* Could birth control pills alter mate choices?:
Contraceptive pills may alter women's abilities to
choose, compete for and retain mates, scientists
say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/091007_contraceptives


* Huge "hidden" Saturn ring found:
Astronomers are reporting the discovery of
largest-known planetary ring in the Solar
System.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/091007_saturn


* Buried coins may reveal population histories:
Hidden hoards can help reveal the population trends
of a given time period, a new study suggests.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/091005_hoards


* Color plays "musical chairs" in brain:
A color divorced from the shape to which it
"belongs" seems to go into another one, scientists
have found.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/091004_color



****************************************************

 

* Pre-"Lucy" fossils reveal secrets:
The last common ancestor of chimps and humans was
probably not as chimp-like as widely believed,
researchers report.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/091001_ardipethicus


* Hyenas cooperate better than chimps, study
finds:
The much-maligned, dog-like creatures may beat out
our ape relatives in cooperative problem-solving tests.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090930_hyenas


* Moon may have water:
Our moon is potentially not quite as dry as it is
traditionally thought to be, researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090924_water


* Exotic life forms: looking for life as we don't
know it:
A new research group is devoted to finding out how
life might evolve using chemicals not found in
Earth-based life forms.
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090922_lifeforms.htm


* Rough day at work? You might not feel like
exercising:
If you use your willpower to do one task, it may
deplete your willpower for a totally different task,
scientists say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090929_willpower


* Key to subliminal messaging: keep it
negative, study suggests:
Subliminal messaging is most effective when the
message being conveyed is negative, according to new
research.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090928_subliminal


* Torture may produce unreliable information:
Extreme stress appears to warp memories while
motivating suspects to say anything to stop the
torture, new research claims.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090921_torture


* Lower IQ's measured in spanked children:
Only part of the effect is due to spanking itself,
but still, laws should be passed against spanking,
some researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090924_spanking



****************************************************

 

* Tiny "T. rex" found:
An ancestor of the giant predator resembles a
miniature replica of it, at 1/90 the weight,
scientists say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090918_raptorex


* Showerheads may spray germs at you:
Your morning scrubdown may give you more than you
bargained for.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090914_shower


 * Negative public opinion seen as warning 
signal for terrorism:
Terrorism is more likely when one country's people
dislike the leaders and policies of another, a study
has found.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090917_terrorism


* Brain activity found to predict schizophrenia:
A small area in our heads is linked to the earliest
stages of a serious mental illness, researchers
say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090911_schizophrenia


* Fungus-treated violin beats Strad in blind test:
A newly developed type of violin won in a blind
contest against one made by the most famed violin
maker of history.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090915_violin


* Graffiti "shield" could offer hope for paint-
threatened landmarks:
Graffiti mars many historic monuments, and can be
hard to erase without damaging the underlying
surface. But help may be coming.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090910_graffiti


* Memories may persist even when forgotten:
Scientists have found that a person's brain activity
while remembering an event is similar to when it was
first experienced, even if specifics can't be recalled.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090909_memories



****************************************************

 

* Cities work much like brains, study finds:
Highway interconnections in cities are organized and
evolve much like brain connections, research suggests.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090905_cities-brains


* For freeloader birds, careful counting comes in 
handy:
Some birds that freeload on other birds by dumping
their offspring on them, may employ sophisticated
counting skills to carry out the ruse.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/090822_cowbirds


* Artificial steps against global warming may be 
dangerous, necessary:
Humanity is boxing itself into a corner when it
comes to climate change, scientists say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090902_climate


* Tiny "nanolaser" could change face of computing, 
telecom:
Researchers report they have created a device that can
generate visible light in a space smaller than a
protein molecule.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090831_laser


* Last great forest may be under threat:
Scientists are calling for urgent preservation of
the boreal forest across large stretches of Russia,
Canada and other northern countries.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090826_boreal


* Building block of life reported found in comet:
The finding supports a claim that ingredients for
life might have come from space, according to NASA
scientists.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090818_comet


