ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Giant fossil turtle from Colombia round like car tire
• Widespread exposure to BPA substitute is occurring from cash register receipts, other paper
• Ancient domesticated remains are oldest in southern Africa
• Anxiety linked to shortened telomeres, accelerated aging
• The eyes don't have it: New research into lying and eye movements
• Toward new drugs for the human and non-human cells in people
• Memories serve as tools for learning and decision-making
• Transforming cancer into a manageable illness with multi-drug approach
• Caterpillar gets more from its food when predator is on the prowl
• Smarter materials: Self-powered, homeostatic nanomaterial actively self-regulates in response to environmental change
• Switch lets early lung cancer grow unchecked
• Two proteins offer a 'clearer' way to treat Huntington’s disease
• Skulls shed new light on the evolution of the cat
• Air in expectant moms' homes contains pesticides, Texas-Mexico border study finds
• Trigger for past rapid sea level rise discovered
• Why the thrill is gone: Potential target for treating major symptom of depression
• Native American populations descend from three key migrations, scientists say
• Using biomarkers to identify and treat schizophrenia
• Development of 'Slater insulator' that rapidly changes from conductor to insulator at room temperature
• Tobacco protein enhances crop immune systems
• Scientists see trafficking of immune cells in beating heart
• One step closer to new kind of thermoelectric 'heat engine'
• 'Insulating' brain cells appear to play a critical role in brain cell survival and may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS
• Naturally occurring molecule may prevent atherosclerosis
• Hubble discovers a fifth moon orbiting Pluto
• Ions, not particles, make silver toxic to bacteria: Too small a dose may enhance microbes' immunity
• No reliable evidence on effectiveness of electric fans in heatwaves
• The more gray matter you have, the more altruistic you are
• Strong communication between brain and muscle requires both having the protein LRP4
• Individual differences in altruism explained by brain region involved in empathy
• Got milk? Climate change means stressed cows in southern U. S. may have less
• Titanian seasons turn, turn, turn: Atmospheric changes on Saturn's moon
• Social responsibility: Monitoring children's social media usage is important, but so is allowing their mistakes
• Down on the cacao farm: Sloths thrive at chocolate's source
• New technique identifies cellular 'Needle in a haystack'
• Tropical cyclones' role in ending drought in Southeast US charted
• Early-life exposure to PCE, chemical in drinking water, may affect vision, study finds
• Evidence supports health benefits of 'mindfulness-based practices'
• Making 'Renewable' viable: New technology for grid-level electrical energy storage developed
• Decline of immune system with aging may have a genetic cause
• Nanodevice builds electricity from tiny pieces
• A deeper look into the pathogen responsible for crown gall disease in plants
• Oral contraceptive use in girls and alcohol consumption in boys linked to increased blood pressure in late adolescence
• Weight loss resulting from a low-fat diet may help eliminate menopausal symptoms
• Thwarting invaders: Predicting risks from invasive species before it happens
• Giving ancient life another chance to evolve: Scientists place 500-million-year-old gene in modern organism
• Moderate alcohol consumption may help prevent bone loss, study suggests
• Not so happy: King penguins stressed by human presence
• Drugs used to treat HIV also reduce risk of HIV infection, review suggests
• Fewer iron supplements during pregnancy work just as well for preventing anemia, study suggests
• Dark galaxies of the early universe spotted for the first time
• Hormone-mimicking chemicals cause inter-species mating: Bisphenol A breaks down fish species barriers
• The Iberian wolf lives close to humans more for refuge than for prey
• How metastasizing cancer cells enter organs
• Silver nanoparticle synthesis using strawberry tree leaf
• Nearly 2000 non-native species established in Great Britain
• Tracked step for step: ATP splitting in membrane protein dynamically measured for the first time
• Redefining what it means to be narcissistic in a social media world

Giant fossil turtle from Colombia round like car tire Posted: 11 Jul 2012 06:03 PM PDT Even the world's largest snake, Titanoboa, could probably not have swallowed this new, very round fossil turtle species from Colombia.

