Kelly Lagor's – September 2008 Archive (12)

BioBridge: The Bridge to Somewhere

We have a new featured article up about BioBridge. Read it here!

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 23, 2008 at 4:32pm — No Comments

The Thrill is (Almost) Gone

The chemical, Dopamine has been known to play a role in the reward system in the brain for many years. However, a new discovery can explain why we're not as excited about things as we age (and no, it's not just growing cynicism!)

From the NY Times article:

"'It may… Continue

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 23, 2008 at 3:40pm — 1 Comment

New Ancient Use for Stonehenge Found

Just when you thought scientists had Stonehenge all figured out, we can add yet another ancient use to the list already featuring astronomical observatory, cemetery, and party grounds to celebrate the dead and living.

Research appearing in the latest issue of Smithsonian Magazine… Continue

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 23, 2008 at 3:30pm — 1 Comment

The Science Behind the Spice

NPR has a segment airing later today (6PM ET) about peppers. I love spicy foods and peppers of any kind rank among my favorite kind of vegetables, so I'll be tuning in!

From the NPR website:

"Talk of the Nation, September 19, 2008 · Science Friday broadcasts this week from the… Continue

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 19, 2008 at 1:21pm — No Comments

Obama and McCain Tackle Science Policy Questions

Science Debate 2008 is a grass roots effort begun by scientists and other concerned citizens with the goal of getting science policy questions addressed during election season. Despite efforts to have public debates about science policy,… Continue

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 19, 2008 at 1:00pm — 1 Comment

Political Attitudes Predicted by Physiological Traits

With election season in full swing, it's almost impossible to swing a dead cat without hitting someone embroiled in a political discussion. Therefore, it's of no surprise that research articles following in the same vein would be popping up.

A new article by a research group from Rice… Continue

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 18, 2008 at 1:14pm — No Comments

Water Bears - IN SPACE!

Tardigrades, also known as water bears, have joined an elite group of microorganisms, including a few lichens and bacteria, that are able to withstand the harsh conditions in outer space.

From the NY Times Science article:

"As the researchers describe in Current Biology,… Continue

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 16, 2008 at 6:00pm — No Comments

Platypus Genome Reveals Similarities to Reptiles and Mammals

When the first platypus was observed by European naturalists, they were understandably baffled. They even thought that it was a fraud committed by Chinese taxidermists. Who'd ever heard of an animal that laid eggs, was venomous, had a flat, beaver-like tail with the feet of an otter and the beak of a… Continue

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 16, 2008 at 5:30pm — No Comments

Astronomers Come One Step Closer to Black Holes

There's a great article this week in Nature about the, well, nature of our knowledge about black holes and how recent advances have allowed us to observe an Event Horizon (the edge of one).

From the commentary in Nature:

"It is believed that the centre of essentially every… Continue

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 4, 2008 at 5:12pm — No Comments

Newborns Wired for Discrimination in Sound Recognition

A neat article appearing in this week's edition of PNAS explores how newborns acquire language. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania conducted experiments on neonates by subjecting them to different speech patterns, discovering a specific pattern resulted in the highest levels of activity in… Continue

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 4, 2008 at 5:01pm — No Comments

Brain Cells Observed Summoning a Memory

Researchers had previously theorized that memories may reside in brain cells that were first fired during the experience itself. Researchers from Israel and America observed 13 patient's brains while awaiting surgery while watching popular television shows, then asked them to recall the… Continue

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 4, 2008 at 4:51pm — No Comments

Analyses of "Junk DNA" Reveals Startling Functionality

From the NPR website:

"Scientists are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of what used to be called 'junk' DNA. Yale researchers have found a region of DNA that appears to be crucial in making a human limb. Although it's not a gene in the traditional sense of the word, it is… Continue

Added by Kelly Lagor on September 4, 2008 at 4:41pm — 1 Comment