Feature
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Sound Off
By using bits of RNA to eliminate the effects of selected genes, scientists are developing new ways to study gene function and treat diseases.
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ChemistryEnergy on Ice
Recent efforts to unlock a frozen source of natural gas deep under the permafrost and ocean floor have energized prospects for a methane-hydrate industry.
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Health & MedicineA Matter of Time
Some patients are diagnosed with severe heart attacks in or near hospitals that can't offer them the best treatment, but is emergency transport to a better-equipped facility worth the delay?
By Ben Harder -
Health & MedicineStriking a Better Bargain with HIV
Because a drug frequently used to block the transmission of HIV from mother to infant may have negative consequences for the mothers, researchers are looking for inexpensive treatments that will benefit both mother and child.
By Ben Harder -
MathPieces of Numbers
A long-sought proof has forged an intriguing link between numbers expressed as sums and as products.
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AnthropologyFaithful Ancestors
A controversial fossil analysis supports the view that, more than 3 million years ago, human ancestors living in eastern Africa favored long-term mating partnerships.
By Bruce Bower -
AnimalsComeback Bird
Looking for a long-lost woodpecker had its special challenges, including anticipating what would happen if the hunt actually succeeded.
By Susan Milius -
TechMorphing Memory
A promising memory technology for future portable gadgets exploits the same atom-shuffling materials that have already led to rewritable CDs and DVDs.
By Peter Weiss -
EcosystemsEmpty Nets
New research has begun challenging long-held assumptions about the consequences for fish stocks of harvesting the biggest fish first.
By Janet Raloff -
Health & MedicineUs against Them
New antibiotics may be valuable weapons in the fight against tougher bacteria.
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Planetary ScienceRoving on the Red Planet
Scientists review the discoveries made by the Mars rovers after nearly 18 months on the Red Planet.
By Ron Cowen -
PhysicsMolecular Anatomy Revealed
Using ever-faster lasers to zap the electron clouds in atoms and molecules, scientists are making major strides toward observing and controlling the elementary quantum transformations that underlie all of chemistry.
By Peter Weiss