MORE NEWS

* Oldest known black hole reported found:
* Technique reveals buried paintings in new way:
* Unguided, we really do go in circles, study finds:
* Signs of recent Ice Age noted on Mars:
* Brain region linked to sense of personal space:


****************************************************

 

* Small "epidemic" may have killed Mozart:
A minor bacterial outbreak spread from a military
hospital may have felled the great composer, scientists
say.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/090817_mozart


* "Dance restaurant" theory of water takes shape:
New studies suggest the molecular structure of water
can be compared to a crowded restaurant with a dance
floor.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090814_water


* Cancer stem cells not drug-immune,
researchers find:
Scientists say they have found the first chemical
that selectively kills cells that spawn deadly tumors.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090813_cancer


* Crash destroyed little planet, scientists claim:
A NASA telescope is thought to have found evidence
of a violent collision between two planets around a
young star.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090813_planet-smash


* Chicken-hearted tyrants? Dinos may have 
sought easy prey:
Huge, meat-eating dinosaurs like T. rex seem to have
preferred picking on youngsters, researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090810_dinosaurs


* Tiny deer, gliding frog among 100s of 
newfound species:
A biological treasure trove threatened by climate
change, the eastern Himalayas are still giving up
secrets.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090810_himalayas


* Scientists report growing new teeth for mice, 
in place:
The technique may be a step toward more advanced
organ replacement therapies, researchers propose.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/090803_teeth


* Sharpest views of a colossal, violent, star:
Astronomers have captured the sharpest views yet of
the doomed "supergiant" star Betelgeuse.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090803_betelgeuse




****************************************************

 

* Monkeys live longer after eating lighter: 
study
Cutting calories by 30 percent seems to have
remarkable effects, scientists say.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/090709_caloric


* A "theory of everything" is said to solve its first 
real-world problem:
String theory, which postulates extra dimensions,
has long been criticized for making promises that it
failed to live up to.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090707_string


* Could coffee reverse Alzheimer's?:
Studies with mice are suggesting surprising new
possibilities for treating the memory disorder,
according to researchers.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090705_alzheimers


* People only sometimes seek out opposing views, 
research finds:
People tend to avoid ideas they disagree with -- but
some factors can prompt them to seek out such points
of view, scientists report.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090702_opinion.htm


* Finding may help explain giant black holes:
Astronomers are reporting that they have discovered
a new class of black holes: mid-sized ones.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090701_blackhole


* Scientists look to bat caves for "fountains of 
youth":
Scientists are batty over a finding they say could
lead to a breakthrough -- significantly longer lifespans.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090701_tadarida


* Scientists report capturing first image of memories 
being made:
Researchers say they have captured the first image
of a mechanism underlying long-term memory formation.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090625_memory


* Flute said to be oldest handcrafted musical 
instrument:
Early modern humans may have been dancing to
bird-bone flutes as early as 35,000 years ago,
scientists say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090625_flute


* Oceans in Enceladus? Scientists can't decide:
Two contrasting findings are leaving researchers
unsure whether a distant moon has underground
oceans.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090624_enceladus


* Need something? Talk to my right ear!:
Most of us prefer to be addressed in our right ear,
and are more likely grant a request when we hear it
from the right, an unusual investigation has found.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090618_hemisphere-bias



****************************************************

* Do sex cells hold the secret to long life?:
The secret of longevity may lurk within the genetic
activity of sperm and eggs, new research suggests.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/090607_germline


* Ocean acidification to trigger job losses, 
scientists warn:
Ocean acidification, a consequence of human
activity, is set to change marine ecosystems
forever, researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090601-acidification


* "Warrior gene" found rife among young
thugs:
Boys with a particular variant of a gene are more
likely to join gangs -- and to be among their most
violent members, researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090605-maoa


* Sandcastle secrets could help revive ancient
building technique:
The secret of a successful sandcastle could aid the
revival of an ancient, eco-friendly building method,
according to some engineers.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090604-sandcastle


* When evolution isn't so slow and gradual:
Guppies introduced into new habitats developed new
and advantageous traits in just a few years, a study
has found.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090602-evolution



****************************************************

 

* "Language gene" alters mouse squeaks:
Mice carrying a "humanized" gene can't talk, but
might tell us something about our evolutionary
past.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090528-foxp2


* Technique would detect watery worlds:
An Earth-like planet would appear in telescopes as
little more than a "pale blue dot." What could we
make of that?

