Catherine Griffin : Science World Report

Oct 04, 2013 07:54 AM EDT

Honeybees Avoid Giant Wasps

Honeybees rely on nectar to make the sweet honey that can be found in homes across the United States. Yet these bees live in constant danger as predators wait to seize them out of the skies or ambush them on flowers. Now, researchers have discovered that these predators can drive bees to avoid necta...

Oct 03, 2013 12:59 PM EDT

Insects Predict the Weather: Mating Behavior Modified by Air Pressure

While your local weatherman may not be able to precisely predict the weather, it turns out that insects can. Scientists have discovered that these six-legged creatures modify their calling and courting mating behavior in response to changes in air pressure.

Oct 03, 2013 12:34 PM EDT

Evolution of Flowering Plants 100 Million Years Ago Caused Decline of Mammal Species

It turns out that the explosion of flowering plant species that occurred about 100 million years ago wasn't necessarily a good thing for evolving mammals. Although scientists once thought that mammals thrived under these conditions, it turns out that they instead declined as flowering plants appeare...

Oct 03, 2013 11:51 AM EDT

Scientists Reprogram E. Coli to Battle Disease-Causing Microbes

The bacteria, E. coli, is notorious for making people sick. Yet it turns out this microbe may not be all bad. Scientists have reprogrammed E. coli to make it seek out and fight other disease-causing pathogens.

Oct 03, 2013 10:53 AM EDT

Scientists Uncover DEET Receptors in Insects and Create Repellent Alternatives

The insect repellent, DEET, has long been known to be an effective way to keep mosquitoes and other pests at bay. Now, though, researchers have uncovered DEET-detecting olfactory receptors that cause the repellency in insects. This could potentially allow scientists to develop alternatives to DEET i...

Oct 03, 2013 10:11 AM EDT

Juvenile Mouse Tears Impact the Brain

Tears aren't just for showing that you're upset. Mice tears apparently secrete a protective pheromone that can impact the brain. It turns out that juvenile mouse tears can actually block adult mating, revealing that chemicals are all-important when it comes to regulating behavior.

Oct 03, 2013 09:37 AM EDT

Zebra Finch Songs Impacted by the Environment

What behaviors are learned and what behaviors are genetic? That's a question that scientists have long sought to tackle. Now, they may have an answer to this question--at least as far as zebra finches are concerned. They've found that these birds' brains and song structures are strongly influenced b...

Oct 03, 2013 08:52 AM EDT

Health of World's Oceans Declining Rapidly

The world's oceans may be declining more quickly than we thought. A review from the International Program of the State of the Ocean (IPSO) has warned that the oceans are facing multiple threats and that their health is rapidly deteriorating.

Oct 03, 2013 07:42 AM EDT

Jumping Water Droplets Could Charge Future Power Plants

It turns out that some droplets are a bit more powerful than others. Scientists have discovered that tiny water droplets that form on a superhydrophobic surface and then "jump" away carry an electric charge.

Oct 02, 2013 12:52 PM EDT

Smoking During Pregnancy Increases Bipolar Disorder Risk in Children Twofold

Smoking during pregnancy may be more dangerous than anyone ever thought. It turns out that there may be an association between smoking and increased risk for developing bipolar disorders (BD) in adult children. The findings reveal the importance of not exposing a fetus to tobacco.

Oct 02, 2013 11:53 AM EDT

Eye Contact May Make You Less Persuasive

Want to be persuasive? Then you'd better break eye contact. It turns out that eye contact may actually make people more resistant to persuasion, especially when they already disagree.

Oct 02, 2013 11:38 AM EDT

Scientists Cause Liquid Droplets to Walk and Bounce Across Vibrating Bath

It turns out that small droplets are a lot more unusual than you might think. Physicists have managed to make a small fluid droplet levitate on the surface of a vibrating bath, walking or bouncing across as it's propelled by its own wave field.