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Genome of frog-killing fungus sequenced
CORNELL (US) — Researchers have sequenced the genomes of 29 strains of a fungus that is responsible for the mass killing of amphibians around the world.The fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd),...
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Curiosity finds ancient streambed on Mars
UC DAVIS (US) — Rounded pebbles on the surface of Mars indicate that a stream once flowed on the red planet, according to a new study. Rounded pebbles of this size are known to form only when...
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See light make hydrogel fingers wiggle
UC BERKELEY (US) — Inspired by the way plants grow toward light sources, bioengineers have created a hydrogel they can manipulate with light. The new hydrogel, described earlier this month in the...
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6-foot-long lizard shared planet with mammals
DUKE / UC BERKELEY (US) — One of the biggest known lizards to ever live on land roamed tropical forests alongside mammals some 40 million years ago.The “Lizard King”—named after The Doors singer Jim...
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For better concrete, do as Romans did
UC BERKELEY (US) — Ancient Roman structures that have withstood the elements for more than 2,000 years are showing engineers how to make today’s concrete more durable and sustainable.Using the Advanced...
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Plant genes reveal when photosynthesis began
UC BERKELEY (US) — New analysis more precisely pinpoints the origin of photosynthesis in plants, putting the date hundreds of millions of years earlier than once thought. Long before Earth became lush,...
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Can bigger desks make us dishonest?
COLUMBIA (US) — Having a large workspace or a big driver’s seat in a car can make people feel more powerful, which can lead to dishonest behaviors.“In everyday working and living environments, our body...
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Feeling edgy? Get some sleep
UC BERKELEY (US) — A lack of sleep, which is common in anxiety disorders, may play a key role in firing up brain regions that contribute to excessive worrying.Sleep deprivation amplifies anticipatory...
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How to help SAD sufferers sleep better
U. PITTSBURGH (US) — For people with seasonal affective disorder, lack of sleep is routine and often misunderstood. Researchers report that individuals with seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—a winter...
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Domestic tomato has genetic wild side
UC DAVIS (US) — A large block of genes from one species of wild tomato is present in a domestic tomato, and has unexpected effects across the whole genome. The findings are based on the first...
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How spider webs ‘reach out’ to grab bugs
UC BERKELEY (US) — Flapping insects build up an electrical charge that makes it easier for spider webs to snare them, according to a new study. The positive charge on an insect such as a bee or fly...
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Bendy e-skin to make robots ‘touchy feely’
UC BERKELEY (US) — New electronic skin responds to touch by lighting up instantly—and the more intense the pressure, the brighter the light. A research team led by Ali Javey, associate professor of...
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33GB later, fabric in games gets real-time boost
CARNEGIE MELLON / UC BERKELEY (US) — After six months of computing time, researchers are pretty sure they’ve simulated almost every important configuration of a piece of cloth over a moving human...
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How growing pot can kill these critters
UC DAVIS (US) — Rat poison used on plots of illegal marijuana is killing fishers in the southern Sierra Nevada, according to a new study. Research last summer by a team of University of California,...
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On a hot planet, tempers may flare
PRINCETON / UC BERKELEY (US) — Human history shows a link between even a moderate rise in temperatures and an increased risk of violence between individuals or nations, according to a new analysis....
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Why sleepy brains crave doughnuts
UC BERKELEY (US) — We’re more likely to have an appetite for junk food when we’re sleep deprived and brain scans may help explain why.Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers...
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In California, fruit flies are winning the war
UC DAVIS (US) — Despite more than 30 years of intervention and 300 state-sponsored eradication programs, tropical fruit flies have taken up permanent residence in California.The findings have...
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