Nature : Science World Report

Apr 27, 2012 09:27 AM EDT

Scripps Research Institute Scientists Find the Structure of a Key 'Gene Silencer' Protein

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have determined the three-dimensional atomic structure of a human protein that is centrally involved in regulating the activities of cells. Knowing the precise structure of this protein paves the way for scientists to understand a process known as RNA-sil...

Apr 27, 2012 09:02 AM EDT

Scientists Provide First Large-scale Estimate of Reef Shark Losses in the Pacific Ocean

Many shark populations have plummeted in the past three decades as a result of excessive harvesting - for their fins, as an incidental catch of fisheries targeting other species, and in recreational fisheries. This is particularly true for oceanic species. However, until now, a lack of data prevente...

Apr 26, 2012 11:46 AM EDT

New Harvesting Approach Boosts Energy Output from Bacteria

A team of scientists from University of Colorado Denver has developed a novel energy system that increases the amount of energy harvested from microbial fuel cells (MFCs) by more than 70 times. The new approach also greatly improves energy efficiency. MFCs are emerging as a way to use bacteria to di...

Apr 25, 2012 02:27 PM EDT

First Camera Trap Photos of Rare Leopard in China

The first-known camera trap photos of an Amur leopard in China have recently been taken by protected area staff in Hunchun Amur Tiger National Nature Reserve in Jilin Province according to the Wildlife Conservation Society. Coupled with Jilin Province's recent announcement of a survey estimating 8-1...

Apr 25, 2012 01:40 PM EDT

Penn Researchers Create First Custom Designed Protein Crystal

Protein design is technique that is increasingly valuable to a variety of fields, from biochemistry to therapeutics to materials engineering. University of Pennsylvania chemists have taken this kind of design a step further; using computational methods, they have created the first custom-designed pr...

Apr 25, 2012 01:31 PM EDT

BGI and Aspera Collaborate on High-speed Data Exchange to Advance Genome Research

Aspera, Inc., creators of next-generation software technologies that move the world's data at maximum speed, and BGI, the world's largest genomics research institute, today announced at Bio-IT World that they have partnered to integrate and deploy the Aspera Connect Server and Aspera faspTM high-spe...

Apr 25, 2012 01:02 PM EDT

GSK Says it the Only Obvious Owner for Human Genome

Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline said on Wednesday its $2.6 billion bid for long-time partner Human Genome Sciences was "full and fair" and it was the only obvious owner for the biotechnology firm.

Apr 25, 2012 11:07 AM EDT

Discerning Males Remain Faithful

...if you are a spider. Sex for male orb web spiders (Argiope bruennichi) is a two shot affair since the act of mating destroys their genitalia. If they survive being eaten during their first encounter with a female, they have two choices - to mate again with the same female (monogynous) or try to f...

Apr 25, 2012 10:59 AM EDT

Evolution in an Island, the Secret for a Longer Life

ICP researchers published today in the 'Proceedings of the Royal Society B' one of the first fossil-based evidences supporting the evolutionary theory of ageing, which predicts that species evolving in low mortality and resource-limited ecosystems tend to be more long-lived.

Apr 25, 2012 09:11 AM EDT

First-ever Release of Endangered Burying Beetles in Missouri

Beetle last seen in state in 1970s; Zoo has monitored for beetle since 2002.

Apr 24, 2012 04:52 PM EDT

Do Urban 'Heat Islands' Hint at Trees of Future?

City streets can be mean, but somewhere near Brooklyn, a tree grows far better than its country cousins, due to chronically elevated city heat levels, says a new study.

Apr 24, 2012 01:43 PM EDT

Deadly Jellyfish Weapons Unraveled

Heidelberg researchers have succeeded in unraveling the defense mechanisms of Hydra freshwater polyp. Scientists working with Prof. Dr. Thomas Holstein and Dr. Suat Ã–zbek from Heidelberg University, together with Dr. Martina SchnÃ¶lzer from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), analysed th...