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Thursday, April 5, 2012

ScienceDaily: Top Science News

ScienceDaily: Top Science News


Drawing connections between food webs: Universal truths about species' roles uncovered

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 01:19 PM PDT

Researchers have discovered universal truths about species' roles in food webs. The findings could open doors to increasingly global approaches in conservation.

Quantum computer built inside a diamond

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 01:19 PM PDT

A team of scientists has built a quantum computer in a diamond, the first of its kind to include protection against "decoherence" -- noise that prevents the computer from functioning properly.

New mechanism of past global warming? Thawing permafrost 50 million years ago led to global warming events

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:38 AM PDT

Climate scientists have proposed a simple new mechanism to explain the source of carbon that fed a series of extreme warming events about 55 million years ago, the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, and a sequence of similar, smaller warming events afterward.

Analysis of stickleback genome sequence catches evolution in action: Reuse of key genes is common theme

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:37 AM PDT

Three-spine sticklebacks aren't as pretty as many aquarium fish, and anglers don't fantasize about hooking one. But biologists treasure these small fish for what they are revealing about the genetic changes that drive evolution. Now, researchers have sequenced the stickleback genome for the first time, and they have discovered that as fish in different parts of the world adapted to live in fresh water, the same sites in the genome were changed time and again.

Change from lab to natural setting dramatically alters biological and genetic determinants of behavior

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:37 AM PDT

Research into the behavior of flies and their sleep-wake mechanism in a natural environment flies in the face of over 40 years of research in controlled laboratory conditions.

Autism mutations, scattered across many genes, merge into common network of interactions

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:37 AM PDT

Among autistic children with no family history of ASD, researchers uncovered 49 gene mutations disrupting a pathway that modifies chromatin and regulates genes in the brain and nervous system. Various changes in this pathway contribute to children developing autism in different ways. Many different forms of autism exist at the molecular level, making ASD an umbrella disorder with many root causes. Conversely, many intellectual, social and mental disorders share common mutations. Divisions clinicians make among these disorders may not translate into molecular differences.

DNA sequencing consortium unveils patterns of mutations in autism

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:36 AM PDT

Scientists have searched for autism-related mutations in the fraction of the human genome that codes for proteins. The researchers sequenced this region, known as the "exome," in 175 autism patients and their unaffected parents. Their results suggest modest roles for hundreds of genes in the development of autism and pinpoint a few specific genes as genuine risk factors.

Mutations in three genes linked to autism spectrum disorders

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:36 AM PDT

Mutations in three new genes have been linked to autism, according to new studies. The findings reveal new genetic targets in autism. Three new studies provide new insights into important genetic changes and the many biological pathways that lead to autism spectrum disorders.

New way of lasing: A 'superradiant' laser

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:36 AM PDT

Physicists have demonstrated a novel "superradiant" laser design, which has the potential to be 100 to 1,000 times more stable than the best conventional visible lasers. This type of laser could boost the performance of the most advanced atomic clocks and related technologies, such as communications and navigation systems as well as space-based astronomical instruments.

Potential method to control obesity: Red wine, fruit compound could help block fat cell formation

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 09:53 AM PDT

A compound found in red wine, grapes and other fruits, and similar in structure to resveratrol, is able to block cellular processes that allow fat cells to develop, opening a door to a potential method to control obesity, according to a new study.

Cannibalistic galaxy with a powerful heart

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 09:53 AM PDT

Astronomers have provided a multi-wavelength view of the mysterious galaxy Centaurus A. The new image reveals further hints about its cannibalistic past and energetic processes going on in its core.

Defying conventional wisdom, water can float on oil

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 09:52 AM PDT

Defying thousands of years of conventional wisdom, scientists are reporting that it is possible for water to float on oil, a discovery they say has important potential applications in cleaning up oil spills that threaten seashores and fisheries.

How social contact with sick ants protects their nestmates

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:23 AM PDT

Micro-infections have been found to promote social vaccination in ant societies. Like crowded megacities, ant colonies face a high risk of disease outbreaks. These are kept in check by the ants' "social immune system"— a set of collective hygienic behaviors and adaptive changes in interaction frequencies that acts in conjunction with the physiological, innate immune system of colony members.

Mystery of human consciousness illuminated: Primitive consciousness emerges first as you awaken from anesthesia

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:21 AM PDT

Primitive consciousness emerges first as you awaken from anesthesia. Awakening from anesthesia is often associated with an initial phase of delirious struggle before the full restoration of awareness and orientation to one's surroundings. Scientists now know why this may occur: primitive consciousness emerges first. The emergence of consciousness was found to be associated with activations of deep, primitive brain structures rather than the evolutionary younger neocortex. These results may represent an important step forward in the scientific explanation of human consciousness.

Early-life exposure to BPA affects adult learning, animal study suggests

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:18 AM PDT

A new study is the first to identify a neurobehavioral effect of BPA using a zebrafish model exposed to concentrations comparable to what humans might encounter in the environment.

Cosmic 'leaf blower' robs galaxy of star-making fuel

Posted: 04 Apr 2012 05:34 AM PDT

Supernova explosions and the jets of a monstrous black hole are scattering a galaxy's star-making gas like a cosmic leaf blower, a new study finds. The findings, which relied on ultraviolet observations from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer and a host of other instruments, fill an important gap in the current understanding of galactic evolution.

New early warning system for seizures could lead to fewer false alarms

Posted: 03 Apr 2012 02:19 PM PDT

Biomedical engineers have devised seizure detection software to significantly cut the number of unneeded electrical pulses an epilepsy patient receives from brain implants.

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