World Science

Competition, not climate, killed Neanderthals: study
The stocky breed of early humans couldn't hold its own against more modern populations, scientists claim. (Dec. 29, 2008)

Life grew in two, millionfold leaps, researchers say
Earth's creatures come in all sizes, yet scientists believe they all descend from the same single-celled organisms. (Dec. 26, 2008)

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. (Dec. 19, 2008)

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. (Dec. 19, 2008)

Odd bird fathering styles may come from dinos
Males in some flightless bird species are devoted fathers-and polygamists. (Dec. 18, 2008)

At least 8 genes tied to obesity, all in brain
Variants of at least eight genes contribute to determining body weight, scientists have found. (Dec. 16, 2008)

Wobbly planets could reveal Earth-like moons
Moons outside our Solar System capable of supporting life may have just become easier to find. (Dec. 12, 2008)

God, science no easy mix for many
In many or most people's minds, religion and science conflict fundamentally, a study suggests. (Dec. 15, 2008)

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. (Dec. 10, 2008)

Chemistry of other stars' planets coming to light
Astronomers have identified carbon dioxide around a planet outside our solar system. (Dec. 9, 2008)

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. (Dec. 7, 2008)

Poverty may reduce kids' brain function
Scientists are calling new findings an alarming "wake-up call." (Dec. 6, 2008)

Happiness spreads socially, study finds
Your happiness may depend on many people you don't know-friends of friends of friends. (Dec. 4, 2008)

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. (Nov. 30, 2008)

Scientists produce illusion of body-swapping
Neuroscientists say they have gotten people to perceive the bodies of mannequins and other people as their own. (Dec. 2, 2008)

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. (Nov. 28, 2008)

Oceans acidifying much faster than was thought: study
The process could pose a threat to some ocean life, scientists argue. (Nov. 26, 2008)

Needy amoebae reach out to "family"
When in distress, some single-celled creatures seek the support of kin, researchers say. (Nov. 24, 2008)

Microbes may help fossilize ancient embryos
Bacterial decay was once viewed as the mortal enemy of fossilization, but a new study suggests otherwise. (Nov. 24, 2008)

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. (Nov. 20, 2008)

Woolly-mammoth genome decoded
Biologists report that they have for the first time unraveled nearly the whole genetic code of an extinct animal. (Nov. 19, 2008)

Signs of dark matter found?
Telltale residue may have turned up from a mysterious and invisible substance that pervades the universe, astronomers say. (Nov. 19, 2008)

"Super-aged" brains reveal secrets of sharp old-age memory
Tiny tangles may make the difference between a declining brain and lasting mental acuity. (Nov. 17, 2008)

Earliest known family reportedly unearthed
Four ancient skeletons unearthed in Germany in 2005 seem to have been united in death as they were in life, researchers say. (Nov. 17, 2008)

Mouth microbes helping the chef make magic?
Bacteria play a role in creating the distinctive flavors of certain foods, scientists report. (Nov. 11, 2008)

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. (Nov. 9, 2008)

Bullies may enjoy others' pain
Brain scans suggest unusually aggressive youth find pleasure in others' suffering, scientists say. (Nov. 7, 2008)

Scientists: cancer genome decoded
Researchers report success with a new strategy for identifying mutations involved in cancer. (Nov. 6, 2008)

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. (Nov. 5, 2008)

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. (Nov. 5, 2008)

Same gene, different results
Scientists are learning to their surprise that a single gene very often functions differently in different parts of the body. (Nov. 2, 2008)

Study: red enhances men's attraction to women
Something many players of the love and dating game have long suspected, now has scientific confirmation. (Oct. 29, 2008)

"Real" Crusoe's isle said to yield clues to sojourn
The tale of the marooned Robinson Crusoe is thought to be based on the real story of sailor Alexander Selkirk. (Oct. 30, 2008)

