The bacterium that causes whooping cough has mutated in Australia, most likely in response to the vaccine used to prevent the disease, with a possible reduced effectiveness of the vaccine as a result, a new study shows. A team of researchers analyzed strains of the virus from across Australia and found that many strains no longer produce a key surface protein called pertactin. About 80 per cent of... 

Red is primarily associated with blood. No wonder the color is often present on national flags as a symbol of struggle for a just cause … What about the people who like red? Recently, researchers at the University of North Dakota found that the red color is associated with aggression. They proved it in an experiment, to which they invited volunteers. There is a saying – “fools like... 

A heretofore inexplicable fatal, chronic kidney disease that has affected poor farming regions around the globe may be linked to the use of biochemical giant Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide in areas with hard water, a new study has found. The new study was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Researchers suggest that Roundup, or glyphosate, becomes highly... 

Scientists warns that a dry and hot weather phenomenon known as ‘El Nino’ is likely to hit most parts of the earth in the second half of this year. Researchers in Germany announced that the phenomenon could spew out huge amounts of heat this year, on summer 2014. While the menacing El Nino weather pattern appears to be ready to blow massive amounts of heat into the atmosphere, there is a 75 per... 

Animal study indicates that a type of food poisoning bacterium known as Clostridium perfringens can develop Multiple Sclerosis damage in the brain. Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College in the United States, through lab tests in mice, found that a toxin made by a rare strain of C. perfringens is responsible for MS-like damage. While the exact cause of Multiple sclerosis (MS) has not been... 

In a significant breakthrough, scientists have found a cheap and easy way to produce highly sought-after embryonic-like stem cells without terminating any embryos. The ground-breaking discovery could usher in a new era in stem cell biology. Although the research was carried out on laboratory mice, scientists believe that the same approach should also work on human cells, researchers said. “If... 

Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States have developed a wearable book that enables the readers to experience the characters’ feelings as they read the story. The book, which has been created under a project dubbed sensory fiction, is covered in sensors and actuators and is hooked up to a vest. The vest has a personal heating device to change the temperature... 

The cemetery in Bavaria, Germany (A). The skeleton of a victim of the Plague of Justinian (C). Objects (E) from the grave (B) that helped scientists to estimate the plague victim’s death as occurring between 525 AD and 550 AD. A tooth from which the genome of the plague was extracted (D). Scientists have reconstructed the genome of the first recorded bubonic plague and compared it to two later pandemics.... 

Caffeine can improve mental and cognitive functions through stimulating many regions of the brain that regulate wakefulness, arousal, mood and concentration. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University found that those people who regularly consumed caffeinated products had better results on the memory tests. The study results were confirmed after monitoring the memories of 160 people who did not regularly... 

The theory that men first assess women based on their figure has been repeatedly confirmed. However, it turns out that women look at each other the same way. A group of psychologists from the University of Nebraska (Lincoln, USA) led by Sarah Gervais concluded that women assess the appearance of other women from the point of view of men. Scientists have long been interested in the so-called phenomenon... 

Monsanto has denied that health problems in Argentina are caused by its pesticides, insisting that its products are safe. It rejects an AP report that it is to blame for an increase in cancer rates and birth defects. Reacting to an AP report investigating the effects of Monsanto products in Argentina, Monsanto called for more government control and attacked the credibility of the research. “If... 

An international team of zoologists has identified a new genus of rat in the Moluccan province of Indonesia that represents a unique set of characteristics. The newly found animal was discovered on the Halmahera Island in Wallacea, an Eastern Indonesian region. Researchers believe that the species locally dubbed Halmaheramys bokimekot lives only in Wallacea region which has been named after the British... 

The number of people living on less than $2 a day per person increased from 636,000 in 1996 to about 1.65 million in 2011. The number of Americans living on less than $2 a day per person, soared by 160 percent from 1996 to mid-2011, a new report finds. The report by the National Poverty Center (NPC) indicates that the number increased from 636,000 in 1996 to about 1.65 million in 2011. The figure of... 

New study conducted by an international team of researchers has unveiled the mystery of a genetic flaw which significantly increases the risk of obesity. A type of gene called FTO, which is known as fat-boosting gene, has put many lives at higher risks of obesity that is estimated to be one in six people. The recent study revealed that FTO made fatty foods more tempting and affected on hunger hormone... 

A new study conducted by researchers from Brown University has demonstrated that breastfeeding plays significant role in brain development in infants. The research team analyzed the brain growth in a sample group of children by specialized, baby-friendly magnetic resonance imaging quiet MRI when they were asleep, according to paper published in the journal NeuroImage. They observed 133 babies ranging...