As I discussed in my last post, the principle of limiting similarity suggests that species that can coexist must be somewhat different in their requirements for survival.  This

Since 1899, when acetylsalicylic acid was named "aspirin" in Germany, the emphasis has been placed on its properties. There is a new wind on the subject -- a medical cyclone seems to be brewing in…

People can make their own salicylic acid (SA), the principal metabolite of aspirin. SA that gives aspirin its famous action on pain, fever, and inflammation is now looking like a star in its own…

Go ahead and admit it, you would have been stumped if the answer wasn't in the title, right?   There isn't much a Democrat President-elect, an old white Republican war veteran and an insane…

In a closed system (and the biosphere as a whole is a closed system) the only way to generate additional species is through evolution.  While the evolution of new species is a necessary…

Artificial bone marrow that can continuously make red and white blood cells has been created in a University of Michigan lab.   This development could lead to simpler pharmaceutical drug testing…

JetBrains, creators of intelligent and innovative productivity-enhancing tools for software developers, have announced the Beta version of their new product - Meta Programming System, or MPS. Meta…

The probability of having one’s child receive an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis involves a mother’s own medical conditions and her use of health services prior to having…

If you set out to answer questions about species diversity, there are two questions you need to consider - how is diversity generated, and how is diversity maintained? The simplest measure of…

Human and veterinary medicine could receive a big boost through use of larger animals, especially pigs and dogs, in research, with Europe at the forefront, according to a recent workshop organized by…

Scientists say they have discovered the trigger that pulls together X chromosomes in female cells at a crucial stage of embryo development. Their discovery could also provide new insights into how…

You may remember the melamine scandal where in September this year over a thousand babies were made ill and four died as a result of producers putting melamine, or worse, melamine scrap  into…

2008 will be a little longer than you might have assumed at the beginning of the year. But not so much that you’ll be early for that New Year’s Eve party. The spin of the Earth is slowing down. Not…

Researchers using a powerful instrument aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have found a long sought-after mineral on the Martian surface and, with it, unexpected clues to the Red Planet's…

Does Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket sound like science fiction to you?   NASA and Ad Astra Rocket Company of Webster, Texas, have signed a Space Act Agreement that could lead to…

Adoption is a great change in the life of a child and the changes are even greater when a new language is included. According to figures from the adoption associations, around 18 000 children from…

Tangerine skies.. Tangerine blossoms, so I thought while wearing my tangerine trench coat in the Netherlands. I had no idea how much the Dutch would be attracted to me ... for my coat. I learned soon…

It is not only joy and goodwill that epitomize Christmas and the New Year. It is also stress, unrealistic expectations, letdowns, tension and, not least, drinking and partying. This can be one of…

Arrive at your In-Law's unprepared at Christmas and you may find yourself sitting in someone else's living room, unable to get to the remote control, and nothing but "The Wizard of Oz" on the TV.…

We all know how hard it is to avoid tasty treats such as chocolate and crisps but it is even more challenging over the festive season. According to the British Heart Foundation, the average person…