Air pollutants lead to age-related muscle declineSeptember 23rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have come up with new ways to stop by-products from the air we breathe from harming our muscles. Atanu Duttaroy, associate professor of biology at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and colleagues have shown how about 3 percent of the air we breathe gets converted into harmful superoxides, which ultimately harm our muscles.
Like humans, fruit flies too learn from experienced femalesSeptember 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Like humans, novice fruit flies tend to learn from their more experienced counterparts i.e. mated fruit flies, say researchers.
Nanoparticles may have negative effects on environment and human healthSeptember 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new analysis has indicated that the same properties of nanoparticles that make them so appealing to manufacturers may also have negative effects on the environment and human health. The analysis was done by an international team of researchers from the Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology (CEINT), based at Duke University, US.
Microbes used to remove toxic compounds from crude oil and tar sandsSeptember 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Microbiologists from the University of Essex, UK, have used microbes to break down and remove toxic compounds from crude oil and tar sands. These acidic compounds persist in the environment, taking up to 10 years to break down.
Flies' extremely quick eyesight may inspire ultimate vision for robotsAugust 1st, 2009 WASHINGTON - Inspired by how the blow fly's extremely quick eyesight helps to keep it from losing orientation as it makes "lightning-fast" movements to and fro, scientists in Germany have created an unusual research environment. Members of a Munich-based "excellence cluster", called Cognition for Technical Systems (CoTeSys), describe their invention as a flight simulator for flies.
Chemical helps female flies say buzz offJuly 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A chemical produced by male fruit flies and transferred to females during mating enables the female to tell other males to buzz off. Harvard Medical School (HMS) researchers, along with German colleagues, discovered the chemical pheromone, which they named CH503.
Myth that fasting leads to longer life spans debunkedJuly 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a study on fruit flies, scientists have debunked the belief that fasting extends life spans in various organisms, including humans, when they suffer infection. In their study, researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine wanted to see if reduced caloric intake also helps creatures cope with infection.
EU report says species, habitats at risk in Europe; calls for more land for conservationJuly 13th, 2009 EU: Grasslands, wetlands, butterflies at riskBRUSSELS — A European Union report says grasslands, wetlands and butterflies are threatened in Europe. The report says the increasing use of land for farming — along with climate change, tourism and poor land management — are to blame for the loss of biodiversity across the 27-nation bloc.
Nanomaterials can serve as effective tools for cleanup of contaminated sitesJuly 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new research, scientists have determined that nanomaterials can serve as effective and economically viable tools for the cleanup of contaminated sites. The research is detailed in new review article appearing in Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) co-authored by Dr.
Scientists call for measures to enable safe design of nanomaterialsJune 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new research has called for measures to enable safe design of nanomaterials because of the increased likelihood of people coming into direct contact with these materials in recent times. The recent explosion in the development of nanomaterials with enhanced performance characteristics for use in commercial and medical applications has increased the chances of people coming into direct contact with these materials.
Give it up for Sonia Sotomayor: Documents from Supreme Court nominee show a flash of humorJune 5th, 2009 Buried in documents is a little Sotomayor humorWASHINGTON — Did you hear the one about the three judges who go duck hunting? Sonia Sotomayor has. The joke, as pieced together from the Supreme Court nominee's typed and handwritten notes for a 2006 speech at Hofstra University, goes like this:
A Supreme Court justice, a circuit judge and a district judge go duck hunting.
Survival mode protects cells when oxygen dips, also slows ageingApril 17th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A pathway that protects cells when oxygen levels dip also plays a role in longevity and resistance against old-age diseases, according to a new study. A cell's protective reaction to a drop in oxygen is called the hypoxic response.
Fruit flies use evolved antennae to detect wind directionMarch 13th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists at Caltech University, US, have discovered that fruit flies have evolved a specialized population of neurons in their antennae that let them know not only when the wind is blowing, but also the direction from which it is coming. The behavior of fruit flies in the face of a stiff breeze is remarkable in and of itself, according to David J.
Indian origin scientist reveals new applications for carbon nanomaterials in hydrogen storageMarch 13th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A scientist of Indian origin is part of an international research team, which has revealed new applications for carbon nanomaterials in hydrogen storage. The scientist in question is Rajeev Ahuja from Uppsala University, US, who set out to understand the mechanism behind the catalytic effects of carbon nanomaterials.
Scientists identify mechanism that can prolong life in 'Indy' fruit fliesJanuary 22nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have identified a cellular mechanism in mutated 'Indy' fruit flies that could help prolong life by cutting down the output of free radicals. The finding by Stephen Helfand and Nicola Neretti of Brown University and others adds another piece to the puzzle that Helfand, a professor of biology first discovered in 2000.
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