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Reports from the Central African Republic Indicate Security Has Returned to Dzanga-Sangha National Park

The following statement was released today by the Wildlife Conservation Society President and CEO Cristián Samper in response to the news that Gabon has agreed to help improve the management of the Central African Republic’s protected areas, which are currently threatened by large-scale elephant poaching for ivory, and that security has returned to Dzanga-Sangha National Park.

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Plea for a Correct Use of Stem Cells in Therapy

The “Stem Cell Research Italy” Association (www.stemcellitaly.org) and the “Sbarro Health Research Organization” (www.shro.org) make a public plea for a correct use of stem cell therapy in Italy and Europe.

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New Theory on Genesis of Osteoarthritis Comes with Successful Therapy in Mice

Scientists have turned their view of osteoarthritis inside out. Instead of seeing the painful degenerative disease as a problem primarily of the cartilage that cushions joints, they now have evidence that the bone underneath the cartilage is also a key player and exacerbates the damage. Blocking the action of a critical bone regulation protein in mice halts progression of the disease.

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In Early Earth, Iron Helped RNA Catalyze Electron Transfer

A new study shows how complex biochemical transformations may have been possible under conditions that existed when life began on the early Earth. The study shows that RNA is capable of catalyzing electron transfer under conditions similar to those of the early Earth.

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Cracking the Ice Code

UWM geologist John Isbell reads rock, looking for the natural rules that govern the Earth’s climate in the absence of human activity. His work is challenging many assumptions about the ways drastic climate change unfolds – and what to expect next.

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A reporter's PressPass is required to access this story until the embargo expires on 5/20/2013 3:00 PM EDT

First Atlanta Science Festival Set for 2014

Atlanta residents of all ages will celebrate the science and technology of the region and its impact on our daily lives during the inaugural Atlanta Science Festival, March 22-29, 2014. With scientists, engineers and educators from local museums, corporations, K-12 schools and universities, the festival will host more than 40 different events for children and adults at venues across the city. Learn more at http://atlantasciencefestival.org

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Invasive Species: "Away-Field Advantage" Weaker Than Ecologists Thought

For decades, ecologists have assumed the worst invasive species—such as brown tree snakes and kudzu—have an “away-field advantage.” They succeed because they do better in their new territories than they do at home. A new study led by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center reveals that this fundamental assumption is not nearly as common as people might think.

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Modern Lab Reaches Across the Ages to Resolve Plague DNA Debate

A plague from 1,500 years ago—a reputed ancestor to the Black Death—found its way back to relevance via labs in Germany and at Northern Arizona University, which collaborated to resolve a debate: The Justinianic Plague that started in A.D. 541 can indeed be placed on the family tree of the disease.

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