Selective browsing by white-tailed deer has been blamed by many for changing the character and composition of forest understories in the eastern US; however, its impact on the forest canopy was previously unknown.

A new study links changes in the gene for the protein focal adhesion kinase, or FAK, to ovarian cancer's ability to survive chemotherapy.

Scientists have found evidence suggesting that resistance to the 'hunger hormone' ghrelin in the brain is linked to the cognitive impairments and memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The findings, based on observations of postmortem brain-tissue samples from Alzheimer's patients and on experiments with a mouse model of AD, also suggest a possible treatment strategy for the...

With warming temperatures, average snowfall frequency is estimated to decline across the Pacific Northwest by 2100 -- and at a faster rate if greenhouse emissions are not reduced, according to a new study.

A new study looking at incidence of disease data nationwide from 2000 to 2016 found a shift in obesity-associated cancers (OACs) to younger individuals. Typically, these cancers are diagnosed at higher rates among people older than 65. The most notable findings pertain to increases in these OACs among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women and men for whom certain cancers increased by 200-400%.

Researchers offer new insight into the evolution of the suction ability of remora fishes, showcasing a bioinspired suction disk that mimics, and can exceed, the fish's uncanny powers of adhesion.

Scientists have discovered that a receptor on the surface of brain cells plays a key role in regulating how both animals and people respond to stress. The research suggests that the receptor may represent an important biomarker of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in humans and may offer a new target for future, more effective treatments for stress and anxiety.

States that require prescribers to register with and use prescription drug monitoring programs in most clinical circumstances saw notably fewer opioid prescriptions and reduced opioid-related hospital use by Medicaid patients compared to states with weak or no drug monitoring program mandates, according to a new study.

In the case of Alzheimer's disease, researchers show that mitochondrial calcium transport remodeling -- what appears to be an attempt by cells to compensate for flagging energy production and metabolic dysfunction -- while initially beneficial, ultimately becomes maladaptive, fueling declines in mitochondrial function, memory, and learning. The new research, published by Nature Communications, is...

In a society that equates beauty with quality, the perception that blemished produce is less desirable than its perfect peers contributes to 1.3 billion tons of wasted food a year globally. Researchers are suggesting a potential solution -- they found that 'humanizing' produce can change consumer attitudes toward fresh fruits and vegetables that are showing signs of age.

An explosion is a complex event involving quickly changing temperatures, pressures and chemical concentrations. A special type of infrared laser, known as a swept-wavelength external cavity quantum cascade laser, can be used to study explosions. This versatile instrument has a broad wavelength tuning range that allows the measurement of multiple chemical substances in an explosive fireball. The...

A team of scientists has discovered a new possible pathway toward forming carbon structures in space using a specialized chemical exploration technique.

A three-year study has shown that there is no benefit in taking high doses of vitamin D. More research is required to determine if high doses may actually compromise bone health.

The language of Old World monkeys, some of our primate cousins, may be more sophisticated than previously realized. Even so, it displays constraints that reinforce the singularity of human language, according to a new study.

The study reported 'no significant difference in the effectiveness' of medical masks vs. N95 respirators for prevention of influenza or other viral respiratory illness.

Electric solid propellants are being explored for use in dual-mode rocket engines because they aren't susceptible to ignite from a spark or flame and can be turned on and off electrically. Researchers have conducted experiments to understand the behavior of a high-performance electric propellant compared with a traditional propellant.

The realities of subsistence living in a region of Senegal hard hit by schistosomiasis make reinfection likely, despite mass drug administration. Researchers find that engaging communities in the design of disease control programs could help.

A new study found that viewing wealth and material possessions as a sign of success yields significantly better results to life satisfaction than viewing wealth and possessions as a sign of happiness.

Providing a glimpse the hidden workings of evolution, a group of researchers have discovered that embryos that appear the same can start out with surprisingly different instructions.

A phenomenon that is well known from chaos theory was observed in a material for the first time ever. A structural transition in the ferroelastic material barium titanate, caused by an increase or decrease in temperature, resembles the periodic doubling seen in non-linear dynamical systems. This 'spatial chaos' in a material was first predicted in 1985 and could be used in applications such as...

Using advanced imaging techniques, researchers have mapped a previously uncharted region of the human genome that gives rise to a variety of disease, setting the stage to potentially test for the conditions in the future.

Researchers have shed new light on how some geese can fly high for long periods of time, according to a new study.

Sexual selection may play a role in the evolution of lamprey pheromones.

The anti-cancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU) acts as a radiosensitizer: it is rapidly taken up into the DNA of cancer cells, making the cells more sensitive to radiotherapy.