science newsletter: Science News SciGuru.com

Παρασκευή 3 Ιανουαρίου 2014

Science News SciGuru.com

Odor receptors discovered in lungs
How 'slippers' can end mascara irritation
Roses Are Red - Why Some Petunias Are Blue
Plant Used in Chinese Medicine Fights Chronic Pain

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 05:35 AM PST

Your nose is not the only organ in your body that can sense cigarette smoke wafting through the air. Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Iowa have shown that your lungs have odor receptors as well.

How 'slippers' can end mascara irritation

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 05:25 AM PST

An end to mascara testing on animals could be in sight thanks to tiny organisms nicknamed 'slipper' and 'eyelash'.

Mascara is a mild irritant, and rabbits have, historically, been used to test how much discomfort new products can cause. However, a cheaper and more reliable test is now being developed by scientists at the University of Liverpool, involving miniscule protozoa. This will remove animal cruelty from the equation.

Roses Are Red - Why Some Petunias Are Blue

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Researchers have uncovered the secret recipe to making some petunias such a rare shade of blue. The findings may help to explain and manipulate the color of other ornamental flowers, not to mention the taste of fruits and wine, say researchers who report their findings in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports on January 2nd. From the flowers' point of view, the findings also have important implications, since blue petals instead of red might spell disaster when it comes to attracting pollinators.

Plant Used in Chinese Medicine Fights Chronic Pain

Posted: 30 Dec 2013 08:57 AM PST

A plant used for centuries as a pain reliever in Chinese medicine may be just what the doctor ordered, especially when it comes to chronic pain. A key pain-relieving ingredient is a compound known as dehydrocorybulbine (DHCB) found in the roots of the flowering plant Corydalis, a member of the poppy family, according to researchers who report their findings in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on January 2.