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090527-water


* No enforcement, no trade -- not for chimps:
Scientists have managed to teach chimps to trade a
primitive "currency." But the creatures never quite
ran with the idea.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/090522-trade


* Green tea extract reported to show 
promise against leukemia:
Scientists are reporting positive results in early
clinical trials using a substance in green tea.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090526-gallate


* "Swine Flu" was circulating undetected, 
researchers say:
All segments of the virus originated in avian hosts
and began circulating in pigs at various times in
the 1900s, according to investigators.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090522-h1n1


* Earliest cells might have thrived amid 
asteroid pummeling:
The so-called Late Heavy Bombardment wasn't
necessarily the end of the world for ancient
microbes, scientists say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090520_asteroid


* "Missing link" ancestor reported found:
A 47-million-year-old fossil connects humans, apes
and monkeys to other mammals, researchers
announced.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090519_ida




****************************************************

 

* Monkeys found to wonder what might have 
been:
Recordings of brain cells show that monkeys take
note of missed opportunities and learn from their
mistakes, scientists say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090514_monkeys


* Warriors don't always get the girl:
Violence isn't the ticket to having more wives and
children among all tribal peoples, according to
anthropologists.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090512_waorani


* Race is on to preserve "oldest submerged 
town":
An ancient site associated with a legendary Greek
"age of heroes" may be about to give up its secrets.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090513_pavlopetri


* Acupuncture found to beat "usual" care for back 
pain:
A study is reviving questions for some about how the
traditional Chinese treatment might really work.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090511_acupuncture


* Study links daydreaming to problem-solving:
Our brains are much more active when we daydream
than previously thought, a study has found.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090513_daydream


* Memories stolen by Alzheimer's may be 
retrievable: study:
Scientists have found a gene said to have enabled
mice with an Alzheimer's disease-like condition to
recover lost memories.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090507_alzheimer



****************************************************

 

* Expedition to bursting, undersea volcano 
yields marvels:
The mountain supports unique creatures thriving
despite constant eruptions, scientists say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090505_volcano


* A seat of wisdom in the brain? :
Two scientists have compiled what they say is the
first scholarly review of the basis in the brain of
wisdom.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090424_wisdom


* "Rogue" black holes out there, but fear not: 
astronomers:
It sounds like a sci-fi movie plot: rogue black
holes roaming our galaxy, threatening to swallow
anything that gets too close.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090430_blackhole


* Tiny "invisibility cloak" is like a magic carpet:
Researchers have created a "carpet cloak" that
conceals objects under it from detection using light
near the human-visible part of the spectrum.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090504_carpet


* Detection of "furthest object" could pave way 
for probing early cosmos:
An explosion detected April 23 marks the most
distant, longest-ago event and object known,
astronomers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090428_grb



****************************************************

 

* A warm TV may drive away feelings of 
loneliness, 
rejection:
For those feeling unloved, illusionary relationships
with TV characters sometimes help fill the gap,
researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090422_tv


* "Complex" organic molecules detected in space:
Computer models also suggest larger molecules may be
out there, including amino acids, essential for life
as we know it.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090421_organic


* Study: personalized drugs may lengthen 
cancer survival :
Researchers used a company's "genetic profiles" of
individual patients to create custom treatments.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090420_personalized


* Straw bale house survives quake tests:
An earthquake simulation with a force reported as 82
tons couldn't take down a straw home designed by
civil engineer Darcey Donovan.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090405_strawbale.htm


* Keeping slim is good for the planet, say 
scientists:
A study finds that maintaining a healthy body weight
is good news for the environment.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090420_slim


* Physicists see the cosmos in a coffee cup :
A professor and a graduate student say they have
found a new "universal principle."

