ScienceDaily: Most Popular News

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• How do songbirds sing? In 3-D!
• Cheap and easy technique to snip DNA could revolutionize gene therapy
• New Chandra movie features neutron star action
• Galaxy's gamma-ray flares erupted far from its black hole
• Hubble image: The galaxy puzzle in the constellation of Centaurus
• NASA's NuSTAR catches black holes in galaxy web
• Engineered bacteria make fuel from sunlight
• Detecting dusty clouds and stars: New radio wave technique uncovers shadows of clouds and stars in Milky Way's center
• Exocomets may be as common as exoplanets
• At least one in six stars has an Earth-sized planet, analysis finds
• Costly breast cancer screenings don't add up to better outcomes, study finds
• HPV-associated cancer incidence rates point to needed efforts to increase HPV vaccination coverage
• Red wine could mask testosterone levels, experts warn
• U.S. cancer death rates continue to drop, report shows
• Parkinson's disease itself does not increase risk of gambling, shopping addiction, study finds
• Can blood pressure drugs reduce the risk of dementia?
• New stem cell approach for blindness successful in mice
• Giant fossil predator provides insights into the rise of modern marine ecosystem structures
• Simulated mission to Mars reveals critical data about sleep needs for astronauts
• The reason we lose at games: Some games simply too complex for the human mind to understand
• Modified antibodies trigger immune response, point to novel vaccine design strategies
• Obese moms risk having babies with low vitamin D, study finds
• Researchers show new level of control over liquid crystals
• Molecular 'two-way radio' directs nerve cell branching and connectivity
• Mechanism of hearing is similar to car battery, researcher learns
• NASA's Kepler discovers 461 new planet candidates
• New path to more efficient organic solar cells uncovered
• Racial essentialism reduces creative thinking, makes people more closed-minded
• A French nuclear exit?
• Sudden, massive outburst in neighbor galaxy surprises astronomers
• Mountains are only minor contributors to erosion and climate regulation
• Detrimental effect of obesity on lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease
• Psychological common ground could ease tensions among those with different religious beliefs
• Cognitive deficits from concussions still present after two months
• Who deforested Central Africa: Humans or climate?
• Studying rodents' habitats to prevent leptospirosis
• Modern parenting may hinder brain development, research suggests
• Targeting use of acid-suppressants in hospital patients
• New compound overcomes drug-resistant Staph infection in mice
• Stink bug: Combating a top-ranked invasive insect
• Captive hyenas outfox wild relatives
• Cell loss in the brain relates to variations in individual symptoms in Huntington’s disease
• Sublingual immunotherapy shows promise as treatment for peanut allergy
• Living cells behave like fluid-filled sponges
• Protein key to fighting and preventing obesity discovered
• Even brief interruptions spawn errors
• 'Junk DNA' made visible before the final cut
• Fifteen new planets hint at 'traffic jam' of moons in habitable zone
• Major cuts to surging carbon dioxide emissions are needed now, not down the road, study finds
• Romper suit with sensors may protect against sudden infant death
• Seismic fabric coming on the market
• How the kilogram has put on weight
• Ovarian cancer stem cell study puts targeted therapies within reach
• Human genes influence gut microbial composition, study suggests
• First fossil bird with teeth specialized for tough diet
• Genetic link between epilepsy and migraine
• New antimatter trapping method to provide 'a major experimental advantage'
• Counting the cost of mercury pollution
• Out of sight, out of mind? How the brain codes its surroundings beyond the field of view
• Pollen exposure during pregnancy affects child's risk of early asthma, study finds

How do songbirds sing? In 3-D! Posted: 07 Jan 2013 04:07 PM PST Like humans, songbirds learn their vocalizations by imitation. Since their songs are used for finding a mate and retaining territories, birdsong is very important for reproductive success. High-field magnetic resonance imaging and micro-computed tomography have been used to construct stunning high resolution, 3-D, images, as well as a data set "morphome" of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) vocal organ, the syrinx.

Cheap and easy technique to snip DNA could revolutionize gene therapy Posted: 07 Jan 2013 03:32 PM PST A simple, precise and inexpensive method for cutting DNA to insert genes into human cells could transform genetic medicine, making routine what now are expensive, complicated and rare procedures for replacing defective genes in order to fix genetic disease or even cure AIDS.

New Chandra movie features neutron star action Posted: 07 Jan 2013 03:27 PM PST Unlike with some blockbuster films, the sequel to a movie from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is better than the first. This latest movie features a deeper look at a fast moving jet of particles produced by a rapidly rotating neutron star, and may provide new insight into the nature of some of the densest matter in the universe.

