ScienceDaily: Top Science News

Female pumas kill more, eat less when humans are near Posted: 13 Feb 2015 11:51 AM PST Female pumas kill more prey but consume less when their territories bump into human development, researchers report in a new study based on monitoring more than two dozen pumas in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Distant species produce 'love child' fern after 60-million-year breakup Posted: 13 Feb 2015 11:50 AM PST A delicate woodland fern discovered in the mountains of France is the love child of two distantly-related groups of plants that haven't interbred in 60 million years, genetic analyses show. Reproducing after such a long evolutionary breakup is akin to an elephant hybridizing with a manatee, or a human with a lemur, the researchers say.

Auditory brainstem implant: Hearing experts break sound barrier for children born without hearing nerve Posted: 13 Feb 2015 11:50 AM PST Medical researchers are breaking sound barriers for children born without a hearing nerve. Hearing loss manifests in various forms, most of which can be partially restored through hearing aids and cochlear implants. Those devices cannot help a small population of individuals who do not have a cochlear, or hearing, nerve -- these people are unable to perceive sound, no matter how loud, outside of feeling vibration. The ABI is considered revolutionary because it stimulates neurons directly at the human brainstem, bypassing the inner ear entirely.

Harm and response: Plants recognize and respond to different insects Posted: 13 Feb 2015 07:47 AM PST In one of the broadest studies of its kind, scientists recently looked at all plant genes and their response to the enemy. Their results showed that the model Arabidopsis plant recognizes and responds differently to four insect species. The insects cause changes on a transcriptional level, triggering proteins that switch on and off plant genes to help defend against more attacks.

Interstellar technology throws light on spinning black holes Posted: 13 Feb 2015 05:16 AM PST The team responsible for the Oscar-nominated visual effects at the center of Christopher Nolan's epic 'Interstellar' have turned science fiction into science fact by providing new insights into the powerful effects of black holes.

Making teeth tough: Beavers show way to improve our enamel Posted: 12 Feb 2015 12:45 PM PST Beavers don't brush their teeth or drink fluoridated water, but a new study reports beavers do have protection against tooth decay built into the chemical structure of their teeth: iron. This pigmented enamel, the researchers found, is both harder and more resistant to acid than regular enamel, including that treated with fluoride. This discovery is among others that could lead to a better understanding of human tooth decay, earlier detection of the disease and improving on current fluoride treatments.