Dinosaurs May Have Been Smaller Than Previously Thought:
The largest animals ever to have walked the face of the earth may not have been as big as previously thought, reveals a paper published June 21 in the Zoological Society of London's Journal of Zoology. Scientists have discovered that the original statistical model used to calculate dinosaur mass is flawed, suggesting dinosaurs have been oversized.
Boy Or Girl? In Lizards, Egg Size Matters:
Whether baby lizards will turn out to be male or female is a more complicated question than scientists would have ever guessed, according to a new report published online on June 4th in Current Biology. The study shows that for at least one lizard species, egg size matters.
Cancer In Humans: Cost Of Being Smarter Than Chimps?:
Are the cognitively superior brains of humans, in part, responsible for our higher rates of cancer? That's a question that has nagged at John McDonald, chair of Georgia Tech's School of Biology and chief research scientist at the Ovarian Cancer Institute, for a while. Now, after an initial study, it seems that McDonald is on to something. The new study is available online in the journal Medical Hypothesis and will appear in the forthcoming issue of the journal.
Male Flies: Not The World's Most Sensitive Lovers:
In order to increase their chances of reproductive success, male flies of the species Drosophila montana try to copulate for much longer than the females would like. Researchers have shown that females engaged in extended intercourse wait longer before they mate again, increasing the first fly's chances of fathering offspring.
Researchers Shed Light On Trading Behavior In Animals -- And Humans:
Humans, from ancient exchanges of food to modern day home mortgages, have bartered or traded to receive something that they couldn't achieve on their own. It's the basis of the economy, and it requires a leap of faith to believe that each party will receive a payoff in return for taking a risk.
Social Competition May Be Reason For Bigger Brain:
For the past 2 million years, the size of the human brain has tripled, growing much faster than other mammals. Examining the reasons for human brain expansion, University of Missouri researchers studied three common hypotheses for brain growth: climate change, ecological demands and social competition. The team found that social competition is the major cause of increased cranial capacity.
Citizens In 34 Countries Show Implicit Bias Linking Males More Than Females With Science:
Implicit stereotypes - thoughts that people may be unwilling to express or may not even know that they have - may have a powerful effect on gender equity in science and mathematics engagement and performance, according to a new study published the week of June 22 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Melatonin: The Fountain Of Youth?:
Melatonin can slow down the effects of aging. A team at laboratoire Arago in Banyuls sur Mer (CNRS / Université Pierre et Marie Curie) has found that a treatment based on melatonin can delay the first signs of aging in a small mammal.
Melanopsin And Sleep Modulation: A Bright Future For Light Therapy?:
Light strongly influences human physiology and notably sleep regulation. An international team of scientists, including Patrice Bourgin from CNRS 'Institut des neurosciences cellulaires et intégratives' in Strasbourg, has just published a detailed study in PLoS Biology on the role of melanopsin, a molecule involved in mediating the effects of light on sleep. These scientists also revealed evidence of new interactions between the different mechanisms acting on the duration and quality of sleep and alertness.
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