Let pandas die out: conservationistSeptember 23rd, 2009 LONDON - A British conservationist says pandas should be allowed to go extinct because they are extraordinarily expensive to keep going and may be surviving at the cost of other species and rainforests. Extinction is very much a part of life on earth.
English cave dig may yield clues as to why Neanderthals became extinctSeptember 14th, 2009 LONDON - Archaeologists have discovered teeth and bones from late Ice Age animals, including hyenas, deer and woolly rhinos at a cave in Devon, UK, which may yield clues as to why Neanderthals became extinct. According to a report by BBC News, the dig, organised by the University of Durham and the University of Sheffield, is part of a study into Neanderthals.
Giant eagle filled the role of a predator on Kiwi island 750 years agoSeptember 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new study, scientists have determined that the role of a predator, before humans colonized New Zealand about 750 years ago, was filled by a giant, extinct raptor known as Haast's eagle. Although the bones of Haast's eagle have been known for well over a century, the behavior of these giants has been a point of debate.
Parasites' quirky trick to persuade immune cells to invite them in for dinnerAugust 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists from Imperial College London have found that parasite leishmania tricks immune system to let it enter the body and cause skin infection. Leishmaniasis is an infection caused by Leishmania parasites that cause disfiguring and painful skin ulcers, and in severe cases the infection can also spread to the internal organs.
Panda breeders using 'porn', 'sexercises' to encourage matingAugust 17th, 2009 ADELAIDE - Panda breeders have resorted to tactics like showing "panda porn" videos, and putting them through "sexercises", to encourage mating in the animals, and save them from becoming extinct. Pandas have extremely low libidos, which have discouraged efforts to boost their numbers in China.
Bird thought to be extinct found in the labAugust 14th, 2009 LONDON - A seabird thought to have been driven to extinction by hungry European sailors in the late 18th century has been rediscovered, in the laboratory. It turns out the 'extinct' species is actually a sub-species of a bird very much alive.
Scientists rediscover "extinct" bird living under false name and wearing maskAugust 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a surprising finding, scientific sleuths have rediscovered an "extinct" bird living under a false name and wearing a mask. Native to small islands off Australia and New Zealand, the species, known as the Tasman booby, was dealt its first near fatal blow around A.D.
Sex evolved as a defence against parasites, suggests articleJuly 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Sex may have evolved in part as a defence against parasites, suggests a research article. Published in the journal American Naturalist, the article highlights the fact that when an asexual creature reproduces, it makes clones-exact genetic copies of itself.
Birds learn from neighbours how to defend nestsJune 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A new study by scientists at the University of Cambridge has shown that inexperienced reed warblers learn how to stop cuckoos from laying eggs in their nests by watching how other members of their species deal with the parasitic birds. Reed warblers live with the threat that a cuckoo will infiltrate their nest, remove one of their eggs, replace it with a cuckoo egg, and leave cuckoo chicks to be raised by the unsuspecting reed warblers.
Host species' extinction could make parasites jump onto alternative hostsJune 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new study, scientists have determined that when host species go extinct, their parasites could switch onto alternative hosts which in turn could increase the rate of emerging pathogens for humans, domesticated animals and plants. The study was carried out by North Carolina State University biologist Rob Dunn and colleagues.
Ancient rock art hints at what extinct marsupial lions may have looked likeMay 28th, 2009 SYDNEY - In a new study, researchers have found ancient rock art depicting the extinct marsupial lion found in the Kimberly region of Western Australia, which hints at what the extinct beasts may have looked like, and suggests that they co-exited with early Australians. The Marsupial Lion is an extinct species of a carnivorous marsupial mammal that lived in Australia from the early to the late Pleistocene (1,600,000-46,000 years ago).
Novel way to stop malarial parasite growth foundMay 19th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have found a novel way to stop malarial parasite growth. According to researchers, the new finding could guide the development of new malaria treatments.
Cave painting in Australia depicts extinct marsupial lionMay 11th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A newly discovered cave painting in Australia offers a glimpse of an extinct marsupial lion's external appearance. Accoridng to a report in the Natural History Magazine, known as Thylacoleo carnifex, the marsupial lion roamed the continent of Australia about 30,000 years ago.
Scientists give first clear demonstration of self-medication among insectsMarch 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - University of Arizona scientists have found that there are some caterpillars that munch on drug-laced leaves to get rid of crippling parasites. Lead author Elizabeth Bernays says that this finding is the first clear demonstration of self-medication among insects.
Synthetic biology can prolong anti-malaria drug effectivenessMarch 8th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Synthetic biology can provide a simpler and cheaper way of making artemisinin, the most powerful anti-malaria drug and also help prolong its effectiveness. Fermenting artemisinin via engineered microbes like yeast can be done at a much lower cost than extracting the drug from Artemsisia annua, the sweet wormwood tree.
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