Thin line between love, hate? Science explains why
Brain scans suggest a certain overlap between hate and romantic love, experimenters say. (Oct. 29, 2008)

Two asteroid belts found in solar system's young "twin"
A nearby star has two rocky belts, an outer icy ring and probably unseen planets, researchers say. (Oct. 27, 2008)

Green space better for kids' waistlines, health
In an era of rampant obesity, researchers see a brighter outlook for children in leafy neighborhoods. (Oct. 28, 2008)

World's smallest storage space: an atomic nucleus
A study describes yet a new step toward quantum computing. (Oct. 24, 2008)

Warm hands, warm hearts
Just holding a hot cup of coffee can improve one's attitude toward a stranger, scientists have found. (Oct. 23, 2008)

Dancing molecules "trapped"
New technology aims to better show how molecules move, rather than just how they're made. (Oct. 22, 2008)

Dino crests may have had communication role
Scientists are taking a new look at strange, bony crests on the heads of some dinosaurs. (Oct. 16, 2008)

Key to fighting poverty: toilets
More toilets and safer water would do more to improve world health than any other possible measure, a report says. (Oct. 19, 2008)

Scientists: one brain cell may reverse muscle paralysis
Activation of a single brain cell may help restore muscle activity, researchers report. (Oct. 15, 2008)

"Peacenik" chimps not always so nice
A study on bonobo hunting habits challenges traditional ideas of how aggression originates. (Oct. 14, 2008)

Study: narcissists tend to lead, but not better
Self-centered, overconfident types often take control-and others tend to accept it, scientists claim. (Oct. 8, 2008)

Why some kids suffer chronic bullying
Researchers say factors identifiable in infancy predict later victimization. (Oct. 8, 2008)

Craft "ready" to map outer solar system
A NASA satellite is to image and map the zone where a hot wind from the Sun hits cold outer space. (Oct. 7, 2008)

Found: earliest known animal tracks?
Scientists claim to have found possibly the earliest animal footprints, but admit the report will stir skepticism. (Oct. 5, 2008)

Religion can spur goodness-but it depends
Belief in God has fostered cooperation that aided the rise of some large, stable societies, researchers say. (Oct. 2, 2008)

NASA: snow found in Martian skies
It's not certain whether the flakes ever reach ground, scientists add. (Sept. 29, 2008)

"Nanoparticles" may seep through skin
The health implications of tiny, artificial particles in the body are uncertain, investigators note. (Sept. 30, 2008)

Researchers explore amnesia, sex link
Investigators are puzzled by reports suggesting sexual intercourse may occasionally lead to temporary amnesia. (Sept. 29, 2008)

One more terror for ancient fish: monster ducks
Duck-like birds almost the size of small airplanes, armed with tooth-like spikes, once skimmed ocean waters, researchers say. (Sept. 26, 2008)

Temporary collider shutdown a "blow"
Technical problems have struck a giant particle-smasher whose recent launch scientists hailed as historic. (Sept. 24, 2008)

Possible oldest-known rocks found
A section of Canadian bedrock more than four billion years old may help shed light on Earth's early evolution, geologists say. (Sept. 25, 2008)

Something beyond visible universe detected?
Scientists have measured an unexpected motion in distant clusters of galaxies. (Sept. 23, 2008)

Fingers originated in fish ancestors: study
Previous findings on the subject were mistaken, a report claims. (Sept. 21, 2008)

"Smoothest" mirror could lead to new microscopes
Physicists say they have created unusual surfaces that could help image biological samples more precisely without destroying them. (Sept. 22, 2008)

Sensitivity to sudden noises may predict your politics
Our political views come from places deeper inside of us than many had suspected, a study suggests. (Sept. 18, 2008)

Spider sex cannibalism: it may come down to size
There's no deep, complex reason why females eat the males-they're just hungry, two researchers say. (Sept. 15, 2008)

"Relic" ant said to hail from lost past
A bizarre predatory, blind, underground ant probably descends almost straight from the first ants, scientists say. (Sept. 16, 2008)

