Nature : Science World Report

Apr 16, 2012 03:17 PM EDT

Chimpanzee Ground Nests Offer New Insight into Our Ancestors Descent from the Trees

The first study into rarely documented ground-nest building by wild chimpanzees offers new clues about the ancient transition of early hominins from sleeping in trees to sleeping on the ground. While most apes build nests in trees, this study, published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropolo...

Apr 16, 2012 02:57 PM EDT

Promiscuous Queen Bees Maintain Genetic Diversity

By mating with nearly 100 males, queen bees on isolated islands avoid inbreeding and keep colonies healthy.

Apr 16, 2012 02:51 PM EDT

Turmeric Extract May Protect Heart after Surgery

A new study from Thailand suggests that extracts from turmeric spice, known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, may help ward off heart attacks in people who've had recent bypass surgery.

Apr 16, 2012 01:41 PM EDT

Schmallenberg Spread a Warning to Europe, Scientists Say

The outbreak of a new livestock disease in western Europe last year, particularly harmful to offspring, could move further into areas surrounding the worst affected countries in the next cycle of new births, scientists say.

Apr 16, 2012 12:48 PM EDT

University of Toronto Biologists Predict Extinction for Organisms with Poor Quality Genes

Evolutionary biologists at the University of Toronto have found that individuals with low-quality genes may produce offspring with even more inferior chromosomes, possibly leading to the extinction of certain species over generations.

Apr 16, 2012 11:10 AM EDT

Parasite Arms Race Spurs Color Change in Bird Eggs

The eggs laid by two African bird species have evolved different color patterns over a period of just 40 years, according to new research published in The American Naturalist. The quick change appears to be driven by an unwanted guest in the nest.

Apr 16, 2012 08:26 AM EDT

Salk Scientists Discover How Plants Grow to Escape Shade

Mild mannered though they seem, plants are extremely competitive, especially when it comes to getting their fair share of sunlight. Whether a forest or a farm, where plants grow a battle wages for the sun's rays.

Apr 16, 2012 07:20 AM EDT

Ocean Acidification Linked with Larval Oyster Failure in Hatcheries

Marine researchers have definitively linked the collapse of oyster seed production at a commercial oyster hatchery in Oregon to an increase in ocean acidification.

Apr 13, 2012 11:48 AM EDT

Water, Water Everywhere â€“ But Is It Essential to Life?

Proteins are large organic molecules that are vital to every living thing, allowing us to convert food into energy, supply oxygen to our blood and muscles, and drive our immune systems. Since proteins evolved in a water-rich environment, it is generally thought that they are dependent on water to su...

Apr 13, 2012 10:45 AM EDT

Decoding Worm Lingo

All animals seem to have ways of exchanging information-monkeys vocalize complex messages, ants create scent trails to food, and fireflies light up their bellies to attract mates. Yet, despite the fact that nematodes, or roundworms, are among the most abundant animals on the planet, little is known ...

Apr 13, 2012 10:01 AM EDT

European Dung-fly Females All Aflutter for Large Males

European and North American black scavenger flies - also called dung flies as their larvae develop in the feces of vertebrates and thus break them down - belong to the same species.

Apr 13, 2012 05:57 AM EDT

Satellite Mapping Pinpoints Penguin Population

Counting emperor penguins in their icy Antarctic habitat was not easy until researchers used new technology to map the birds from space, and they received a pleasant penguin surprise for their efforts.