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- Hubble-photographed galaxy features extra spiral arms
A galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major has extra arms that may be attributed to the massive black hole in its center, scientists say. While most galaxies have two arms, Messier 106 has four spiraling arms of cosmic material. A photo taken by the Hubble telescope reveals that the extra arms are made of reddish gas. Space.com
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| Science in the News
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- Human jawbone unearthed in Europe could be 525,000 years old
A jawbone possibly belonging to an ancient Homo erectus discovered in a Serbian cave could be more than 525,000 years old, according to research published in the journal PLoS ONE. It is the oldest-known human fossil discovered in the European region. "It comes from an area where we basically don't have anything that is known and well published," said bioarchaeologist Mirjana Roksandic, the study's co-author. "Now we have something to start constructing a picture of what's happening in this part of Europe at that time." LiveScience.com
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- Study: Soil bacteria could improve plant production in deserts
A new strain of desert bacteria is capable of improving the soil quality around it and could be key to increasing agricultural production in dry environments. The findings, published in the Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture, isolated strains of Rhizobia bacteria in the roots of legumes with a high tolerance for droughts and other extreme environmental factors. SciDev.net
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- Researchers face difficulty in restoring Yellowstone ecosystem
Researchers studying the effects of the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone National Park discovered that its ecosystem is more complex than they believed. Ecologists were hoping the new wolf population could help strike a balance between the elk and beaver populations while saving the shrinking willow tree population. The research, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, "demonstrates that it isn't just wolves and elk in that system -- it's much more complicated," said one ecologist. "There are many connections among various species ... that influence the recovery." ScienceMag.org/Science Now blog
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- Sun exposure may lower rheumatoid arthritis risk, study finds
An analysis of data from the Nurses' Health Study involving about 235,000 participants found that older women with the highest estimated levels of solar ultraviolet B exposure had a 21% lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than those with the least levels. The sunlight's beneficial effect, however, was not evident in younger women. The study appeared online in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. WebMD/HealthDay News
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| Research Policy Regulations
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- Study: Most researchers choose to limit access to their work
Despite recent movements to create open access to research publications, many study authors are opting to restrict access to their work, citing fears of allowing commercial organizations to use their research. A recent study found that 95% of recently accepted authors opted to use a more restricted license, a move that some contribute to confusion over what exactly the licenses allow. "All it indicates to me is that researchers who publish in Scientific Reports tend to choose conservatively, and perhaps don't fully understand their choice," one expert said. Nature
(2/6)
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