Tracking viruses back in time
September 6, 2010 by Henry Bortman
How long have viruses been around? No one knows. Scientists at Portland State University have begun taking the first steps toward answering this question.
New report warns of expanding threat of hypoxia in U. S. coastal waters
September 6, 2010
A report issued today by key environmental and scientific federal agencies assesses the increasing prevalence of low-oxygen “dead zones” in U.S. coastal waters
and outlines a series of research and policy steps that could help reverse the decades-long trend.
Magic mushrooms reduce anxiety over cancer
21:00 06 September 2010 by Jessica Griggs
The active ingredient of magic mushrooms, psilocybin, has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve mood in people with cancer.
Visual pattern preference may be indicator of autism in toddlers
September 6, 2010
Using eye-tracking methods, researchers have shown that toddlers with autism spend significantly more time visually examining dynamic geometric patterns than they do looking at social images.
The results of the study suggest that a preference for geometric patterns early in life may be a signature behavior in infants who are at-risk for autism.
Woolly Mammoth, Woolly Rhinoceros and Reindeer Lived on Iberian Peninsula 150,000 Years Ago, Findings Show
ScienceDaily Sep. 7, 2010
A team  have gathered together all findings of the woolly mammoth, the woolly rhinoceros and the reindeer in the Iberian Peninsula to show that, although in small numbers,
these big mammals -- prehistoric indicators of cold climates -- already lived in this territory some 150,000 years ago.
7-Sep-2010
Quality measurement programs could shortchange physicians caring for at-risk patients
Physician quality ratings appear to be affected by characteristics of patients cared for
7-Sep-2010
Morning sickness: Still no relief
There are currently no reliably safe and effective treatments for morning sickness, according to Cochrane researchers who conducted a systematic review of the available evidence.
There was very limited evidence for all pharmaceutical and alternative medicines tested.
7-Sep-2010
Can we spot volcanoes on alien worlds? Astronomers say yes
Now that astronomers are finding rocky worlds orbiting distant stars, they're asking the next logical questions: Do any of those worlds have volcanoes? And if so, could we detect them?
Work by theorists  suggests that the answer to the latter is a qualified "Yes."
7-Sep-2010
Short sleepers at higher risk of diabetes and heart disease
People who sleep less than six hours a night may be three times more likely to develop a condition which leads to diabetes and heart disease.
7-Sep-2010
Unusual feed supplement could ease greenhouse gassy cows
Cow belches, a major source of greenhouse gases, could be decreased by an unusual feed supplement developed by a Penn State dairy scientist.
7-Sep-2010
Is hand washing enough to stop the spread of disease?
Not drying your hands thoroughly after washing them, could increase the spread of bacteria and rubbing your hands whilst using a conventional electric hand dryer could be a contributing factor
Q & A
The Hair of My Chin
By C. CLAIBORNE RAY Published: September 6, 2010
Q. If I tweeze out the single hair that grows from a facial mole, will it cause cancer, as my friend insists?
Really?
The Claim: The Day’s Events are Incorporated Into That Night’s Dreams.
By ANAHAD O’CONNOR September 6, 2010
In the world of sleep research, dreams are something of a black box. But one tidbit that scientists have discerned is the peculiar but predictable pattern in which dreams tend to occur.
Losing weight may pollute the blood
09:30 07 September 2010 by Wendy Zukerman
Weight loss has a serious downside: it leads to the release of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which may have a significant impact on health.
Extreme Survival: 'Conan the Bacterium' Reveals Its Recipe for Success
ScienceDaily Sep. 7, 2010
Researchers report the discovery of long-sought chemical antioxidants in the world's toughest microbe -- Deinococcus
Colorful Mix of Asteroids Discovered, May Aid Future Space Travel
ScienceDaily Sep. 7, 2010
New research from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals that asteroids somewhat near Earth,
termed near-Earth objects, are a mixed bunch, with a surprisingly wide array of compositions.
The Brain Speaks: Scientists Decode Words from Brain Signals
ScienceDaily Sep. 7, 2010
In an early step toward letting severely paralyzed people speak with their thoughts, University of Utah researchers translated brain signals into words
using two grids of 16 microelectrodes implanted beneath the skull but atop the brain.
Global Update
Tuberculosis: Automated Test for Drug-Resistant TB Gives Results in Hours, Not Weeks
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. Published: September 6, 2010
A new automated test for drug-resistant tuberculosis gives accurate results in two hours instead of four to eight weeks, scientists said last week,
and public health officials greeted the news enthusiastically, saying it could greatly speed up diagnosis.
Microbes are eating BP oil without using up oxygen
By SETH BORENSTEIN AP Science Writer Sep 7, 6:15 PM EDT
Government scientists studying the BP disaster are reporting the best possible outcome:
Microbes are consuming the oil in the Gulf without depleting the oxygen in the water and creating "dead zones" where fish cannot survive.
Even Bugs Have Personality
Individual bugs behave consistently and in their own unique ways over time and across different contexts, research finds.
By Jennifer Viegas    Tue Sep 7, 2010 07:00 PM ET
Culture
Study of Men Dancing Reveals Moves Ladies Love
Using computer-generated avatars, psychologists say they have unlocked the dance moves that will capture a woman's heart.
