Submission + - Monkeys show language recognition (examiner.com)
mmmscience writes: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1242-Science-News-Examiner~y2009m7d8-Monkeys-show-language-recognition The cotton-top tamarin monkeys can apparently tell the difference between suffixes and prefixes. They will turn to face the direction of recorded words when they hear the nonsense syllables "bi-shoy" change to "shoy-bi." The lead author, Ansgar Endress, suggests that this is just like how human infants learn language, by tracking the beginning and ends of words.
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Submission + - Human sperm produced in the laboratory (bbc.co.uk) 1
duh P3rf3ss3r writes: The BBC is carrying a report from a team of researchers at Newcastle University who claim to have developed the first "artificial" human sperm from stem cells. The research, reported in the journal Stem Cells and Development involved selecting meristematic germ cells from a human embryonic stem cell culture and inducing meiosis, thus producing a haploid gamete. The authors claim that the resulting sperm are fully formed, mature, human sperm cells but the announcement has been greeted with mixed reaction from colleagues who claim the procedure is ethically questionable and that the gametes produced are of inferior levels of maturation.
Submission + - Daily sex helps improve fertility (examiner.com)
mmmscience writes: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1242-Science-News-Examiner~y2009m7d1-Daily-sex-helps-improve-fertility While fertility studies lately seem to have been exclusively focused on in vitro fertilization [IVF], new data coming out of Australia may help with unaided successful conceptions. The study has found that men who have ejaculate daily produce sperm with less damaged DNA. While such actions decrease sperm concentration, it does increase motility, meaning healthier sperm have a better chance of making it all the way to the egg. Good news, as another report [http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-07/esfh-cpa063009.php] has found severe chromosome abnormalities in over 90% of IVF eggs, meaning artificial insemination is just now discovering a whole new field of problems.
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Submission + - Childhood abuse linked to cancer (examiner.com)
mmmscience writes: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1242-Science-News-Examiner~y2009m6d26-Childhood-abuse-linked-to-cancer A new study has found that those abused as children are almost 50% more likely to develop cancer. While the study was purely epidemiological, the researchers from University of Toronto suggest a dysfunction in cortisol regulation may be the reason behind the link. Cortisol--which controls the fight-or-flight response--has been shown in the past to be abnormal in those who suffered abuse.
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Submission + - 1908 Tunguska explosion was caused by a comet (examiner.com)
mmmscience writes: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1242-Science-News-Examiner~y2009m6d25-1908-Tunguska-explosion-was-caused-by-a-comet A century-long debate may finally be at a semi-end. New evidences suggest that the 1908 Tunguska explosion was caused by a comet, not a meteor. Scientists believe that the appearance of noctilucent clouds (normally only seen in polar regions) over places Britain a day after the event suggests a large amount of water vapor was released into the atmosphere--and as comets are big balls of ice, it is a likely source of such vapor. The idea came from space shuttle plumes, which also cause the growth of such clouds due to the massive amount of water particles that are released during launches.
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Submission + - Ebola infection blocked in cells (examiner.com)
mmmscience writes: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1242-Science-News-Examiner~y2009m6d24-Ebola-infection-blocked-in-cells A new study has discovered two pathways which, when blocked, can stop Ebola from infecting cells in culture. While one is approximately 50% effective, blocking the other pathway resulted in Ebola being "just killed — stopped dead." At the moment, there is no treatment for Ebola which has a 90% mortality rate.
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Submission + - 300 Billion weather forecasts accessed by American (examiner.com)
mmmscience writes: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1242-Science-News-Examiner~y2009m6d23-300-Billion-weather-forecasts-accessed-by-Americans-annually The average American obtains a weather forecast three times a day. This equates to 300 billion forecasts accessed annually. When asked to put a dollar sign on forecasts, the average household stated 10.5 cents per forecast. Quick math shows that this is a $31.5 billion industry. However, the study states that only $5.1 billion is spent each year in providing the forecasts. Someone is certainly coming out ahead on this deal.
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Submission + - Scientist suggests that plant is self-aware (examiner.com)
mmmscience writes: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-1242-Science-News-Examiner~y2009m6d22-Scientist-suggests-that-plant-is-selfaware Scientists investigating the sagebrush plant found that branches that were clipped and then placed close to its parent plant incurred less damage than those clippings placed near a non-parent plant. The scientists believe that this is proof that the plant is self-aware--that it can recognize its own branches even when they are clipped, and through some form of communication help protect its branches from further harm.
