight against cancer
• Cell signaling discovery provides new hope for blood disorders
• Genes may travel from plant to plant to fuel evolution
• Fruit flies use alcohol as a drug to kill parasites
• Secret of sperm quality control revealed
• Circadian clock governs highs and lows of immune response
• To kill off parasites, an insect self-medicates with alcohol

NASA map sees Earth's trees in a new light Posted: 17 Feb 2012 02:12 PM PST A NASA-led science team has created an accurate, high-resolution map of the height of Earth's forests. The map will help scientists better understand the role forests play in climate change and how their heights influence wildlife habitats within them, while also helping them quantify the carbon stored in Earth's vegetation.

Star cluster surrounds wayward black hole in cannibal galaxy Posted: 17 Feb 2012 11:59 AM PST Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope may have found evidence for a cluster of young, blue stars encircling one of the first intermediate-mass black holes ever discovered. Astronomers believe the black hole may once have been at the core of a now-disintegrated unseen dwarf galaxy. The discovery of the black hole and the possible star cluster has important implications for understanding the evolution of supermassive black holes and galaxies.

Linking human evolution and climate change Posted: 17 Feb 2012 11:57 AM PST It's not a take on climate change we often hear about. But a professor of archaeology, will talk about how climate change impacts human evolution at the world's largest science fair.

Human-made photosynthesis to revolutionize food and energy production Posted: 17 Feb 2012 11:57 AM PST Improving natural photosynthesis to make new fuels and boost crop production is the focus of new research. It could see us one step closer to bottling the sun's energy or turbocharging plants to produce bumper crops.

Who goes there? Verifying identity online Posted: 17 Feb 2012 11:57 AM PST We are all used to logging into networks where we have a unique identity, verified by the network server and associated with our account for other members of the network to see. Such an identity-based network system is useful because it is relatively simple. However, there are three major drawbacks including loss of anonymity of communicating users, misplaced trust and identity theft.

No kids in public school? You still benefit Posted: 17 Feb 2012 11:57 AM PST Quality public schools benefit everyone – including those without school-aged children – and therefore everyone should play a role in maintaining them, according to a new study.

New braille-like texting app lets you text without looking Posted: 17 Feb 2012 11:53 AM PST Researchers have designed a texting solution that could become a modern substitute for passing notes under the table. BrailleTouch is a prototype texting app that requires only finger gestures to key in letters on touch screen devices – no sight required.

Models underestimate future temperature variability: Food security at risk Posted: 17 Feb 2012 11:53 AM PST Climate warming caused by greenhouse gases is very likely to increase summer temperature variability around the world by the end of this century, new research shows. The findings have major implications for food production.

How mitochondrial DNA defects cause inherited deafness Posted: 17 Feb 2012 08:56 AM PST Scientists have discovered the molecular pathway by which maternally inherited deafness appears to occur: Mitochondrial DNA mutations trigger a signaling cascade, resulting in programmed cell death.

Deepwater Horizon disaster could have billion dollar impact Posted: 17 Feb 2012 08:55 AM PST The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 will have a large economic impact on the US Gulf fisheries. A new study says that over seven years this oil spill could have a $US8.7 billion impact on the economy of the Gulf of Mexico. This includes losses in revenue, profit, and wages, and close to 22,000 jobs could be lost.

Revealed in accurate detail, the underground world of plants Posted: 17 Feb 2012 08:55 AM PST Plant and computer scientists can now study the underground world of plants with more accuracy and clarity. The revolutionary technique will improve our chances of breeding better crop varieties and increasing yields.

A robot sketches portraits Posted: 17 Feb 2012 08:55 AM PST An industrial robot as artist? A painter made of metal really can sketch faces. Its artistic genius only emerges if someone takes a seat on the model's stool positioned in front of the robot: first, its camera records an image of its model; then it whips out its pencil and traces a portrait of the individual on its easel. After around ten minutes have passed, it grabs the work and proudly presents it to its public.

