Archive for the ‘Structure and function in living systems’ Category

  • Holy horseradish! Ancient roots of pain
    Holy horseradish! Ancient roots of pain

    Horseradish, onions and caffeine all activate a group of chemical receptors that can trigger a pain signal. Turns out the same receptors exist in fruitflies, mussels, corals and mule deer. Why has this receptor survived a half-billion years? Because it protects against toxic chemicals – even if they taste good in small doses!


    Thursday, March 18th, 2010
  • Electric eye learns from animal eye!

    Lenses cannot project a perfect image on the flat back of a camera, so images are distorted at the edges. A revolutionary camera solves this problem by curving the light detector.


    Thursday, August 7th, 2008
  • Caterpillar camouflage

    Presto-chango! Caterpillar larva looks like a bird dung — and then like a leaf. New study points a finger at hormonal balance…


    Thursday, February 21st, 2008
  • “Store that fat” says new gene. Is obesity explained?

    New discovery shows how all animals store fat in cells, could lead to advances in fight against obesity or diabetes. Funny, maybe storing fat is a good thing.


    Thursday, December 20th, 2007
  • Unsilly cilia: Do tiny hairs help our sense of touch?

    Survive the vaccination routine? That’s no fun for anyone — parent or child.


    Thursday, October 25th, 2007
  • Vitamin C: Could it cure cancer?

    30 years ago, a legendary biochemist said vitamin C could cure cancer. Har, har, said the scientific establishment. Now a mouse study shows C fighting two cancers. Did brilliant scientist and peace activist Linus Pauling get it right?


    Thursday, September 13th, 2007
  • Ancient, gliding reptile discovered

    220-million-year-old rock reveals four-legged reptile with wings. Fossils could not be removed, so the images came from CT scanner.


    Thursday, June 21st, 2007
  • Music and speech
    Music and speech

    Most music is built on the 12-tone “chromatic” scale. Does this reflect chance, or the basic structure of the human voice? New study finds tight link between pronunciation and musical scale.


    Thursday, June 7th, 2007
  • Computer + Microbiology = Cellular Simulation?

    Computer graphics and microbiology unite as scientists build complex digital models of cellular machinery to view a microscopic world in powerful new ways.


    Thursday, April 12th, 2007
  • Pay Attention. Change the brain?

    It’s a wonder of the human brain: When we pay attention to something, it becomes brighter, more distinct, more memorable.


    Thursday, January 4th, 2007


Cool Science Images

Image courtesy of Pete Mouginis-Mark, Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, University of Hawaii at Manoa

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