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168,100 articles from ScienceDaily

Mass extinctions: 'Giant' fossils are revolutionizing current thinking

Large-sized gastropods dating from only 1 million years after the greatest mass extinction of all time, the Permian-Triassic extinction, have been discovered by an international team of researchers. These specimens call into question the existence of a "Lilliput effect", the reduction in the size of organisms inhabiting postcrisis biota, normally spanning several million...

Infection-fighting antibodies made in plants as effective as costlier conventional version

The first head-to-head comparison of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies produced from plants versus the same antibodies produced from mammalian cells has shown that plant-produced antibodies can fight infection equally well. Scientists conducted the comparison as a test of the potential for treating disease in developing nations with the significantly less expensive plant-based production...

Brain waves show patterns for deciding which faces we prefer

Faces play a very important role in our social life. We make complex social decisions based on facial appearance. But we know little how we make a preference decision when the two faces are closely matched (e.g., age, race, gender, gaze, facial attributes, facial emotion). Is there any specific brain activity pattern associated with our preference (or non-preference)? Can these patterns be...

Perfectly shaped solid components

When metals are shaped, the materials they are made of are often damaged in the process. One cause of this is excessive press force, which cracks and perforates the material. By running simulations on a PC, research scientists can now calculate how to avoid component defects.

Underdogs have more motivation? Not so fast, study says

Members of a group or team will work harder when they're competing against a group with lower status than when pitted against a more highly ranked group, according to a new study. The results run contrary to the common belief that underdogs have more motivation because they have the chance to 'knock the higher-status group down a...

Hot pepper relief: New category of painkillers on the way?

Research has opened the door for the advancement of a new category of painkillers, called TRPV1 antagonists. These drugs block the transient receptor potential vannilloid-1 (TRPV1) channel, which is the same receptor responsible for the sensation of hotness from hot peppers.

Gene with likely role in premenstrual disorder identified

Some women are especially sensitive to the natural flux of hormones in the menstrual cycle. New research points to a gene that likely influences how women respond to swings in estrogen levels and could help diagnose and treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder and inform treatments during menopause, such as hormone replacement therapy, researchers...

Biologist discovers 'stop' signal in honey bee communication

Honey bees warn their nest mates about dangers they encounter while feeding with a special signal that's akin to a "stop" sign for bees. When foragers were attacked by competitors from nearby colonies fighting for food at an experimental feeder, they produced a specific signal to stop nest mates from recruiting others to the dangerous...

Enzyme with industrial applications characterized

Microbial enzymes are commonly used to reduce the levels of contamination created by industrial processes. Researchers have now characterized xylan-degrading enzyme from the the bacteria Paenibacillus barcinonensis, an isolated microorganism found in the Ebro delta.

ion traps: Setting out to discover new, long-lived heavy elements

Besides the 92 elements that occur naturally, scientists were able to create 20 additional chemical elements. These new elements were produced artificially and are all very short-lived: they decay in a matter of a split second. However, scientists predict the existence of even heavier elements with an extreme longevity. Scientists have now developed and applied a measuring apparatus that might...

Long-distance migration shapes butterfly wings

Monarch butterflies that migrate long distances have evolved significantly larger and more elongated wings than their stationary cousins, differences that are consistent with traits known to enhance flight ability in other migratory species.

Natural-disaster mathematical aid systems aid in decision-making

Mathematicians have developed a computer application that estimates the magnitude of natural disasters and helps NGOs in the decision making process. The researchers have also presented an on-site humanitarian aid distribution model. Both could have been applied in the case of the recent Haiti...

New clue why autistic people don't want hugs

Why do people with fragile X syndrome, a genetic defect that is the best-known cause of autism and inherited mental retardation, recoil from hugs and physical touch? New research has found in fragile X syndrome there is delayed development of the sensory cortex, the part of the brain that responds to touch, according to a study from Northwestern University. This delay may trigger a domino effect...