Edible nanostructures: Compounds made from renewable materials could be used for gas storage, food technologies
Sugar, salt, alcohol and a little serendipity led researchers to discover a new class of nanostructures that could be used for gas storage and food and medical technologies. And the compounds are edible. The porous crystals are the first known all-natural metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that are simple to make. Most other MOFs are made from petroleum-based ingredients, but the new MOFs you can pop into your mouth and eat, and the researchers have.

Gene doping detectable with a simple blood test
German scientists have developed a blood test that can reliably detect gene doping even after 56 days. It was previously impossible to prove that an athlete had undergone gene doping.

How the male common snipe 'flies the flag' to get the girl
A new study -- using high speed video and feathers bought on eBay -- shows that when the male snipe sticks out his outer tail feathers, they flutter like flags in the wind, producing a highly seductive drumming sound. The winged Lothario also dives to increase the speed and therefore raise the pitch of the call in a bid to impress the female of the species.

Drugs used to treat osteoporosis not linked with higher risk of esophageal cancer
Although some reports have suggested a link between the use of oral bisphosphonates (drugs that prevent the loss of bone mass) and esophageal cancer, analysis of medical data from more than 80,000 patients in the United Kingdom found that use of these drugs was not significantly associated with new cases of esophageal or gastric cancer, according to a new study.

‘Green wall’ technology could double the plant diversity of the River Thames through London
Only half the number of plant species that could blossom along the walls of the River Thames finds a suitable place to grow, yet this could potentially double with the introduction of ‘green wall’ technology, according to new research.

Natural disasters do not necessarily create peace, research finds
A devastating tsunami hit southern Asia in December 2004. After the tsunami, both politicians and journalists believed that the natural disaster could help to bring peace to Sri Lanka and the Aceh province of Indonesia. But did it?

Water in Earth's mantle key to survival of oldest continents
Earth today is one of the most active planets in the Solar System, and was probably even more so during the early stages of its life. Thanks to the plate tectonics that continue to shape our planet's surface, remnants of crust from Earth's formative years are rare, but not impossible to find. A new paper examines how some ancient rocks have resisted being recycled into Earth's convecting interior.