What's Killing The Killer Whales?
Seven Puget Sound orcas (killer whales) are missing, presumed dead – a severe drop in the population (almost 10%). What’s causing the sharp decline in whales?
Archive | October, 2008
Undecided voters may already have decided, study suggests
Do “undecided” voters actually make their choices before they realize? That is a question University of Virginia psychology professor Brian Nosek and his colleagues are trying to answer. “Many people, especially early in the political process, declare themselves as undecided,” Nosek said. “But while they have consciously said that they are undecided, they unconsciously may have already made a choice.”
Weak economy puts pinch on plastic surgeons
While history has taught that looks matter for everyone from presidential candidates to the person next door, the economic crisis is forcing many consumers to re-evaluate their cosmetic surgery plans.
Topical treatment for cold sores achieves efficacy of oral drugs
Scientists at NanoBio Corporation have demonstrated for the first time in humans that a novel topical treatment for cold sores (herpes labialis), NB-001, speeds healing of lesions as effectively as the leading oral systemic drugs but without safety or toxicity concerns.
The Finest Discussion of Western Blotting on the Entire Web
The bands on the membrane are faint and no bands remain on the gel. We also get some additional high molecular weight bands on the gel which we suspect to be dimmer, but sometimes it is not visible clearly and sometimes we get good result. Is the transfer not efficient. We use alkaline phosphatase NBT and BCIP for detection.
Pain automatically activates facial muscle groups
A study has found that people who facially express pain in a more intense way are not exaggerating if their perception of a painful stimulation is controlled. The study conducted by Miriam Kunz is published in the November issue of Pain.
Glutamate: Too much of a good thing in schizophrenia?
Is schizophrenia a disorder of glutamate hyperactivity or hypoactivity? While the predominant hypothesis for many years was that schizophrenia was a glutamate deficit disorder, there is growing evidence of glutamate hyperactivity as well.
A high-fat diet could promote the development of Alzheimer's
A team of Université Laval researchers has shown that the main neurological markers for Alzheimer’s disease are exacerbated in the brains of mice fed a diet rich in animal fat and poor in omega-3s.
'Digital Dark Age' may doom some data
What stands a better chance of surviving 50 years from now, a framed photograph or a 10-megabyte digital photo file on your computer’s hard drive?
Men drawn to women in red
A groundbreaking study by two University of Rochester psychologists to be published online Oct. 28 by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology adds color—literally and figuratively—to the age-old question of what attracts men to women.
The power of because
Does the word “because” hold a magical power over humans? (Seriously — this has been claimed by very reasonable scientists)
The First Synthetic Breeders’ Cup – Controversy & Observations
Over the weekend, horse racing fans were glued to their televisions as the Breeders’ Cup World Championships celebrated its 25th anniversary. New this year was a synthetic surface, making the 2008 event of particular interest – although it is always a highly anticipated end to the racing calendar.
Cathedral Peaks at Grand Teton National Park
Portrayed as the most majestic mountains of the Rockies, Wyoming’s Grand Teton range is as impressive as people say. So read along as Techno Tourist takes you on a scenic tour of Grand Teton National Park. As we go, we’ll take a virtual tour of the Grand Tetons, where the largest peaks are known as the Cathedral Group.
America’s Youngest Mountains?
The Tetons were formed as pressure deep within the mantle of the Earth caused a split along a fault line. In the west, a block rose and formed the Grand Teton mountain range. In the east, a block sank and formed the popular valley known as Jackson Hole.
Kids' Science Challenge
The Kids’ Science Challenge is a nationwide competition designed to engage 3rd to 6th-graders in practicing science––and discovering how much fun it can be. Students will be able to submit experiments and problems to real scientists in very exciting, kid-friendly fields and then follow along as scientists and engineers attempt to do the experiments and solve these problems.
Pregnant women consuming flaxseed oil have high risk of premature birth
A study has found that the risks of a premature birth quadruple if flaxseed oil is consumed in the last two trimesters of pregnancy. The research was conducted by Professor Anick Bérard of the Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Pharmacy and the Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center and Master’s student Krystel Moussally.
Flawed 401(k) laws putting retirement at risk, expert says
Congress needs to reform flawed 401(k) laws that could push back retirement for millions of Americans whose savings have collapsed along with the stock market, a University of Illinois elder law expert says.
A vote for McCain is a vote against science
Palin takes on basic science research as an example of government waste.
Become a Phrase Detective: A new, massive Internet-based language project
A new Web application that will help researchers crack the language code.
