Science News

Ten women in the United Kingdom may undergo womb transplants as part of an upcoming study, but the procedure raises some ethical issues, experts say.

Snakes maintain most of the DNA sequences that mammals use to make legs -- even though snakes lack limbs. Turns out the genes are responsible for phallus development in snake embryos.

Scientists have uncovered a significant -- and potentially treatable -- relationship between a chemical that helps transmit signals in the brain and genetic mutations present in a subset of individuals with autism spectr...

Forecasters are split on how badly Hurricane Joaquin will batter the East Coast, largely because it is surrounded by other weather patterns that are unpredictable.

Hepatic fibrosis, which involves scarring of the liver that can result in dysfunction and, in severe cases, cirrhosis and cancer, may be as much a consequence of genetics as environmental factors.

A molecular basis has been found for why 80 percent of patients with longstanding Type 1 diabetes have chronic gastrointestinal symptoms including gastroparesis (delayed emptying of food), irritable bowel syndrome, abdom...

Medical researchers have published results from a national study identifying factors and outcomes associated with the use of genetic counseling and testing services for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer in the communi...

Researchers are calling on the medical community to reconsider developing a known drug to treat people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) after new evidence shows it does not increase the risk of cancer as previously...

Tissue-engineered colon derived from human cells is able to develop the many specialized nerves required for function, mimicking the neuronal population found in native colon. These specialized neurons, localized in the ...

A single neuron in a normal adult brain likely has more than a thousand genetic mutations that are not present in the cells that surround it, according to new research. The majority of these mutations appear to arise whi...

The nucleus accumbens, that control motivation in the brain, activates the activity of the motor cortex of the brain, and then promotes recovery of motor function during the early stage of recovery after spinal cord inju...

Our brain cells have different genomes from one another. The study shows for the first time that mutations in somatic cells -- that is, any cell in the body except sperm and eggs -- are present in significant numbers in ...

The three intestinal worms roundworm (Ascaris), whipworm (Trichuris) and hookworm, cause infections and diseases that are among the most common neglected tropical diseases in the developing world. Researchers recently se...

The new iteration of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans must incorporate sustainability considerations -- both for the health and wellbeing of Americans and the world in which we live, urges a new article.

A hormone is found to be critical in promoting growth of human embryonic stem cells, paving the way for improved regenerative medicine and cell-based therapies.

Quantifying the damage caused to specific parts of the heart by cardiac arrest is key to providing effective treatment and accurate prognoses for millions of people worldwide. Now, researchers have developed a computatio...

Genes may now be deleted without creating a scar in certain strains of Escherichia coli and other microorganisms, thanks to new research. The technique makes it easier to string together several genetic engineering steps...

Why do we have fingernails, anyway?

Could the next generation space exploring robots be modeled after a baby toy?

Don't go sticking your electronic devices in a toaster oven just yet, but for a longer-lasting battery, you might someday heat them up when not in use. Over time, the electrodes inside a rechargeable battery cell can gro...

Once every century or so, a supernova occurs somewhere in the Milky Way, blasting out as much energy in one event as a sun-like star emits over billions of years. According to a paper recently accepted for publication in...

E. coli ClpB is a bacterial enzyme that untangles proteins. Such tangles are hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. A study now offers new insight on this amazing molecular machine, and...