Widespread exposure to BPA substitute is occurring from cash register receipts, other paper Posted: 11 Jul 2012 06:02 PM PDT People are being exposed to higher levels of the substitute for BPA in cash register thermal paper receipts and many of the other products that engendered concerns about the health effects of bisphenol A, according to a new study. Bisphenol S (BPS) is now frequently found in thermal and recycled paper and paper currency. BPS is closely related to BPA, with some of the same estrogen-mimicking effects, and unanswered questions exist about whether it is safer.

Ancient domesticated remains are oldest in southern Africa Posted: 11 Jul 2012 06:02 PM PDT Researchers have found evidence of the earliest known instance of domesticated caprines (sheep and goats) in southern Africa, dated to the end of the first millennium BC, providing new data to the ongoing debate about the origins of domestication and herding practices in this region.

Anxiety linked to shortened telomeres, accelerated aging Posted: 11 Jul 2012 06:01 PM PDT A common form of anxiety, known as phobic anxiety, was associated with shorter telomeres in middle-aged and older women. The study suggests that phobic anxiety is a possible risk factor for accelerated aging.

The eyes don't have it: New research into lying and eye movements Posted: 11 Jul 2012 05:59 PM PDT Widely held beliefs about Neuro-Linguistic Programming and lying are unfounded. Proponents of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) have long claimed that it is possible to tell whether a person is lying from their eye movements. New research reveals that this claim is unfounded, with the authors calling on the public and organizations to abandon this approach to lie detection.

Toward new drugs for the human and non-human cells in people Posted: 11 Jul 2012 12:42 PM PDT Amid the growing recognition that only a small fraction of the cells and genes in a typical human being are human, scientists are suggesting a revolutionary approach to developing new medicines and treatments to target both the human and non-human components of people.

Memories serve as tools for learning and decision-making Posted: 11 Jul 2012 12:42 PM PDT People associate past memories with novel information, according to a new study. This memory-binding process allows people to better understand new concepts and make future decisions. The findings could lead to better teaching methods, as well as treatment of degenerative neurological disorders, such as dementia.

Transforming cancer into a manageable illness with multi-drug approach Posted: 11 Jul 2012 12:06 PM PDT A new, multi-drug approach to treatment could make many cancers manageable, if not curable, illnesses by overcoming resistance to certain drug treatments, a new study suggests. The findings suggest that, of the billions of cancer cells that exist in a patient, only a tiny percentage -- about one in a million -- are resistant to drugs used in targeted therapy.

Caterpillar gets more from its food when predator is on the prowl Posted: 11 Jul 2012 12:05 PM PDT Animals that choose to eat in the presence of a predator run the risk of being eaten themselves, so they often go into a defensive mode and pay a physical penalty. But that's not so for the crop pest hornworm caterpillar, a study shows.

Smarter materials: Self-powered, homeostatic nanomaterial actively self-regulates in response to environmental change Posted: 11 Jul 2012 11:19 AM PDT Living organisms have developed sophisticated ways to maintain stability in a changing environment. The integration of similar features in artificial materials, however, has remained a challenge. In a new study, engineers present a strategy for building self-thermoregulating nanomaterials that can, in principle, be tailored to maintain a set pH, pressure, or just about any other desired parameter by meeting the environmental changes with a compensatory chemical feedback response.

Switch lets early lung cancer grow unchecked Posted: 11 Jul 2012 11:18 AM PDT Cellular change thought to happen only in late-stage cancers to help tumors spread also occurs in early-stage lung cancer as a way to bypass growth controls, say researchers.

Two proteins offer a 'clearer' way to treat Huntington’s disease Posted: 11 Jul 2012 11:18 AM PDT Researchers have identified two key regulatory proteins critical to clearing away misfolded proteins that accumulate and cause the progressive, deadly neurodegeneration of Huntington's disease (HD).

