Nature : Science World Report

Feb 27, 2012 04:47 PM EST

Amoeba May Offer Key Clue to Photosynthetic Evolution

The major difference between plant and animal cells is the photosynthetic process, which converts light energy into chemical energy. When light isn't available, energy is generated by breaking down carbohydrates and sugars, just as it is in animal and some bacterial cells. Two cellular organelles ar...

Feb 27, 2012 04:41 PM EST

Ice Age Coyotes were Supersized Compared to Coyotes Today, Fossil Study Reveals

Coyotes today are pint-sized compared to their Ice Age counterparts, finds a new fossil study. Between 11,500 and 10,000 years ago â€” a mere blink of an eye in geologic terms â€” coyotes shrunk to their present size. The sudden shrinkage was most likely a response to dwindling food supply...

Feb 25, 2012 02:55 PM EST

Research: Neanderthal Demise Due to Many Influences, Including Cultural Changes

As an ice age crept upon them thousands of years ago, Neanderthals and modern human ancestors expanded their territory ranges across Asia and Europe to adapt to the changing environment. In the process, they encountered each other.

Feb 24, 2012 02:49 PM EST

Rethinking the Social Structure of Ancient Eurasian Nomads: Current Anthropology Research

Prehistoric Eurasian nomads are commonly perceived as horse riding bandits who utilized their mobility and military skill to antagonize ancient civilizations such as the Chinese, Persians, and Greeks. Although some historical accounts may support this view, a new article by Dr. Michael Frachetti (Wa...

Feb 24, 2012 11:46 AM EST

A Biodiversity Discovery That Was Waiting in the Wings

From spaghetti-like sea anemones to blobby jellyfish to filigreed oak trees, each species in nature is characterized by a unique size and shape. But the evolutionary changes that produce the seemingly limitless diversity of shapes and sizes of organisms on Earth largely remains a mystery. Neverthele...

Feb 24, 2012 09:22 AM EST

Neurotoxins in Shark Fins: A Human Health Concern

Sharks are among the most threatened of marine species worldwide due to unsustainable overfishing. Sharks are primarily killed for their fins alone, to fuel the growing demand for shark fin soup, which is an Asia delicacy. A new study by University of Miami (UM) scientists in the journal Marine Drug...

Feb 24, 2012 09:05 AM EST

Naked Mole-rats Bear Lifesaving Clues

Could blind, buck-toothed, finger-sized naked mole-rats harbor in their brain cells a survival secret that might lead to better heart attack or stroke treatments? University of Illinois at Chicago biologist Thomas Park and colleagues at UIC and the University of Texas Heath Science Center at San ...

Feb 23, 2012 03:56 PM EST

Climate Change, Increasing Temperatures Alter Bird Migration Patterns

Birds in eastern North America are picking up the pace along their yearly migratory paths. The reason, according to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers, is rising temperatures due to climate change.

Feb 23, 2012 12:52 PM EST

A Research Challenges the Theories on the Global Increase in Jellyfish Population

An international research, involving the participation of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), provides a new perspective on the jellyfish proliferation in world's oceans. This phenomenon has noticeably impacted on beaches around the world in recent years and has provoked the concerns of fi...

Feb 23, 2012 11:17 AM EST

Burning Calories at the Gym Avoids Burnout at Work

Obesity can be a dangerous risk to our physical health, but according to a Tel Aviv University researcher, avoiding the gym can also take a toll on our mental health, leading to depression and greater burnout rates at work.

Feb 23, 2012 09:30 AM EST

Even in Winter, Life Persists in Arctic Seas

Despite brutal cold and lingering darkness, life in the frigid waters off Alaska does not grind to a halt in the winter as scientists previously suspected. According to preliminary results from a National Science Foundation- (NSF) funded research cruise, microscopic creatures at the base of the Arct...

Feb 22, 2012 09:40 PM EST

Great Barrier Reef Sperm Bank to Preserve Corals for Future [PHOTOS]

Never again the Great Barrier Reef will be genetically as diverse as today. This scientists agree on and kick off a new initiative to preserve as much as possible of this bio-diversity.