Summer soon begins in the Northern Hemisphere and, on June 1st, the Atlantic hurricane season kicks off. What do Atlantic and Pacific Ocean surface temperatures and heights tell forecasters about what they can expect this season? Although peak hurricane time doesn't arrive until late-summer and early fall, there are some oceanic signals that give a hint of coming activity and NASA satellites are...

People with the spine disease called degenerative spondylolisthesis -- who choose surgical treatment -- experience substantially greater relief from pain over time compared to those who do not have surgery, according to a new study.

New research shows some bees brace themselves against wind and turbulence by extending their sturdy hind legs while flying. But this approach comes at a steep cost, increasing aerodynamic drag and the power required for flight by roughly 30 percent, and cutting into the bees' flight...

The ‘water footprint’ of bioenergy, i.e. the amount of water required to cultivate crops for biomass, is much greater than for other forms of energy. The generation of bioelectricity is significantly more water-efficient in the end, however – by a factor of two – than the production of biofuel. By establishing the water footprint for thirteen crops, researchers were able to make an...

Since last week, 15 black-tailed godwits in Fryslân (in the north of Netherland) have been flying around with tiny transmitters in their abdominal cavities. The transmitters were inserted during a minor operation by the American vet Daniel Mulcahy and his Dutch colleague David Tijssen. With the help of the transmitters, researchers will be able to track the birds for about a year in their...

The examination of the fossil remains of rodents and insectivores from deposits in the cave of El Mirón, Cantabria, has made it possible to determine the climatic conditions of this region between the late Pleistocene and the present day. In total, researchers have pinpointed seven periods of climatic change, with glacial cold dominating during some of them, and heat in...

Scientists have implemented a new radar mode to create clearer picture of space weather.

Obesity has been linked to whole host of conditions, ranging from heart disease to diabetes and cancer. Previous research has suggested that being overweight or obese also raises your risk of developing asthma. New research however, indicates that being overweight or obese does not make your asthma worse. This suggests that losing weight will not improve a patient's...

Olive waste obtained during the oil extraction process may be used to eliminate heavy metals from sewage or waste waters of productive activities. The olive industry produces great amounts of such sub-products in and their cost is very low or nothing; sometimes, their management can even be a...

A simple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test involving breathing oxygen might help oncologists determine the best treatment for some cancer patients.

A new routing and monitoring system developed by European researchers for trucks carrying dangerous goods promises to make Europe’s roads safer while saving haulers time and money.

We all know that coughs and sneezes spread diseases – and that we should wash our hands to prevent passing on nasty viruses and bacteria. But how many of us just flick our hands under a dribbling tap and think that will do? Now hopeless hand washers will be caught – not red-handed - but with glowing green fingers, by a new good hand washing...

A program aimed at reducing criminal behavior in juvenile justice teens has yielded a surprising side benefit. The program is also reducing the teens' rate of pregnancy, according to a new study.

Scientists have discovered that sugar tags on nuclear proteins have an important developmental function Proteins are the executive agents that carry out all processes in a cell. Their activity is controlled and modified with the help of small chemical tags that can be dynamically added to and removed from the...

Scientists have defined six new genome sequences in the Candida fungus family and identified genetic differences in species that cause disease.

Scientists have managed to induce cells from pigs to transform into pluripotent stem cells -- cells that, like embryonic stem cells, are capable of developing into any type of cell in the body. It is the first time that this has been achieved using somatic cells (cells that are not sperm or egg cells) from any animal with hooves (known as...

Researchers have discovered that the enzyme meprin has a key role in inflammatory bowel disease.

When combined with standard chemotherapy, an international Phase III trial has shown that the oral targeted therapy vandetanib improves progression-free survival for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, according to research.

A new study demonstrates that online cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia significantly improves insomnia severity, daytime fatigue and sleep quality. Online treatment also reduces erroneous beliefs about sleep and pre-sleep mental arousal.

ESO's Very Large Telescope has been equipped with the first of its second generation instruments: X-shooter. It can record the entire spectrum of a celestial object in one shot -- from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared -- with high sensitivity. This unique new instrument will be particularly useful for the study of distant exploding objects called gamma-ray...

People with lower back pain are better off exercising more, not less, according to a new study.

It's hard to miss the huge eye of a squid. But now it appears that certain squids can detect light through an organ other than their eyes as well.

The cardiovascular fitness level of cancer survivors is not affected by many standard cancer therapies, say researchers. That is the finding of a new observational study.

A low glycogen level, which means non-oxidative glucose metabolism, predicts forthcoming violent offending among antisocial violent offender males, suggests a new study.