Skulls shed new light on the evolution of the cat Posted: 11 Jul 2012 11:10 AM PDT Modern cats diverged in skull shape from their sabre-toothed ancestors early in their evolutionary history and then followed separate evolutionary trajectories, according to new research.

Air in expectant moms' homes contains pesticides, Texas-Mexico border study finds Posted: 11 Jul 2012 10:47 AM PDT Air samples from homes of Hispanic mothers-to-be along the Texas-Mexico border contained multiple pesticides in a majority of houses, a new study has shown. The study was conducted in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

Trigger for past rapid sea level rise discovered Posted: 11 Jul 2012 10:47 AM PDT The cause of rapid sea level rise in the past has been found by scientists using climate and ice sheet models. The process, named 'saddle-collapse', was found to be the cause of two rapid sea level rise events: The Meltwater pulse 1a (MWP1a) around 14,600 years ago and the '8,200 year' event.

Why the thrill is gone: Potential target for treating major symptom of depression Posted: 11 Jul 2012 10:47 AM PDT Scientists have laid bare a novel molecular mechanism responsible for the most important symptom of major depression: anhedonia, the loss of the ability to experience pleasure. While their study was conducted in mice, the brain circuit involved in this newly elucidated pathway is largely identical between rodents and humans, upping the odds that the findings point toward new therapies for depression and other disorders.

Native American populations descend from three key migrations, scientists say Posted: 11 Jul 2012 10:47 AM PDT Scientists have found that Native American populations -- from Canada to the southern tip of Chile -- arose from at least three migrations, with the majority descended entirely from a single group of First American migrants that crossed over through Beringia, a land bridge between Asia and America that existed during the ice ages, more than 15,000 years ago.

Using biomarkers to identify and treat schizophrenia Posted: 11 Jul 2012 10:45 AM PDT Scientists have identified a set of laboratory-based biomarkers that can be useful for understanding brain-based abnormalities in schizophrenia. The measurements, known as endophenotypes, could ultimately be a boon to clinicians who sometimes struggle to recognize and treat the complex and confounding mental disorder.

Development of 'Slater insulator' that rapidly changes from conductor to insulator at room temperature Posted: 11 Jul 2012 10:45 AM PDT Scientists have succeeded in developing a Slater insulator which functions at room temperature.

Tobacco protein enhances crop immune systems Posted: 11 Jul 2012 10:45 AM PDT A component in tobacco that makes crop immune systems more resistant to viral attacks.

Scientists see trafficking of immune cells in beating heart Posted: 11 Jul 2012 10:09 AM PDT Working in mice, surgeons and scientists have captured the first images of a beating heart at a resolution so detailed they can track individual immune cells swarming into the heart muscle, causing the inflammation that is so common after a heart attack or heart surgery.

One step closer to new kind of thermoelectric 'heat engine' Posted: 11 Jul 2012 10:09 AM PDT Researchers who are studying a new magnetic effect that converts heat to electricity have discovered how to amplify it a thousand times over -- a first step in making the technology more practical.

'Insulating' brain cells appear to play a critical role in brain cell survival and may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS Posted: 11 Jul 2012 10:09 AM PDT Researchers say they have discovered that the central nervous system's oligodendroglia cells, long believed to simply insulate nerves as they "fire" signals, are unexpectedly also vital to the survival of neurons. Damage to these insulators appears to contribute to brain injury in neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease for the Yankee baseball great who died from the disease.

Naturally occurring molecule may prevent atherosclerosis Posted: 11 Jul 2012 09:30 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that a naturally occurring molecule may play a role in preventing plaque buildup inside arteries, possibly leading to new plaque-fighting drugs and improved screening of patients at risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Hubble discovers a fifth moon orbiting Pluto Posted: 11 Jul 2012 09:30 AM PDT A team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is reporting the discovery of another moon orbiting the icy dwarf planet Pluto. The moon is estimated to be irregular in shape and 6 to 15 miles across. It is in a 58,000-mile-diameter circular orbit around Pluto that is assumed to be co-planar with the other satellites in the system.

