Creativity and psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, share genetic roots according to a new study. Researchers analyzed genetic data from over 150,000 Icelanders who were healthy, or had been diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. They found that the same genetic variants associated with increased risk of mental disorders also predicted whether […]
Leaky pipes can lead to water contamination
Underground water pipes can not only leak water but in certain circumstances suck in surrounding and potentially contaminated water. New research shows that while pressure in water mains typically forces water out through the leaks, when the pressure drops, pipes start to suck in groundwater. Any contaminants can then travel throughout the water main network. […]
Anti-smoking legislation reduced children’s hospital admissions in Britain
Smoking legislation reduced child hospital admissions by 11,000 each year in England. Researchers analyzed the the British Hospital Episode Statistics database to analyze over 1,500,000 general hospital admissions for children aged from 0 to 14 years, between 2001-2012 from across England. They found that the legislation resulted in an immediate decline in admissions for lower […]
New species of horned dinosaur found in Alberta
Bones found 10 years ago along the Oldman River in Alberta belonged to a new species of horned dinosaur. This is the first time an horned dinosaurs species has been discovered in Alberta. According to a new study, this dinosaur is similar in many respects to Triceratops, except that its nose horn is taller and the […]
Oldest-known stone tools pre-date Homo habilis
Stone tools dated to 3.3 million years ago, discovered in Kenya, indicate that early humans were making tools much earlier than previously thought. The stone-tool culture associated with the genus Homo has commonly been dated back to around 2.6 million years ago, 700,000 years after this recent discovery. Researchers found markings on stone-made anvils, hammers […]
Cancer killing cells captured on film
Researchers have captured video of immune cells hunting and destroying cancer and virally-infected cells. The footage was captured using high-resolution 3D time-lapse multi-colour imaging. T cells, a type of white-blood cell, can recognize antigens on the surface of certain cancerous and infected cells. The video shows these T cells (seen in orange or green) moving […]
Rejuvenating old bones
A molecule secreted from young blood cells can speed up fracture healing in elderly mice, reports a new Canadian study. Researchers showed that a specific molecule, either a chemical or a small protein,which is only secreted from young blood cells increased the regenerative capacity of bone cells. The study could help explain why fractures take […]
Adoption in Eastern Grey Kangaroos: A Consequence of Misdirected Care?
For the first time, researchers have observed wild kangaroos adopting young kangaroos. In a six-year study of eastern grey kangaroos in Australia, 11 of 326 juveniles were adopted and four of them involved ‘switches’ between mothers. In these switches a mother adopted a juvenile while simultaneously abandoning her own, or a previously adopted, offspring. The […]
Life history of Pacific Salmon revealed through the ears
Studying small bones in the ears of Pacific Salmon may be able to tell researchers where the salmon were born and lived during critical developmental years according to new research. Studying them might allow researchers to determine which habitats produce the largest salmon populations, and where the fish live during critical periods of their life. […]
Beer Home Brewing kits which might also produce morphine leads to calls for early-regulation
Researchers have taken the final steps to turn sugar-fed yeast, already used by homemade beer brewers to convert sugar into alcohol, into a microbial factory for producing morphine and other drugs. The authors demonstrate how they synthesized a compound of the poppy plant from sugar using a bio-engineered strain of yeast. This research could be […]
Hearing: How loud noises trigger a protective reflex
A study of mice has lead scientists to believe they are closer to understanding what triggers the brain to reduce sound amplification in response to a loud environment. Researchers report that this protective reflex is controlled by Type II fibres in the ear. These fibres were previously shown to be necessary for speech discrimination in […]
Global sea-level rise has actually accelerated
Global sea level rise has actually accelerated, says a new study. This study contradicts previous research showing global sea-level rise has slowed over the last decade. The new study takes into account vertical land movement (VLM) when calculating sea levels. The paper’s authors correct inaccuracies in sea-level rise estimate from 1993 to mid-2014 using GPS […]
Using the climate to predict the movement of birds
Future irregular large-scale movements, technically known as irruptions, of boreal seed-eating birds in North America may be predictable using previous climate conditions according to a 24 year study of the Pine Siskin finches travel patterns. Researchers have found that the birds’ irruptions typically occur in either a north-south or west-east pattern which can be linked […]
Refugees more likely to suffer from psychotic disorders
Refugees from East Africa and South Asia coming to Ontario have a significantly higher incidence of psychotic disorders than both other immigrants and the general population according to a new study. Researchers analyzed Ontario health records over a 10 year period and cross-referenced their findings with information from Citizenship and Immigration Canada. The researchers believe […]
Walking or biking to work may help with weight loss
Switching from driving to work to walking, cycling, or taking public transit may help commuters lose weight according to an observational study. By analyzing responses to the British Household Panel Survey from 2004-2007, researchers have found making the switch results in an average weight loss of one kg. The longer the commute the stronger the associated […]
The Cost of Smoking: A Manitoba Study
Cigarette smoking costs Manitoba’s public healthcare system an extra $244 million a year, according to a new study from the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. The report also shows that the percentage of Manitobans who smoke is steadily dropping. In 1989, 22% of Manitobans smoked daily and 65% were casual or former smokers. By 2011, these […]