Over 17 000 delegates are expected to fly into Doha, Qatar, for talks on climate change over the next two weeks. Some commentators are confident that the talks could make real progress towards cuts in carbon emissions. Others are sceptical. We can\’t help cringeing at the irony of all those air miles, the factt hat …
The Bexsero or 4CMenB vaccine, which protects against group B meningococcus, has recently been granted a licence for the immunisation of children older than two months. Meningitis is characterised by the inflammation of the meninges (the protective linings of the brain and spinal cord). Infection by a variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses and …
Subglacial lakes are formed when geothermal heat beneath Antarctica melts the ice from below. Gravity and ice pressure cause this water to flow and collect in the valleys of the continent, far beneath the surface of the ice. Lake Ellsworth is a subglacial lake beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, covered by around 3.4 …
Telomeres – protective regions on the ends of chromosomes preventing the DNA from being eaten away– may be linked to risk of dying, according to a new study. Telomeres are regions of nucleotide sequences that repeat at each end of chromosomes. They prevent the chromosomes from deteriorating or fusing with another chromosome. They shorten …
Before DNA, scientists believe that the molecule that encoded genetic instructions was RNA. But what came before RNA? AEG is a minute molecule that can link together to form chains, thus providing a backbone for peptide nucleic acids. It could be the answer according to scientists from the US and Sweden who found the …
Ancient genetic building blocks found in cyanobacteria? Read More »
It has been confirmed by the Environment Secretary Owen Paterson that the disease will not be able to be eradicated from the countryside. Efforts are now being focused on slowing the spread of the disease and encouraging resistance to it. Mature trees – which are important for wildlife – are being left whilst younger diseased …
Out of 92% of the sites surveyed in England and all of Wales the presence of ‘Ash dieback disease’, caused by the Chalara fraxinea fungus, has been reported at 115 sites, and seven sites in Scotland. It is characterised by loss of leaves and crown dieback, possibly leading to tree death. Trees in forests, urban …
Hurricane Sandy – also known as ‘Frankenstorm’ – started in the Caribbean Sea on the 19th of October 2012 and was deemed to only have a 20% chance of developing into a superstorm by the U.S National Hurricane Centre. Climatic conditions, however, were to pull winds in this area into a counter clockwise rotation, and …
Titanium rings containing a panel of glass were implanted into the abdominal wall of mice in an effort to observe the spread of cancer (tumour metastasis) which occurs when cells from a primary tumour migrate to other parts of the body where they may come together to form secondary tumours. This mechanism of this is …
Abdominal ‘window’ in mice helps scientists understand how tumours come together Read More »
In a trial involving almost a thousand children, an EEG brain trace (used to record electrical brain activity) has shown differences between those with autism and those without. Scientists have found evidence from children aged from two to twelve, over thirty-three different EEG patterns. More work is needed to confirm it. To read more, see: …
