Letters to the Editor
- Humans
Letters from the March 17, 2007, issue of Science News
Disputable thesis “Counterintuitive Toxicity: Increasingly, scientists are finding that they can’t predict a poison’s low-dose effects” (SN: 1/20/07, p. 40) took a wrong turn into Hormesis Swamp. The hormesis thesis has been thoroughly discredited by all major radiation organizations and professional societies, and its past conferences have been sponsored by tobacco companies and the U.S. […]
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19805
A better title for this article might be “Mendelian Cowbirds.” By reducing the number of successful hatches and subsequent offspring of any parent birds that kick the interlopers’ eggs out of their nests, the cowbirds are (unintentionally) reducing the expression of that behavior in the next generation of potential foster families. W. Gregory StewartLos Angeles, […]
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19804
What were the ages of the people in the study? Henry Dieter WeinschelLas Cruces, N.M. The participants, whose muscle cells showed several more-youthful signs if they ate fewer calories, were 35 to 38 years old. —P. Barry
- Humans
Letters from the March 10, 2007, issue of Science News
Cosmic cling At least on Earth, rock impacts result in charging of the particles (“Rocky Finding: Evidence of extrasolar asteroid belt,” SN: 1/6/07, p. 5). In space, wouldn’t this have a great effect on the motion of the rocks? Stuart HoenigTucson, Ariz. According to researchers, it’s true that the electrostatic charging of space dust and […]
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19803
To discourage poaching, authorities in Zambia should subdue every elephant they can find, sedate it, harvest the ivory themselves, and sell it for revenue for animal-protection programs. That’s better than dead. Buz CraftWills Point, Texas
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19802
Among estrogenic pollutants, by far the worst offender is 17-alpha ethinyl estradiol, the most common estrogen in oral contraceptives used by tens of millions of women. This synthetic steroid is of necessity non-biodegradable, at least by human liver. Otherwise, it would not work as a pill. Joel BrindCity University of New YorkNew York, N.Y.
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19801
This article describes an elegant study. I found the 7 percent addiction-susceptible figure interestingly similar to the 10 percent of people who drink alcohol who become addicted. I wonder if similar percentages of other species are impulsive and vulnerable. Ellen WaggenerPoughkeepsie, N.Y.
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19800
E. Fred Schubert and his colleagues are to be congratulated for developing an improved antireflective coating. But the coating would not make a lens “absorb” more light. Rather, it would help the lens “propagate” the light. Nathaniel L. CohenSan Diego, Calif. “Absorb” probably was a poor word choice in reference to a lens. The point […]
- Humans
Letters from the March 3, 2007, issue of Science News
Up, down, around I haven’t seen any reference to the similarity between the “morphing” wing (“Ahead of the Curve: Novel morphing wing may reduce aircraft’s fuel use,” SN: 12/23&30/06, p. 406) and the “warping” wing that the Wright brothers used on their gliders and powered aircraft. It seems we’ve come full circle in our quest […]
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19799
This article reports on new age dates for Clovis sites. It may be of interest to your readers that the dates given (11,050 to 10,900 years ago) are in “radiocarbon years” and are not in real or “calendar years.” As a result of variations in the production of carbon-14 in the atmosphere through time, radiocarbon […]
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19798
Your article shows that meerkats bear an uncanny resemblance to human beings. We, too, have an innate sense of responsibility for our group and individually commit acts of unspeakable violence. John HagerhorstFrederick, Md.
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19797
Your article mentioned choline as a possible treatment. This is not a new idea, as I found while searching the Science News Web site: In the June 22, 1935, issue, choline is reported as “a new aid in controlling diabetes.” Dr. C.H. Best, codiscoverer of insulin, reported the new finding. Daniel VanceCleveland, Tenn.
