Science News

Comparing the genome of the giraffe and its shorter-necked okapi relative has pinpointed genes likely involved in the evolution of the long neck

A new study shows that compared to non-shift workers, shift workers needed more time to complete a test that is frequently used by physicians to screen for cognitive impairment. However, those who had quit shift work mor...

Visit Singularity Hub for the latest from the frontiers of manufacturing and technology as we bring you coverage of ​Singularity University's Exponential Manufacturing conference​. Watch all the talks from the first ...

Surgeons in Japan have developed a technique to relieve airway obstruction in children. The technique, known as external stenting (ES), expands and stabilizes the airway by suspending its wall to a rigid prosthesis place...

Retroviral DNAs integrate into host genomes, but their expression is normally repressed by cellular defense mechanisms. As a research team now shows, when these measures fail, accumulation of viral proteins may trigger p...

A cooling La Niña cycle is on the way, and it will give an insight into how much of the recent warming has been down to climate change

Children as young as middle-schoolers are exposed to multiple alcohol advertisements every day -- both indoors and out -- a new study finds.

(Phys.org)--Scientists have proposed the first experiment that could measure the value of Newton's gravitational constant, G, from deep space instead of an Earth-based laboratory. The researchers predict that the deep sp...

Decommissioning the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant just got one step closer. Japanese researchers have mapped the distribution of boron compounds in a model control rod, paving the way for determining re-criticality ris...

If you place a houseplant next to a sunny window, you may notice the leaves bending toward the light. Plants don't have a brain, so the vast majority of movement is controlled by the interaction of light and fluid within...

High levels of a digestive hormone called secretin may play an important role in the management of certain chronic liver diseases, according to new research.

Holidays abroad may hold the key to tackling Scotland's vitamin D deficiency, research suggests. Vitamin D is known to be associated with good bone health. It has also been linked to wide-ranging health benefits includin...

Today sees the un-stealthing of a new company called Otto which plans to build self-driving systems for long haul trucks. The company has been formed by a skilled team, including former members of Google's car team and p...

Designing materials that better respond to dynamic loading can help vehicles minimize vibration, better protect military convoys or potentially make buildings safer during an earthquake.

"Super Suits" have been created by experts to assist children who have developmental delays. The suits are exoskeletons and other devices that are light, comfortable and effective.

Current cardiovascular valve or blood vessel implants are generally associated with a number of complications, have limited efficacy over time, and may necessitate repeated interventions over a patient's lifetime, especi...

The discovery that unattached, sliding microtubules aid in neuronal migration, could ultimately help researchers better understand how neurons gone astray contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, say i...

The infertility risk posed by endometriosis is about half previous estimates and indicates a possible detection bias in earlier studies, according to a new report.

A key molecule that keeps gut bacteria in check has been discovered by a team of scientists. The study shows a molecular pathway by which the brain communicates with the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to prevent unnecessary...

A streamlined approach to tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis requiring a single sputum sample and providing rapid, accurate results to patients proved feasible in rural Uganda, according to new research.

At a microscopic level, every material contains spontaneous sound waves -- acoustic phonons -- that have properties dependent on the material's mechanical properties. When light interacts with these acoustic phonons, it ...

Despite the rigors of scientific inquiry and the methodical approaches of the world's most talented researchers, sometimes science has a surprise in store.