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An "excuse me" might be nice. Researchers have found that Earth belches a potent greenhouse gas known as tetrafluoromethane (CF4) during earthquakes and other tectonic events. The emissions likely aren't making a significant contribution to global warming, but the findings could change the way scientists model future climate scenarios. They also complicate the use of CF4 as a way to measure how the continents and climate have changed over millennia.

Unlike the rats favoured as animal models for many other diseases, dogs develop haemophilia naturally, have enough blood to contribute to research studies and live long enough to reveal long-term outcomes of treatments. "We have a 60-year track record now showing that if it works well in dogs, it's likely going to work well in humans," says Nichols.

The largest genome-wide association study to date, involving more than 300 institutions and more than 250,000 subjects, roughly doubles the number of known gene regions influencing height to more than 400. The study provides a better glimpse at the biology of height and offers a model for investigating traits and diseases caused by many common gene changes acting together.

Naked mole rats are hairless, blind, underground dwellers that are remarkably impervious to cancer. But why you ask? Well, researchers at the University of Rochester asked that same question and it turns out a cluster of genes, called the INK4 locus, is the answer. This locus, also found in humans and mice, uses that cluster to carry instructions, or encode, for several cancer fighting proteins.

FEBRUARY 20, 2015-A diverse group of experts from academia, industry and advocacy convened by a Georgetown researcher is offering recommendations to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) regarding how to address the overreliance of male cells and animals used in preclinical studies. The recommendations come as the federal research institution works to increase the inclusion of female animal models and achieve a balance in the use of male and female cells and animals in lab research.

This activity can be used in conjunction with the short film The Double Helix. It introduces students to the classic experiment by Matthew Meselson and Franklin Stahl, which revealed that DNA replication follows the semiconservative model.

It may seem counter-intuitive at first but letting mosquitoes grow up and breed may be part of the solution to tackling the devastating impact of malaria. Researchers have used mathematical modeling to examine why conventional insecticides used against the insects that transmit the disease responsible for millions of deaths a year, can quickly become ineffective in areas of intensive use. Their answers may lead to unprecedented advances in malaria control.

Earlier this week, the space agency released a new simulation created with this model, called GEOS-5, that shows clouds of carbon dioxide, a key driver of global warming, drifting far from their original sources - turning local greenhouse gases into global problems.

his resource describes an inquiry-based, in-class exercise designed for students working in small groups. It is designed to review and enrich student understanding of probability, how probabilities of individual events can be combined to make predictions about more complex outcomes, and how observed data can be compared to a null model based on probabilities using a chi-squared test. These skills are used extensively for classical genetic analysis. Throughout the activity, peers and instructors guide students through the process of developing and solving problems using probabilities and chi-squared tests in small groups.

 is a web-based library of inquiry-based character-driven animated mysteries paired with differentiated supplemental activities that exposes students to the thrill of problem-solving. Mosa Mack allows educators to engage students while teaching standards-aligned content in a fun and engaging way while modeling scientific processing skills. Through its female protagonist whose passion for problem solving drives each story, Mosa Mack promotes diversity in the sciences while simultaneously providing teachers with an accessible way to incorporate inquiry into the classroom. Mosa Mack's unique inquiry-based approach targets the development of critical thinking skills for all students, with a particular focus on girls and minorities with historically low participation STEM fields.

NIH Genetic Variation Activity- Are you susceptible? Dice rolling game to model cardiovascular risk. -pdf for handouts

Mathematician-turned biologist Dr. Corina Tarnita describes the importance of termite mounds in a savanna ecosystem. Termite mounds are biological hotspots that concentrate nutrients and water in semi-arid savanna ecosystems. When viewed from above, the mounds form a strikingly regular polka-dot pattern. Dr. Corina Tarnita uses mathematical modeling to explain the regularity of the pattern, how it arises, and how the mounds enhance the stability of the ecosystem.

Introductory Activity in evolution unit; typically adapt to design a moth (no other instructions), select a student predator, attach the moths, let the predator in, repeat twice, then design a moth and model a natural disaster by moving to a different habitat (hallway).

BodyMaps is an interactive visual search tool that allows users to explore the human body in 3-D. With easy-to-use navigation, users can search multiple layers of the human anatomy, view systems and organs down to their smallest parts, and understand in detail how the human body works. Using detailed 3-D models of body parts-including muscles, veins, bones, and organs-BodyMaps offers a new way to visualize and manage your health. See how the coronary artery delivers blood to the heart, and learn how plaque build-up on artery walls leads to heart disease. Locate the exact location of a pulled muscle or broken bone, and find information on how to prevent injuries. View a cross-section of the human brain, and learn which areas control certain emotions and body functions. By offering rich, detailed anatomical images alongside links to relevant and useful health information, BodyMaps allows you to leam about your body and your health in a personalized and revolutionary new way.

In the closing sentence of "The Origin of Species," Charles Darwin marvels at the process of evolution, observing how "from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved." Few people would describe bedbugs as most beautiful or most wonderful. Yet this blood-feeding pest may represent an exceptional chance to observe the emergence of Darwin's "endless forms": New research indicates that some bedbugs are well on their way to becoming a new species.

The video explains how Clinical Pharmacology can help to deliver the right dose for every patient by combining clinical trials data and modeling & simulation approaches during drug development.

A dynamic 3D computer animated video takes you "inside" for a close-up look at how we're made. Watch as the mysteries of the Human Genome are literally "unraveled." 3D modeling and animation created by Bill Baker, Bakedmedia, Inc. and Mike Fisher for the National Human Genome Research Institute.

A new study from the Monell Center, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and collaborating institutions reports a uniquely identifiable odor signature from mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. The odor signature appears in urine before significant development of Alzheimer-related brain pathology, suggesting that it may be possible to develop a non-invasive tool for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

This "clicker case" gives students an opportunity to apply their understanding of three different types of selection (directional, stabilizing, and disruptive) to a variety of model systems. The case describes each type of selection in detail, presents a paradigm case of each, and then uses clicker questions to test whether students can identify the mode of selection in other systems (answers included in the teaching notes).  Nine different studies are presented so that students gain a broad understanding of selection and how environmental factors can impact species differently. The case concludes with an optional discussion activity (also discussed in the teaching notes) to deepen understanding. Although designed for a high school classroom, it could easily be used in a lower-level college course as an engaging introduction or review of concepts. The case could be used at the beginning of an evolution unit, but it would be helpful if the students were familiar with natural selection before completing the activity.

This case study provides an overview of the seminal experimental work that led to the discovery of DNA structure and the confirmation of the semi-conservative model of DNA replication. By guiding students through a chronological series of historic experiments and discussing some of the collaborations and controversies involved in the original research, students learn about the history and nature of science in addition to several important biological concepts. A number of recommended videos, including one created by the author, enable instructors to use the "flipped-classroom" mode of instruction according to which students read primary literature and watch videos on their own before group discussions and activities. The case study was developed for use in an introductory undergraduate biology course, and would also be appropriate for use in a high school biology course. Some prior knowledge or instruction may be required, depending on the level and learning objectives of the course.