BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Scientists from the United States and China have discovered the first intact fossil of a mature eudicot, a type of flowering plant whose membership includes buttercups, apple trees, maple trees, dandelions and proteas. The 125 million-year-old find, described in this week's Nature, reveals a remarkably developed species, leading the scientists to argue for an earlier origin of the eudicots -- and perhaps flowering plants in general. "This fossil opens up a new way of thinking about the evolution of some of the first flowering plants," said Indiana ...

On the heels of the recent launch of their franchise system, Welcomemat Services, a loyalty marketing firm that specializes in bringing new residents together with local businesses, will be exhibiting at the National Franchise & Business Opportunities Expo in Houston at Reliant Park on April 16-17, 2011. During the expo, Welcomemat Services will be speaking with anyone interested in learning more about the company's franchise opportunities and will be exhibiting during show hours. "The expo presents an ideal opportunity to discuss the growth of the local advertising ...

The wolves and moose of Isle Royale have done it again. They've surprised the scientists who have spent more than half a century studying them. In a journal article published online today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society and in their 2010-2011 annual report, Michigan Technological University researchers John A. Vucetich and Rolf O. Peterson tell an unexpected tale of genetic immigration. In 1997, a virile male wolf crossed an ice bridge from Canada to the remote island national park in northern Lake Superior. He was physically larger than most Isle Royale wolves, ...

New research suggests that infection with a probiotic strain of E. coli bacteria could help treat an reduce the negative effects of another E. coli infection that may be associated with Crohn's disease. Researchrs from the University of Auckland, New Zealand publish their results in the April 2011 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Crohn's disease is a common chronic disorder that affects the gastrointestinal tract and is believed to develop as a result of an aberrant immune response to intestinal microbes in a genetically susceptible host. ...

One of William Shakespeare's most beloved comedies, A Midsummer Night's Dream, opens in Perth in the coming weeks. The classic tale of love, magic and mischief follows the story of Hermia and Lysander, who flee into the woods to protect their relationship. They find themselves trapped in the middle of a dispute between the King and Queen of the Fairies, while a group of amateur actors also get caught up after visiting the forest to rehearse their latest play. James Beck, Elizabeth Blackmore and Benj D'Addario are among the cast for the Black Swan State Theatre ...

BOSTON—A report from the nation's leading cancer organizations shows rates of death in the United States from all cancers for men and women continued to decline between 2003 and 2007. The findings come from the latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer. The report also finds that the overall rate of new cancer diagnoses for men and women combined decreased an average of slightly less than 1 percent per year for the same period. Edward J. Benz, Jr., MD, president of Dana-Farber Cancer in Institute in Boston, called the news encouraging, but cautions ...

PITTSBURGH—Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and Stanford University discovered that a supposedly inactive protein actually plays a crucial role in the ability of one the world's most prolific pathogens to cause disease, findings that suggest the possible role of similarly errant proteins in other diseases. The team reports in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that Toxoplasma gondii—the parasitic protozoa behind toxoplasmosis—attacks healthy cells by first injecting them with pseudokinases, which are enzymes that have abandoned their ...

Reggae legends Toots and The Maytals are playing in Cairns next month in a preview to their show at Byron Bay's Bluesfest. The group have been together for more than four decades, having risen to prominence in 1964 with their debut album I'll Never Grow Old - Presenting The Maytals. Including remastered records and greatest hits compilations, the band have released more than 50 LPs. They are even credited with coining the word "reggae" on their 1968 hit single Do The Reggay. Although their first album won critical acclaim, it was not until they launched tracks ...

Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Maryland (UM) have created the first nontrivial "atom circuit," a donut-shaped loop of ultracold gas atoms circulating in a current analogous to a ring of electrons in a superconducting wire. The circuit is "nontrivial" because it includes a circuit element—an adjustable barrier that controls the flow of atom current to specific allowed values. The newly published* work was done at the Joint Quantum Institute, a NIST/UM collaboration. Ultracold gases, such as the Bose-Einstein ...

Discount vouchers are no longer just for the less well off, according to independent money saving website DiscountVouchers.co.uk, which reported recently that the traffic from ABC1 visitors on its site was at a record high with 61% of the two million-plus who logged on last month from the top income groups. The report comes around the same time as the latest research from the BBC* found that UK households suffered a loss of 1.6 per cent of real income after tax - a loss of GBP365 compared with figures for 2008. However, high tax payers are losing out worse still and ...

VIDEO: The purple "tails " of the lipid molecules that form the cell membrane are far less orderly in the absence of cholesterol than when cholesterol is present, a finding made possible... Click here for more information. Cell membranes form the "skin" of most every cell in your body, but the ability to view them up close and in motion cannot be rendered by many experimental techniques. A team of scientists working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology ...

The Norwich Arts Centre is set to welcome a crowd of jazz fans for next month's performance by the Julian Joseph Trio. Taking place on Thursday April 28th, the show will feature a range of original compositions from the pioneering pianist and bandleader. Having toured the globe, drawn comparisons with the great Duke Ellington and presented the weekly Jazz Legends show on BBC Radio 3 for six years, Joseph is one of the most respected figures in British jazz. Known for combining the genre with elements of classical music, he is a virtuoso performer who has also premiered ...

