November 17th, 2007

In the March 13 Issue:

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Losing life’s variety: 2010 is the deadline set for reversing declines in biodiversity, but little has been accomplished
Hogan’s noise: A cosmologist suggests a novel way to uncover the nature of spacetime on the smallest scales

November 17th, 2007

Superbug: What makes one bacterium so deadly

A molecule that pierces immune cells gives some aggressive antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria their fearsome virulence. (p. 307)
Tough Frills: Ferns' wimp stage aces survival test

A supposedly fragile stage in the life of ferns shows surprising toughness. (p. 307)
Huge, yet not quite life-size

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh will unveil the world's largest dinosaur mural on Nov. 21, when its dinosaur halls reopen after a 30-month, $36 million renovation. (p. 308)
Crime Growth: Early mental ills fuel young-adult offending

Mental disorders in children can lead to criminal behavior in adulthood. (p. 308)
Flare-Up: Comet Holmes' surprise bloom

Comet 17P/Holmes abruptly brightened last month, blossoming into a naked eye object. (p. 309)
Bone Builder: Drug may offer steroid users new protection against fractures

A bone-growth medication called teriparatide outperforms the standard bone-preserving drug alendronate in people with steroid-induced osteoporosis. (p. 309)
Flawed Stem Cells Yield Fragile X Clues: Researchers study genetic disorder via discarded embryos

The most common inherited cause of mental retardation arises when a mutated gene is shut down early in embryonic development. (p. 310)
Back from the Dead?

The long-term disappearance of creatures from the fossil record and their later reemergence can provide insights into ancient environmental conditions and the trustworthiness of the fossil record itself. (p. 312)
Shadow World

Physicists have found new evidence for a 10-year-old conjecture that bridges the gap between the many-dimensional space of string theory and more familiar theorizing. (p. 315)
Wild chimps scale branches of culture

Distinctive behaviors in wild-chimp communities point to a basic cultural capacity in these animals. (p. 317)
Insects laughing at Bt toxin? Try this

A new countermeasure restores the toxicity of Bt pesticides to insects that have evolved resistance. (p. 317)
Bucky shrink-wrap

Scientists filmed cage-shaped carbon molecules as they shrank to become buckyballs. (p. 318)
Too little sleep may fatten kids

Lack of sleep may promote childhood obesity. (p. 318)
New climate sensor: Swiss grapes

Records of grape harvests reveal the summer climate in parts of Switzerland as far back as the 1400s. (p. 318)
Letters from the November 17, 2007, issue of Science News

(p. 319)

Blogs:

Science & the Public Cats attracted to ADHD drug, a feline poison
By Janet Raloff Mar 11th 2010

Deleted Scenes Spirit: 'The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated'
By Science News Staff Mar 3rd 2010

On the Scene The carbon footprint of industrial whaling
By Science News Staff Feb 26th 2010

Columns:

Math Trek The mutual inspiration of art and mathematics
By Julie Rehmeyer Mar 6th 2010

Comment New NOAA climate office would meet growing needs
By Jane Lubchenco Feb 26th 2010

Not to Miss:

AAAS 2010 meeting highlights

APS April 2010 meeting coverage

2009 Science News of the Year

Black holes powering starships

SN Bookshelf:

Book Review: The Encyclopedia of Weather and Climate Change: A Complete Visual Guide by J.L. Fry, H.-F. Graf, R. Grotjahn, M.N. Raphael, C. Saunders and R. Whitaker
Review by Sid Perkins
Buy now | More Books

Gold Medal Physics: The Science of Sports by John Eric Goff
How athletes, Olympian and otherwise, perform some of their most amazing physical feats.Johns Hopkin...
Buy now | More Books