Meet plants' and algae's common ancestor: Primitive organisms not always so simple, researcher says Posted: 17 Feb 2012 08:50 AM PST A biologist has created a sketch of what the first common ancestor of plants and algae may have looked like.

Military service, even without combat, can change personality and make vets less agreeable, research suggests Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:19 AM PST It's no secret that battlefield trauma can leave veterans with deep emotional scars that impact their ability to function in civilian life. But new research suggests that military service, even without combat, has a subtle lingering effect on a man's personality, making it potentially more difficult for veterans to get along with friends, family and co-workers.

Puzzle play improves math skills Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:19 AM PST An important context for figuring out problems through reasoning is puzzle play, say researchers. Psychologists recently conducted a study that found two-four year-old children, who play with puzzles, have better spatial skills when assessed at 4 1/2 years of age.

3-D microscopy to aid in cell analysis Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:18 AM PST The understanding of diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's is set to take a step forward following groundbreaking technology which will enable cell analysis using automated 3D microscopy.

Nano-technology uses virus' coats to fool cancer cell Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:17 AM PST While there have been major advances in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of tumors within the brain, brain cancer continues to have a very low survival rate in part to high levels of resistance to treatment. New research has used Sendai virus to transport Quantum Dots (Qdots) into brain cancer cells and to specifically bind Qdots to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which is often over-expressed and up-regulated in tumors.

How the quarter horse won the rodeo Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:17 AM PST American Quarter Horses are renowned for their speed, agility, and calm disposition. Consequently over four million Quarter Horses are used as working horses on ranches, as show horses or at rodeos. New research used 'next-generation' sequencing to map variation in the genome of a Quarter Horse mare. Analysis of genetic variants associated with specific traits showed that compared to a thoroughbred the Quarter Horse's genome was enriched for variants in genes involved in sensory perception, signal transduction and the immune system.

More than one in four elderly patients was given potentially hazardous medication during 2007, German study finds Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:13 AM PST More than one in four elderly patients was given potentially hazardous medication during 2007, according to a new study from Germany.

Origin of photosynthesis revealed by a 'living fossil' Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:13 AM PST Recently, the complete genome of a glaucophyte alga (Cyanophora paradoxa) has been unraveled by an international consortium.

Norwegian success in creating an artificial child's voice Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:13 AM PST "Synthesized speech has grown more and more similar to human speech. Yet children communicating via a speech device are still forced to use a synthetic adult voice," explains a researcher developing tools to assist disabled persons.

Geoscientists use numerical model to better forecast forces behind earthquakes Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:10 AM PST Researchers have devised a numerical model to help explain the linkage between earthquakes and the powerful forces that cause them. Their findings hold implications for long-term forecasting of earthquakes.

Heat energy used to fix odd heart beat Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:10 AM PST Some hospitals are now offering patients with atrial fibrillation the breakthrough benefits of heat energy, or radio frequency waves, to irreversibly alter heart tissue that triggers an abnormal heart rhythm or arrhythmia.

Brain imaging differences evident at 6 months in high-risk infants who later develop autism Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:10 AM PST A new study has found significant differences in brain development starting at age 6 months in high-risk infants who later develop autism, compared to high-risk infants who did not develop autism. The study also suggests that autism does not appear suddenly in young children, but instead develops over time during infancy, raising the possibility that scientists may be able to interrupt that process with targeted intervention.

Brain differences found at 6 months in infants who develop autism Posted: 17 Feb 2012 07:10 AM PST A new study found significant differences in brain development starting at age 6 months in high-risk infants who later develop autism, compared to high-risk infants who did not develop autism. The study has significant implications for improving early diagnosis and intervention for autism. Intensive early intervention has been shown to improve outcomes.

Nanoparticles in food, vitamins could harm human health, researchers warn Posted: 16 Feb 2012 03:54 PM PST Billions of engineered nanoparticles in foods and pharmaceuticals are ingested by humans daily, and new study warns they may be more harmful to health than previously thought.

