My picks from ScienceDaily

Scientists Clone Mice From Adult Skin Stem Cells:

For cells that hold so much promise, stem cells' potential has so far gone largely untapped. But new research from Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute scientists now shows that adult stem cells taken from skin can be used to clone mice using a procedure called nuclear transfer. The findings are reported in the Feb. 12 online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Manipulating Nature: Scientists Query Wildlife Birth-control Method:

Professor Cooper also raises concerns that individuals that survive the vaccine may be more likely to carry infectious diseases with the potential to affect other animals. An immuno-contraceptive vaccine causes an animal's immune system to produce antibodies that act against some essential event or structure in the reproductive process. The antibodies can act against sperm, eggs or reproductive hormones, which prevent either fertilization or the production of sperm and ova.

Parasomnias Are Common And Frequent In Children, Study Finds:

Parasomnias in children are common, and often more frequent than in adults. It is important for parents to take an active approach in helping their child overcome a sleep disorder, to consult with their child's pediatrician, and for an office evaluation of a child with any parasomnia to be thorough, according to a study published in the February 1st issue of the journal SLEEP.

Two Brains, One Thought: Wiring Diagrams Of A Neuronal Network Based On Its Dynamics:

Although no two brains are alike, they can display a comparable pattern of neural activity when exposed to similar sensory input. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization in Göttingen have now developed a mathematical method to design networks from neural cells which exhibit a predefined pattern dynamics. The researchers hope that their method will assist them in getting closer to understanding which of the possible network configurations was privileged by evolution -- and why.

Revealing Secret Intentions In The Brain:

Every day we plan numerous actions, such as to return a book to a friend or to make an appointment. How and where the brain stores these intentions has been revealed by John-Dylan Haynes from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, in cooperation with researchers from London and Tokyo. For the first time they were able to "read" participants' intentions out of their brain activity. This was made possible by a new combination of functional magnetic resonance imaging and sophisticated computer algorithms.

The Psychology Of Skin Cancer:

Thousands of people are jetting off for a week of sun, snow, and après-ski. And while they may worry about breaking limbs, how many consider the dangers of skin cancer? It is one of the most common cancers in the UK, with more than 69,000 new cases reported every year. The incidences of the most dangerous type - melanoma - have has doubled over the past 20 years.

Mummy's Amazing American Maize:

The far-reaching influence of Spanish and Portuguese colonisers appears not to have extended to South American agriculture, scientists studying a 1,400-year-old Andean mummy have found. The University of Manchester researchers compared the DNA of ancient maize found in the funerary offerings of the mummy and at other sites in northwest Argentina with that grown in the same region today. Surprisingly, they found both ancient and modern samples of the crop were genetically almost identical indicating that modern European influence has not been as great as previously thought.

It's Not Easy Being Green:

Being a green consumer is hard work, according to new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The study highlights a need for more practical help and incentives for green consumers, if we are to achieve a more sustainable society. The University of Leeds-led study found that consumers who try to live a sustainable lifestyle have difficulty deciding which product to buy. "Consumers find that being green or ethical is a very hard, time consuming, and emotional experience," says Dr William Young. Apart from the usual issues such as price, reliability, and colour, they have the added complication of researching and weighing up all the environmental and ethical issues before purchasing a product, he explains.