Researchers have found, in a previously identified gene, a variation that likely contributes to one in five cases of isolated cleft lip. It’s the first time a genetic variant has been associated with cleft lip alone, rather than both cleft lip and palate. The study provides insight on a previously unknown genetic mechanism and could [...]
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This one’s for the birds. A study by biologists shows that the more diverse a bird population is in an area, the less chance humans have of exposure to West Nile Virus.
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A new twist on a well-known cell sorting technique may allow physicians to diagnose rare leukemias in hours instead of weeks, according to new study. The clinical promise of the Stanford-developed approach, which eavesdrops on individual cells to decipher potentially dangerous molecular conversations, is likely to extend to many other disorders in which cell-signaling pathways [...]
The European spacecraft COROT has discovered a massive planet-sized object orbiting its parent star closely, unlike anything ever spotted before. It is so exotic, that scientists are unsure as to whether this oddity is actually a planet or a failed star.
Could there be a link between high levels of air pollution and the risk of appendicitis? New research suggests a novel connection.
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The connection between geology and the history of the Civil War has fascinated some researchers. Now they take history, military history in particular, a step deeper — into the geology beneath the soldiers’ feet.
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In a large US population-based study, metabolic syndrome patients had a 75 percent higher risk of colorectal cancer compared to those without metabolic syndrome.
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Biologists have identified a gene in rice that controls the size and weight of rice grains. The gene may prove to be useful for breeding high-yield rice and, thus, may benefit the vast number of people who rely on this staple food for survival.
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Girls who don’t share a common language may have more difficulty adjusting socially than boys, according to surprising new research looking at language acquisition among young children.
Astronomers who count sunspots have announced that 2008 is now the “blankest year” of the Space Age. An image taken on Sept. 27, 2008 by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) shows a solar disk completely unmarked by sunspots. For comparison, a SOHO image taken seven years earlier on Sept. 27, 2001, is peppered with [...]
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