World's largest study of near-death experiences to start
New research is aimed at establishing whether people may have thoughts for a time while clinically "dead." (Sept. 11, 2008)

On-and-off floods formed Mars valleys, study finds
Floods that created distinctive features of Mars were not of a catastrophic sort, scientists claim. (Sept. 8, 2008)

"Historic" collider operation begins
The first beam in the world's newest and largest particle collider was switched on this morning, physicists announced. (Sept. 10, 2008)

Report: cells "from space" have unusual makeup
A lineage of mysterious microbes found in some rain give off colors in a strange way, two scientists are reporting. (Sept. 8, 2008)

"Junk DNA" key to human evolution?
Genetic material once dismissed as useless might have contributed to our upright walking, researchers say. (Sept. 4, 2008)

Robotic helicopters teach themselves stunts
The research is a prelude to designing choppers that search for land mines or fight fires, scientists predict. (Sept. 2, 2008)

Cancer cells may "prepare" earlier than thought
New research on mice suggests disturbing conclusions but also could inspire new therapeutic strategies, researchers say. (Aug. 29, 2008)

Why are flies so hard to swat? Chalk it up to good planning
Fast, high-resolution video imaging is revealing secrets of the wily insects. (Aug. 28, 2008)

Scientists report converting cells to new type directly
Research described as a major advance sidesteps previous complications with the production of stem cells for medical treatment. (Aug. 27, 2008)

New collider promises to transform physics
A massive particle smasher to start operation next month will reveal deeper laws, physicists say. (Aug. 21, 2008)

A surprising new way to discourage risky behaviors?
Linking an unhealthy behavior with groups of "other" people is an effective way to discourage it, researchers claim. (Aug. 25, 2008)

Scientists: century-old drug might cure Parkinson's, more
A study with mice suggests a century-old drug could slow or even cure Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, researchers say. (Aug. 18, 2008)

Washington's doctors absolved
The statesman was beyond help when his much-maligned doctors found him one fateful morning, a study concludes. (Aug. 19, 2008)

Computer helps reassemble a lost past
Rebuilding shattered artifacts can be like solving jigsaw puzzles of bewildering proportions. (Aug. 15, 2008)

Stone-Age graveyard reveals life in a "green Sahara"
Scientists in Niger report having found the Sahara Desert's largest known Stone-Age graveyard. (Aug. 14, 2008)

A bit of dazzle to throw off predators
Bright patterns may really work to protect animals from becoming a meal, researchers say. (Aug. 13, 2008)

Mass extinction going on, researchers say
Great die-offs of amphibians are one sign that a catastrophe is underway on Earth-brought on by us, some scientists argue. (Aug. 12, 2008)

Pride and shame displays "universal"
In both victory and defeat, athletes blind from birth behave much like their sighted counterparts, psychologists have found. (Aug. 11, 2008)

"Extreme" rain follows global warming
Heavy rain is coming unexpectedly more often as global warming continues, researchers say. (Aug. 7, 2008)

Dolphins and the evolution of teaching
Some dolphins seem to teach their young to forage, by repeating actions many times and "pointing" at things, scientists report. (Aug. 7, 2008)

Mars salts not bad for life: scientists
A finding of perchlorate salts is leading researchers to "reassess" the planet's habitability. (Aug. 6, 2008)

Nature's mightiest bites calculated
The great white shark's bite-the hardest of any living species known-is a nibble compared to that of an extinct shark, a study finds. (Aug. 4, 2008)

U.S. understated HIV infection rate
Many more Americans pick up the AIDS virus yearly than past official estimates showed, authorities said. (Aug. 2, 2008)

Drug may trick body into "thinking" you exercised
A new study is creating both hope, and worries that a remarkable substance could be ripe for abuse. (July 31, 2008)

