Educational Science

Genetically Tweaked Mice Get Human-Like Vision

Scientists have some lab mice seeing red. The animals had their vision genetically upgraded and can now see colors normally invisible to rodents. The finding, detailed in the March 23 issue of the journal Science, has implications for the evolution of full-color, or “trichromatic,” vision in our own ancestors. “What...

Dino Bones Reveal DNA Surprise

The distinction between birds and the dinosaurs from which they evolved is getting even murkier. The genomes (complete DNA sequences) of both groups are short, researchers now say. Scientists used to think that relatively shorter genomes were associated with flight. Birds have short genomes compared to other vertebrates, or animals...

A male orb-web spider leaves behind a post-coital gift that helps to ensure that any subsequent offspring are his. He leaves the tip of his genitals in the females' sexual orifice, effectively blocking future males' efforts to inseminate the female, new research shows. Video: Spider CouplingThe behavior damages the males'...

Study: Genes Make Women Cranky

Thanks for the lousy temper, Mom and Dad. Genetics could explain why some women are more ill-tempered than others. A new University of Pittsburgh study finds genetic variations that deal with the body's mood management chemistry are linked with anger, aggression and hostility in women. Top 10 Other Lousy Things...

Aging Muscles Become Hard of Hearing

As people age, neurons have to yell louder at the body's muscles to whip them into action, according to a new study, but exercise could reverse the aging effect. Researchers examined the relationship between neuron activity and corresponding muscle force for 23 subjects between the ages of 18 and 88....

Scientists Make Ice Hotter Than Boiling Water

Scientists have turned water into ice in nanoseconds, which means really, really fast. That's not the most interesting part, though. The ice is hotter than boiling water. The experiment was done at the Sandia National Laboratories' huge Z machine, which generates temperatures hotter than the sun (setting a record here...

Acids in Popular Sodas Erode Tooth Enamel

Root beer could be the safest soft drink for your teeth, new research suggests, but many other popular diet and sugared sodas are nearly as corrosive to dental enamel as battery acid. Prolonged exposure to soft drinks can lead to significant enamel loss, even though many people consider soft drinks...

Old Earthquake Faults are Like Worn Brake Pads

Earthquake faults are worn smooth over time by friction, like the brake pads of an old car, according to a new study. The finding, detailed in the March issue of the journal Geology, suggests old and new faults might generate different types of earthquakes. Researchers were able to see the...

Ancient Furry Featherweight Mammal Discovered

Fossil remains have revealed a new svelte, squirrel-like mammal that scurried around in the wee hours of the night snagging insects and worms about 125 million years ago. Paleontologists unearthed the remains in the Yan Mountains in what is now the Hebei Province in China. A reconstruction of what the...