By Charles Q. Choi, LiveScience Contributor 07 September 2010 07:06 pm ET
Optical Illusion of Child Gets Drivers to Brake  
Analysis by Tracy Staedter Wed Sep 8, 2010 07:50 AM ET
 In an effort to get speeding drivers to slow down, the British Columbia Automobile Association Traffic Safety Foundation is painting an image of a child playing with a ball on the road in a school zone.
The image is painted in an elongated manner, so that at the right distance, it appears three-dimensional.
Designing Your Own Workspace Improves Health, Happiness and Productivity
ScienceDaily Sep. 8, 2010
Employees who have control over the design and layout of their workspace are not only happier and healthier -- they're also up to 32% more productive
Extinction 'Tipping Points' Possibly Predictable
By Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer 08 September 2010 01:09 pm ET
Thousands of plants and animals worldwide are listed as threatened or endangered, but the point of no return for these diminishing populations has been impossible to predict.
A new study suggests a way to determine when extinction becomes inevitable.
Personality Predicts Cheating More Than Academic Struggles, Study Shows
ScienceDaily Sep. 8, 2010
Students who cheat in high school and college are highly likely to fit the profile for subclinical psychopathy
The Other End of the Planetary Scale
Posted in: Astronomy by Jon Voisey
The definition of a "planet" is one that has seen a great deal of contention.
Yet little attention is paid to the other end of the planetary scale, namely, where the cutoff between a star and a planet lies.
Using Chest Compressions First Just as Successful as Immediate Defibrillation After Cardiac Arrest
ScienceDaily Sep. 9, 2010
Chest compressions before defibrillation in patients with sudden cardiac arrest is equally successful as immediate treatment with an electrical defibrillator,
according to a new study by the University of Michigan Health System.
Molecular Gatekeeper of Arthritis Identified: Removal of Key Protein Leads to Initiation of Disease
ScienceDaily Sep. 9, 2010
Elimination of a molecular gatekeeper leads to the development of arthritis in mice, scientists report in a study published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Vitamin B 'puts off Alzheimer's'
By Jane Hughes Health correspondent, BBC News 8 September 2010 Last updated at 21:05 GMT
A new study suggests high doses of B vitamins may halve the rate of brain shrinkage in older people experiencing some of the warning signs of Alzheimer's disease.
Ancient Greeks spotted Halley's comet
09 September 2010 by Jo Marchant
A CELESTIAL event in the 5th century BC could be the earliest documented sighting of Halley's comet - and it marked a turning point in the history of astronomy.
9 September 2010 Last updated at 23:30 GMT
Prostate cancer screening backed for 'at risk' men
Screening men with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer can lead to early diagnosis of prostate cancer, a UK study says.
9 September 2010 Last updated at 23:51 GMT
'Sponge checks' for oesophageal cancer risk
Swallowing a sponge on a piece of string could help prevent a deadly form of cancer, UK experts claim.
7 September 2010 | Nature 467, 140-141 (2010) | doi:10.1038/467140b
Rare victory in fight against melanoma
Genetically tailored approach could slow disease progress.
A smart use for wisdom teeth: Making stem cells
September 10, 2010
Wisdom teeth are not much more than an annoyance that eventually needs to be removed.
However, a new study shows that wisdom teeth contain a valuable reservoir of tissue for the creation of stem cells;
thus, everyone might be carrying around his or her own personal stem-cell repository.
Health
The 10 Deadliest Cancers and Why There's No Cure
By Amanda Chan, MyHealthNewsDaily Staff Writer posted: 10 September 2010 01:47 pm ET
Cancer is the No. 2 cause of death in Americans, second only to heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Even when diagnosed early and attacked with the latest treatments, it still has the power to kill.
Study finds that sorghum bran has more antioxidants than blueberries, pomegranates
September 10, 2010 by Kirk McAlpin
A new University of Georgia study has found that select varieties of sorghum bran have greater antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties than well-known foods such as blueberries and pomegranates.
2000-year-old pills found in Greek shipwreck
Updated 10:57 10 September 2010 by Shanta Barley
For the first time, archaeobotanists have been able to examine and analyse pills that were prepared by the physicians of ancient Greece.
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a...a...Fish!
Analysis by Zahra Hirji Sat Sep 11, 2010 02:20 PM ET
How well do flying fish fly? This is the question that puzzled researchers in South Korea.
Measuring aerodynamic forces on dried darkedged-wing flying fish in a wind tunnel, they discovered that flying fish glide better than insects and as well as birds.
The fish also derive an aerodynamic advantage from gliding close to the water's surface to cover distances as great as 400 meters.
IV Drips Can Be Left in Place, Study Shows
ScienceDaily Sep. 10, 2010
Small intravenous devices (IVDs) commonly used in the hand or arm do not need to be moved routinely every 3 days.
Emerging technologies may fuel revolutionary horizontal space launcher
September 12, 2010 by Steve Siceloff
As NASA studies possibilities for the next launcher to the stars, a team of engineers from Kennedy Space Center and several other field centers are looking for a system
that turns a host of existing cutting-edge technologies into the next giant leap spaceward.
Glasperlenspiel: Scientists Propose New Test for Gravity
ScienceDaily Sep. 13, 2010
A new experiment proposed by physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) may allow researchers to test the effects of gravity
with unprecedented precision at very short distances -- a scale at which exotic new details of gravity's behavior may be detectable.
Increasing Selenium Intake May Decrease Bladder Cancer Risk
ScienceDaily Aug. 31, 2010
A common mineral may provide protection against bladder cancer.