Road to obesity may begin by age two
Children often become overweight by their second birthday-thereby hitting a "tipping point," scientists report. (July 31, 2001)

Revealing a world of hidden paintings
Researchers unveiled a new technique for seeing what lies beneath visible layers of paint. (July 30, 2008)

NASA confirms water on Mars
The agency's robotic Phoenix Lander "touched and tasted" the Red Planet's frozen water, a mission scientist says. (July 31, 2008)

Diamonds may have best friend to earliest life
The surfaces of gems may have provided the conditions for life to evolve, scientists say. (July 29, 2008)

Earth filmed as "alien" world
The first spacecraft from Earth to have studied a comet up-close has taken on a new project. (July 25, 2008)

Single atoms viewed thanks to super-material
A recently discovered substance may be both the strongest known, and the first to allow the imaging of small atoms. (July 21, 2008)

Robotic mini-snowmobiles ply the Arctic
Researchers are developing the devices in a bid to better understand effects blamed on global warming. (July 18, 2008)

Baby penguins found dead by the hundreds
The news comes weeks after a report claimed penguin populations are being devastated globally. (July 20, 2008)

Tweaking quantum force lowers barrier to tiny devices
Cymbals don't clash on their own-in our world, anyway. (July 14, 2008)

Smog may boost storms, NASA finds
Pollution is being called a likely reason why summer storms in the southeastern U.S. are worst at midweek. (July 8, 2008)

Tit-for-tat: birds found to repay wartime help
Pied flycatchers and red-winged blackbirds share two traits, studies suggest: they're feisty defenders and shrewd account keepers. (July 6, 2008)

In mice, "youth" drug seen prolonging vigor but not life
A red wine ingredient can ward off many ill effects of aging in mice who start taking it at midlife, researchers have found. (July 3, 2008)

Atoms found to interact unexpectedly
A surprising process may change our understanding of chemical reactions in the atmosphere and our bodies. (July 2, 2008)

Study finds lasting benefit in banned mushroom drug
The compound psilocybin may bring psychological benefits, but also harm if taken without proper supervision, researchers say. (July 1, 2008)

Secret of the great violins? The wood, study suggests
The elusive key to the unmatched sound of Stradivari may lie in uniformity of density, a scientist claims. (July 1, 2008)

Penguin populations falling steeply: biologist
Like the proverbial canary in the coal mine, penguins are sounding the alarm for possible environmental disaster, an expert warns. (July 1, 2008)

Red wine may mitigate red meat's dangers
Chemicals in wine may thwart formation of harmful substances during digestion of fat in meat, scientists say. (June 28, 2008)

Most "primitive" four-legged animal described
New findings may further close the already shrinking gaps in in the fossil record of the epochal shift to life on land. (June 26, 2008)

Epic crash may explain two faces of Mars
Scientists have been hard-pressed to explain why the red planet's two halves look very different. (June 25, 2008)

Brain area for adventurousness reported found
Located in a primitive part of the brain, it's activated when we choose unfamiliar options, researchers say. (June 25, 2008)

At brink of collapse, Neanderthals may have flourished
Newfound stone tools offer a snapshot of ancient technological change, experts say. (June 24, 2008)

The Odyssey astronomically accurate?
The ancient Greek epic of adventure at sea and long-awaited homecoming may have more truth than suspected, scientists claim. (June 23, 2008)

From the egg, baby crocs call out
Pre-hatching calls actually mean something to the siblings and mothers, researchers have found. (June 23, 2008)

Planes with glass wings?
A new insight into the nature of glass might make it possible, some scientists say. (June 22, 2008)

Far off in cosmos, the same laws
Nature's laws appear unchanged in the distant universe, helping to resolve a scientific debate, scientists report. (June 21, 2008)

Faked research data common, survey suggests
Scientific misconduct may be much more widespread than hitherto suspected, U.S. government researchers say. (June 19, 2008)