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090416_coffee


MORE NEWS

* Bright feathers found to get color from foamy 
structure :
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090410_foam
* Aerosols may drive much Arctic warming, 
scientists find :
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090408_aero
* Researchers wanted: humans need not apply?:
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090407_machine




****************************************************


World Science homepage
Don't forget to visit our homepage for Science In
Images; links to top science news from other publi-
cations; and other recent World Science stories!

http://www.world-science.net


World Science archives
To new readers especially: you need not miss our ex-
citing past stories, though they won't appear in future
newsletters. See archives for any year by typing that 
year after the homepage address: for example, 

http://www.world-science.net/2007

* Bird can "read" our gaze :
A bird whose eyes look rather like human eyes pays
good attention to where our glances fall,
researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090402_jackdaw


* Astronomers catch a "shooting star":
Asteroid 2008 TC3 has a humdrum name but an unusual
distinction.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090325_meteor


* It's not just chemical -- it's the same 
chemicals, study suggests:
Much the same cocktail of substances may flow in
both men and women as a result of their mutual
attraction.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/090401_testosterone


* Vindictiveness doesn't pay, study finds:
A study of Germans found that people inclined to
deal with inequity on a tit-for-tat basis tend to
suffer higher unemployment.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090330_vindictiveness


* Crabs suffer, may remember pain
Research is calling into question the view that when
small animals recoil from unpleasantness, it's only
a reflex.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090327_crab


* Brain cell type found to differ between man 
and mouse:
An often overlooked cell embodies one of the very
few basic differences that set apart the human
brain, scientists propose.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090324_astrocyte


* Multiple out-of-Africa migrations seen for early
humans:
Fossils suggest early, anatomically "modern" humans
may have split into many isolated groups before
leaving Africa, scientists say.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/090323_outofafrica


****************************************************

 

* Language of music may really be universal:
Africans who have never listened to radio can pick
up on emotions in Western music, according to a new
report.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090320_music


* Brain lives at "edge of chaos":
Scientists are offering new evidence that our brains
function at a critical point between randomness and
order.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090318_criticality


* Tiny space engine to push back against 
sunshine:
Researchers are preparing to test what they call the
smallest, most precisely controllable engine built
for space.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090317_feep


* Gruesome group death of young dinos 
analyzed:
A muddy lakeside some 90 million years ago drew a
herd of young, birdlike dinosaurs to a terrifying
end, say paleontologists.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090316_sinornith


* "Mind-reading" experiment highlights how 
brain records memories:
New research adds to mounting evidence that it's
possible to "read" memories by looking at brain
activity.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090313_fmri.htm


****************************************************

 

* Technology seen slashing battery recharge 
time, weight:
Engineers say they've found a way to move energy
faster through a well-known battery material.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/090311_battery


* Rock-hurling zoo chimp stocked ammo in 
advance: study:
Researchers have found what they call some of the
first clear evidence that a non-human animal can
spontaneously plan ahead.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090310_chimp


* Faith found to reduce errors on psychological 
test:
Distinct brain activity patterns in believers may
dovetail with performance differences, scientists
say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090306_god


* Warning: warning labels may enhance 
lure of raunchy video games:
A study claims to have confirmed what many
suspected.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090306_warning


* Martian mountain may answer big question:
One Martian volcano is about three times Mount
Everest's height. But it's the small details that
two geologists are looking at.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090305_olympus


* Odd, bouncing fish with lollipop face dubbed 
new species:
"Psychedelica" seemed the perfect moniker, to a
scientist who named this creature.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090303_psychedelica2


* Doodling gets its due: tiny artworks may help
recall
Drawing while listening doesn't necessarily imply a
wandering mind, a study suggests.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090302_doodle



****************************************************

 

