Science Daily (Free subscription) | 03/11/2009
Astronomers have tracked down a gigantic, previously unknown assembly of galaxies located almost seven billion light-years away from us. The discovery, made possible by combining two of the most powerful ground-based telescopes in the world, is the first observation of such a prominent galaxy structure in the distant Universe, providing further insight into the cosmic web and how it formed.
Science Daily (Free subscription) | 03/11/2009
Researchers found that removing all of the trees from a section of the forest had a negative effect on amphibians during their later life cycles, but had some positive effects during amphibians' aquatic larva stages at the beginning of their lives. To lessen the negative effects during the later life stage, scientists recommend partial or selection cuts to forests rather than completely removing trees...
Science Daily (Free subscription) | 03/11/2009
When searching for basketball videos online, a long list of Web sites appears, which may contain a picture or a word describing a basketball. But what if the computer could search inside videos for a basketball? Researchers are developing software that would enable computers to search inside videos, detect humans and specific objects, and perform other video analysis tasks.
Science Daily (Free subscription) | 03/11/2009
Large-scale distributions of two important nutrient pools -- dissolved organic nitrogen and dissolved organic phosphorus have been systematically mapped for the first time over the Atlantic Ocean in a new study. The findings have important implications for understanding nitrogen and phosphorus biogeochemical cycles and the biological carbon pump in the Atlantic Ocean.
Science Daily (Free subscription) | 02/11/2009
An ancient South American civilisation which disappeared around 1,500 years ago helped to cause its own demise by damaging the fragile ecosystem that held it in place, a study has found. Archaeologists examining the remains of the Nasca, who once flourished in the valleys of south coastal Peru, have uncovered a sequence of human-induced events which led to their "catastrophic" collapse around...
Science Daily (Free subscription) | 02/11/2009
In 2005, a gigantic, 35-mile-long rift broke open the desert ground in Ethiopia. At the time, some geologists believed the rift was the beginning of a new ocean as two parts of the African continent pulled apart, but the claim was controversial. Now, scientists from several countries have confirmed that the volcanic processes at work beneath the Ethiopian rift are nearly identical to those at the bottom...
Phd Position in Biology (Free subscription) | 01/11/2009
Scholarships (ca. 15,500 Eur p.A tax free, plus travel bursaries, plus running costs, no admission fees) are available for the PhD programme of the International Graduate School of Neuroscience at the Ruhr University Bochum. Successful candidates may choose from a selection of over 40 PhD projects in topics ranging from molecular, developmental, systems, cognitive, clinical or computational neuroscience....
New Scientist (Free subscription) | 30/10/2009
The dreams of video game players suggest that nocturnal visions have a practical role: helping us to learn new skills
Science Daily (Free subscription) | 28/10/2009
During its first year of operations, NASA's Fermi Gamma Ray Space Telescope mapped the extreme sky with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity. It captured more than one thousand discrete sources of gamma rays -- the highest-energy form of light. Capping these achievements was a measurement that provided rare experimental evidence about the very structure of space and time, unified as space-time...
Science Daily (Free subscription) | 28/10/2009
People who watch forensic and crime dramas on TV are more likely than nonviewers to have a distorted perception of America's criminal justice system, according to new research.
Science Daily (Free subscription) | 28/10/2009
Researchers are using a remotely operated vehicle and satellite-linked data loggers to learn more about turtle behavior in commercial fishing areas and to develop new ways to avoid catching turtles in fishing gear. This marks the first time an ROV has been used to follow turtles in the wild to learn about their behavior and how they interact with their habitat
Science Daily (Free subscription) | 28/10/2009
The US Environmental Protection Agency has announced a study that will investigate ways to reduce pollution that can run off paved surfaces and improve how water filters back into the ground. EPA is testing a variety of different permeable pavement materials and rain gardens in the parking lot at the agency's Edison, N.J. facility.
New Scientist (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009
Amputees who feel the presence of a phantom limb can be trained to move it in impossible ways, which could allow new ways to ease phantom pain
Nature Neuroscience (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009
During early development, rats show the unlikely behavior of becoming attracted to the very stimulus that they should avoid. A new study shows that this occurs as a result of a complex interplay of glucocorticoid secretion and dopaminergic tone in the amygdala.
Nature Neuroscience (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009
The α2δ-3 auxiliary subunit of voltage-dependent calcium channels promotes the formation of synaptic boutons in Drosophila neuromuscular junction independently of its role in channel localization.
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