Galaxy's gamma-ray flares erupted far from its black hole Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:50 PM PST In 2011, a months-long blast of energy launched by an enormous black hole almost 11 billion years ago swept past Earth. Using a combination of data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the National Science Foundation's Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), the world's largest radio telescope, astronomers have zeroed in on the source of this ancient outburst.

Hubble image: The galaxy puzzle in the constellation of Centaurus Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:45 PM PST The Universe loves to fool our eyes, giving the impression that celestial objects are located at the same distance from Earth. A good example can be seen in a new spectacular image produced by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. The galaxies NGC 5011B and NGC 5011C are imaged against a starry background.

NASA's NuSTAR catches black holes in galaxy web Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:35 PM PST NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, set its X-ray eyes on a spiral galaxy and caught the brilliant glow of two black holes lurking inside.

Engineered bacteria make fuel from sunlight Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:17 PM PST Chemists have engineered blue-green algae to grow chemical precursors for fuels and plastics -- the first step in replacing fossil fuels as raw materials for the chemical industry.

Detecting dusty clouds and stars: New radio wave technique uncovers shadows of clouds and stars in Milky Way's center Posted: 07 Jan 2013 02:17 PM PST Researchers have discovered a new tool for detecting dusty clouds and stars in the center of the Milky Way galaxy: simply take a picture using radio waves. Unlike in the optical, X-ray and infrared wavelengths, it is unusual to see a dark feature with radio waves. The technique has been used to identify so-called radio dark clouds and stars. Knowing details of these clouds is important because the clouds can produce stars.

Exocomets may be as common as exoplanets Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:22 PM PST Astronomers have found thousands of potential exoplanets and many stars with massive disks of gas and dust that suggest planets are forming, but not much of the stuff intermediate between dust and planets, such as asteroids, planetesimals and comets. Astronomers looked closely at a number of stars with dust disks and found evidence that they also have comets, suggesting that comets are a common accompaniment to planets in many stellar systems.

At least one in six stars has an Earth-sized planet, analysis finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:22 PM PST The quest for a twin Earth is heating up. Using NASA's Kepler spacecraft, astronomers are beginning to find Earth-sized planets orbiting distant stars. A new analysis of Kepler data shows that about 17 percent of stars have an Earth-sized planet in an orbit closer than Mercury. Since the Milky Way has about 100 billion stars, there are at least 17 billion Earth-sized worlds out there.

Costly breast cancer screenings don't add up to better outcomes, study finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:21 PM PST Even though U.S. Medicare spends over $1 billion per year on breast cancer screenings such as a mammography, there is no evidence that higher spending benefits older women, researchers have found.

HPV-associated cancer incidence rates point to needed efforts to increase HPV vaccination coverage Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:21 PM PST Despite the decline in cancer death rates in the US, there is an increase in incidence rates for cancers associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and more efforts are needed to increase HPV vaccination coverage levels to prevent the occurrence of these cancers in the future according to a study published Jan. 7 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Red wine could mask testosterone levels, experts warn Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:14 PM PST Red wine could give athletes and players a boost in the sports arena by increasing the amount of performance-enhancing hormone testosterone in their bodies, according to researchers in the UK.

U.S. cancer death rates continue to drop, report shows Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:13 PM PST The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, 1975–2009, shows that overall cancer death rates continued to decline in the United States among both men and women, among all major racial and ethnic groups, and for all of the most common cancer sites, including lung, colon and rectum, female breast, and prostate. However, the report also shows that death rates continued to increase during the latest time period (2000 through 2009) for melanoma of the skin (among men only) and for cancers of the liver, pancreas, and uterus. The special feature section on human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers shows that incidence rates are increasing for HPV-associated oropharyngeal and anal cancers and that vaccination coverage levels in the U.S. during 2008 and 2010 remained low among adolescent girls.

Parkinson's disease itself does not increase risk of gambling, shopping addiction, study finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:13 PM PST Parkinson's disease itself does not increase the risk of impulse control problems such as compulsive gambling and shopping that have been seen in people taking certain drugs for Parkinson's disease, according to new research.

Can blood pressure drugs reduce the risk of dementia? Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:13 PM PST People taking the blood pressure drugs called beta blockers may be less likely to have changes in the brain that can be signs of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, according to a new study.

