My Picks From ScienceDaily

Are Rattlesnakes Entering Suburbia?:

A researcher for Washington University in St. Louis, along with colleagues at the Saint Louis Zoo and Saint Louis University are tracking timber rattlesnakes in west St. Louis County and neighboring Jefferson County. They are investigating how developing subdivisions invade the snakes' turf and affect the reptiles.

Reconstructing The Biology Of Extinct Species: A New Approach:

An international research team has documented the link between the way an animal moves and the dimensions of an important part of its organ of balance, the three semicircular canals of the inner ear on each side of the skull. "We have shown that there is a fundamental adaptive mechanism linking a species' locomotion with the sensory systems that process information about its environment," says Alan Walker, Evan Pugh Professor of Anthropology and Biology at Penn State University, one of the team's leaders.

Gannet Birds Under Threat From Global Warming:

Researchers at the University of Leeds have warned that global warming is a major threat to the gannet, a species known for its stable populations and constant breeding success.

Fat Fish Put Obesity On The Hook:

Everyone knows that eating lean fish helps slim waistlines, but researchers from the Center for the Study of Weight Regulation and Associated Disorders at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, OR, have found a new way fish can help eliminate obesity. In a study to be published in the July 2007 print issue of The FASEB Journal, researchers describe the first genetic model of obesity in a fish. Having this model should greatly accelerate the development of new drugs to help people lose weight and keep it off.

Livestock Virtually Fenced In:

A virtual fence for livestock that allows better use of pasture, protects the environment and reduces labour, is being developed by the CSIRO Food Futures Flagship using satellite technology.

Rare Four-eyed Turtle Hatches At The Tennessee Aquarium: Endangered Hatchling May Represent A First In North America:

A rare Beal's four-eyed turtle recently hatched at the Tennessee Aquarium. According to aquarium herpetologist Enrico Walder this tiny turtle should be treated as big news. "According to records this species of turtle can only be seen at three North American zoos or aquariums, and is listed as an endangered species.

Remains Of Earliest Giant Panda Discovered:

Although it may sound like an oxymoron, a University of Iowa anthropologist and his colleagues report the first discovery of a skull from a "pygmy-sized" giant panda -- the earliest-known ancestor of the giant panda -- that lived in south China some two million years ago.

Winter Moth Proves Able To Adjust To Climate Change:

Winter moths are able to adjust to the changing temperatures of our changing climate. The temperature determines the day winter moths hatch out and that temperature sensitivity is hereditary. Through selection only the most adjusted eggs remain, meaning those that nowadays hatch at the same time as the oak buds burst - as young oak leaves are their food source. Such research should be undertaken for more species to improve the predictions of climate-change consequences.

Understanding Algae That Are Both 'Plant' And 'Animal':

Nature is full of surprises. There are some algal species that can act both as "plants" and as "animals" at the same time. Wanderson Carvalho from the University of Kalmar in Sweden has in his research for his PhD degree, contributed to better understand why these organisms have this behavior and what might be the effects of this nutrition on the environment, economy and public health issues.

Moss Genes Provided Fuse For Plant Life Explosion:

Scientists from the John Innes Centre have identified the genes that control the development of root hairs on plants. Published in the journal Science, Professor Liam Dolan reports that these genes are also found in moss, a finding that changes our understanding of how the plants we see today evolved over 400 million years ago.

Six Inch Tall Tree: Genetic Modification Used To Control Height Of Trees:

Forest scientists at Oregon State University have used genetic modification to successfully manipulate the growth in height of trees, showing that it's possible to create miniature trees that look similar to normal trees -- but after several years of growth may range anywhere from 50 feet tall to a few inches.

Arctic Spring Comes Weeks Earlier Than A Decade Ago:

In the Earth's cold and icy far north, the harsh winters are giving way to spring weeks earlier than they did just a decade ago, researchers have reported in the June 19th issue of Current Biology, published by Cell Press. The finding in the Arctic, where the effects of global warming are expected to be most severe, offers an "early warning" of things to come on the rest of the planet, according to the researchers.