Feature
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Health & MedicineAsthma Counterattack
After several experimental attempts, researchers finally have verified that fighting allergens in the household can reduce symptoms of asthma.
By Ben Harder -
EarthCan Banking Carbon Cool the Greenhouse?
Stockpiling carbon dioxide in plants and soil may be effective only for the short term, if at all.
By Sid Perkins -
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EcosystemsOne-Celled Socialites
A wave of research on the social lives of bacteria offers insights into the evolution of cooperation and may lead to medical breakthroughs that neutralize virulent bacterial strains.
By Bruce Bower -
Planetary ScienceA Titan of a Mission
On Jan. 14, a space probe will plunge through the thick atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan, looking for insights into the origins of life on Earth.
By Ron Cowen -
AgricultureFrozen Assets
A U.S. gene bank has begun deep-freezing semen and other livestock 'seed' for possible future use in research or breeding.
By Janet Raloff -
Health & MedicineAssault on Autism
A shift in scientific thinking about what causes autism is prompting a closer look at potential environmental factors.
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Health & MedicineWeight Matters, Even in the Womb
Status at birth can foreshadow illnesses decades later.
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Materials ScienceMaking Stuff Last
Chemistry and materials science step up to preserve history, old and new.
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Materials ScienceMetal Makeover
Metallic glasses with extraordinary strength and corrosion resistance have been known for decades, but only recently have researchers been able to make such alloys on a large scale from inexpensive iron.
By Peter Weiss -
AnimalsHide and See
A new look at fish on coral reefs considers the possibility that all that riotous color has its inconspicuous side.
By Susan Milius -
ChemistrySolar Hydrogen
With the vision of a hydrogen economy looming ever larger in people's minds, scientists have picked up the pace of their pursuit of materials that use solar energy to split water and make clean-burning hydrogen fuel.