'Most recent common ancestor' of all living humans surprisingly recent
...st 20,000 years. These more realistic models estimate that the most recent common ancestor of mankind lived as recently as about 3,000 years ago, and the identical ancestors point was as recent as several thousand years ago. The paper suggests, "No matter the languages we speak or the color of our skin,...Study: Emission of smog ingredients from trees is increasing rapidly
...inceton are using sophisticated computer models to estimate the changes in ozone caused by the changes in tree-produced VOCs. Purves noted that interactions between VOCs, NOx and ozone are complex -- some may actually lower pollution -- so it would be premature to base environmental policy on studies of VOCs ...Green, leafy spinach may soon power cellphones and laptops
...being absorbed. Of the light that was absorbed, we estimate that we converted around 12 percent to charge." The researchers hope to achieve a power conversion efficiency of 20 percent or more (which would provide an extremely efficient power source) by creating multiple layers of PSI or assembling them on r...Researchers report new gene test for isolated cleft lip and palate
...about 12 percent. As the researchers noted, their estimate is based on their analysis of the families and cannot be generalized to the broader public. "For a complex trait like cleft lip and palate, this is a nice step forward because there may be dozens of genes that contribute to the condition," said Murr...Recent evolution at a single gene may have brought down heart disease risk in some human groups
...ulatory DNA for millions of years. The researchers estimate that the incidence of heart disease events among modern European males would have been more than 40% higher than it is had there not been selection for the high-expression variant. The cause of the selection in recent evolution remains a subject for ...Men from early middle ages were nearly as tall as modern people
...the length of the femur, or thighbone, was used to estimate skeletal height. The longest bone in the body, the femur comprises about a quarter of a person's height. According to Steckel's analysis, heights decreased from an average of 68.27 inches (173.4 centimeters) in the early Middle Ages to an average low...Chernobyl study: Risk of thyroid cancer rises with radiation dose
... their mothers or fathers that would allow them to estimate each person's radiation dose using computer models...the thyroid. In addition to the study's ability to estimate individual radiation doses based on personal interviews, other strengths of the study included the f...Environmental costs of home construction lower with wise choice, reuse of building materials
...otential of different construction materials. They estimate the global-warming potential of the steel-frame home to be 26 percent higher than the wood-frame, and the concrete-frame home was 31 percent higher than the comparable wood-frame. The use of wood products instead of steel or concrete can farther red...Critically endangered monkey species plummets more than 50 percent since 1994
...ly to disappear within the next decade. Scientists estimate that between 281 and 317 individuals still exist in 19 distinct populations. Rampant development separates the remaining populations of this langur species, preventing the groups from interacting with one another. Fourteen of the groups are likely to...Counting foxes before the last tally-ho
...produced the first scientifically-based population estimate for foxes living in Britain. Their results show th...the final population numbers. Previous attempts to estimate Britain's fox population, using far less precise methods, gave a figure of 252,000 adult foxes in 19...Researchers report new gene test for isolated cleft lip and palate
...about 12 percent. As the researchers noted, their estimate is based on their analysis of the families and cannot be generalized to the broader public. "For a complex trait like cleft lip and palate, this is a nice step forward because there may be dozens of genes that contribute to the condition," said Murr...UCR earns $1.5 million grant to examine how engineered crop genes stray
...the-art mathematical and computational modeling to estimate the timing and patterns of the spread of transgenes across space and national borders as well as their ecological consequences. The result will be the first global model of gene flow that accounts for both human and natural processes of gene dispersa...Gene duplication allowed pigs to have more babies
... it." The researchers used genetic information to estimate that the ancestral aromatase gene duplicated twice, to give three genes, between 27 and 38 million years ago. By analysing the genetic sequence from two living relatives of Sus scrofa, peccary and babirusa, the researchers were able to narrow this ti...Genes can influence both alcohol consumption and dependence
...ake on only one occasion will give a less reliable estimate of the long-term average than measurements on multiple occasions, and it is the long-term average which is important for both the harmful physical effects of alcohol and its association with decreased cardiovascular risk. The differences between peo...Newcastle scientists get UK's first stem cell license
... of Britain in the last ten years. We cannot under estimate the importance of staying ahead in a highly competitive field which may provide immense long term benefits for people worldwide and boost the British economy. We are extremely proud that this work is being done on our site." In principle (ES) c...Manatee population rising in some regions, likely stalled or declining in others
...chael Runge, lead scientist for the USGS said. "We estimate that manatee populations in the Northwest and Uppe...on is 1.1 percent, but the margin of error in this estimate is large enough that it is possible the population is stable or slightly declining. In the Southwes...Forest managers can fight invasive species that come with roads
...e than he expected. "However, it's probably a safe estimate for wooded areas in other parts of the country as well," he says. He points out that these roads stretch beyond the state and county highways to include a vast network of local access and logging roads. In fact, in northern Wisconsin, an area conside...AGU journal highlights - 29 July 2004
...(GL) paper 10.1029/2004GL020067, 2004 9. Revised estimate for water volume through ocean straits Imposing a ...traits can allowresearchers an improved measure to estimate water movement through thechannels. Melvin E. Stern presents a modified formula for estimating an up...Scientists discover new intricacies in how ulcer bugs stick to stomach
...g may be its Achilles' heel." Epidemiologists estimate that H. pylori infections are present in over half of the world's population. Most infections in the United States and other industrialized nations can be treated with antibiotics, but treatments are too costly for many sufferers in underdeveloped na......o an important human pathogen, influenza." Experts estimate that influenza epidemics cause an estimated 500,000 human deaths worldwide each year. Although antibodies provide protective immunity to influenza virus infection, the antigenic structure of proteins that stimulate immune responses changes significa...