Eat the parents
In a practice thought to be over 100 million years old, some creatures feed on their mothers' skin. (June 13, 2008)

Study: gays' brain symmetry resembles other sex
Researchers have found that gay people's brains resemble those of the opposite sex in some ways. (June 16, 2008)

Just-launched telescope scans gamma-ray sky
The cosmos looks much different outside the narrow range of colors our eyes see. (June 11, 2008)

Some "dwarf planets" are now "plutoids"
New terminology further complicates the once simple concept of "planet." (June 12, 2008)

Drug found to cure alcoholic rats
Scientists say the research suggests a potential treatment for human boozers. (June 10, 2008)

Taming volcanoes
Chunks of limestone might be key to stopping lava in its tracks, a study proposes. (June 8, 2008)

Parasite turns host into bodyguard
Among those nasty creatures that live as unwanted guests inside others, some are particularly sinister. (June 5, 2008)

From cracks to catastrophes
A field called singularity theory explores hidden complexities uniting events both everyday and extraordinary. (June 5, 2008)

Obesity may not be directly due to eating
A study of worms suggests the nervous system controls eating and fat separately, researchers say. (June 3, 2008)

Brain abnormalities seen in heavy pot smokers
Two important brain structures appear smaller in long-time, heavy pot smokers, a study has found. (June 2, 2008)

Almost "uncontacted" tribe revealed
Rare photos were released to highlight the perils facing peoples living remote from the modern world. (May 30, 2008)

Gender math gap erasable, studies suggest
New research may shed light on a long, bitter debate: are boys better at math than girls? (May 30, 2008)

Monkey controls robotic arm with thoughts
Scientists reported what they said is a smoothly working system that might help paralyzed people. (May 28, 2008)

Big quakes found to spark jolts worldwide
Bumps even on the opposite side of the globe can follow a large earthquake, researchers say. (May 27, 2008)

Crystal skulls are fake: study
As Indiana Jones races to find an ancient artifact in his new film, he might want to take a moment to check its authenticity. (May 23, 2008)

Mars craft lands in search of ice
NASA's Phoenix lander snapped its first images as it began a robotic exploration of frozen water-and life?-on Mars. (May 26, 2008)

Tests back up theory of hot springs on Mars
Mars may have experienced life-giving processes similar to those that occur at Yellowstone National Park, researchers say. (May 22, 2008)

Robot follows in cricket's footleaps
A tiny new robot weighs little more than a medium-sized coin and can jump 27 times its body size. (May 21, 2008)

For once, a supernova is seen at birth
A stroke of luck may provide valuable insight into massive stellar explosions. (May 21, 2008)

Spray said to turn people to pushovers
Researchers have identified brain centers activated by betrayal of trust-and a way to keep them quiet. (May 21, 2008)

Extinct gene resurrected
Scientists say they have gotten a gene from the now-lost Tasmanian tiger to work in a mouse. (May 19, 2008)

Erectile woes may portend heart disease
Erectile dysfunction is always a matter of the heart, but new research suggests more than romance is at stake. (May 19, 2008)

A brighter universe found: ours
Dust has tricked scientists into thinking the cosmos is half as bright as it really is, astronomers say. (May 16, 2008)

Dip in brainpower may follow drop in real power
Researchers say lack of status seems to erode mental function-with complicated implications for society. (May 10, 2008)

U.S. to list polar bears as threatened
But because climate change is thought to be involved, there are big questions as to whether the ruling will spark decisive action. (May 14, 2008)

Designer isotopes push frontiers
Creating rare variants of chemical elements may be the next big thing in nuclear physics. (May 9, 2008)

Brain molecules may tell of child abuse
A study has found distinct chemical markings on the DNA of people who took their own lives after suffering maltreatment. (May 6, 2008)

Dinos' doom-and maybe ours-linked to galaxy
Our movement through the Milky Way may lead to comet showers, researchers claim. (May 3, 2008)