New stem cell approach for blindness successful in mice Posted: 07 Jan 2013 01:04 PM PST Blind mice can see again, after Oxford University researchers transplanted developing cells into their eyes and found they could re-form the entire light-sensitive layer of the retina.

Giant fossil predator provides insights into the rise of modern marine ecosystem structures Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:14 PM PST An international team of scientists has described a fossil marine predator measuring 8.6 meters in length (about 28 feet) recovered from the Nevada desert in 2010 as representing the first top predator in marine food chains feeding on prey similar to its own size.

Simulated mission to Mars reveals critical data about sleep needs for astronauts Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:14 PM PST In the first study of its kind, researchers have analyzed data on the impact of prolonged operational confinement on sleep, performance, and mood in astronauts from a simulated 520-day space mission to Mars. The findings revealed alterations of life-sustaining sleep patterns and neurobehavioral consequences for crew members that must be addressed for successful human interplanetary spaceflight.

The reason we lose at games: Some games simply too complex for the human mind to understand Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:12 PM PST If you have ever wondered why you never seem to win at skill-based games such as poker or chess, there might be a very good reason. Scientists have discovered that some games are simply impossible to fully learn, or too complex for the human mind to understand.

Modified antibodies trigger immune response, point to novel vaccine design strategies Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:12 PM PST In an approach with the potential to aid therapeutic vaccine development, Whitehead Institute scientists have shown that enzymatically modified antibodies can be used to generate highly targeted, potent responses from cells of the immune system.

Obese moms risk having babies with low vitamin D, study finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:07 PM PST Women who are obese at the start of their pregnancy may be passing on insufficient levels of vitamin D to their babies, according to a new study. The study found that babies born to lean mothers had a third higher amount of vitamin D compared to babies born to obese moms.

Researchers show new level of control over liquid crystals Posted: 07 Jan 2013 12:07 PM PST An interdisciplinary team of researchers has shown a new way to direct the assembly of liquid crystals, generating small features that spontaneously arrange in arrays based on much larger templates.

Molecular 'two-way radio' directs nerve cell branching and connectivity Posted: 07 Jan 2013 11:57 AM PST Working with fruit flies, scientists have decoded the activity of protein signals that let certain nerve cells know when and where to branch so that they reach and connect to their correct muscle targets. The proteins' mammalian counterparts are known to have signaling roles in immunity, nervous system and heart development, and tumor progression, suggesting broad implications for human disease research.

Mechanism of hearing is similar to car battery, researcher learns Posted: 07 Jan 2013 11:57 AM PST Biologists have shown that one of the mechanisms involved in hearing is similar to the battery in your car. And if that isn't interesting enough, the scientists advanced their knowledge of human hearing by studying a similar auditory system in fruit flies -- and by making use of the fruit fly "love song."

NASA's Kepler discovers 461 new planet candidates Posted: 07 Jan 2013 11:31 AM PST NASA's Kepler mission Monday announced the discovery of 461 new planet candidates. Four of the potential new planets are less than twice the size of Earth and orbit in their sun's "habitable zone," the region in the planetary system where liquid water might exist on the surface of a planet.

New path to more efficient organic solar cells uncovered Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST Working at Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source, an international team of scientists found that for highly efficient polymer/organic solar cells, size matters. Impure domains if made sufficiently small can lead to improved performances in polymer-based organic photovoltaics.

Racial essentialism reduces creative thinking, makes people more closed-minded Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST New research suggests that racial stereotypes and creativity have more in common than we might think. In an new article, researchers find that racial stereotyping and creative stagnation share a common mechanism: Categorical thinking.

A French nuclear exit? Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST France has been held up, worldwide, as the forerunner in using nuclear fission to produce electricity. However, a third of the nation's nuclear reactors will need replacing in the next decade, and public opinion has shifted toward reducing reliance on nuclear power.

Sudden, massive outburst in neighbor galaxy surprises astronomers Posted: 07 Jan 2013 10:09 AM PST Astronomers making a long-term study of galaxies see sudden, energetic outburst in one of them. Still under observation, the outburst probably results from messy eating by a supermassive black hole.

Mountains are only minor contributors to erosion and climate regulation Posted: 07 Jan 2013 09:10 AM PST For years, geologists believed that mountains, due to their steep slopes and high rates of erosion, were large contributors to the trapping of carbon in ocean sediment. But a new study suggests that mountains do not play a significant role in this activity, turning a geological paradigm on its head.

