Nature : Science World Report

Mar 08, 2012 12:26 PM EST

Oldest Organism with Skeleton Discovered in Australia

A team of paleontologists has discovered the oldest animal with a skeleton. Called Coronacollina acula, the organism is between 560 million and 550 million years old, which places it in the Ediacaran period, before the explosion of life and diversification of organisms took place on Earth in the Cam...

Mar 08, 2012 11:59 AM EST

What have We Got in Common with a Gorilla?

Researchers announce today that they have completed the genome sequence for the gorilla - the last genus of the living great apes to have its genome decoded. While confirming that our closest relative is the chimpanzee, the team show that much of the human genome more closely resembles the gorilla t...

Mar 08, 2012 10:41 AM EST

New Research could Significantly Reduce the Need for Clinical Animal Testing

University of Southampton researchers are investigating innovative methods of testing drugs that will reduce the need for involving animals. Drugs based on biological proteins can cause adverse immune reactions in humans.

Mar 08, 2012 08:54 AM EST

Gorilla Genome Sheds New Light on Human Evolution

Scientists have sequenced the genome of the gorilla, the last great ape to have its genes decoded, and say it gives new insights into differences between the apes and humans - including their ability to produce competitive sperm.

Mar 07, 2012 02:09 PM EST

New Species of Deep-sea Catshark Described from the Galapagos

Scientists conducting deep-sea research in the Galapagos have described a new species of catshark, Bythaelurus giddingsi, in the March 5 issue of the journal Zootaxa. The new shark is approximately a foot long and has a chocolate-brown coloration with pale, irregularly distributed spots on its body....

Mar 07, 2012 01:16 PM EST

Hot Meets Cold at New Deep-sea Ecosystem: 'Hydrothermal Seep'

Decades ago, marine scientists made a startling discovery in the deep sea. They found environments known as hydrothermal vents, where hot water surges from the seafloor and life thrives without sunlight. Then they found equally unique, sunless habitats in cold areas where methane rises from seeps...

Mar 07, 2012 11:38 AM EST

Spiders on the Move in Flood-ravaged Australia

Thousands of spiders have cast eerie webs over vast areas of flood-hit Australia after being forced to seek shelter by the rising waters.

Mar 07, 2012 10:35 AM EST

EU-funded Study Underlines Importance of Congo Basin for Global Climate and Biodiversity

With its 1.7 billion square kilometres, an area equivalent to 5 times the size of Germany, the Congo Basin forest is the world's second largest tropical forest. The 'State of the Congo Basin Forests 2010' report launched in Douala, Cameroon, at the Annual meeting of the Congo Basin Forest Partnershi...

Mar 06, 2012 04:24 PM EST

Basque Roots Revealed through DNA Analysis

The Genographic Project announced today the most comprehensive analysis to date of Basque genetic patterns, showing that Basque genetic uniqueness predates the arrival of agriculture in the Iberian Peninsula some 7,000 years ago. Through detailed DNA analysis of samples from the French and Spanish B...

Mar 06, 2012 12:08 PM EST

Closely Watched Lone Wolf Quits California for Oregon

The lone gray wolf by that name has returned home to Oregon, after captivating biologists and wildlife lovers by becoming the first of his species found in California in over 80 years, officials said on Friday.

Mar 06, 2012 09:47 AM EST

Alien Invasion a Threat to Antarctic Ecosystem

In the pristine frozen continent of Antarctica scientists fear an alien invasion -- not from outer space, but carried in people's pockets and bags.

Mar 06, 2012 07:13 AM EST

DNA Data Helps to Flesh Out "Otzi" the Alpine Iceman

The first complete genome-sequencing of "Otzi," Italy's prehistoric iceman, is revealing a wealth of details about the man who roamed the Alps 5,300 years ago and could unleash a frenzy of activity among scientists thanks to open data.