A new study increases and strengthens the links that have led some to propose the "transposon theory of aging" centering on the rogue elements of DNA that break free in aging cells and rewrite themselves elsewhere in the genome.

They believe this is potentially creating lifespan-shortening chaos in the genetic makeups of tissues.

There are various hypotheses for the origin of the Moon but a chemistry analysis says it has disproved the leading one - that a low-energy impact left the proto-Earth and Moon shrouded in a silicate atmosphere. Instead, they say, a much more violent impact vaporized the impactor and most of the proto-Earth, expanding to form an enormous superfluid disk out of which the Moon eventually crystallized.

From a very young age, we're warned against shouting "Fire!" in a crowded theater. The possibility of inciting mass panic presents an obvious moral problem. But for researchers, the situation also presents an interesting mathematical problem: How do large crowds of people behave in emergency situations? While many have turned to classical physics and calculus for the answer, a recent study shows that a branch of mathematics called fractional calculus may offer a more realistic picture of crowd dynamics.

Researchers conducted risk calculation on the influence of the temporary suspension of cervical cancer vaccination based on vaccination rates for female Japanese born between 1993 and 2008. They clarified that the risk of HPV infection varies considerably depending on the birth year. The findings suggest that infection risk may be reduced if vaccination encouragement is resumed and target groups are extended to include those females that were at target vaccination age during the suspension period.

Researchers have clarified important mechanisms involved in the formation of neural circuits in the brain, and discovered that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a psychoactive substance also found in cannabis, causes disruption of neural circuits within the cortex. 

Experts often advise even openly gay and lesbian candidates to downplay their sexual orientation or risk losing votes, but David Niven, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Cincinnati, claimed at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association in Philadelphia that not only does a gay or lesbian candidate's sexual orientation no longer pose a political disadvantage, but that it may actually help them win office.