egg

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Discovered: Sperm's Docking Station

Protein allows sperm to link with egg

(Newser) - Scientists are announcing a breakthrough in the study of fertility. They've learned more about how a sperm cell links to an egg cell, offering hope for future treatments—for both fertility and contraception, Nature reports. Scientists already knew of a protein on the surface of a sperm cell that...

Guess How Much This Massive Egg Costs?

Elephant bird egg expected to fetch up to $45K

(Newser) - The gigantic egg is 100 times larger than an average chicken's—it's a foot long and almost nine inches in diameter—and it can be yours for just $45,000. On April 24, Christie's will auction the fossilized egg, which was laid by the elephant bird, reports...

USDA: Eggs Actually Aren't Cholesterol Bombs

Oh, and they're high in vitamin D, too

(Newser) - The USDA backtracked yesterday on that whole "eggs can be bad for you" thing: Turns out eggs are actually lower in cholesterol and higher in vitamin D than previously thought. Specifically, 14% lower in cholesterol and 64% higher in vitamin D, the department announced in a press release . One...

'Peace' Chickens Bred to Avoid Farm Cannibalism

'Kinder, Gentler Birds' don't turn peck-happy

(Newser) - Moves to boost the welfare of egg-laying hens by giving them more space will backfire unless the industry switches to more peaceful chickens, says a researcher who claims to have bred a gentler bird. Breeding to maximize output among the white leghorns that lay most of America's eggs has had...

Rights Group Films Workers Grinding Chicks Alive

Animal rights group uncovers disgusting practices at Iowa egg hatchery

(Newser) - An undercover video shot by an animal rights group at an Iowa egg hatchery shows workers discarding unwanted male chicks by tossing them live into a grinder, and other chicks falling through a sorting machine to die on the factory floor. Chicago-based Mercy for Animals said it shot the video...

Egg From Darwin Voyage Comes to Light

Naturalist signed—and cracked—relic from Beagle excursion

(Newser) - The only egg known to have survived from Charles Darwin's round-the-world voyage on the Beagle has surfaced in Cambridge University's zoology museum, the BBC reports. A volunteer sorting through the museum's vast egg collection found the egg—from an ostrich-like bird in Uruguay—and realized it bore the naturalist's signature....

Gene May Yield 'Male Pill'
 Gene May Yield 'Male Pill' 
Apr 3, 2009 1:24 PM CDT

Gene May Yield 'Male Pill'

Discovery could also help some infertile men

(Newser) - A newly identified gene that causes a type of male infertility may be the key to eventually developing a male oral contraceptive pill, the Independent reports. The gene, CATSPER1, enables sperm to wriggle through the outside of an unfertilized egg. A drug that could switch the gene on and off...

Screening Technique Improves In Vitro Odds

Scientists can now safely analyze eggs' chances of conception

(Newser) - Scientists have discovered a way to greatly increase the chance of success for in vitro fertilizations, Time reports. Under current procedures, fresh eggs yield only a 25% success rate, necessitating multiple—and expensive—attempts. Many eggs hold chromosomal defects that make them incapable of conception, but it has, until now,...

Feds Dig Into Price-Fixing by Egg, Tomato Processors

New inquiries add to list of investigations

(Newser) - The Justice Department is investigating allegations of price-fixing by tomato and egg processors, the Wall Street Journal reports today. California processor SK Foods is facing allegations it bribed buyers at six companies to pay inflated prices for tomato paste and chili peppers. Tomato prices have surged 16% over the past...

Consumers Scramble for Cage-Free Eggs

'Happy' hens can't lay them fast enough to meet demand

(Newser) - The hottest new trend to hit the food industry is the cage-free egg, laid by ostensibly happier chickens allowed the run of large barns, the NY Times reports. Mega-brands like Whole Foods and Ben and Jerry’s now use only cage-free eggs, and even Burger King is switching, but overheated...

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