The 'elixir of life' to lengthen lifespan beyond 100yrs comes closer to realityOctober 5th, 2009 LONDON - Taking a step closer towards a wonder pill that could extend people's lifespan by up to 25 years, scientists have claimed that over half of babies born in the new future in the UK and other wealthy nations will live to 100 years. The drug, touted as the "elixir of life" drug, works by using a molecule called spermidine, which helps to protect the body against damaging chemicals known as free radicals.
Fruit fly sperm compels females to do housework after sex sessionSeptember 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - After sex, female fruit flies ditch the usual siesta in favour of extra foraging and searching for places to lay her eggs, a new study has found. The study showed that it is all down to a chemical or 'sex peptide' produced by male fruit flies.
New discovery may explain premature ageingAugust 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists from Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet claim to have identified the cause of premature ageing. The normal ageing process has been linked to problems with cell respiration, the process through which the cells extract energy from nutrients.
Scientists uncover the secret life of spermAugust 2nd, 2009 LONDON - Discovering a lock-and-key mechanism between sperm and egg cells, scientists may have moved a step further towards sparing infertile couples the pain, anguish and expense of fruitless IVF treatments. Dr. Martin Brinkworth, a member of the team at the universities of Bradford and Leeds that discovered the lock-and-key mechanism, says that their work could help understand why so many couples with no apparent reproductive problems are unable to conceive.
Smart males ration sperm to maximise offspringJuly 10th, 2009 LONDON - Attractive males release fewer sperm per mating to maximise their chances of producing offspring across a range of females, according to a new study. The findings by researchers at UCL (University College London) and the University of Oxford suggest that, paradoxically, mating with attractive males may be less fertile than those with unattractive ones.
Males' sperm travel faster when females are attractiveJuly 10th, 2009 MELBOURNE - A new piece of research on red junglefowl, an ancestor of chickens, has shown that males can adjust the speed and effectiveness of their sperm, based on whether they find their mate attractive. Published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the study adds to the growing body of evidence that males from promiscuous species, including humans, increase the chances of fertilisation when the female is deemed to be attractive.
Are artificial human sperm actually identical to natural kind?July 9th, 2009 LONDON - Scientists are calling for more tests to ensure that artificial sperm created by some British researchers are identical to their natural counterpart, saying that further proof may make them a valuable tool to understand male infertility. Karim Nayernia and his colleagues at the University of Newcastle recently treated male embryonic stem cells (ESCs) with a range of substances, which converted them first into germline stem cells, and finally into spermatogonial stem cells.
Daily sex 'helps improve sperm quality'July 1st, 2009 WASHINGTON - Having sex every day improves men's sperm quality, an Australian study has revealed. In a study of men with fertility problems, researchers found that daily ejaculation for a week cut the amount of DNA damage seen in sperm samples.
Crustacean 100 million years ago had sperm as long as its bodyJune 18th, 2009 Tiny crustacean big on reproductionWASHINGTON — When it comes to sexual reproduction, it turns out that size does matter, at least for a group of ancient crustaceans called ostracods. Modern versions of these tiny animals also have extra large sperm, but not to the extent of their relatives 100 million years ago, researchers report in Thursday's edition of the journal Science.
Genes behind ageing process identifiedMay 26th, 2009 LONDON - British scientists have identified genes that control the ageing process. The finding could lead to new drugs to prevent illnesses from heart disease to Alzheimer's.
Spiders go for violent, but effective sexMay 1st, 2009 LONDON - Spiders in Israel have been seen indulging in a violent but evolutionarily effective mating strategy, which guarantees direct fertilisation of eggs in the ovaries. In the so-called traumatic insemination, males of the Harpactea sadistica species pierce the abdomen of females, and thus fertilise their eggs directly in the ovaries.
Researchers identify genes that protect during ageingApril 21st, 2009 LONDON - A new method developed by scientists will help researchers isolate genes that can protect the body during the ageing process. They developed a method of analysing genes in multiple ageing tissue types in both animals and humans.
Mum faces flak for taking dead son's sperm to create grandchildApril 13th, 2009 LONDON - A grieving mother has enraged religious figures in America after she harvested her murdered son's sperms to create a grandchild. Missy Evans said that her son Nikolas, 21, who died after being punched in a fight, wanted kids and she was simply fulfilling his wishes.
Battlefield laser weapon can destroy rockets, mortars and artillery shellsApril 1st, 2009 LONDON - A US based company has developed a battlefield laser weapon that can fire a strong beam, which can destroy rockets, mortars and artillery shells. "We're doing our part to make gunpowder a 20th-century technology," said Dan Wildt of Northrop Grumman, whose battlefield laser weapon passed another milestone last week.
New tool to test sperm and improve fertility success ratesJanuary 24th, 2009 LONDON - A novel method, developed by scientists for testing the health of a sperm before it is used in IVF, boosts chances of conception. University of Edinburgh researchers have created a way of tagging individual sperm quality, so that only healthy ones are used in fertilising an egg as part of IVF treatment.
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