Malaria Parasite Attracts Mosquitoes with Perfume
The Plasmodium parasite uses an altered type of plant chloroplast to manufacture pine-and-lemon-scented chemicals, which lure in the bloodsuckers. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Stories by Christopher Intagliata
See Movement Better by Bicarb
Bicarbonate, the chemical that transports CO 2 through the blood, increases the "refresh rate" of rod cells in lab tests--which could mean better motion detection. Christopher Intagliata reports...
La Niña Conditions Spin Up More Springtime Twisters
Severe weather forecasters could incorporate El Niño and La Niña cycling to make springtime tornado and hail forecasts. Christopher Intagliata reports
Titan Could Host Life "Not As We Know It"
Saturn's moon Titan is too cold for cell membranes to form as they do on Earth. But researchers have come up with a cell membrane that could exist on Titan. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Beaver Teeth Have Iron Advantage
Beaver enamel is rich in iron—which is even more effective than fluoride at staving off cavities. Christopher Intagliata reports
Nectar Helps Bees’ Medicine Go Down
In addition to fuel, nectar from various plant species contains chemical compounds that reduce the numbers of a common gut parasite in bumblebees. Christopher Intagliata reports
Up Your Online Dating Game with Evidence-Based Strategies
Choosing a user name starting with a letter appearing earlier in the alphabet is just one scientifically vetted way to increase the odds of turning an online encounter into a first date...
Subway DNA Survey Finds Microbes, Mozzarella and Mystery
Scientists sequenced genetic material found in all 468 New York City subway stations, and nearly half matched no known organism. Christopher Intagliata reports
Drones Spy On Birds in Flight
Quadcopters appear to be a relatively benign tool to study the behavior and numbers of wetland birds. Christopher Intagliata reports
Climate Influences Language Evolution
The ease with which certain sounds are produced in different climes plays a role in the development of spoken languages. Christopher Intagliata reports
Snail's Venom Puts Fish in Insulin Coma
The cone snail's venom contains not only neurotoxins, but insulin, too—which stuns the fish it preys on. Christopher Intagliata reports
Computer Snoopers Read Electromagnetic Emissions
Researchers were able to track the keystrokes of a nearby computer via fluctuations in its electromagnetic radiation output. Christopher Intagliata reports
Antibiotics in Blood Can Make Malaria Mosquitoes Mightier
The drugs disrupt mosquitoes' gut bacteria, which appears to make the insects more effective malaria vectors. Christopher Intagliata reports
Active Sun at Birth Cut Historical Life Spans
High UV radiation during solar maxima may have degraded expectant mothers' stores of folate, a vitamin essential to development. Christopher Intagliata reports
E.T. May Reveal Itself with Vibration
Looking for movement could complement chemical searches for extraterrestrial life. Christopher Intagliata reports
Lyme Helps Spread Other Tick Infections
Mice infected with Lyme and the Babesia parasite are more likely to pass on babesiosis than mice infected with babesiosis alone. Christopher Intagliata reports
Laser Zap Determines Fruit Ripeness
The way fruit reflects and absorbs laser light may be a good measure of its progression toward peak ripeness. Christopher Intagliata reports
Quarter-Million Tons of Plastic Plague Oceans
Based on trawling samples and visual observations of plastic debris, computer models calculate that some 5.25 trillion particles of plastic—about 269,000 tons—may litter the world's oceans...
Sun's Magnetic Field Boosts Earth Lightning
When the Sun's magnetic field is pointed away from Earth, lightning strikes in the U.K. go up 50 percent. Christopher Intagliata reports
Worse Than the Bite
A new study suggests bed bugs can transmit Chagas disease to mice—but the same thing is unlikely to happen in humans. Christopher Intagliata reports
