Archive: 10/03/2008
Egalitarian revolution in the Pleistocene?
Although anthropologists and evolutionary biologists are still debating this question, a new study, published in the open-access journal PLoS ONE, supports the view that the first egalitarian societies may have appeared tens o ...
Biology /
Oct 03, 2008 |
4.2 / 5 (19) |
4
Making metabolism more inefficient can reduce obesity
In a discovery that counters prevailing thought, a study in mice has found that inactivating a pair of key genes involved in "fat-burning" can actually increase energy expenditure and help lower diet-induced obesity. These ...
Medicine & Health / Medical research
Oct 03, 2008 |
4.7 / 5 (3) |
0
Nanowire technology could make LCDs brighter, thinner, and cheaper
(PhysOrg.com) -- As nanoimprinting technology advances, scientists have shown that using nano-sized polarizers could significantly enhance the contrast ratio in liquid crystal displays (LCDs). For consumers, ...
Oct 03, 2008 |
4.5 / 5 (57) |
3
Survey confirms parents' fears, confusion over autism
The first national survey of attitudes toward autism reveals that a small but significant percentage of people still believe the disease is caused by childhood vaccines. The survey of 1000 randomly selected adults was conducted ...
Medicine & Health / Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
Oct 03, 2008 |
3.1 / 5 (7) |
8
So-called 'sandfish' could help materials handling and process technology specialists
It moves as quickly in sand as a fish moves through water, which is why this lizard, a species of skink (Scincus scincus) that grows to about 15 cm long and lives in the deserts of North Africa and the Near East, is common ...
Biology /
Oct 03, 2008 |
4 / 5 (2) |
0
Singing to females makes male birds' brains happy
The melodious singing of birds has been long appreciated by humans, and has often been thought to reflect a particularly positive emotional state of the singer. In a new study published in the online, open-access journal ...
Biology /
Oct 03, 2008 |
4.7 / 5 (3) |
0
Bee swarms follow high-speed 'streaker' bees to find a new nest
It's one of the hallmarks of spring: a swarm of bees on the move. But how a swarm locates a new nest site when less than 5% of the community know the way remains a mystery. Curious to find out how swarms cooperate and are ...
Biology /
Oct 03, 2008 |
4.3 / 5 (3) |
0
Should companies with unhealthy products be regulated to protect health?
Should businesses that sell products which are responsible for a huge numbers of deaths, illness and injury, such as tobacco and junk food, be held accountable and made to improve public health? Two experts debate the issue ...
Oct 03, 2008 |
3.8 / 5 (4) |
4
Researchers reveal Epstein-Barr virus protein contributes to cancer
Researchers at the University of Toronto have shown that the EBNA1 protein of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) disrupts structures in the nucleus of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells, thereby interfering with cellular processes ...
Oct 03, 2008 |
3.5 / 5 (2) |
0
Reason for sickness absence can predict employee deaths
Employees who take long spells of sick leave more than once in three years are at a higher risk of death than their colleagues who take no such absence, particularly if their absence is due to circulatory or psychiatric problems ...
Oct 03, 2008 |
3.6 / 5 (12) |
2
Researchers identify genes associated with increased gout risk
A team of researchers from the United States and the Netherlands has identified mutations in three genes that are associated with high levels of uric acid in the blood, which is a risk factor for gout. The team developed ...
Medicine & Health / Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes
Oct 03, 2008 |
4 / 5 (2) |
0
Decline in Alaskan sea otters affects bald eagles' diet
Sea otters are known as a keystone species, filling such an important niche in ocean communities that without them, entire ecosystems can collapse. Scientists are finding, however, that sea otters can have even farther-reaching ...
Biology /
Oct 03, 2008 |
4.8 / 5 (4) |
0
