Daily News chosen by Anchor Science

New self-assembling photovoltaic technology repairs itself
Scientists have created a novel set of self-assembling molecules that can turn sunlight into electricity; the molecules can be repeatedly broken down and then reassembled quickly, just by adding or removing an additional solution.

Backstabbing bacteria: A new treatment for infection?
Selfish bacterial cells that act in their own interests and do not cooperate with their infection-causing colleagues can actually reduce the severity of infection. The selfish behaviour of these uncooperative bacteria could be exploited to treat antibiotic-resistant infections, according to new research.

Lake Michigan ecosystem may crash: 'Doughnut' of phytoplankton disappearing
In 1998, Charlie Kerfoot discovered a "doughnut" of phytoplankton circulating in Lake Michigan, helping to feed the lake's famous fishery. Just 12 later, the doughnut is disappearing, and Kerfoot fears that the lake's ecosystem will crash, taking with it much of the fish biomass.

Induced pluripotent stem cell retain an inactivated X chromosome, study finds
Female induced pluripotent stem cells, reprogrammed from human skin cells into cells that have the embryonic-like potential to become any cell in the body, retain an inactive X chromosome, stem cell researchers have found.

Listening to ancient colors: New technique may help restorers identify decades-old pigments
A team of chemists has discovered that a technique known as photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy could be used to identify the composition of pigments used in art work that is decades or even centuries old. Pigments give artist's materials color, and they emit sounds when light is shone on them.

Cognitive effects of Parkinson's disease: Automated tasks easier, but task switching difficult
Researchers have found that people with Parkinson's disease can perform automated tasks better than people without the disease, but have significant difficulty switching from easy to hard tasks.

Transition metal catalysts could be key to origin of life, scientists report
Scientists propose that an overlooked type of biological catalyst -- metal-ligand complexes -- could have jump-started metabolism and life itself, deep in hydrothermal ocean vents.

'Jailbreak' bacteria can trigger heart disease
Plaque-causing bacteria can jailbreak from the mouth into the bloodstream and increase your risk of heart attack, according to new research.

New mission to skim the Sun: NASA selects science investigations for Solar Probe Plus
NASA has begun development of a mission to visit and study the sun closer than ever before. The unprecedented project, named Solar Probe Plus, is slated to launch no later than 2018. The small car-sized spacecraft will plunge directly into the sun's atmosphere approximately four million miles from our star's surface. It will explore a region no other spacecraft ever has encountered.

'Basal-like' breast cancer does not originate from basal stem cells
New research uncovers a case of mistaken identity that may have a significant impact on future breast cancer prevention and treatment strategies. The study suggests that despite their "stem cell-like" characteristics, most aggressive breast tumors are not derived from normal mammary gland stem cells.

In a changing climate, erratic rainfall poses growing threat to rural poor, new report says
Against a backdrop of extreme weather wreaking havoc around the world, a new report warns that increasingly erratic rainfall related to climate change will pose a major threat to food security and economic growth, especially in Africa and Asia, requiring increased investment in diverse forms of water storage as an effective remedy.

Acting selfish? Blame your mother!
The fact that our female ancestors dispersed more than our male ancestors can lead to conflicts within the brain that influence our social behavior, new research reveals.

Melting rate of icecaps in Greenland and Western Antarctica lower than expected
The Greenland and West Antarctic ice caps are melting at half the speed previously predicted, according to analysis of recent satellite data.

How physical environment influences stem cell development
Recent research reveals how physical qualities -- and not only chemical ones – may have an influence in determining how adult stem cells from the bone marrow develop into differentiated ones. The finding represents an important step in understanding the mechanisms that direct and regulate the specialization of stem cells from their undefined state.

Mothers matter! High social status and maternal support play an important role in mating success of male bonobos
The higher up a male bonobo is placed in the social hierarchy, the greater his mating success is with female bonobos, researchers have found. But even males who are not so highly placed still have a chance of impressing females. A new study finds evidence of direct support from mothers to their sons in agonistic conflicts over access to estrous females.