* From oral to moral? Dirty deeds may prompt 
"bad taste" reaction:
Moral disgust may be an outgrowth of older forms of
revulsion, psychologists propose.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090227_badtaste


* People walked like us 1.5 million years ago, 
study finds:
Newfound footprints are the oldest evidence of
humans walking on anatomically modern feet,
scientists report.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090226_footprints


* Missing asteroids explained?:
Scientists have reported a case of missing asteroids
-- and a possible explanation.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090226_asteroids


* Black hole "baldness" reflected in ordinary
objects: physicist
A mysterious number remains fixed throughout a
small object's wild orbit about a spinning black hole,
theorists say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090222_blackholes



****************************************************

 

* Richest biological zones found to suffer most 
wars:
More than four in five wars in recent times arose in
areas identified as the most biologically diverse, a
study indicates.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090221_war


* "Green Comet" visits neighborhood:
As­tro­no­mers are keep­ing a close eye on a green­ish
com­et fast ap­proach­ing Earth’s vicin­ity.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090220_lulin


* Collective rituals spur support for suicide
attacks: researchers:
A new study proposes that acts of war by self-
destruction are part of a larger psychological
phenomenon.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090219_suicide


* Running hamsters, tapping fingers tapped for 
energy:
A rodent may be doing its own small part to provide
a renewable electricity source.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090217_energy


* Cosmologists aim to reveal time's first moments:
Scientists want to test whether random, microscopic
fluctuations in the fabric of space and time spawned
the universe.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090216_origins


* HIV gene therapy trial results seen as positive:
A new treatment appeared to safely boost the number
of immune system cells of a type normally attacked
by HIV, according to researchers.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/090215_oz1




****************************************************

 

* Researchers cracking code of the cold:
With new genetic insights, scientists say a cure
may be on the horizon for the common cold.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090212_rhinovirus


* In early humans, "jaws of steel":
Nut-cracking abilities in our distant ancestors let
them adapt to changing circumstances, a study
suggests.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090211_africanus


* "Longevity gene" may boost lifespan:
A variation in a gene called FOXO3A seems to
increase human life expectancy in populations
worldwide, scientists report.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090211_fox03a.htm


* "Birthplace" of Zeus found?:
Mounting evidence supports a legend linking the king
of Greek gods to Mt. Lykaion in Greece,
archaeologists say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090209_zeus


* Wolf in dog's clothing? Study points to twist in 
fur color:
Although dogs descend from wolves, dogs may have
passed a helpful genetic mutation back to some wolves.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090206_wolf


* Stem cell recipe gets even simpler:
One chemical can convert cells from adult mice into
the powerful embryonic-like stem cells needed in
medicine, biologists report.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090205_cells



****************************************************


 Invite friends to join World Science for free!
Just click here to open an invitation email that you can 
send your friend or colleagues. Feel free to change the 
text of the invitation (although you might want to leave 
the subscription instructions unchanged.)

* Fossil snake said to break length record:
An ancient South American snake that might make
today's feared anacondas seem almost cuddly is
renewing discussion on why giant species evolve.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090204_titanoboa


* Like Earth, if you overlook the lava
everywhere?:
A European satellite has revealed a planet only
twice as large as Earth orbiting a distant star,
astronomers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090204_exo-7b


* Insulin may help treat Alzheimer's:
Scientists are reporting that a substance commonly
used to treat diabetes may also protect against
the devastating memory-robbing illness.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090202_alzheimers


* Chemical found to trigger locust swarming:
A common brain chemical in humans also sparks the
Jekyll-and-Hyde transformation of desert locusts,
scientists report.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090130_locust


****************************************************


World Science homepage
Don't forget to visit our homepage for Science In
Images; links to top science news from other publi-
cations; and other recent World Science stories!

http://www.world-science.net


World Science archives
To new readers especially: you need not miss our ex-
citing past stories, though they won't appear in future
newsletters. See archives for any year by typing that 
year after the homepage address: for example, 

http://www.world-science.net/2007


Invite friends to join World Science!
Click here to open an invitation email you can send 
friends and colleagues so they can join you in sub-
scribing to World Science at no charge. Feel free to 
change the email text (although you might want to 
leave the subscription instructions unchanged.)


