More Stories from the December 18, 2004 issue
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- Humans
Science News of the Year 2004
A review of important scientific achievements reported in Science News during the year 2004.
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Growing where they haven’t grown before
Researchers have found the right laboratory conditions for growing mouse precursor cells into sperm.
- Materials Science
A light wrap?
Materials scientists have created fabrics that can both detect light and conduct electricity.
- Health & Medicine
Trade Center cough is diagnosed
Obstructions that trap air deep within the lungs may explain certain breathing difficulties among some people who worked at the site of the World Trade Center following Sept. 11, 2001.
- Health & Medicine
Colon scans reveal heart risk
Virtual colonoscopy may offer the side benefit of identifying heart attacks that are waiting to happen.
- Materials Science
Buckyballs store 1s and 0s in new memory device
Scientists have created a material that stores bits of data in the soccer ball-shaped carbon molecules known as buckyballs.
- Materials Science
Bonelike polymer supports stem cells
A polymer scaffold that mimics the environment in which natural bone grows provides stem cells with the right cues to lay down new bone.
- Materials Science
Glass materials let Venetian art shine
Sixteenth-century Venetian painters mixed glassy materials with their paints to expand their palettes and enhance the vibrancy of their colors.
- Materials Science
Mussel glue inspires coating for medical implants
An antifouling coating inspired by the sticky adhesive secreted by mussels could protect future medical implants from failure.
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Kibble for Thought: Dog diversity prompts new evolution theory
A genetic mutation that researchers have examined in several dog breeds may drive evolution in many other species.
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Immigration Blues: Born in the USA—Mental-health deficit
A wide array of psychological disorders occur at a higher rate among the U.S.-born offspring of immigrants than among the immigrants themselves, a national study finds.
- Astronomy
People, Not Robots: Panel favors shuttle mission to Hubble
Sharply challenging NASA on the issue of safety in space, a National Academy of Sciences panel has recommended that the agency send astronauts to repair and upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope rather than send a robotic device.
- Health & Medicine
Birth Dilemma: Doctors weigh pros and cons of cesareans
Women attempting a vaginal birth after a cesarean delivery have more uterine ruptures and other complications than do women undergoing a second cesarean section.
- Ecosystems
The Birds Are Falling: Avian losses could hit ecosystems hard
If many bird populations dip toward extinction in the coming century, widespread harm could come to ecosystems that depend on these birds.
- Tech
Magnetic Bit Boost: Quantum rewiring for computer memories
A quantum-mechanical memory component that might replace electronic computer memories has come closer to practicality.
- Earth
Ancient Heights: Leaf fossils track elevation changes
A new technique using altitude-dependent differences in fossil leaves may make it possible to chronicle the rise and fall of mountain ranges over millions of years.
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Sit, Stay, Speak
If dogs could verbally comment on the scientific study of canine minds and how they really think, it might sound something like this.
- Physics
An Electron Runs through It
Now that physicists can observe electrons beneath the surface of microchips, they have uncovered electron-flow patterns that are both surprising and visually startling, as well as new details of electron behavior that may lead to faster electronics and quantum computing.
- Animals
Song Fights
Birds settle many of their disputes by some rough-and-tough singing bouts, and recording equipment now lets researchers pick a song fight, too.
- Humans
Letters from the December 18 & 25, 2004, issue of Science News
Think fast “Car deaths rise days after terror attacks” (SN: 10/9/04, p. 237: Car deaths rise days after terror attacks) mentions that the traffic volume was reduced following the attacks, yet fails to mention another likely factor in the increased deaths: Less traffic usually results in higher average speeds. Del DietrichSan Jose, Calif. Our sun, […]