New pump created for microneedle drug-delivery patch
Researchers have developed a new type of pump for drug-delivery patches that might use arrays of "microneedles" to deliver a wider range of medications than now possible with conventional patches.

Did Viking Mars landers find life's building blocks? Missing piece inspires new look at puzzle
Experiments prompted by a 2008 surprise from NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander suggest that soil examined by NASA's Viking Mars landers in 1976 may have contained carbon-based chemical building blocks of life.

Vitamin D is a prognostic marker in heart failure, study finds
Survival rates in heart failure patients with reduced levels of vitamin D are lower than in patients with normal levels. This is the finding of a major study carried out in the Netherlands.

New bee species discovered in downtown Toronto
A doctoral student who discovered a new species of bee in Toronto has completed a study of 84 species of sweat bees in Canada. Nineteen of these species are new to science -- never before identified -- including the new Toronto bee, which is actually quite common in eastern Canada and the US. The new research will help scientists track bee diversity, and understand pollination biology and insect social behavior.

Race, insurance status cited in uneven death rates among pedestrians hit by cars
Uninsured minority pedestrians hit by cars are at a significantly higher risk of death than their insured white counterparts, even if the injuries sustained are similar, new research suggests.

Mosquitoes: Genetic structure of first animal to show evolutionary response to climate change determined
Scientists have determined the fine-scale genetic structure of the first animal to show an evolutionary response to rapid climate change.

Starvation keeps sleep-deprived fly brain sharp
As anyone who has ever struggled to keep his or her eyes open after a big meal knows, eating can induce sleepiness. New research in fruit flies suggests that, conversely, being hungry may provide a way to stay awake without feeling groggy or mentally challenged.

Global warming's silver lining? Northern countries will thrive and grow, researcher predicts
Move over, Sunbelt. The New North is coming through, a geographer predicts in a new book. As worldwide population increases by 40 percent over the next 40 years, sparsely populated Canada, Scandinavia, Russia and the northern United States will become formidable economic powers and migration magnets, Laurence C. Smith writes.

Iron deficiency in heart failure
Iron deficiency is a relatively common nutritional disorder that affects more than one third of the general population, and is often associated with chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid diseases and renal failure. New research has demonstrated that iron deficiency also affects at least one-third of non-anaemic chronic heart failure patients.

NASA and ATK successfully test five-segment solid rocket motor
With a loud roar and mighty column of flame, NASA and ATK Aerospace Systems successfully completed a two-minute, full-scale test of the largest and most powerful solid rocket motor designed for flight. The motor is potentially transferable to future heavy-lift launch vehicle designs.

Americans struggle with long-term weight loss
Only about one in every six Americans who have ever been overweight or obese loses weight and maintains that loss, according to researchers.

Magnetism's subatomic roots: Study of high-tech materials helps explain everyday phenomenon
Theoretical physicists have created a new model that helps define the subatomic origins of ferromagnetism -- the everyday "magnetism" of compass needles and refrigerator magnets. The model was created to explore the inner workings of ferromagnetic compounds that are related to high-temperature superconductors.

Hair provides proof of the link between chronic stress and heart attack
Researchers have provided the first direct evidence using a biological marker, to show chronic stress plays an important role in heart attacks. The scientists developed a method to measure cortisol levels in hair providing an accurate assessment of stress levels in the months prior to an acute event such as a heart attack.

Novel nanotechnology collaboration leads to breakthrough in cancer research
A multidisciplinary group of researchers has produced a 3.6-angstrom resolution structure of the human adenovirus. Scientists are working with adenovirus as a vector for gene therapy, but have needed better structural information.

Functional motor neuron subtypes generated from embryonic stem cells
Scientists have devised a method for coaxing mouse embryonic stem cells into forming a highly specific motor neuron subtype. The research provides new insight into motor neuron differentiation and may prove useful for devising and testing future therapies for motor neuron diseases.