Ions, not particles, make silver toxic to bacteria: Too small a dose may enhance microbes' immunity Posted: 11 Jul 2012 09:30 AM PDT Researchers have settled a long-standing controversy over the mechanism by which silver nanoparticles, the most widely used nanomaterial in the world, kill bacteria. Their work comes with a Nietzsche-esque warning: Use enough. If you don't kill them, you make them stronger.

No reliable evidence on effectiveness of electric fans in heatwaves Posted: 11 Jul 2012 09:30 AM PDT A fan might help to increase heat loss if the temperature is below 35°C and the fan is not directly aimed at the person, but, when temperatures are above 35 °C, the fan might actually contribute to heat gain.

The more gray matter you have, the more altruistic you are Posted: 11 Jul 2012 09:30 AM PDT The volume of a small brain region influences one's predisposition for altruistic behavior. Researchers have shown that people who behave more altruistically than others have more gray matter at the junction between the parietal and temporal lobe, thus showing for the first time that there is a connection between brain anatomy, brain activity and altruistic behavior.

Strong communication between brain and muscle requires both having the protein LRP4 Posted: 11 Jul 2012 09:30 AM PDT Communication between the brain and muscle must be strong for us to eat, breathe or walk. Now scientists have found that a protein known to be on the surface of muscle cells must be present in both tissues to ensure the conversation is robust.

Individual differences in altruism explained by brain region involved in empathy Posted: 11 Jul 2012 09:30 AM PDT What can explain extreme differences in altruism among individuals, from Ebenezer Scrooge to Mother Teresa? It may all come down to variation in the size and activity of a brain region involved in appreciating others' perspectives, according to a study published by Cell Press in the July 12th issue of the journal Neuron. The findings also provide a neural explanation for why altruistic tendencies remain stable over time.

Got milk? Climate change means stressed cows in southern U. S. may have less Posted: 11 Jul 2012 09:29 AM PDT Researchers found that the decline in milk production due to climate change will vary across the U.S., since there are significant differences in humidity and how much the temperature swings between night and day across the country.

Titanian seasons turn, turn, turn: Atmospheric changes on Saturn's moon Posted: 11 Jul 2012 08:38 AM PDT Images from NASA's Cassini spacecraft show a concentration of high-altitude haze and a vortex materializing at the south pole of Saturn's moon Titan, signs that the seasons are turning on Saturn's largest moon.

Social responsibility: Monitoring children's social media usage is important, but so is allowing their mistakes Posted: 11 Jul 2012 08:14 AM PDT How parents can prevent cyberbullying and protect personal privacy on social media -- both through their child's social media account and their own account.

Down on the cacao farm: Sloths thrive at chocolate's source Posted: 11 Jul 2012 08:14 AM PDT Like many Neotropical fauna, sloths are running out of room to maneuver. As forests in South and Central America are cleared for agriculture and other human uses, populations of these arboreal leaf eaters, which depend on large trees for both food and refuge, can become isolated and at risk. But one type of sustainable agriculture, shade grown cacao plantations, a source of chocolate, could become critical refuges and bridges between intact forests for the iconic animals.

New technique identifies cellular 'Needle in a haystack' Posted: 11 Jul 2012 08:14 AM PDT Rare cells can be identified within mixed cell populations with near perfect accuracy using a new detection technique. This technique may facilitate cancer diagnosis, which often relies on the detection of rare cancerous cells in tiny amounts of biopsy tissue or fluid.

Tropical cyclones' role in ending drought in Southeast US charted Posted: 11 Jul 2012 08:14 AM PDT Scientists have studied a 58-year history of tropical cyclones and their role in ending drought in the Southeast.

Early-life exposure to PCE, chemical in drinking water, may affect vision, study finds Posted: 11 Jul 2012 07:49 AM PDT Prenatal and early childhood exposure to the chemical solvent tetrachloroethylene found in drinking water may be associated with long-term visual impairments, particularly in the area of color discrimination, a new study has found.

