During the Little Ice Age (LIA; covering approximately the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries), northern South America experienced about 10 percent more rainfall than during the twentieth century, according to researchers.

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admin on January 1st, 2010

The urban poor in sub-Saharan Africa are the latest victims of the obesity epidemic. Researchers claim that overweight and obesity are on the increase among this group.

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admin on January 1st, 2010

Most migrating birds can’t carry enough fuel to reach their destinations, so refuel en route. However the aviators expend twice as much energy during stopovers as they use in transit. Wondering whether migrating blackcaps save energy by dropping their body temperature during stopovers, researchers measured the bird’s temperatures as they refuelled and found that they [...]

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Individuals infected with hepatitis C virus who receive a liver transplant find that their new liver becomes infected with HCV almost immediately. However, researcher in Japan have developed an approach that transiently keeps HCV levels down in most treated HCV-infected patients receiving a new liver.

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This is the time of the holiday season when New Year’s partiers are inundated with warnings about the risks of drinking and driving. Little is ever heard, though, about the risks of drinking and walking, which can be just as dangerous.

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In blood cells, the protein Bcl-xL has a well-characterized role in preventing cell death by a process known as apoptosis. New research has now identified its functions in osteoclasts, cells that slowly breakdown bone (a process known as resorption). Surprisingly, not only does Bcl-xL prevent osteoclast apoptosis in mice, it also negatively regulates the bone-resorbing [...]

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admin on January 1st, 2010

Clues to cancer in Tasmanian devils, caterpillars masquerading as twigs, a profile of the chief scientist at Russia’s Space Research Institute, and your Letters to Science.

Continue reading about Science Podcast, 1 January 2010