Maybe your ancestors really were bean brained

Maybe your ancestors really were bean brained

A surprisingly complete fossil skull of an ancient relative of humans, apes and monkeys bears striking evidence that our remote ancestor was less mentally advanced than expected by about 29 million…
The Evolution of Altruism

The Evolution of Altruism

What do mutual grooming, politeness, priestly celibacy, military heroism, car insurance, and overwork have in common? All are probable examples of the recently discovered evolutionary mechanism…
The neurochemistry behind romance

The neurochemistry behind romance

The Beatles' George Harrison wondered in his famous love song about the "something" that "attracts me like no other lover." A University at Buffalo expert explains that that "something" is actually…
Cure malaria - with carbon monoxide

Cure malaria - with carbon monoxide

Cerebral malaria (CM) is a severe form of malaria that affects the brain and is fatal in about 30-50% of the cases. But researchers in Portugal report a gene – Hmox1 – that protects against the…
The DNA Network: the best idea of the last months

The DNA Network: the best idea of the last months

The DNA Network is a FeedBurner network made by Hsien-Hsien Lei of Eye on DNA and Rick Vidal of My Biotech Life. They were very kind and asked me to join this great project. The official description…
Higher gasoline prices mean more depression?

Higher gasoline prices mean more depression?

Research conducted by Wayne Hochwarter, a professor of management in FSU’s College of Business, documents that Americans’ work attitudes have been affected as the cost to fill a tank of gas has…
New approach to testing surface adhesion

New approach to testing surface adhesion

With a nod to one of nature's best surface chemists—an obscure desert beetle—polymer scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have devised a convenient way to construct…
Is Systems Biology Teaching Us Anything New?

Is Systems Biology Teaching Us Anything New?

What I find most exciting about basic molecular biology today is the prospect of building a quantitative understanding of how a cell works. Many other scientists are excited about this as well,…
Study sheds light on Earth's CO2 cycles

Study sheds light on Earth's CO2 cycles

A research team, including Kent State Professor of Geology Dr. Joseph Ortiz, tracing the origin of the large carbon dioxide increase in Earth’s atmosphere at the end of the last ice age has detected…
The link between Parkinson's and narcolepsy

The link between Parkinson's and narcolepsy

Parkinson's disease is well-known for its progression of motor disorders: stiffness, slowness, tremors, difficulties walking and talking. Less well known is that Parkinson's shares other symptoms…