Science & Technology - Feb 1, 2012 11:53 - 1 Comment

Protein’s arm controls iron-sulfur cluster

RICE (US) —Scientists have learned how a protein that plays a role in diabetes, cancer, and aging uses entwined arm movements to control a potentially toxic payload of iron and sulfur. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 31, 2012 18:07 - 1 Comment

30-foot prehistoric crocodile wore head ‘shield’

U. MISSOURI (US) — A researcher has identified a new species of prehistoric crocodile nicknamed “Shieldcroc” due to a thick-skinned shield on its head. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 31, 2012 14:54 - 0 Comments

Sperm production is costly, crickets show

MONASH U. (AUS) — The production of sperm is more biologically taxing than previously thought, a new study with crickets proves. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 31, 2012 13:56 - 0 Comments

Snake-like robot slithers to the rescue

GEORGIA TECH (US) — Researchers have used the way snakes move as inspiration for machines that could conduct energy-efficient rescue missions. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 31, 2012 12:11 - 16 Comments

Mouse to elephant in 24M generations

MONASH (AUS) — A new study says that it would take 24 million generations for a mouse-sized animal to evolve to the size of an elephant. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 31, 2012 10:40 - 0 Comments

Next-gen electronics inspired by vacuum sealer

RUTGERS (US) — A familiar kitchen gadget has inspired an advance toward flexible screens for electronics. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 30, 2012 13:25 - 1 Comment

Smells, great and gross, reshape the brain

CALTECH (US) — Based on a new study with locusts, researchers better understand how the brain adapts to remember new and specific smells. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 30, 2012 10:51 - 1 Comment

After four mutations, new virus attacks

MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Scientists have shown for the first time how a new virus evolves, clarifying how easy it is for diseases to quickly gain dangerous mutations. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 26, 2012 18:26 - 0 Comments

Monkey-brained robot ‘sees’ with whiskers

U. SHEFFIELD (UK) — Researchers have fitted a robotic rat with a monkey brain model in order to increase the machine’s perception. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 26, 2012 18:06 - 0 Comments

33,000-year-old teeth from domesticated dog

U. ARIZONA (US) — An ancient dog skull, preserved in a cave in the Altai Mountains of Siberia for 33,000 years, presents some of the oldest known evidence of dog domestication, say researchers. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 25, 2012 14:15 - 1 Comment

Rigid feathers suggest dinosaur could fly

BROWN (US) — Researchers say the winged dinosaurs Archaeopteryx had rigid black feathers, a finding that suggests that they could fly. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 25, 2012 13:43 - 1 Comment

Replica of Trojan asteroids fits in single atom

RICE (US) — Physicists have built an accurate model of part of the solar system inside a single atom of potassium. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 24, 2012 17:47 - 0 Comments

Battery drain may influence app design

U. TEXAS-AUSTIN (US) — The first systematic power profiles of microprocessors could help lower the energy consumption of small and large devices, say researchers. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 24, 2012 14:27 - 0 Comments

Cavefish cast off eyes for life in the dark

NYU (US) — Researchers say cavefish, having lost their pigmentation and sight from living in complete darkness, are an example of convergent evolution. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 24, 2012 14:16 - 0 Comments

Water sees right through graphene

RICE (US) — Graphene is largely transparent to the eye and, as it turns out, largely transparent to water. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 24, 2012 13:05 - 6 Comments

Don’t ditch the ‘ums’. Listeners need them

U. ILLINOIS (US) — Speakers should think twice before eliminating the “ums,” “uhs,” and other speech fillers from their message if they want listeners to recall what was said. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 24, 2012 12:54 - 0 Comments

Signers quick to read body language

UC DAVIS (US) — Deaf people who use sign language can recognize and interpret body language more readily than hearing non-signers, a new study shows. (more…)

Science & Technology - Jan 24, 2012 12:44 - 0 Comments

Icy microbes make case for life on Mars

PENN STATE (US) — The bottom of a glacier is not the most hospitable place on Earth, but at least two types of bacteria happily live there, according to researchers. (more…)

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