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Open-source software designed to minimise synthetic biology risks
— 21 Mar 2011 16:37 | TechnologyA software package designed to minimise the potential risks of synthetic biology for the nation's defence and security is now available to the gene synthesis industry and synthetic…
Enzyme cocktail could eliminate a step in biofuel process
— 26 Feb 2011 17:12 | ChemistryConversion of biomass to fuel requires several steps: chemical pretreatment to break up the biomass - often dilute (sulphuric) acid, detoxification to remove the toxic chemicals required…
Oldest fossils of large seaweeds, possible animals tell story about oxygen in an ancient ocean
— 17 Feb 2011 18:39 | Geology and palaeontologyAlmost 600 million years ago, before the rampant evolution of diverse life forms known as the Cambrian explosion, a community of seaweeds and worm-like animals lived in a quiet deep-water…
When worms stick together and swim on thin water, what happens and why does it matter?
— 8 Feb 2011 18:39 | BiologyNematodes, microscopic worms, are making engineers look twice at their ability to exhibit the 'Cheerios effect' when they move in a collective motion…
Research uncovers key to understanding cause of lupus
— 1 Feb 2011 19:15 | HealthPotentially impacting future diagnosis and treatment of lupus, an immune illness affecting more than 5 million people worldwide, researchers at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College…
Memory training explored as strategy for addiction treatment
— 28 Jan 2011 16:57 | HealthPeople with addictions to stimulants tend to choose instant gratification or a smaller but sooner reward over a future benefit, even if the future reward is greater. Reduced value of…
2 rockets set to launch from Poker Flat Research Range
— 27 Jan 2011 18:26 | TechnologyScientists from Virginia Tech and the University of Colorado are preparing to launch two NASA sounding rockets for two experiments at Poker Flat Research Range north of Fairbanks. The…
Mechanisms of juvenile hormone action in insects could help fine tune pesticides
— 4 Jan 2011 19:59 | BiologyJust as raging hormones are part of the process of a child's maturation through the teen years to adulthood, juvenile hormones, a group of insect isoprenoids, play an important role…
Massive gene loss linked to pathogen's stealthy plant-dependent lifestyle
— 10 Dec 2010 20:30 | HealthAn international team of scientists, which includes researchers from Virginia Tech, has cracked the genetic code of a plant pathogen that causes downy mildew disease. Downy mildews…
Poor stream health imperils fish
— 2 Dec 2010 19:07 | Environment'Of the 675 fish species found in southeastern waters, more than 25 percent are considered imperilled,' Donald J. Orth, the Thomas H. Jones Professor of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences…