admin on December 25th, 2009

When the sun and moon are aligned with the San Andreas Fault they tug on it enough to increase the tremor rate deep underground, according to a new study. While these tremors have not yet been linked to earthquakes, the tremors are associated with increased stress on the fault and may increase the risk of [...]

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admin on December 25th, 2009

Researchers have found the existence of a new, rare inherited retinal disease. Now the search is on to find the genetic cause, which investigators hope will increase understanding of more common retinal diseases.

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Microscopic ridges contouring the surface of flower petals might play a role in flashing that come-hither look pollinating insects can’t resist. Scientists now have figured out how those form. The result could help researchers learn to enhance plants’ pollination success and even could lead to high-grip nanomaterials and “green chemical” feedstocks.

Continue reading about Microscopic flower petal ridges flash to attract pollinating insects; scientists now know how ridges form

Researchers recommend that progesterone, a naturally occurring hormone found in both males and females that can protect damaged cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems, be considered a viable treatment option for traumatic brain injuries.

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Physicists working in space plasmas have made clever use of the Ulysses spacecraft and the solar minimum to create a massive virtual lab bench to provide a unique test for the science underlying turbulent flows.

Continue reading about Weir in space and dimmed sun creates 200-million-mile-long lab bench for turbulence research

admin on December 25th, 2009

Mathematical algorithms can provide clues about the artistic style of a painting. The composition of colors or certain aesthetic measurements can already be quantified by a computer, but machines are still far from being able to interpret art in the way that people do.

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admin on December 25th, 2009

Scientists have made a major discovery in how the brain encodes memories. The finding could eventually lead to the development of new drugs to aid memory.

Continue reading about How the brain encodes memories at a cellular level

admin on December 25th, 2009

Scratching below the surface of a troublesome sensation that’s equal parts tingle-tickle-prickle, sensory scientists have discovered in mice a molecular basis for nonallergic itch.

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admin on December 25th, 2009

Building a new ski run by bulldozing a mountainside, rather than only cutting its shrubs and trees, is far more damaging ecologically, yet might offer only a week’s earlier start to the downhill season, says a new study.

Continue reading about Ski runs are not created equal

admin on December 25th, 2009

Recent research has indicated that in the process of generating energy, leukemic cells use a cellular pathway known as fatty acid oxidation, rather than pyruvate oxidation, as had been previously thought. A team of researchers has now used this knowledge to develop a way to sensitize human leukemic cells to molecules that induce cell death [...]

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