Evidence supports health benefits of 'mindfulness-based practices' Posted: 11 Jul 2012 07:48 AM PDT Specific types of "mindfulness practices" including Zen meditation have demonstrated benefits for patients with certain physical and mental health problems, according to a new report.

Making 'Renewable' viable: New technology for grid-level electrical energy storage developed Posted: 11 Jul 2012 07:48 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new method for quickly and efficiently storing and discharging large amounts of energy. Their "electrochemical flow capacitor," which is fully scalable, could be the key to a more efficient integration of renewable resources into the energy grid.

Decline of immune system with aging may have a genetic cause Posted: 11 Jul 2012 07:48 AM PDT By examining fruit flies at two different stages of their lives – youth and middle age -- scientists have discovered important insights that explain why our ability to ward off infection declines with age.

Nanodevice builds electricity from tiny pieces Posted: 11 Jul 2012 07:10 AM PDT Scientists in the United Kingdom have made a significant advance in using nano-devices to create accurate electrical currents. They have developed a nano-size electron pump that picks these electrons up one at a time and moves them across a barrier, creating a very well-defined electrical current. The device drives electrical current by manipulating individual electrons, one-by-one at very high speed. This technique could replace the traditional definition of electrical current, the ampere, which relies on measurements of mechanical forces on current-carrying wires.

A deeper look into the pathogen responsible for crown gall disease in plants Posted: 11 Jul 2012 07:10 AM PDT Scientists have revealed new insights into the molecular properties of the rod-shaped soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens, the pathogen responsible for crown gall disease, a tumor-forming infection in plants, such as tomatoes, walnuts, grapes and beets.

Oral contraceptive use in girls and alcohol consumption in boys linked to increased blood pressure in late adolescence Posted: 11 Jul 2012 07:10 AM PDT The substantial differences in blood pressure found in the study between those with a healthier or less favorable lifestyle "are likely to significantly affect their risk of both ischemic heart disease and stroke in adulthood," the investigators warn.

Weight loss resulting from a low-fat diet may help eliminate menopausal symptoms Posted: 11 Jul 2012 07:10 AM PDT Weight loss that occurs in conjunction with a low-fat, high fruit and vegetable diet may help to reduce or eliminate hot flashes and night sweats associated with menopause, according to a new study.

Thwarting invaders: Predicting risks from invasive species before it happens Posted: 11 Jul 2012 07:09 AM PDT When American scientists broke the news in early 2012 that the Burmese python, a non-native species in the Florida Everglades, had eradicated up to 90 per cent of the raccoons, white-tailed deer and possums in parts of the Everglades National Park, the outcry was immediate and intense. The US Fish and Wildlife Service immediately made importing the snakes illegal, and in March 2012, it will be illegal to transport them across state lines. Critics, however, argue that mammal declines show the damage is mostly done – but what if you could figure out how dangerous an introduced species will be in its new environment before the damage takes place?

Giving ancient life another chance to evolve: Scientists place 500-million-year-old gene in modern organism Posted: 11 Jul 2012 07:07 AM PDT Using a process called paleo-experimental evolution, researchers have resurrected a 500-million-year-old gene from bacteria and inserted it into modern-day Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria. This bacterium has now been growing for more than 1,000 generations, giving the scientists a front row seat to observe evolution in action.

Moderate alcohol consumption may help prevent bone loss, study suggests Posted: 11 Jul 2012 07:07 AM PDT Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol as part of a healthy lifestyle may benefit women's bone health, lowering their risk of developing osteoporosis. A new study assessed the effects of alcohol withdrawal on bone turnover in postmenopausal women who drank one or two drinks per day several times a week. Researchers measured a significant increase in blood markers of bone turnover in women after they stopped drinking for just two weeks.

Not so happy: King penguins stressed by human presence Posted: 11 Jul 2012 04:43 AM PDT King penguins tolerate some, but not all, human interference. Scientists have now investigated the adjustment of a king penguin colony on the protected Possession island in the subantarctic Crozet Archipelago to over 50 years of constant human disturbance.

