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Wednesday, October 8, 2014

ScienceDaily: Top Science News

ScienceDaily: Top Science News


Around the world in 400,000 years: Journey of the red fox

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 11:45 AM PDT

For the first time, researchers have investigated ancestry across the red fox genome, including the Y chromosome, or paternal line. The data, compiled for over 1,000 individuals from all over the world, expose some surprises about the origins, journey and evolution of the red fox, the world's most widely distributed land carnivore.

Killer whales learn to communicate like dolphins

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 08:10 AM PDT

The sounds that most animals use to communicate are innate, not learned. However, a few species, including humans, can imitate new sounds and use them in appropriate social contexts. This ability, known as vocal learning, is one of the underpinnings of language. Now, researchers have found that killer whales can engage in cross-species vocal learning: when socialized with bottlenose dolphins, they shifted the sounds they made to more closely match their social partners.

Coffee in the genes? New genetic variants associated with coffee drinking

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:23 AM PDT

A new, large-scale study has identified six new genetic variants associated with habitual coffee drinking. "Coffee and caffeine have been linked to beneficial and adverse health effects. Our findings may allow us to identify subgroups of people most likely to benefit from increasing or decreasing coffee consumption for optimal health," said the lead author of the study.

MRI technique detects evidence of cognitive decline before symptoms appear

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:23 AM PDT

A magnetic resonance imaging technique can detect signs of cognitive decline in the brain even before symptoms appear, according to a new study. The technique has the potential to serve as a biomarker in very early diagnosis of preclinical dementia.

World's first child born after uterus transplantation

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:21 AM PDT

Seven Swedish women have had embryos reintroduced after receiving wombs from living donors. Now the first transplanted woman has delivered a baby – a healthy and normally developed boy.

Near-death experiences? Results of the world's largest medical study of the human mind and consciousness at time of death

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:21 AM PDT

The results of a four-year international study of 2060 cardiac arrest cases across 15 hospitals concludes the following. The themes relating to the experience of death appear far broader than what has been understood so far, or what has been described as so called near-death experiences. In some cases of cardiac arrest, memories of visual awareness compatible with so called out-of-body experiences may correspond with actual events. A higher proportion of people may have vivid death experiences, but do not recall them due to the effects of brain injury or sedative drugs on memory circuits. Widely used yet scientifically imprecise terms such as near-death and out-of-body experiences may not be sufficient to describe the actual experience of death. The recalled experience surrounding death merits a genuine investigation without prejudice.

Non-coding half of human genome unlocked with novel sequencing technique

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:17 AM PDT

An obscure swatch of human DNA once thought to be nothing more than biological trash may actually offer a treasure trove of insight into complex genetic-related diseases such as cancer and diabetes, thanks to a novel sequencing technique developed by biologists.

Talking to your car is often distracting

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 06:16 AM PDT

Two new studies show that despite public belief to the contrary, hands-free, voice-controlled automobile infotainment systems can distract drivers, although it is possible to design them to be safer. Apple's Siri and Chevrolet's MyLink were most distracting, while Toyota's Entune was least distracting, the study showed.

2014 Nobel Prize in Physics: Invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes

Posted: 07 Oct 2014 04:17 AM PDT

The 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to Isamu Akasaki, of Meijo University in Nagoya and Nagoya University, Japan; Hiroshi Amano, of Nagoya University, Japan; and Shuji Nakamura of the University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA "for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources."

High-sugar diet no problem for genetic mutants

Posted: 06 Oct 2014 10:35 AM PDT

A genetic pathway for circumventing the weight gain that accompanies a high-sugar diet has been discovered by scientists. Building on previous work with C. elegans, researchers found that certain genetic mutants -- those with a hyperactive SKN-1 gene -- could be fed incredibly high-sugar diets without gaining any weight, while regular C. elegans ballooned on the same diet.

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