Detrimental effect of obesity on lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease Posted: 07 Jan 2013 09:10 AM PST Researchers have recently used a neurodegeneration model of Alzheimer's disease to provide experimental evidence of the relationship between obesity and disorders linked to the tau protein. This research corroborates the theory that metabolic anomalies contribute massively to the development of dementia.

Psychological common ground could ease tensions among those with different religious beliefs Posted: 07 Jan 2013 09:10 AM PST A new study found that thoughts of death increased atheists, Christians, Muslims and agnostics conviction in their own world views. For example, contrary to the wartime aphorism that there are no atheists in foxholes, thoughts of death did not cause atheists to express belief in a deity.

Cognitive deficits from concussions still present after two months Posted: 07 Jan 2013 09:10 AM PST The ability to focus and switch tasks readily amid distractions was compromised for up to two months following brain concussions suffered by high school athletes, according to a new study.

Who deforested Central Africa: Humans or climate? Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:14 AM PST It is a much debated question: why did Central African forests become partially fragmented between 2,500 and 2,000 years ago, leaving room for more open forest landscapes and savannah? Recently, researchers attempted to explain that it was the farming Bantu peoples who were responsible for this, through the large-scale clearing that they undertook.

Studying rodents' habitats to prevent leptospirosis Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:13 AM PST Leptospirosis is a water-related bacterial disease with a high incidence in Southeast Asia. People usually become infected through exposure to water contaminated by the urine of infected animals, mainly rats and mice. Researchers have revealed the relationship between rodents' environment and infection by leptospirosis bacteria. They showed that, whereas people mainly get infected in rice fields, the bacteria are present in a variety of environments, and particularly at the frontiers of fields and forests.

Modern parenting may hinder brain development, research suggests Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:05 AM PST Social practices and cultural beliefs of modern life are preventing healthy brain and emotional development in children, according to an interdisciplinary body of research.

Targeting use of acid-suppressants in hospital patients Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:05 AM PST Gastrointestinal bleeds which occur in the hospital, although rare, are a significant source of morbidity and mortality when they occur. Currently, the prophylactic use of acid-suppressive medication in non-critically ill patients in the hospital is not widely recommended. Despite this, these medications continue to be widely utilized for this purpose.

New compound overcomes drug-resistant Staph infection in mice Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:05 AM PST Researchers have discovered a new compound that restores the health of mice infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an otherwise dangerous bacterial infection. The new compound targets an enzyme not found in human cells but which is essential to bacterial survival.

Stink bug: Combating a top-ranked invasive insect Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:05 AM PST The stink bug, an invasive species, is a major economic threat to orchard fruits, garden vegetables and row crops. Scientists are searching for ways to control the stink bug by deciphering its genetic toolkit, studying the pheromones it releases, and evaluating potential attractants for use in commercial traps.

Captive hyenas outfox wild relatives Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:05 AM PST When it comes to solving puzzles, animals in captivity are, well, different animals than their wild brethren.

Cell loss in the brain relates to variations in individual symptoms in Huntington’s disease Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST Scientists have wrestled to understand why Huntington's disease, which is caused by a single gene mutation, can produce such variable symptoms. An authoritative review by a group of leading experts summarizes the progress relating cell loss in the striatum and cerebral cortex to symptom profile in Huntington's disease, suggesting a possible direction for developing targeted therapies.

Sublingual immunotherapy shows promise as treatment for peanut allergy Posted: 07 Jan 2013 08:00 AM PST Daily doses of a liquid containing peanut powder, in gradually increasing amounts, enabled patients with peanut allergy to safely consume peanut in amounts at least 10 times greater than their baseline.

Living cells behave like fluid-filled sponges Posted: 07 Jan 2013 07:01 AM PST Animal cells behave like fluid-filled sponges in response to being mechanically deformed according to new research.

Protein key to fighting and preventing obesity discovered Posted: 07 Jan 2013 07:01 AM PST Scientists have identified a protein that, when absent, helps the body burn fat and prevents insulin resistance and obesity.

Even brief interruptions spawn errors Posted: 07 Jan 2013 07:00 AM PST Short interruptions -- such as the few seconds it takes to silence that buzzing smartphone -- have a surprisingly large effect on one's ability to accurately complete a task, according to new research.

'Junk DNA' made visible before the final cut Posted: 07 Jan 2013 07:00 AM PST New research is shining a light on an important regulatory role performed by the so-called dark matter, or "junk DNA," within each of our genes.

