Wait for it: Ants pick perfect time to forage
STANFORD (US) — A biologist’s decades-long study of the collective behavior of harvester ant colonies has provided a rare real-time look at natural selection at work. Continue…
Thursday, May 16, 2013 12:01 - 2 Comments
Top Stories - May 8, 2013 6:25 - 4 Comments
Metamaterial could lead to ‘perfect lens’
STANFORD (US) — Engineers have designed a broadband metamaterial that more than doubles the range of wavelengths of light that can be manipulated. (more…)
Society & Culture - May 6, 2013 12:15 - 1 Comment
Did China’s agriculture sprout in Ice Age?
STANFORD (US) — The discovery of grinding stones pushes the origins of agriculture in China back 12,000 years, and suggests it evolved independently around the world. (more…)
Top Stories - Apr 5, 2013 9:46 - 47 Comments
Should we bring back extinct species?
STANFORD (US) — Within 15 years, scientists may be able to revive some recently extinct species, like the dodo or the passenger pigeon. It’s not Jurassic Park, but is it a good idea? (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 15, 2013 10:24 - 0 Comments
Long-term evolution: ‘Surprisingly predictable’
STANFORD (US) — The occurrence of natural selection over the course of many generations—a process known as long-term evolution—is not only possible, but also predictable, new research shows. (more…)
Science & Technology - Mar 4, 2013 12:01 - 1 Comment
Fukushima radiation reveals tuna’s journey
STANFORD (US) — Pacific bluefin tuna are picking up radioactive cesium released in Japan’s 2011 nuclear disaster, allowing scientists to determine the fish’s migratory habits by testing for this radioactive signature. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Feb 18, 2013 13:33 - 0 Comments
Green glow lets scientists read a mouse’s mind
STANFORD (US) — A system for observing neurons fire in a live mouse could be a useful tool for studying new therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. (more…)
Top Stories - Feb 11, 2013 13:20 - 1 Comment
Queen ant mates once, stores sperm for 20 years
STANFORD (US) — The queen harvester ant can continue to produce new ants 20 to 30 years after a single mating. (more…)
Society & Culture - Feb 8, 2013 17:14 - 0 Comments
Christianity influences meat taboos in Amazon
STANFORD (US) — Christianity has changed the hunting habits and diets of native Amazonians, which could alter biodiversity in the region. (more…)
Society & Culture - Feb 1, 2013 11:47 - 0 Comments
Virtual superpowers prompt real kindness
STANFORD (US) — Given virtual superpowers, people respond with more altruism in the real world, a new experiment shows. (more…)
Society & Culture - Jan 15, 2013 11:04 - 2 Comments
Civilization survives if women have equal rights
STANFORD (US) — The collapse of civilization can be avoided by reducing consumption and expanding women’s role in society, biologists report. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Dec 14, 2012 12:14 - 0 Comments
Earthquakes: Where will next ‘big one’ be?
STANFORD (US) — The geologic features and seismic activity in the Himalayas and Pacific Northwest could mean those areas are primed for major earthquakes. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Dec 12, 2012 17:15 - 0 Comments
X-rays find weak spot in ulcer bacteria
STANFORD / UC IRVINE (US) — Powerful X-rays have revealed a potential way to attack Helicobacter pylori, a stomach bacteria harbored by at least half the world’s population. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Nov 30, 2012 12:27 - 1 Comment
‘Stunningly clear’ view of blood vessels
STANFORD (US) — A new technique that uses carbon nanotubes and lasers allows researchers to view pulsing blood vessels of living animals with unprecedented clarity. (more…)
Science & Technology - Oct 24, 2012 16:11 - 0 Comments
Ancient human history may advance genetics
STANFORD (US) — A new review of humans’ anthropological and genetic records gives the most up-to-date story of the “Out of Africa” expansion that occurred about 45,000 to 60,000 years ago. (more…)
Science & Technology - Oct 12, 2012 15:54 - 0 Comments
Brain scans may predict kids’ reading skills
STANFORD (US) — Brain scans can identify the neural structures associated with poor reading skills in young children, and could lead to an early warning system for struggling students. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Oct 1, 2012 10:37 - 1 Comment
Did tropical rain create Great Salt Lake?
STANFORD / TEXAS A&M (US) — Utah’s Great Salt Lake may have formed when the area was flooded by storms moving up from the tropics during the last glacial period, new research suggests. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Sep 13, 2012 15:53 - 0 Comments
Acidity, algae hit shellfish with one-two punch
STANFORD (US) — Hard-shelled marine creatures that are threatened by the ocean’s ongoing acidification may also face additional pressure from other species. (more…)
Science & Technology - Aug 24, 2012 12:27 - 2 Comments
‘Anternet’ algorithm works like the web
STANFORD (US) — The way harvester ants decide how many foragers should go find food is surprisingly similar to how internet protocols assess bandwidth, say researchers. (more…)