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the original article is optional.

TOP STORIES

* Ill-fated ice man may have suffered two
assaults:
Scientists say they've revealed a new chapter in a
murder case some 5,300 years old.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090128_otzi


* When a stone lands in water:
Physicists are clarifying how one of nature's most
beautiful spectacles unfolds: the dance of a watery
surface hit by a falling stone.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090129_stone


* "Alarming" bone deterioration after long
space flights:
Months spent in space may raise astronauts' risk for
fractures later in life, a study suggests.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090127_astronaut


* Mightier sperm in "cuckolded" species:
Where infidelity prevails, sperm evolve to be faster
and bigger to cope with the competition, researchers
claim.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090126_sperm


MORE NEWS:

* Schizophrenia reassessed as fixation on self:
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090123_schizophrenia

* Micro-motors would fit to swim human arteries:
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090120_microbots

* "Cannibalism" creates huge stars:
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090118_stragglers

* Makings of a deadly brown cloud:
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090122_brownclouds

* Evidence of ancient chemical warfare reported:
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090116_chemical



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* How "puppydog eyes" do their trick: 
it's chemistry
A so-called trust hormone may promote bonding
between members of different species, as well as
within a species, researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/090113_dog-gaze.htm


* Black holes came first, astronomers conclude:
Scientists may have solved a cosmic chicken-and-egg
problem.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090106_blackholes


* Enforcer of conformity: our own brains
Although a grammatically challenged advertisement
exhorts us to "think different," group opinion
affects us powerfully.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090113_conformity


* Through DNA, breathing new life into museum 
pieces:
From marsupials to manuscripts, researchers are
dusting off old specimens to learn their secrets
using genetics.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090112_museomics


* Climate-induced food crisis seen by 2100:
Barring drastic action, global warming could cripple
agriculture in hotter areas of the globe, a study
predicts.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090107_climate


* Our galaxy no longer "little sister":
Fasten your seat belts: our galaxy spins faster,
weighs more, and is more likely to collide than we
thought, researchers claim.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090106_milkyway




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* Materials for "Earths" may be common in 
universe:
New findings add to evidence that rocky planets are
a normal occurrence, astronomers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090105_planets


* Using light beams to grab molecules:
Researchers say they've created a trap that can
capture DNA molecules and other tiny objects.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/090101_nanoscale


* Competition, not climate, killed Neanderthals: 
study
The stocky breed of early humans couldn't hold its
own against more modern populations, scientists claim.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081228_neanderthal


* Life grew in two, millionfold leaps, researchers 
report:
Earth's creatures come in all sizes, yet scientists
believe they all descend from the same single-celled
organisms.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081226_leaps


* Ancient African exodus mostly involved men, 
geneticists find
An ancient migration out of Africa is thought to
have led to most human populations outside the
continent.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/081221_exodus


* Still today, most will torture if ordered: study
Scientists say they have replicated an experiment in
which people would obediently give painful shocks to
others when prompted.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081219_milgram



****************************************************

 

* Odd bird fathering styles may come from 
dinos:
Males in some flightless bird species are devoted
fathers -- and polygamists.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081217_dinosaur


* Is global warming preventing an Ice Age?:
While human-caused effects are potentially leading
Earth to disaster, they may also be preventing a
cold spell, some researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081217_warming.htm


* At least 8 genes tied to obesity, all in 
brain:
Variants of at least eight genes contribute to
determining body weight, scientists have
found.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081216_obesity


* God, science no easy mix for many:
In many or most people's minds, religion and science
conflict fundamentally, a study suggests.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081215_religion


* Wobbly planets could reveal Earth-like moons:
Moons outside our Solar System capable of supporting
life may have just become easier to find.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081212_moons


* Distant moons may have liquid oceans:
Tidal motions may generate enough heat to maintain
liquid oceans within the outer planets' icy moons, a
scientist says.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081210_moons



****************************************************

 

* Chemistry of other stars’ planets coming to 
light:
Astronomers have identified carbon dioxide around a
planet outside our solar system.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081209_co2


* Brain drugs for healthy people OK: 
scientists
Healthy people should be allowed to take 
brainpower-boosting drugs, if the risks are 
properly managed, some researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081207_brain1


* Poverty may reduce kids' brain function:
Scientists are calling new findings an alarming
"wake-up call."

