La Jolla, CA---- One of the big mysteries in biology is why cells age. Now scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies report that they have discovered a weakness in a component of brain cells that may explain how the aging process occurs in the brain.

At what point does it become "easier" for us to run rather than to walk? Many of you reading this might be thinking; "right, umm never" ... but surprising research out of NC State’s Human PoWeR (Physiology of Wearable Robotics) Lab proves that the muscles of the body might be helping make that decision for us.

NC State University biomedical engineers Dr. Gregory Sawicki and Dr. Dominic Farris have discovered that around 4.5 miles per hour, running makes better use of an important calf muscle than walking, and therefore is a much more efficient use of the muscle’s – and the body’s – energy.

The results from this unique study are published online this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

We know a lot of you don't seem to have enough hours in the day this time of year, but what does seem to keep getting longer are your holiday shopping lists. If that sounds familiar we're happy to tell you that this is it. This is going to be YOUR year. The year you get it all done well before the holidays even start--with gifts that are educational, or fun, or fun and educational, or just plain strange--so you can wow your friends, impress the smarties and, perhaps more importantly, one-up your rotten sister's 'best aunt' status.

That's because we LabGrabbers have taken it upon ourselves to do all the exhaustive gift searching for you! The result is our annual Science Slant Holiday Gift List, and this year's list might just be our best one yet. From clothing and toys to gadgets and games (what do you mean your best friend doesn't have an EEG mindset yet?) the guide is packed with a slew of science-slanted gifts. We're pretty sure there really is something for everyone so enjoy the guide, pick some gifts and get back to what's really important (hint: holiday buffets!). If you can't find anything in 2011 that fits try our 2009 gift list or 2010 gift list.

US Department of Energy researchers from the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) reported in a recent paper that they have engineered the first bacterial strain that can digest the biomass of non-food crops and synthesize the sugars into all three forms of transportation fuel - gasoline, diesel and jet biofuels.

A "Brinicle" ... what the heck is that?

Yup - that's exactly what we said when we saw this article from Nature news ... 'Brinicle' ice finger of death....

In the Antarctic, as new sea ice forms on the ocean surface it leaves behind brine that is so salty and dense, it rapidly sinks towards the sea floor. As this salty slurry sinks, it instantly freezes the water surrounding it - forming a salt icicle, or a brinicle - which freezes everything in its spidery path, including starfish and sea urchins.

In late September we reported the "faster than the speed of light" claim from CERN researchers working on the OPERA project.

Scientists' discovery of new form of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome offers clues to treatments for infants who don't respond to steroid drugs

A new awareness campaign warns of the dangers of improper cooling and handling of laboratory samples.

Mill Valley, California: Scientists working with laboratory samples are accustomed to having to control for many variables, but a new awareness campaign led by biotechnology firm BioCision aims to reduce deterioration of samples as a result of another potential threat in the lab--inconsistent sample temperature during cooling and handling.

The campaign, called Scientists Against Sample Abuse (SASA), takes a humorous approach to a serious issue that’s garnering more attention recently within the scientific community.

An international team of scientists from the CERN particle research center have recorded sub-atomic particles traveling faster than the speed of light. Since Albert Einstein first proposed the speed of light is a "cosmic constant", and that nothing in the universe can travel faster, in his theory of special relativity - it has become the standard model of physics.

For more than a decade, researchers have been unable to solve the structure of the retroviral protease of M-PMV, a simian AIDS-causing monkey virus. For each enzyme being studied, there are literally millions of possible combinations to how the bonds between atoms form. Once unlocked, the "correct" chemical key - one that uses the most-efficient configuration with the lowest amount of energy - can lead researchers to a better understanding of an enzyme, and in the case of AIDS researchers studying this particular one, a better means to attack it.