Nature : Science World Report

Feb 13, 2012 04:36 PM EST

Computer Programmes That Think Like Humans

Intelligence - what does it really mean? In the 1800s, it meant that you were good at memorising things, and today intelligence is measured through IQ tests where the average score for humans is 100. Researchers at the Department of Philosophy, Linguistics and Theory of Science at the University of ...

Feb 13, 2012 10:03 AM EST

New Research Reveals How Protein Protects Cells From HIV Infection

A novel discovery by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and colleagues reveals a mechanism by which the immune system tries to halt the spread of HIV. Harnessing this mechanism may open up new paths for therapeutic research aimed at slowing the virus' progression to AIDS. The study appears on...

Feb 11, 2012 10:47 AM EST

Complex Wiring of the Nervous System May Rely on a Just a Handful of Genes and Proteins

Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered a startling feature of early brain development that helps to explain how complex neuron wiring patterns are programmed using just a handful of critical genes. The findings, published February 3 in Cell, may help scientists develop new therapies for n...

Feb 10, 2012 02:25 PM EST

Tell Me How You Are â€“ and I Know How Long You Will Live

The way people rate their health determines their probability of survival in the following decades. Researchers from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Zurich demonstrate that for ratings ranging from "excellent", "good", "fair" and "poor" to "very poor", the risk o...

Feb 09, 2012 04:40 PM EST

North Pole Said Center of Next Super-Continent, Amasia

Pangea was the last global super-continent and is as such probably the most well known one as well. But now US scientist Ross Mitchell of Yale University, New Haven, is reporting where Amasia, the next super-continent will take shape.

Feb 07, 2012 10:48 AM EST

An Electronic Green Thumb

A green thumb is required where plants are to grow abundantly - that also applies to watering them in dry areas. If they are watered too much, then the soil becomes saline; if the plants receive too little moisture, they let their leaves droop and, in the worst case, they wither.

Feb 07, 2012 09:46 AM EST

Study: Rapid Bone Loss as Possible Side Effect of Anti-obesity Drug Now in Clinical Trials

An endocrine hormone used in clinical trials as an anti-obesity and anti-diabetes drug causes significant and rapid bone loss in mice, raising concerns about its safe use, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have shown.

Feb 07, 2012 09:34 AM EST

New Guidelines Suggest DVT Prophylaxis Not Appropriate For All Patients

New evidence-based guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) recommend considering individual patients' risk of thrombosis when deciding for or against the use of preventive therapies for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Feb 06, 2012 03:19 PM EST

Global Extinction: Gradual Doom as Bad as Abrupt

The deadliest mass extinction of all took a long time to kill 90 percent of Earth's marine life--and it killed in stages--according to a newly published report. It shows that mass extinctions need not be sudden events.

Feb 06, 2012 01:46 PM EST

Exercise Triggers Stem Cells in Muscle

University of Illinois researchers determined that an adult stem cell present in muscle is responsive to exercise, a discovery that may provide a link between exercise and muscle health. The findings could lead to new therapeutic techniques using these cells to rehabilitate injured muscle and preven...

Feb 04, 2012 07:39 AM EST

Regular Use of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Could Reduce the Risk of Colon Cancer

Could the use of vitamin and mineral supplements in a regular diet help to reduce the risk of colon cancer and protect against carcinogens? A study published in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology (CJPP) found that rats given regular multivitamin and mineral supplements showed a sign...

Feb 04, 2012 07:35 AM EST

Dieting With the Denomination, Determination

As a brand new year gets underway, people all over America are resolving to better manage their weight and have a more healthy 2012. According to a new study, those starting new weight loss programs may be surprised to find out that both location and level of experience may influence their success.