The data is in. Divorce is bad for the environment. A novel study that links divorce with the environment shows a global trend of soaring divorce rates has created more households with fewer people, has taken up more space and has gobbled up more energy and water.

  Researchers have discovered natural genetic differences that might help predict the most effective antipsychotic drugs for particular patients with mental disorders such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's and drug addiction. They found the differences in the gene for a molecule called the dopamine D2 receptor, a protein present on brain cells that are sensitive to the neurotransmitter dopamine.

  Researchers have developed a new generation of biomimetic membranes for water treatment and drug delivery. The highly permeable and selective membranes are based on the incorporation of the functional water channel protein Aquaporin Z into a novel A-B-A triblock copolymer.

  Using a new bottom-up approach for rational drug design, researchers have reengineered the powerful anticancer drug imatinib -- best known by its brand name Gleevec -- to more specifically target one type of cancer while potentially curbing a rare life-threatening cardiotoxic side effect. The modified drug just as effective against gastrointestinal cancer. The re-design strategy employed in the study is broadly applicable to reducing side effects in other drugs.

  Chronic sun exposure increases the risk of an individual developing skin cancer, because UV light from the sun can cause genetic mutations that enable skin cells to grow in an uncontrolled manner. Hope for a new sunscreen that can prevent and treat UV light -- induced skin cancers has been provided by a new study that demonstrates that applying an agent known as CP-31398 to the skin of mice reduced a specific form of skin cancer.

  Scientists have generated, modulated and electrically detected a pure spin current in silicon, the semiconductor used most widely in the electronic device industry. This demonstration is a key enabling step for developing devices which rely on electron spin rather than electron charge, an emergent field known as "semiconductor spintronics."Progress in this field is expected to lead to devices which provide higher performance with lower power consumption and heat dissipation.

  Hydrogen sulfide, the chemical that gives eggs their sulfurous stench, has been shown to significantly increase life span and heat tolerance in the nematode worm, or C. elegans. In an effort to understand the mechanisms by which hydrogen sulfide induces hibernation in mice, the researchers turned to the tiny nematode, a workhorse of laboratory science because its biology is similar in many respects that of humans.

  Scientists have shown that perchlorate -- an industrial pollutant linked to thyroid ailments -- is actively concentrated in breast milk. Their findings suggest that perchlorate contamination of drinking water may pose a greater health risk than previously realized.

  Several marine turtle nesting sites on the beaches of Senegal have been discovered, prompting calls from conservationists to improve protection of the endangered species. The survey discovered nine new green turtle nests on the beaches of Joal-Fadiouth in the Saloum Delta south of the capital, Dakar.

  Two new studies exploring the causes and treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease could lead to the development of drugs to battle these debilitating conditions.

  A newwater repellent outperforms nature at its best and could open a floodgate of commercial possibilities. The super-water repellent (superhydrophobic) material is easy to fabricate and uses inexpensive base materials. The process could lead to the creation of a new class of water repellent products, including windshields, eyewear, clothing, building materials, road surfaces, ship hulls and self-cleaning coatings. The list of likely applications is virtually endless.

  Young children whose mothers are depressed are more prone to behavioral problems and injury, suggests new research. For every 1 point increase on the depression score, the risk of injury rose by 4% and the risk of behavioral problems increased by 6%.

  The FoxP2 gene, which is essential for human speech and language, is also required for proper song development in songbirds, raising the possibility that songbirds and humans share molecular pathways for learned vocalizations.

  Respiration deficiencies in mitochondria, the cell's powerhouses, are associated with changed social behavior and spatial memory in laboratory mice. This research may open the door to understanding the connection in humans between mitochondrial breakdowns and mental illness.