Probe to reach near sun
An unmanned NASA craft would plunge into an inferno more than hot enough to liquefy stone. (May 1, 2008)

"Nanotrees" might help miniaturize gadgetry
Beautiful and possibly useful, tiny structures shed light on strange aspects of crystal growth, scientists say. (May 1, 2008)

Musical genes may be coming to light
Musical ability seems to share genetic roots with language, scientists report. (April 30, 2008)

Mega-storm continues on Saturn
Saturnian electrical storms resemble Earth thunderstorms, but much larger, with lightning 10,000 times stronger. (April 30, 2008)

Training may boost type of intelligence
General problem-solving ability may be improved through a series of exercises, researchers say. (April 29, 2008)

Gene therapy success reported in blindness cases
Clinical trial results are being called one of the first clear successes for gene therapy. (April 28, 2008)

Fateful signature may haunt unsuspecting patients
When you tell your doctors to cut life support-then forget you did and change your mind-there may be a problem. (April 28, 2008)

The inbred-betrayed by scent?
Female mice can sniff out inbred males, and the same might be true of other species, researchers say. (April 17, 2008)

Brain may prepare decisions in advance
New research casts fresh doubt on whether free will exists. (April 15, 2008)

Step toward man-made lightning reported
Scientists say they have touched off electric discharges in thunderclouds by shooting powerful lasers. (April 14, 2008)

Dinosaurs along the Grand Canyon?
Arizona's giant gorge may be 55 million years old or more, researchers say. (April 10, 2008)

Understanding of superconductivity may be nearing
A strange effect called superconductivity offers hopes of a new electrical golden age. But scientists don't quite know how to get there. (April 10, 2008)

Drug may limit radiation damage
A newly developed drug is reported to protect animals' bone marrow and gastrointestinal cells from destructive radiation. (April 10, 2008)

Unproven genetic tests called health threat
Little is done to shield U.S. consumers from unreliable tests or misleading claims, a report warns. (April 9, 2008)

Nuke exchange would shred ozone layer: study
The atmosphere's ozone layer blocks cancer-causing ultraviolet rays from the sun. (April 7, 2008)

Strange animal finds: Lungless frogs, crawling fish
Biologists are still getting over their surprise from two unrelated findings of weird species in the past week. (April 7, 2008)

Meteorites left "seeds" of Earth's left-handed life
New research could explain why Earthly life forms prefer only one orientation of molecules called amino acids. (April 6, 2008)

Hunting was just final straw for mammoth, study finds
Does the human species have mammoth blood on its hands? Scientists have long debated it. (March 31, 2008)

Scientist: "superbugs" resist all drugs, portend pandemic
Doctors are resorting to drugs once abandoned due to harsh side effects-and even that has stopped working in some cases. (March 31, 2008)

Paranoia rife among us, researchers say
Exaggerated fears of others afflict as many as one in three people, scientists claim. (March 31, 2008)

Organic chemicals detected at Saturn moon
A surprising "brew" is erupting like a geyser from Saturn's moon Enceladus, according to researchers. (March 26, 2008)

Preterm birth tied to lifelong problems
Premature birth leads to health issues more varied and lasting than was known, scientists report. (March 25, 2008)

Uniqueness in human brain's language zone
Human cells have more complex interconnections in and around language-linked brain areas, researchers say. (March 24, 2008)

The evolution of drug abuse
New research challenges traditional explanations of why we wallow in chemical gratification. (March 21, 2008)

Distant moon may have hidden ocean
Scientists are reporting evidence of a vast body of water and ammonia inside Saturn's moon Titan. (March 20, 2008)

Blast called furthest thing visible to naked eye
Halfway across the known cosmos, scientists say, a massive stellar explosion was briefly visible to unaided eyes on March 19. (March 20, 2008)

Money might buy happiness-when you spend on others
People report greater happiness if they spend money on gifts or charity, researchers say. (March 20, 2008)

