Letters to the Editor

19214

Your article refers to “the current theory that high intelligence arises from the coating of brain cells with especially large amounts of the fatty substance called myelin.” As a person with multiple sclerosis, anything about myelin interests me greatly, yet I have never heard of this. Marion Leeds Carroll Arlington, Mass. For more, see Daniele […]

19173

Erik Trinkaus argues that fossil evidence shows signs of considerable interbreeding of Neandertals and modern humans. However, I don’t believe that proves we could have Neandertal ancestors. Couldn’t crossbreeding result in sterile offspring, such as is seen in mules? Anne Wittke Flagstaff, Ariz. Sure. Trinkaus argues, however, that the presence of Neandertal traits on the […]

19162

I think that your readers should be aware that this article on beach erosion is based upon a report by the Heinz Center for Science that’s being widely disputed. Susan Halsey’s opinion that nothing can be done to stop these losses is in direct conflict with a National Research Council report, “Beach Nourishment and Protection,” […]

19209

Your article says that “lactose, a sugar in milk, commonly elicits allergic reactions.” Lactose and many other carbohydrates don’t elicit an allergic response. Jonathan StapleyWest Lafayette, Ind. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest significant amounts of lactose because there’s a shortage of an enzyme that breaks down milk sugar. This condition shouldn’t have been […]

19172

I was encouraged to read this article. I’ve often wondered when researchers outside addiction research would realize type II diabetes is the result of addiction to foods that chronically elevate insulin levels, thus acting as antidepressants. Once physicians recognize carbohydrate abuse as drug abuse, we’ll be better situated to provide appropriate interventions. Betty Streett Clarksdale, […]

19171

After reading this article, I couldn’t believe that the manuscript didn’t identify the chemical substance involved. Eck Prud’hommeFort Worth, Texas The amino acid mentioned in the story is p -aminophenylalanine .–J. Gorman

19208

I wonder whether researchers offer any recommendations based on a difference in effect between ingesting vitamin A and beta-carotene. Do people who consume large amounts of yellow vegetables, for example, put themselves at risk? Mary A. TurzilloBerea, Ohio Yellow fruits and vegetables contain large amounts of the vitamin A precursor beta-carotene. However, says Margo Denke […]

19170

Researchers’ conclusions in this article that there is a “need to revisit controversial claims about the health benefits and risks of bed sharing for babies” seem to me to miss the point. The health benefits and risks of any sleeping environment should be of concern. Focusing solely on bed sharing implies that crib use is […]

19161

You are usually pretty good at explaining things to those of us outside the hard sciences, but the speed of gravity? Speed of light OK, but what is the speed of gravity? Robert L. SchragNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, N.C. An object with mass creates a gravitational field around itself. Imagine that the object moves; then, […]

19160

I found the “stats” about blood donors and patients in this article misleading, with the implication that 8 million volunteer donors are more than enough for 4.5 million patients. A comparison of how many people donate blood during their lives and how many people need blood donations during theirs might have been more informative. We […]

19207

The negotiators of the global persistent organic pollutants (POPs) treaty will include country-specific exemptions for continued use of DDT for malaria control in the approximately two dozen countries still using it. Nevertheless, your article also notes that DDT may soon be unavailable in many malaria-stricken regions. To address this concern, countries should consider some form […]

19206

Your article has a picture of a “deer stone.” On it are engraved designs of reindeer that bear an astonishing resemblance to a tattoo borne by the 2,400-year old mummy discovered in 1993 in central Asia. Was this noticed by the researchers? Michelle BlanchardOlympia, Wash. Absolutely. William Fitzhugh, an expedition leader, says he was struck […]