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Grave Of World's First Known Human Family Found
blogs.discovery.com — Analysis of a remarkable cluster of graves at a Stone Age burial site near Eulau, Germany, provides the oldest molecular genetic evidence for a nuclear family. The 13 graves, dating to 4,600 years ago, contained groups of adults and children buried facing each other – hands interlinked in many cases. More… (General Sciences)
Why stop here on our evolution from the ape?
timesonline.co.uk — Suppose that scientists discovered an animal species with a genetic resistance to a killer virus. It might be possible to transfer these sequences into the human genome to confer resistance. If this sounds like science fiction, consider that many gene-transfer therapies have completed clinical trialsMore… (General Sciences)
Honda's New Fuel Cell Sports Car
jalopnik.com — Honda surprised the motoring world today with the release of the radical and futuristic Honda FC Sport, a three-seat Hydrogen-powered design study that hints at the future of Honda sports cars to come. Using the Honda V Flow fuel cell setup already found in the Honda FCX Clarity, the FC Sport is the supercar to the FCX's stately sedan. More… (General Sciences)
Big cat fossil found in North Sea
news.bbc.co.uk — The partial leg bone of a sabre-toothed cat has been dredged from the seabed by a trawler in the North Sea. The fossil, which is between one and two million years old and found near the UK coast, is from a type of sabre-tooth called a scimitar cat. According to palaeontologist Dick Mol, it belonged to a cat that was as heavy as a small horse. More… (General Sciences)
Frozen hair gives up first mammoth genome
newscientist.com — Tufts of frozen woolly mammoth hair have yielded a rough draft of its genome. It's the most successful attempt to sequence the DNA of an extinct ancient animal to date, and although we won't see resurrected mammoths grazing the tundra anytime soon, it could give us a peek into the reasons for their extinction.More… (General Sciences)
Further Evidence of King Herod's Grave Site Revealed
hunews.huji.ac.il — Analysis of newly revealed items found at the site of the mausoleum of King Herod at Herodium (Herodion in Greek) have provided Hebrew University of Jerusalem archaeological researchers with further assurances that this was indeed the site of the famed ruler’s 1st century B.C.E. grave.More… (General Sciences)
Local Church Starts “Embryo Adoption” Service
seattleweekly.com — On Nov. 9, Lancaster launched a partnership with Cedar Park Church in Bothell to start an embryo adoption service, one of only a handful in the country. "Embryos are not simply human material to be used for medical experimentation, vaccine cultivation, or trash to be discarded," says Pastor Joe Fuiten, a prominent evangelical conservative.More… (General Sciences)
Beat the Itch
nature.com — Scientists know that there are at least two types of itch... New research suggests that the body, and possibly the brain, react differently to these two itches.More… (General Sciences)
God and Evolution Can Co-exist, Scientist Says
livescience.com — A scientist is going public with his Christian belief in God and acceptance of evolution, in the wake of the Dover trial and recent, high-profile scholarly writings that have highlighted the contradictions between religiosity and science.More… (General Sciences)
12 Examples of Kinetic Illusions in Optical Art [pics]
sciam.com — Art and neuroscience combine in creating fascinating examples of illusory motionMore… (General Sciences)
‘Missing link’ turtle was swimming with dinosaurs
timesonline.co.uk — A previously unknown species of primitive turtle made the move from land to water 164 million years ago, fossils found on the Isle of Skye indicate. More… (General Sciences)
Doctors unveil first ever whole stem cell organ transplant
dailymail.co.uk — A mother of two has become the first person in the world to undergo a whole organ transplant grown from her own stem cells. The British scientists are hailing a new dawn in transplant surgery.More… (General Sciences)
Drug to increase muscle mass 20% with no side effects
healthsystem.virginia.edu — Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System report that a daily single oral dose of an investigational drug, MK-677, increased muscle mass in the arms and legs of healthy older adults without serious side effects, suggesting that it may prove safe and effective in reducing age-related frailty.More… (General Sciences)
2,900-Year-Old Gravestone Reveals Ancient Belief System
io9.com — A 2,900-year-old gravestone from the ancient kingdom of Sam'al, located in what is today southeastern Turkey, has shed light on an ancient religious belief heretofore unknown. The gravestone, called a stele, is in nearly pristine condition and archaeologists were able to translate all the writing on it. More… (General Sciences)
Supercomputers Break Petaflop Barrier, Transforming Science
blog.wired.com — A new crop of supercomputers is breaking down the petaflop speed barrier, pushing high-performance computing into a new realm that could revolutionize science more profoundly than at any time since Galileo, leading researchers say.More… (General Sciences)