Nature : Science World Report

Feb 22, 2012 03:13 PM EST

Solved! Mystery that Stumped Ecosystem Modelers

As scientists warn that the Earth is on the brink of a period of mass extinctions, they are struggling to identify ecosystem responses to environmental change. But to truly understand these responses, more information is needed about how the Earth's staggering diversity of species originated.

Feb 22, 2012 03:01 PM EST

What Can Animals' Survival Instincts Tell Us About Understanding Human Emotion?

Can animals' survival instincts shed additional light on what we know about human emotion? New York University neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux poses this question in outlining a pioneering theory, drawn from two decades of research, that could lead to a more comprehensive understanding of emotions in b...

Feb 22, 2012 01:19 PM EST

Scientists Describe the Deepest Terrestrial Arthropod Ever Found

Scientists have recently described the deepest terrestrial animal ever found, together with 4 new species for science. These animals are springtails (Arthropoda, Insecta, Collembola), a minute primitive wingless insect with six-legs and without eyes that live in total darkness.

Feb 22, 2012 12:20 PM EST

Research Offers Way to Save Endangered Florida Bird, and a Lesson for Conservationists

New research published online today in The Royal Society's journal Biology Letters shows that "clustered habitat networks" are needed to maintain the genetic diversity of Florida Scrub-Jays, a species at risk of extinction with just more than 5,000 birds left in the world.

Feb 22, 2012 11:07 AM EST

Superbugs from Space Offer New Source of Power

Bacteria normally found 30km above the earth have been identified as highly efficient generators of electricity. Bacillus stratosphericus â€“ a microbe commonly found in high concentrations in the stratosphere orbiting the earth with the satellites â€“ is a key component of a new 'super...

Feb 22, 2012 09:43 AM EST

Scripps Research Scientists Unlock Evolutionary Secret of Blood Vessels

The ability to form closed systems of blood vessels is one of the hallmarks of vertebrate development. Without it, humans would be closer to invertebrates (think mollusks) in design, where blood simply washes through an open system to nourish internal organs. But vertebrates evolved closed circulati...

Feb 22, 2012 08:43 AM EST

Caught In the Act: Team Discovers Microbes Speciating

Not that long ago in a hot spring in Kamchatka, Russia, two groups of genetically indistinguishable microbes decided to part ways. They began evolving into different species â€“ despite the fact that they still encountered one another in their acidic, boiling habitat and even exchanged some gen...

Feb 21, 2012 04:55 PM EST

Evolution of Staph 'Superbug' Traced Between Humans and Food Animals

A strain of the potentially deadly antibiotic-resistant bacterium known as MRSA has jumped from food animals to humans, according to a new study involving two Northern Arizona University researchers.

Feb 21, 2012 03:59 PM EST

The Origin of Photosynthesis Revealed

Atmospheric oxygen really took off on our planet about 2.4 billion years ago during the Great Oxygenation Event. At this key juncture of our planet's evolution, species had either to learn to cope with this poison that was produced by photosynthesizing cyanobacteria or they went extinct. It now seem...

Feb 21, 2012 01:20 PM EST

EARTH: Gold, Lead and Death in Nigeria

Throughout the Zamfara region in northwestern Nigeria, children are dying at an alarming rate. What exactly could be causing such an epidemic? The answer lies in the unique geology. Lead-rich gold ores permeate the area, and mining them provides critical income for many families in need. Families ge...

Feb 21, 2012 12:23 PM EST

Taking the Earth's Pulse: UBC Scientists Unveil a New Economic and Environmental Index

A growing world population, mixed with the threat of climate change and mounting financial problems, has prompted University of British Columbia researchers to measure the overall 'health' of 152 countries around the world.

Feb 21, 2012 12:12 PM EST

Scientists Find a Notable Improvement in Quality of Life Following Successful Weight Loss in Obese Dogs

Owners of obese dogs that are successful in losing weight notice significant improvement in their dogs' health-related quality of life, a collaborative team of researchers has shown.