African thicket rat malaria linked to virulent human form

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Princeton researchers discover new type of laser

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A Princeton-led team of researchers has discovered an entirely new mechanism for making common electronic materials emit laser beams. The finding could lead to lasers that operate more efficiently and at higher temperatures than existing devices, and find applications in environmental monitoring and medical diagnostics.

Honeybees as plant 'bodyguards'

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Honeybees are important to plants for reasons that go beyond pollination, according to a new study published in the December 23rd issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication. The insects' buzz also defends plants against the caterpillars that would otherwise munch on them undisturbed.

Shade coffee benefits more than birds

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ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Here's one more reason to say "shade grown, please" when you order your morning cup of coffee. Shade coffee farms, which grow coffee under a canopy of multiple tree species, not only harbor native birds, bats and other beneficial creatures, but also maintain genetic diversity of native tree species and can act as focal points for tropical forest regeneration.

The finding comes from a study published by University of Michigan researchers Shalene Jha and Christopher Dick in the Dec. 23 issue of the journal Current Biology.

New research lights up chronic bacterial infection inside bone

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December 22, 2008, Cambridge, UK – A new report demonstrates how a sensitive imaging technique gives scientists the upper hand in seeking out bacteria in chronic infections.

MIT: Solving the mysteries of metallic glass

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Researchers at MIT and the National University of Singapore have made significant progress in understanding a class of materials that has resisted analysis for decades. Their findings could lead to the rapid discovery of a variety of useful new kinds of glass made of metallic alloys with potentially significant mechanical, chemical and magnetic applications.

Study finds we are better able to detect racial tension in members of our racial group

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In March of 2008, in a speech addressing contemporary racial tensions in America, then-Senator Barack Obama suggested that there is a "chasm of misunderstanding that exists between the races." Could this be true? Is it more difficult for members of different races to understand each others' emotions and intentions? Psychologist Heather M. Gray from Boston University, along with Wendy Berry Mendes and Carrigan Denny-Brown of Harvard University, investigated whether the ability to detect a person's anxiety declines when perceptions are made across the racial divide.

The effect of parental education on the heritability of children's reading disability

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Parental education is a strong predictor of socioeconomic status and children's educational environment. Nevertheless, some children continue to experience reading failure in spite of high parental education and support for learning to read.

Study shows optimal dose management of warfarin improves anticoagulation control

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Boston, MA— Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have determined the optimal dose-management strategy to derive maximal benefit from warfarin therapy and improve patient outcomes. Results of the study appear online in the December 2008 issue of the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

New evidence that people make aspirin's active principle -- salicylic acid

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2008 — Scientists in the United Kingdom are reporting new evidence that humans can make their own salicylic acid (SA) — the material formed when aspirin breaks down in the body. SA, which is responsible for aspirin's renowned effects in relieving pain and inflammation, may be the first in a new class of bioregulators, according to a study scheduled for the Dec. 24 issue of ACS' biweekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.