DNA nanorobot triggers targeted therapeutic responses Posted: 16 Feb 2012 11:42 AM PST A new robotic device made from DNA could potentially seek out specific cell targets and deliver important molecular instructions, such as telling cancer cells to self-destruct. Inspired by the mechanics of the body's own immune system, the technology represents a major breakthrough in the field of nanobiotechnology and might one day be used to program immune responses to treat various diseases.

Chimp haven gets an upgrade Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:44 AM PST With its miles and miles of dense swamp forest, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo has long been a wildlife haven. It's home to an unusual primate population: so-called "naïve" chimpanzees, who have so little exposure to humans that they investigate the conservationists who study them, instead of running away. These curious chimps got a recent boost when Congo formally expanded Nouabalé-Ndoki to protect them. Known as the Goualougo Triangle, the 100-plus square-mile forest and its unique great ape population was first reported in 1989 by WCS conservationists.

New robots can continuously map their environment with low-cost camera Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:41 AM PST Robots could one day navigate through constantly changing surroundings with virtually no input from humans, thanks to a system that allows them to build and continuously update a three-dimensional map of their environment using a low-cost camera such as Microsoft's Kinect.

Arsenic supply at highest risk of shortages Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:39 AM PST Modern technology depends on reliable supplies of a wide variety of materials, but there is increasing concern about the dependability of those supplies.

New hope for threatened freshwater dolphins in Asia Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:39 AM PST The Government of Bangladesh recently declared three new wildlife sanctuaries for endangered freshwater dolphins in the world's largest mangrove ecosystem – the Sundarbans, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society whose conservation work helped pinpoint the locations of the protected areas.

Synthetic protein amplifies genes needed for stem cells Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:39 AM PST Scientists have found a way to generate and maintain stem cells much more efficiently by amplifying the effect of an essential protein. Researchers have created synthetic versions of a protein, which manipulates adult cells – such as skin cells – so that they can subsequently revert to an earlier, embryonic like state. These reverted cells have the potential to become any cell in the body.

Nanosurgery and the fight against cancer Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:39 AM PST Researchers have succeeded in changing the genetic material of cancer cells using a brand-new transfection method. This breakthrough in nanosurgery opens the door to new medical applications, among others for the treatment of cancers.

Cell signaling discovery provides new hope for blood disorders Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:39 AM PST Scientists have revealed new details about how cell signaling is controlled in the immune system, identifying in the process potential new therapeutic targets for treating severe blood disorders.

Genes may travel from plant to plant to fuel evolution Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:34 AM PST Evolutionary biologists have documented for the first time that plants pass genes from plant to plant to fuel their evolutionary development. The researchers found enzymes key to photosynthesis had been shared among plants with only a distant ancestral relationship. The genes were incorporated into the metabolic cycle of the recipient plant, aiding adaptation.

Fruit flies use alcohol as a drug to kill parasites Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:34 AM PST Fruit flies infected with a blood-borne parasite consume alcohol to self-medicate, a behavior that greatly increases their survival rate, a new study finds. The researchers say the results are the first to show that alcohol consumption can have a protective effect against infectious disease, and in particular against blood-borne parasites. The data raises an important question: Could other organisms, perhaps even humans, control blood-borne parasites through high doses of alcohol?

Secret of sperm quality control revealed Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:34 AM PST Researchers have discovered how the "guardian of the genome'' oversees quality control in the production of sperm -- and perhaps in many other cells as well.

Circadian clock governs highs and lows of immune response Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:34 AM PST It's been said that timing is everything, and that may be particularly true when it comes to the ability to fight off disease. New research shows that the success of host immune defense depends in part on an organism's "body clock." The study may lead to therapeutic strategies designed to optimize the immune response and to protect patients at the time when they are most vulnerable.

To kill off parasites, an insect self-medicates with alcohol Posted: 16 Feb 2012 10:34 AM PST Alcoholic drinks aren't generally put into the category of health food, but in some cases they might be just the cure for nasty parasites. That's according to a new study showing that fruit flies will actually seek out alcohol to kill off blood-borne parasitic wasps living within them.

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