Nature : Science World Report

Mar 15, 2012 08:59 AM EDT

Researchers Demonstrate Versatility of Solid-state Protein Sensor

A novel type of sensor, based on nanometer-scale pores in a semiconductor membrane, is a step closer to practical use in applications such as analyzing the protein contents of a single cell. Researchers pioneering single-molecule nanopore sensor technology at the Technische UniversitÃ¤t MÃ¼nchen...

Mar 15, 2012 08:41 AM EDT

An Early Spring Drives Butterfly Population Declines

Early snow melt in the Colorado Rocky Mountains initiates two chains of events resulting in population decline in the mormon fritillary butterfly, Speyeria mormonia. One effect of snow melt date was readily detectable, but the second, cryptic effect required an understanding of the butterfly's biolo...

Mar 15, 2012 07:36 AM EDT

Wyoming Tribe Gains Right to Kill Bald Eagles

The Fish and Wildlife Service has approved a first-time permit allowing a Native American tribe in Wyoming to kill two bald eagles in a centuries-old religious ceremony once outlawed by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Mar 14, 2012 04:43 PM EDT

An Evolutionary Surprise

The origin of the exquisitely complex vertebrate brain is somewhat mysterious. "In terms of evolution, it basically pops up out of nowhere. You don't see anything anatomically like it in other animals," says Ariel Pani, an investigator at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole and a gr...

Mar 14, 2012 03:20 PM EDT

Tennessee's Urban Forests Valued in the Billions

Tennessee's urban forests, currently valued at about $80 billion, also provide almost $650 million in benefits such as carbon storage, pollution removal, and energy reduction according to a new U.S. Forest Service report.

Mar 14, 2012 11:46 AM EDT

How Muscle Cells Seal Their Membranes

Every cell is enclosed by a thin double layer of lipids that separates the distinct internal environment of the cell from the extracellular space. Damage to this lipid bilayer, also referred to as plasma membrane, disturbs the cellular functions and may lead to the death of the cell. For example, do...

Mar 14, 2012 08:53 AM EDT

Baboon-like Social Structure Creates Efficiencies for Spotted Hyena

As large, carnivorous mammals, spotted hyenas are well known for their competitive nature; however, recent work suggests that their clan structure has similarities to some primate social systems such as those of the baboon and macaque. San Diego Zoo Global researchers have documented relatedness bet...

Mar 13, 2012 08:25 AM EDT

Scientists Name 2 New Species of Horned Dinosaur

Two new horned dinosaurs have been named based on fossils collected from Alberta, Canada. The new species, Unescopceratops koppelhusae and Gryphoceratops morrisoni, are from the Leptoceratopsidae family of horned dinosaurs. The herbivores lived during the Late Cretaceous period between 75 to 83 mill...

Mar 12, 2012 04:26 PM EDT

Forest Service Report Shows Forest Growth in North Outpacing other Parts of Country

U.S. Forest Service scientists today released an assessment that shows forest land has expanded in northern states during the past century despite a 130-percent population jump and relentless environmental threats. At the same time, Forest Service researchers caution that threats to forests in the c...

Mar 12, 2012 03:48 PM EDT

Scientists Document First Consumption of Abundant Life Form, Archaea

A team of scientists has documented for the first time that animals can and do consume Archaea - a type of single-celled microorganism thought to be among the most abundant life forms on Earth.

Mar 12, 2012 01:43 PM EDT

Researcher Uses Medical Imaging Technology to Better Understand Fish Senses

University of Rhode Island marine biologist Jacqueline Webb gets an occasional strange look when she brings fish to the Orthopedics Research Lab at Rhode Island Hospital. While the facility's microCT scanner is typically used to study bone density and diseases like osteoporosis, it is also providing...

Mar 12, 2012 01:10 PM EDT

Tiny Fractal Trees for Solar Power

Microscopic "fractal trees" grown from silver could be the basis of a new type of solar cell, say chemists at the University of California, Davis. "We expect these structures will allow us to make better, more efficient solar cells," said Professor Frank Osterloh, a principal investigator on the ...