Drive to complexity seen in animal evolution
A study claims to clarify a longtime debate: does evolution have long-term trends? (March 17, 2008)

Estimates for peopling of Americas getting earlier
Humans appear to have first entered the Americas some 22,000 years ago, according to some archaeologists. (March 13, 2008)

More "little people" fossils found
A finding may renew and complicate a debate over whether miniature, island-dwelling people once evolved. (March 11, 2008)

That habitable planet might not be so far off
We might have neighbors among the closest stars to our sun, scientists say. (March 10, 2008)

Butterflies may keep memories of caterpillar youth
Scientists have wondered for over a century whether memory survives metamorphosis. (March 6, 2008)

Grand Canyon 20 million years old, study says
The canyon's "incision history" has been disputed for more than a century. (March 6, 2008)

Study: media misconstrues blues as "chemical imbalance"
An ancient, but unsupported notion about depression still finds its way into many news reports, a study has found. (March 4, 2008)

After jeers, some recognition for "reverse evolution" theorist
A leading scientific journal is set to publish genetic findings by a researcher of people who walk on all fours. (March 3, 2008)

Dark energy, or just dust? Findings raise questions
Tiny whiskers of carbon in space may explain puzzling observations usually attributed to a mysterious force, researchers say. (March 1, 2008)

Brain workings linked to parental instinct
Infant faces spark a flurry of activity in a key brain region, researchers have found. (Feb. 28, 2008)

Pollution may make birds change their tune
Nothing like a birdsong to remind you of nature's glory, right? Maybe not quite, according to rather creepy new findings. (Feb. 28, 2008)

Robot arms race seen underway
Proponents of robot weapons say they could keep soldiers out of harm's way. Critics say the machines raise troubling questions. (Feb. 26, 2008)

"Noah's Ark" seed vault opens
A remote chamber designed to protect seeds for posterity took in its first shipments. (Feb. 26, 2008)

Expert: obesity, global warming could be fought together
Redesigning cities to curb excess driving could reduce both warming and waistlines, a physician claims. (Feb. 26, 2008)

Pirates had "democratic" ways
A small but growing body of research focuses on how criminal organizations govern themselves. (Feb. 22, 2008)

Computers learn "regret"
New programs imitate human decision-making in strategy games by looking backwards. (Feb. 21, 2008)

Moon systems, not planets, may be place to find life
Alien life might be both easier and more interesting to discover through a new strategy, a study suggests. (Feb. 19, 2008)

Music may aid stroke recovery
A study suggests music helps stimulate repair of brain wiring, researchers report. (Feb. 19, 2008)

Brain cells tied to consciousness reported found
Trying to understand what causes consciousness is one of the most exasperating problems in all science. (Feb. 19, 2008)

Study links heavy cell phone use to cancer
Increased risk of salivary gland tumors might be avoidable by using hands-free devices, researchers say. (Feb. 15, 2005)

Salt might have thwarted Martian life
New findings may narrow the possibilities for where and when microbes could have lived on the red planet. (Feb. 15, 2008)

People feeling powerful don't listen, study finds
Don't bother trying to feed your boss a new idea while he's feeling important, new research suggests. (Feb. 15, 2008)

Two strange dinos, one dark hunger
Newfound fossil reports highlight the unusual dinosaurs that prowled southern lands in search of fresh meat. (Feb. 14, 2008)

Simple recipe for ad success: art
Seeing almost any painting on a product or product pitch makes people rate the item more highly, studies suggest. (Feb. 13, 2008)

Why anyone can make a sandcastle
The exact amount of water in the sand doesn't matter much. Researchers now think they know why. (Feb. 13, 2008)

Probe would swim into alien seas
Scientists hope to send a robotic submarine into oceans that may lurk within a moon of Jupiter. (Feb. 9, 2008)

A function for "gay genes" after all?
Studies of some unusual men in the remote Pacific have led scientists to surprising conclusions. (Feb. 8, 2008)