Camborne in Cornwall is due to hold its annual celebration of the area's industrial heritage on Saturday April 30th. The community event is known as Trevithick Day after Richard Trevithick, the inventor and pioneer of high-pressure steam power who was born close by in 1771. Trevithick's inventions helped to increase the efficiency of engines used to pump water from the lower levels of tin and copper mines in the south-west, while he also laid claim to the first full-scale working railway steam locomotive. People visiting Camborne on April 30th will encounter street ...

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have for the first time used an apparatus that relies on the "noise" of jiggling electrons to make highly accurate measurements of the Boltzmann constant, an important value for many scientific calculations. The technique is simpler and more compact than other methods for measuring the constant and could advance international efforts to revamp the world's scientific measurement system. The Boltzmann constant* relates energy to temperature for individual particles such as atoms. The accepted value ...

Fans of The King have an opportunity to enjoy One Night with Elvis at the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) later this year. The event will take place on Friday May 6th and promises to deliver an Elvis Presley tribute show like no other, as award-winning performer Lee 'Memphis' King will be in town. King is considered a cut above the average Elvis impersonator, as he was previously named the world's top tribute artist at the prestigious Collingwood Elvis Festival in Canada. Songwriter and actor PJ Proby, who made demo recordings for Presley in the early 1960s, ...

Using a small block of aluminum with a tiny groove carved in it, a team of researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Polytechnic Institute of New York University is developing an improved "green chemistry" method for making biodegradable polymers. Their recently published work* is a prime example of the value of microfluidics, a technology more commonly associated with inkjet printers and medical diagnostics, to process modeling and development for industrial chemistry. "We basically developed a microreactor that lets us monitor ...

The Springalicious food festival gets underway in Hong Kong for the first time at the end of next month. Eateries across the city are participating in the event, with many of the restaurants located in the Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, Admiralty, Causeway Bay and Wan Chai districts. Each of these establishments will lay on a Springalicious menu from April 27th to May 3rd 2011. In order to enjoy the delicacies on offer, visitors are reminded to book in advance and ask for the special bill of fare. Popular haunts such as Arun Thai, Busy Suzie, China Coast Bar & Grill and ...

Irish pop rockers The Script are heading to the Philippines next month for a show at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila. The concert on April 16th 2011 comes as part of the band's upcoming tour of Asia and the southern hemisphere, which also includes gigs in Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. Fans can look forward to hearing material from the group's most recent album, Science & Faith, released last September. It includes tracks such as For The First Time, Nothing and If You Ever Come Back. Their self-titled debut, which was launched in 2008, featured hits including ...

Trace-explosives detectors (TEDs) are an increasingly common sight at airports and on loading docks, and emergency response personnel carry them to evaluate suspicious packages. A new test material developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in cooperation with ASTM International enables users of these products to evaluate their performance and reliability. The new testing material, NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM) 2906, Trace Explosives Calibration Solutions, was designed to meet the specifications of ASTM E 2520-07, Standard Practice ...

The software, entitled Nobel Dialer, is an application that anyone can install and run on their Android, iPhone or BlackBerry and it offers an easier way for customers to access their existing international calling card accounts and to start making long distance calls. The application is free to download and has been made available exclusively on the Facebook pages of the two service providers at first, but now it can also be found on the company's main websites: www.NobelCom.com and www.EnjoyPrepaid.com. The rates are the same as when using a calling card, but the application ...

I truly love their products, they're so cool, they're truly authentic and hand signed by each person stated! NeAutograph.com is a domestic and international provider of hand-signed authentic memorabilia. Since its inception the company has held a domestic and international presence in both retail and wholesale markets. The corporate office is located in New York City. Aside from our charity and retail presence, Nathans Autographs works with numerous corporations. NeAutograph.com Founder and President, Peter Boyde, is a well-known, respected trusted member of an industry ...

Progressive Energy and Environment Congress 2 Atlanta, GA. April, 20-22 2009 Joe and Dana- I just wanted to drop you a quick note thanking you for the opportunity to speak at the FMA Congress in Atlanta last week. I greatly enjoyed the chance to present some of the great things we're doing at GSA and the chance to meet and speak with current and prospective contractors. Though I regret not being able to see some of the other presentations, the qualifications of those whom you scheduled to present were astounding; you truly deliver what you claim- the leaders in the ...

JackpotCity.com Online Casino http://www.jackpotcity.com/online-casino is launching the first of its festive promotions with an Easter giveaway that includes some fabulous prizes worth thousands of EUR's. This promotion will take place during the month of April 2011 and will be broken down into weekly prize giveaways in the following manner: Week One: JackpotCity.com players can win a share of 1,000 Free Spins. To enter they simply need to log in to play from 5 - 12 April 2011, deposit $20 and enter to qualify for the lucky draw. Week Two: JackpotCity.com ...

Spring is in the air at PROTOS. If you want to welcome the new season properly, come and treat yourself to one of our special PROTOS guided tours, where you will enjoy a unique and unforgettable weekend in one of the region's most charming areas. BODEGAS PROTOS will be decked out for spring during the weekend of March 26th-27th, offering full tours of our facilities with an extra added dose of magic. Visitors will spend an hour-and-a-half touring the old aging cellars, which run through 2km of subterranean galleries located underneath the mountain on which stands Penafiel ...

Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a way to measure the wear and degradation of the microscopic probes used to study nanoscale structures in situ and as it's happening. Their technique can both dramatically speed up and improve the accuracy of the most precise and delicate nanoscale measurements done with atomic force microscopy (AFM). If you're trying to measure the contours of a surface with a ruler that's crumbling away as you work, then you at least need to know how fast and to what extent it is being worn away during ...