Drugs used to treat HIV also reduce risk of HIV infection, review suggests Posted: 11 Jul 2012 04:43 AM PDT People at high risk of HIV infection can reduce their risk of acquiring the disease by taking antiretroviral drugs, according to Cochrane researchers. In an update of a systematic review first published in 2009, the researchers found that uninfected people in relationships with HIV-infected partners, men who have sex with men and those in other high risk groups are at a lower risk of becoming infected with the virus if they regularly take drugs that are normally prescribed to treat people with HIV.

Fewer iron supplements during pregnancy work just as well for preventing anemia, study suggests Posted: 11 Jul 2012 04:43 AM PDT Taking iron supplements one to three times a week instead of every day is just as effective at preventing anemia in pregnant women, according to the findings of a new Cochrane systematic review. The authors of the review also showed that women experienced fewer side effects when taking iron supplements intermittently rather than daily.

Dark galaxies of the early universe spotted for the first time Posted: 11 Jul 2012 04:42 AM PDT Dark galaxies are small, gas-rich galaxies in the early Universe that are very inefficient at forming stars. They are predicted by theories of galaxy formation and are thought to be the building blocks of today's bright, star-filled galaxies. Astronomers think that they may have fed large galaxies with much of the gas that later formed into the stars that exist today.

Hormone-mimicking chemicals cause inter-species mating: Bisphenol A breaks down fish species barriers Posted: 11 Jul 2012 04:42 AM PDT Hormone-mimicking chemicals released into rivers have been found to impact the mating choices of fish, a new study has revealed. The controversial chemical BPA, which emits estrogen-like properties, was found to alter an individual's appearance and behavior, leading to inter-species breeding.

The Iberian wolf lives close to humans more for refuge than for prey Posted: 11 Jul 2012 04:42 AM PDT The Iberian wolf lives in increasingly humanized landscapes, with limited food resources and its presence is not always welcome. But, according to researchers, food availability plays a secondary role compared to landscape characteristics, which can offer refuge and allow wolves to remain in human-dominated environments.

How metastasizing cancer cells enter organs Posted: 11 Jul 2012 04:42 AM PDT It is not primary tumors that are responsible for the majority of cancer deaths, but rather their metastases. Physiologists and neuropathologists have now identified the origin of metastasis formation, thereby revealing the pathway of metastasizing intestinal cancer cells out of the blood stream. The results allow new approaches in the development of cancer therapies.

Silver nanoparticle synthesis using strawberry tree leaf Posted: 11 Jul 2012 04:42 AM PDT Scientists have synthesized silver nanoparticles, which are important to biotechnology, by using strawberry tree leaf extract. The new technology is ecological, simple, cheap and very fast. Strawberry tree leaf (Arbutus unedo) and silver nitrate (AgNO3). With just these two ingredients scientists can now produce silver nanoparticles, a material that is used in advanced technologies from compounds for distributing medicines through to electronic devices, catalysts, contaminant solvents.

Nearly 2000 non-native species established in Great Britain Posted: 11 Jul 2012 04:41 AM PDT A major new report has found that there has been a dramatic increase over time in the number of non-native species arriving in Britain.

Tracked step for step: ATP splitting in membrane protein dynamically measured for the first time Posted: 11 Jul 2012 04:41 AM PDT How a transport protein obtains its driving force from the energy storage molecule ATP, has been tracked dynamically. Using time-resolved infrared spectroscopy, they measured the structural changes in the bacterial membrane protein MsbA and its interaction partner ATP.

Redefining what it means to be narcissistic in a social media world Posted: 11 Jul 2012 04:40 AM PDT A new study shows that Facebook users are not as narcissistic as once thought. The researchers focused on whether social networking sites like Facebook were promoting narcissism in college-aged users in a world where being constantly hunched over computers and smart phones is the norm.

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