Letters to the Editor
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19732
This article states that gamma-ray bursts are “a million trillion times as bright as the sun.” The sun is so bright that humans can’t look directly at it from 93 million miles away. How can we possibly wrap our minds around something a million trillion times brighter? Astronomy is great. Donald KaufmannPhiladelphia, Pa. ?
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19731
This article says that people with bipolar disorder tend to have more lost workdays than those with major depression do. The data shows this is true. However, the authors point out that in the sample of 3,378 workers, 1 percent suffered from bipolar disorder while 6 percent experienced major depression. Clearly, the greater impact on […]
- Humans
Letters from the September 23, 2006, issue of Science News
Moo juiced? I live in Northern California, where forest-biomass power plants are common (“Radiation Redux: Forest fires remobilize fallout from bomb tests,” SN: 7/15/06, p. 38). One power plant takes the ashes that result and places them where cows forage. I’m wondering to what level of concentration this process will accumulate the cesium in organic […]
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19730
If your cell phone battery is depleted for no obvious reason, another possibility is an attack by law enforcement. Special firmware may have been surreptitiously downloaded into your phone, turning it into a bug that operates even if the phone appears to be off. Steven R. NewcombBlacksburg, Va.
- Humans
Letters from the September 16, 2006, issue of Science News
Hot topic It seems more likely that a decline of total precipitation and humidity would be the direct cause of both temperature and fire incidence (“The Long Burn: Warming drove recent upswing in wildfires,” SN: 7/8/06, p. 19). It is fashionable to blame every weather problem on greenhouse gases and global warming, but in this […]
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19729
This article tells us, “Because the moons of Uranus orbit at the planet’s equator, the sun seldom illuminates them directly.” I think what you mean is that the moons seldom pass directly between Uranus and the sun. But surely the sun still illuminates them, even when they’re not casting shadows on the planet. Gregory KusnickSeattle, […]
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19728
I find it interesting that when we didn’t find as much deuterium as we expected near the sun, we assumed it’s hidden by dust. But there didn’t seem to be any real proof that it is indeed hidden by the dust. I am not convinced. Eric AdamsDelray Beach, Fla.
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19727
This article cites evidence of a severe genetic bottleneck, suggesting that perhaps no more than three pregnant females launched the expanding western Atlantic red lionfish population. How can there be “pregnant females” in an animal with the external fertilization described in the article? Do you mean a founder population of as few as three individuals? […]
- Humans
Letters from the September 9, 2006, issue of Science News
Brother bother If having biological older brothers correlates to homosexuality (“Gay Males’ Sibling Link: Men’s homosexuality tied to having older brothers,” SN: 7/1/06, p. 3), then we would expect that in the past, when families were larger, there would be a greater proportion of homosexuals. Is there any evidence for this? Rick NorwoodMountain Home, Tenn. […]
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19726
I was sorry to learn Pluto did not qualify as a planet (“New Solar System? Twelve planets and counting,” SN: 8/19/06, p. 115, and this article). Pluto has a diameter comparable with the Earth’s moon. The size of our moon relative to Earth might cause any observer to consider Earth and its moon as double […]
- Humans
Letters from the September 2, 2006, issue of Science News
B line “A Vexing Enigma: New insights confront chronic fatigue syndrome” (SN: 7/1/06, p. 10) implies that there’s not an available cure for chronic fatigue syndrome. I was amazed to find no mention of vitamin B12. I can attest to the remarkable effect. Earl L. PyeOak Hills, Calif. Limited evidence suggests that vitamin B12 absorption […]
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19725
From literature I’ve reviewed, there can be significant differences between small-building cooling towers and large cooling towers—at a power plant, for instance. A large cooling tower is designed with significantly more water circulation, flushing, and chemical treatment that reduce the potential for pathogens. The researchers should be encouraged to not lump all “cooling towers” in […]
