Beetles Get by With a Little Help From Their Friends

Humans living in communities often rely on friends to help get what they need and, according to researchers in the lab of Cameron Currie at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, many microbes, plants and animals benefit from 'friendly' associations too.The Currie team's study, which was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and published in the Oct. 3, 2008, issue of the journal Science, describes the complex relationship between a beetle, two types of tree fungus ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=112319&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.

Paleozoic 'Sediment Curve' Provides New Tool for Tracking Sea-floor Sediment Movements

As the world looks for more energy, the oil industry will need more refined tools for discoveries in places where searches have never before taken place, geologists say.One such tool is a new sediment curve (which shows where sediment-on-the-move is deposited), derived from sediments of the Paleozoic Era 542 to 251 million years ago, scientists report in this week's issue of the journal Science. The sediment curve covers the entire Paleozoic Era."The new Paleozoic ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=112351&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.

New Research to Probe Human Mind and Future Infrastructure Systems

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) has announced 12 grants for fiscal year 2008, awarding a total of $23,779,056 over four years to 54 investigators representing 20 institutions.Interdisciplinary teams will pursue transformative, fundamental research in two areas of great promise: understanding the brain and how its abilities may be used through cognitive optimization and prediction; and developing ways to make complex, ... More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=112330&govDel=USNSF_51 This is an NSF News item.