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081206_brain


* Happiness spreads socially, study finds:
Your happiness may depend on many people you don't
know -- friends of friends of friends.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081204_happiness


* How unusual cells may hold key to HIV control:
Rare people who manage to control HIV on their own
are offering new insights into how the immune system
kills infected cells.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/081204_hiv


* Scientists produce illusion of body-swapping:
Neuroscientists say they have gotten people to
perceive the bodies of mannequins and other people
as their own.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081202_swap



****************************************************

 

* Did a modern-day scourge save ancient Earth?:
A gas blamed for global warming may once have helped
Earth escape a deep freeze, some scientists propose.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081130_snowball


* Canada skyburst attributed to 10-ton rock:
Researchers have been collecting witness reports and
data on a giant flash in the skies over western
Canada Nov. 20.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081128_asteroid


* Oceans acidifying much faster than was 
thought: study
The process could pose a threat to some ocean life,
scientists argue.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081126_acid


* Needy amoebae reach out to "family":
When in distress, some single-celled creatures seek
the support of kin, researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081124_amoebae


* Microbes may help fossilize ancient embryos:
Bacterial decay was once viewed as the mortal enemy
of fossilization, but a new study suggests otherwise.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081124_biofilms


* Vast underground glaciers reported on Mars:
The findings could present new avenues for the
search for life or provide water to support future
exploration, scientists claim.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081120_mars



****************************************************

 

* Woolly-mammoth genome decoded:
Biologists report that they have for the first time
unraveled nearly the whole genetic code of an
extinct animal.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081119_mammoth


* Signs of dark matter found?:
Telltale residue may have turned up from a
mysterious and invisible substance that pervades the
universe, astronomers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081119_darkmatter


* Earliest known " nuclear" family reported 
unearthed:
Four ancient skeletons unearthed in Germany in 2005
seem to have been united in death as they were in
life, researchers say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081117_nuclear


* "Super-aged" brains reveal secrets of sharp 
old-age memory:
Tiny tangles may make the difference between a
declining brain and lasting mental acuity.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081117_aged-brains



****************************************************

 

* Photo captures 3 planets by distant sun:
The technology for imaging worlds in far-off solar
systems is making strides, astronomers say.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/081113_planet-image


* Videogame craving may rev up brain's 
addiction circuits:
When the urge to play a video game strikes, some
players show similar brain activity to that of drug
addicts, a study suggests.

http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/081111_gaming


* Mouth microbes helping the chef make 
magic?:
Bacteria play a role in creating the distinctive
flavors of certain foods, scientists report.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081110_flavor


* Forgotten but not gone: leprosy lives on in 
America:
Long seen as a disease of biblical times, leprosy
still lurks but is often misdiagnosed, researchers
warn.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081109_leprosy



****************************************************

 

* Bullies may enjoy others' pain:
Brain scans suggest unusually aggressive youth find
pleasure in others' suffering, scientists say.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081107_bullies


* Scientists: cancer genome decoded:
Researchers report success with a new strategy for
identifying mutations involved in cancer.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081106_cancer


* Giant simulation could help solve "dark matter" 
mystery:
A search for the mysterious substance making up most
of the material in the universe may be over before
long, cosmologists claim.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081105_darkmatter


* Kids' music practice may pay off in other skills:
Children who study an instrument outperform others
even in non-musical skills, a study has found.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081105_practice


* One gene, many results:
Scientists are learning to their surprise that a
single gene very often functions differently in
different parts of the body.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/081102_genes



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