Using four simple questions to generate client-directed feedback can greatly increase the chances that struggling couples will stay together, according to a recently published study. Couples that had systematic client feedback incorporated into their sessions were 46.2 percent less likely to wind up divorced or separated.

The forested peatlands of the tropics store vast amounts of carbon. Forest fires convert this into the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Scientists have now quantified these emissions and shown that peatland fires contribute significantly to global warming.

New discoveries about anti-HIV antibodies may bring researchers a step closer to creating an effective HIV vaccine, according to a new paper.

A new study found that certain immune cells primarily associated with asthma and allergies may enhance innate immunity and improve clearance of bacterial infections and may be an effective new therapy against bacterial infections and sepsis in humans.

A new website will give everyone the chance to contribute to science by playing a 'cosmic fruit machine' and compare images of colliding galaxies with millions of simulated images of galactic pile-ups.

It is almost impossible to make materials that are tough yet stiff: stiff materials tend to break easily and cannot absorb impacts. But not so dry deer antlers. Surviving impacts that are six times greater than crashes that shatter wet femur, deer antler is stiff enough to endure the dueling animals' pushing contests and could teach us how to make stiff, yet tough, materials.

Rather than surgically removing tumors , what if doctors could simply implant new tools in our bodies to do the work internally? One team of researchers has been able to vanquish tumors in mice by implanting bioengineered disks filled with tumor-specific antigens, and another has developed magnetized nanodiscs to induce cancer cells to destroy themselves.  [More]

An analysis of Web coupons and vouchers for free or discounted prescription medications found the value of such introductory offers is low compared to costs to continue to take the medication. Many such Web sites also de-emphasize risks and provide little quantitative data on indications for use and effectiveness. Many sites also collect personal information as a condition of the free offer.

The HIV/AIDS virus continues to ravage populations worldwide. Using a novel combination of optical techniques, researchers visualize how virus particles assemble and are released from infected cells to find new victims -- knowledge which could lead to new technologies for inhibiting this process.

How does our biological system know that it is supposed to operate on a 24-hour cycle? Scientists have discovered that a tiny molecule holds the clue to the mystery.