A woman's ability to have an orgasm is at least partly determined by her genes and can't be blamed entirely on cultural influences, new research suggests.
In the study, scientists sent questionnaires to 4,037 women who are part of the British twin registry. About half were identical twins and half were fraternal twins.
The similarity in orgasm experience was greater in identical twins than it was in non-identical twins, researchers said. Because the only difference between the two groups was genetic, the researchers concluded that the gap between the groups was the genetic component.
Specialists say the findings don't mean women who inherit an unfortunate gene package are doomed. They just mean that more work, or patience, is required.
Tree-eyes: A 30-acre patch of forest has been outfitted with robotic cameras and other high-tech gadgets that spy on wildlife, trees and even roots as part of a pioneering effort to take nature's pulse.
Scientists sitting hundreds of miles away can remotely operate mostly wireless devices, including a camera that swings on cables through the trees, to watch bluebird eggs hatch.
Sensors scattered throughout the reserve record temperature, humidity, wind, rain, lightning and even how cool air sweeps in at night.
The technology could eventually uncover ways to combat global warming, track West Nile virus, detect water pollution before people drink it and predict the course of invasive plants that alter landscapes.
Life aquatic: Leaps in technology have made the darkest reaches of the sea easier to explore, necessitating new rules to govern the deep ocean, researchers said in a report.
The report said that scientists have begun to focus on the possible human health benefits to be gained from genetic material of "extremophiles," the organisms that thrive under extreme conditions in the deep.
Now that so-called bioprospecting has become more feasible, governments must address the fact that there are few rules governing seabeds in international waters. Most research of these ecosystems is still largely done for science, but the report forecasts that the potential of "blue gold" in the deep could draw more commercial exploration.
Scientists fear that deep sea ecosystems, which includes seamounts and hydrothermal vents, could suffer permanent damage if not treated properly.
Red disaster: Governor Mitt Romney declared a state of emergency because of the red tide bloom off the coast of Massachusetts, a move that allows the state to seek federal disaster aid for the shellfish industry.
Red tide is an algae that contaminates shellfish and can be dangerous to humans who eat the shellfish. It does not pose a risk to people who eat lobsters or finned fish.
The red tide that has advanced southward from Maine over the past two months is the worst in New England since 1972. This is the first time Massachusetts has declared a state of emergency because of red tide.
Red tide is costing the shellfish industry about $3 million per week, Romney said.
Compiled by David Cohn. AP and Reuters contributed to this report.
