Letters to the Editor

19011

I was surprised to learn that scientists have yet to solve the secret of why the moon looks larger when rising. Years ago, I was told by a teacher that the moon looks biggest when rising (or setting) because the observer is looking through more atmosphere, and thus its light is scattered more, changing its […]

19010

This article describes the myelin sheath as “made of protein.” However, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (online) provides the following definition of myelin: “a soft white somewhat fatty material …” (emphasis added). Ann M. ThrockmortonLa Mesa, Calif. That’s right. There was an oversimplification in the story. Myelin is made up mostly of lipids .–D. Christensen

19009

I am puzzled at the great concern over the problem of mercury thermometers, as noted in this article. I grant that mercury is a hazard, and I am glad that mercury thermometers are disappearing. But I would think that fluorescent light bulbs are a far more pervasive problem. They also contain a small amount of […]

19071

This article would better have been titled “Deprivation of dietary antioxidants leads to selective tumor inhibition.” The issue of antioxidants and cancer is an area of controversy, but the great preponderance of literature on this subject supports the use of antioxidants as sole therapy and with conventional oncologic care. These effects have had limited usefulness […]

19064

I found this article enlightening. However, it should be noted that similar effects can be obtained at slower speeds using a towel in a locker room. Alan UnellLa Crescenta, Calif. The story ended by mentioning that researchers would be continuing to work on a computer model. Here’s some additional information you may wish to pass […]

19008

Typically, prescriptions come from pharmacies with warnings of harmful interactions with other drugs. However, in this article, pediatricians from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia report a dearth of information about safety or effectiveness of the stimulant Ritalin for kids with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder also being given nonstimulant psychoactive drugs. In southeastern Virginia, a pediatric psychologist found […]

19007

Immersive visualization environments such as CAVES can’t function without graphics supercomputers. Your article omitted the unifying factor behind all of its examples: the supercomputing power that made these environments possible. SGI is the company that provides the computer power behind the installations cited in the article. Chodi McReynolds, SGIMountain View, Calif.

19063

This article assumes that changes in the way the brain handles verbal responses are due to an inevitable “physical maturation.” I wonder to what extent these brain changes (and many others) are a side effect of literacy and what exactly are the trade-offs for learning how to read and write. This study could be made […]

19062

In this article, it struck me that the helicopter lander’s blades might be helped considerably by their undersides’ being dimpled like a golf ball. Those dimples supply significant lift during a ball’s flight. The helicopter wings would seem to benefit in the same way. I suspect that the dimples near the outer radius might be […]

19006

Linguistic cladistics? Based on vocabulary? Linguistic froth, such as loan words from other languages, frequently becomes a source of heated debate. The deep structures of language that can provide a relatively stable field for analysis are more subtle. These include verb-substantive-object order, verbs of giving or receiving, noun declensions, and the like. But even these […]

19005

Your article reports that, after infancy, humans have trouble recognizing facial differences between members of other species. Many of us commonly observe that people of other races than ourselves “all look alike” to us. Could this stem from lack of early exposure to others? Anecdotally, my wife, raised in a multiracial environment, has far less […]

19004

This article reported surprise in some at the power of placebos to improve depression. From a psychological perspective, the antidote to depression involves increasing experiences of nurturance and hope in a person anticipating a future that’s empty and depleting. What’s a placebo but food that a depressed person hopes will fix things? Could it possibly […]