As debate continues to swirl around arsenic-loving bacteria, a space rock yields new astrobiological clues.

By silencing two microRNAs, researchers were able to improve insulin sensitivity in overweight mice.

A slew of recent studies sheds light on the neurodegenerative disorder Parkinson disease.

The source of the deadly bacterial infections remains unknown.

A new study shows that a long winter's nap slows the spread of rabies through colonies of the flying mammal and is thus essential for the long-term viability of their populations.

Two studies point to contamination of patient samples as the cause of a controversial 2009 finding that linked the mouse virus XMRV with chronic fatigue syndrome.

By Tia Ghose Litter bug Toxoplasma gondii protozoan, colored transmission electron micrograph (TEM) © Dr. Klaus Boller / Photo Researchers, Inc. When Melissa Miller, a veterinarian at the Department of Fish and Game in Santa Cruz, wrote an International Journal of Parasitology paper describing how a cat parasite that causes brain lesions was reaching Central California’s sea otters in 2002, she also put out a press release. Reporters were intrigue

By Tia Ghose Gulf State Gamble Oil-rich countries like the UAE and Qatar are pouring money into biotech initiatives, but will they transform the desert nations into true research centers? A rendering of DuBiotech biotechnology office and research park. Courtesy of Dubiotech In the emirate of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a set of glass towers is slowly rising up over the desert. The half-finished buildings form the skeleton of

Receptors that bind the active ingredient in marijuana may be novel therapeutic targets in autoimmune disease, but contested evidence for their presence on neurons could hamper drug development

By Tia Ghose Led by the nose An early version of the nose-on-a-chip In a lab overflowing with circuit boards and bits of wire, electrical engineer Pamela Abshire holds a 5-centimeter-long, rectangle-shaped device between her thumb and index finger. From the bottom of the device, dozens of tiny copper-colored teeth jut out, while up top, a tiny round, clear plastic container covers a bright yellow square with a tick-sized silicon chip at it

Best Places to Work Industry: 2009 Companies atop this year's survey provide their employees with a sense of security in a risky economic climate By Tia Ghose Muthusamy Jayaraman, Principal Scientist, Drug Discovery, Alnylam Courtesy of John Earle Photography Biotech firms have taken a beating in the last year, but some companies are finding ways to survive— and thrive—despite the downturn. In this year's Best Places to Work i

By Tia Ghose Over the Brainbow Two years after the colorful project made a splash, most researchers are still relying on older techniques to map neural linkages. Courtesy of Jean Livet Neurons in young brains form a riot of interconnections that fan out in all directions, with multiple nerve cells often converging on a single target cell. As brains mature, some of these overlapping connections are pruned. Being able to visualize t