A machine with a taste-for espresso
Can a machine taste coffee? The question has plagued scientists who study the bracing beverage. (Feb. 7, 2008)

"Sounds" of individual molecules captured
Physicists claim to have made tiny atomic vibrations, describable as sound by some definitions, audible. (Feb. 6, 2008)

Severe stress in pregnancy may be tied to kids' schizophrenia
The popular notion that a mother's state of mind can affect her unborn baby seems to have some truth, scientists say. (Feb. 4, 2008)

Communing with nature less and less
People are losing interest in the outdoors, and it bodes ill for health and the environment, researchers warn. (Feb. 4, 2008)

Particle smasher may reveal extra dimensions
Physicists have big hopes for the world's most powerful particle accelerator, to start up this summer. (Feb. 1, 2008)

A common ancestor for all blue-eyed people
Everyone with blue eyes can trace their lineage to one person who lived around the late Stone Age, researchers say. (Jan. 31, 2008)

Surprises from smallest planet
A spacecraft has given scientists a totally new look at Mercury, NASA reports. (Jan. 30, 2008) (Jan. 30, 2008)

Get lazy, age faster
People who are physically active in their spare time seem biologically younger than their couch-bound peers, researchers say. (Jan. 28, 2008) (Jan. 28, 2008)

A new geologic age-started by us
A radical proposal is gaining ground among geologists. (Jan. 25, 2008)

Girl changes blood type, immune system
Doctors are describing a teenage Australian as something of a medical miracle. (Jan. 25, 2008)

Researchers report blackest black yet made
A new material could one day improve solar energy technology by increasing light absorption, scientists say. (Jan. 23, 2008)

Study revisits bizarre theory of alien cells in rain
A controversial claim concerning recent strange, red rains may fit with some historical accounts, a study concludes. (Jan. 22, 2008)

Do rich nations "owe" poor ones for eco-abuse?
It would seem they do-more than $1.8 trillion, if a new appraisal is to be believed. (Jan. 22, 2008)

"Largest" ever fossil rodent found
A rodent as big as a bull once roamed South America, researchers report. (Jan. 17, 2008)

Death by flowers: giant, suicidal palm has botanists stumped
Scientists are wondering how a self-destructing plant got to Madagascar and eluded discovery before now. (Jan. 16, 2008)

Clone food safe, FDA says; no sales foreseen yet
U.S. regulators say and milk from cloned animals are safe to eat. (Jan. 16, 2008)

Did Columbus lead syphilis to Europe?
A study suggests as much, but some researchers say it's far from the last word. (Jan. 14, 2008)

Researchers recreate rat heart
The work may be a step toward artificially building lifelike, functioning human hearts, scientists say. (Jan. 13, 2008)

Mystery world a merged planet?
A strange object "needs a strange explanation," an astronomer says. (Jan. 10, 2008)

"Unprecedented" results after new Alzheimer's treatment
Researchers say an already approved drug reverses symptoms of a devastating illness. (Jan. 9, 2008)

Pollution found to shrink fetuses
New findings bode ill for the lifelong health of affected children, scientists warn. (Jan. 8, 2008)

Four healthy habits may give 14 more years: study
Researchers see a remarkable combined benefit in following four basic healthy practices. (Jan. 8, 2008)

"Micro-needle" would spare patients the sting
A tiny needle made partly of ceramic may allow painless injections, researchers claim. (Jan. 7, 2008)

Shrinking helium reserves may threaten more than kids' play
The element that lifts balloons, spirits and voice ranges also plays key roles in technology-but it may run out. (Jan. 5, 2008)

Did insects take down T. rex?
A new book fingers a surprise suspect as contributor to the dinosaurs' demise. (Jan. 4, 2008)

Search for ET beefed up-with your help
A search for radio signals from alien civilizations is set to become 500 times more powerful, investigators say. (Jan. 2, 2008)

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