Fifteen new planets hint at 'traffic jam' of moons in habitable zone Posted: 07 Jan 2013 07:00 AM PST Volunteers from the Planethunters.org website have discovered 15 new planet candidates orbiting in the habitable zones of other stars. Added to the 19 similar planets already discovered in habitable zones, where the temperature is neither too hot nor too cold for liquid water, the new finds suggest that there may be a 'traffic jam' of all kinds of strange worlds in regions that could potentially support life.

Major cuts to surging carbon dioxide emissions are needed now, not down the road, study finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 07:00 AM PST Halting climate change will require "a fundamental and disruptive overhaul of the global energy system" to eradicate harmful carbon dioxide emissions, not just stabilize them, according to new findings.

Romper suit with sensors may protect against sudden infant death Posted: 07 Jan 2013 06:57 AM PST Breathing sensors built into romper suits could help prevent sudden cot deaths in the future. The basis for this is a stretchable printed circuit board that fits to the contours of the body and can be manufactured using routine industrial processes.

Seismic fabric coming on the market Posted: 07 Jan 2013 06:57 AM PST In the case of earthquakes, only seconds may remain for a safe escape from buildings. Debris falling down and obstructing the escape routes may even aggravate the situation. A new product extends the time for saving lives by reinforcing walls and keeping off the debris.

How the kilogram has put on weight Posted: 07 Jan 2013 05:26 AM PST Using a state-of-the-art Theta-probe XPS machine, experts in the UK have shown the original kilogram is likely to be tens of micrograms heavier than it was when the first standard was set in 1875. And they say a suntan could be the key to helping it lose weight.

Ovarian cancer stem cell study puts targeted therapies within reach Posted: 07 Jan 2013 05:26 AM PST Researchers have identified a key link between stem cell factors that fuel ovarian cancer's growth and patient prognosis. The study paves the way for developing novel targeted ovarian cancer therapies.

Human genes influence gut microbial composition, study suggests Posted: 07 Jan 2013 05:26 AM PST New research has identified a link between a human gene and the composition of human gastrointestinal bacteria. In a new study, scientists outline new evidence suggesting that the human genome may play a role in determining the makeup of the billions of microbes in the human gastrointestinal tract collectively known as the gut microbiota.

First fossil bird with teeth specialized for tough diet Posted: 07 Jan 2013 05:26 AM PST Beak shape variation in Darwin's finches is a classic example of evolutionary adaptation, with beaks that vary widely in proportions and shape, reflecting a diversity of ecologies. While living birds have a beak to manipulate their food, their fossil bird ancestors had teeth. Now a new fossil discovery shows some fossil birds evolved teeth adapted for specialized diets.

Genetic link between epilepsy and migraine Posted: 07 Jan 2013 05:23 AM PST New research reveals a shared genetic susceptibility to epilepsy and migraine. Findings indicate that having a strong family history of seizure disorders increases the chance of having migraine with aura (MA).

New antimatter trapping method to provide 'a major experimental advantage' Posted: 07 Jan 2013 05:23 AM PST Researchers have proposed a method for cooling trapped antihydrogen which they believe could provide 'a major experimental advantage' and help to map the mysterious properties of antimatter that have to date remained elusive. The new method could cool trapped antihydrogen atoms to temperatures 25 times colder than already achieved, making them much more stable and a lot easier to experiment on.

Counting the cost of mercury pollution Posted: 07 Jan 2013 05:23 AM PST Cleaning up mercury pollution and reducing prenatal exposure to the neurotoxin methylmercury (MeHg) could save the European Union 10,000 million euros per year, finds a new study. New estimates suggest that between 1.5 and 2 million children in the EU are born each year with MeHg exposures above the safe limit of 0.58 micrograms per gram and 200,000 above the WHO recommended maximum of 2.5 micrograms per gram.

Out of sight, out of mind? How the brain codes its surroundings beyond the field of view Posted: 07 Jan 2013 05:22 AM PST Even when they are not directly in sight, we are aware of our surroundings: so it is that when our eyes are fixed on an interesting book, for example, we know that the door is to the right, the bookshelf is to the left and the window is behind us. However, research into the brain has so far concerned itself predominantly with how information from our field of vision is coded in the visual cortex. To date it has not been known how the brain codes our surroundings beyond the field of view from an egocentric perspective (that is, from the point of view of the observer). In a new article, scientists present for the first time direct evidence of this kind of spatial information in the brain.

Pollen exposure during pregnancy affects child's risk of early asthma, study finds Posted: 07 Jan 2013 05:22 AM PST A woman's exposure to high pollen levels in late pregnancy increases the risk of early asthma in the child, according to a group of researchers in Sweden.

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