The answer to the mystery of dune patterns on Saturn's moon Titan did turn out to be blowing in the wind. It just wasn't from the direction many scientists expected.

Researchers have developed a novel method of attack against the AIDS virus that involves creating a prevention system, i.e. an "armor" in the cells that are likely to be infected and thus impede the virus from accessing them and starting to act on their immunological system.

A nanomaterial originally developed to fight toxic waste is now helping reduce debilitating fumes in homes with corrosive drywall.

Results from a new study suggest that oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy may yield additional benefit of protecting against the formation and rupture of brain aneurysms in women.

Researchers have demonstrated the use of infrared laser light to quickly and precisely heat the water in "nano bathtubs" -- tiny sample containers -- for microscopy studies of the biochemistry of single molecules and nanoparticles.

A researcher who explored the consequences for men (and women) when they acted modestly in job interviews found that "modest" males were less liked, a sign of social backlash. Modesty was viewed as a sign of weakness, a low-status character trait for males that could adversely affect their employability or earnings potential. Modesty in women, however, was not viewed negatively nor was it linked to status.

In recent tests evoking visions of the universal translator on "Star Trek," researchers evaluated three two-way, real-time, voice-translation devices designed to improve communications between the US military and non-English speakers in foreign countries.

Mutations in a gene known as "Fritz" may be responsible for causing human genetic disorders such as Bardet-Biedl syndrome, developmental biologists, human geneticists and cell biologists have found.

Using the model organism Ciona intestinalis, commonly known as the sea squirt, researchers have uncovered the origins of the second heart field in vertebrates.

Researchers have shown that the epigenetic profiles of breast tumors are related to patient diet and alcohol use as well as tumor size.

Australian scientists researching environmental restoration projects have found that the reforestation of damaged rainforests is more efficient at capturing carbon than controversial softwood monoculture plantations. The research challenges traditional views on the efficiency of industrial monoculture plantations.

Overturning more than 40 years of accepted practice, new research proves that the tools used to check tests of "general mental ability" for bias are themselves flawed. This key finding challenges reliance on such exams to make objective decisions for employment or academic admissions even in the face of well-documented gaps between mean scores of white and minority populations.

Over millions of years, retroviruses, which insert their genetic material into the host genome as part of their replication, have left behind bits of their genetic material in vertebrate genomes. In a recent study, a team of researchers found that human and other vertebrate genomes also contain many ancient sequences from Ebola/Marburgviruses and Bornaviruses -- two deadly virus families.

Resveratrol, a popular plant extract shown to prolong life in yeast and lower animals due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, appears also to suppress inflammation in humans, based on results from the first prospective human trial of the extract.

Researchers seeking to learn more about stroke by studying how the body responds to toxins in snake venom are this week releasing new findings that they hope will aid in the development of therapies for heart disease and, surprisingly, cancer.

Pediatric researchers continue to discover recurrent translocations -- places in which two chromosomes exchange pieces of themselves, and can lead to genetic disease and disability. Originating in locations where DNA strands are prone to bending and breaking, this translocation between chromosomes 8 and 22 strengthens the possibility that unstable spots in the genome may reflect a general mechanism lurking in the structure of DNA.

Can single-shot imaging with femtosecond x-ray pulses from powerful new free electron lasers really work, or will the beam damage the sample too quickly? Pulse length is the key. A new study reveals that "frustrated absorption" explains why ultrashort pulses, even if their peak power is greater, do less damage to molecules than longer pulses.

The neurological responses caused by observing somebody else playing a game have been uncovered. Researchers found differing responses for neutral observers, compared to those who wished the player to fail and those who wanted to see the player succeed.

A new paper reveals groundbreaking research on the hydrothermal formation of Clay-Carbonate rocks in the Nili Fossae region of Mars. The findings may provide a link to evidence of living organisms on Mars, roughly 4 billion years ago in the Noachian period.

Calcium supplements, commonly taken by older people for osteoporosis, are associated with an increased risk of a heart attack, a new study finds.