Is the humble fig more than just a fruit?

Figs and fig trees are familiar to a wide cross-section of human society, both as a common food and for their spiritual importance. What is less well understood is the global nature of this association between figs and humans, ...

May 02, 2013 3.2 / 5 (6) 0 | with audio podcast

Conversion from bad fat to good fat

Scientists from ETH Zurich in Switzerland have shown for the first time that brown and white fat cells in a living organism can be converted from one cell type to the other. Their work, using mice as a model organism, provides ...

Apr 28, 2013 4.8 / 5 (10) 0 | with audio podcast

Wind farms get pass on eagle deaths

It's the not-so-green secret of the nation's wind-energy boom: Spinning turbines are killing thousands of federally protected birds, including eagles, each year.

May 14, 2013 not rated yet 0

Loss of eastern hemlock will affect forest water use

The loss of eastern hemlock from forests in the Southern Appalachian region of the United States could permanently change the area's hydrologic cycle, reports a new study by U.S. Forest Service scientists at the Coweeta Hydrologic ...

May 09, 2013 5 / 5 (1) 0

How long do insects last?

Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have shown that although insects are made from one of the toughest natural materials, their legs and wings can wear out over time. The findings have been just published in the Journal of ...

May 09, 2013 not rated yet 0

Insects: A must for a protein-rich diet

Arnold van Huis is an expert on tropical insects specialised in pest management and biological control based at Wageningen University. He advocates growing insects as feed for livestock and for human consumption. Here, van ...

May 14, 2013 5 / 5 (2) 1