Letters to the Editor
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19697
It’s true that as we grow older, many aggravations that we used to take seriously seem to lose edge. Some of us, however, become grumpy, cantankerous oldsters. It’s generally recognized that a positive outlook on life has a favorable effect on general health. If that’s correct, then the “mellow oldsters” might have been a self-selected […]
- Humans
Letters from the June 24, 2006, issue of Science News
Timely suggestions Clock time has long been out of step with the heavens (“To Leap or Not to Leap,” SN: 4/22/06, p. 248). Since the adoption of time zones in the 19th century, we have accepted disparities of as much as 30 minutes at the edges of the time zones (more in some cases since […]
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19696
The possible link between coffee consumption and reduced occurrence of alcohol-related cirrhosis seems worthy of further study. Although the beneficial effect may be due to any of a variety of coffee ingredients, it would seem rather straightforward to investigate a correlation in caffeinated and decaffeinated beverages. Wayne H. Warren Jr.Greenbelt, Md. Since tea consumption didn’t […]
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19695
Information, and especially pictures, of these strange mammals is always of interest. I wanted to check on the statement about “several dozen species in sub-Saharan Africa.” Alas, I was unable to do so. Science News hadn’t bothered to include either generic or specific names for any species discussed. How unfortunate to have this very important […]
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19694
I learned that there are three types of birds: eagles, ducks, and tweety birds. To claim that all modern birds evolved from aquatic ancestors based on a 110-million-year-old fossil seems presumptuous. John St. ClaireCardiff-by-the-Sea, Calif.
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19693
With the known link of asbestos to lung cancer, the new finding mentioned in this article that many other diseases can be caused by asbestos only serves as fodder for litigation, clogging of our legal system, and, unfortunately, more enrichment of trial lawyers instead of asbestos victims. Nelson MaransSilver Spring, Md.
- Humans
Letters from the June 17, 2006, issue of Science News
Cuts on the bias After taking some of the bias tests, I am very skeptical (“The Bias Finders: A test of unconscious attitudes polarizes psychologists,” SN: 4/22/06, p. 250). Since the major tool is speed of reaction, and since my eyes are not too good now, the results were very curious and probably totally unreliable: […]
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19692
In this article, Alycia Weinberger says, “The discovery of a disk around the planetary-mass companion to 2M1207 should be a bit of a relief to planet-formation theorists” because it casts doubt on the object being a planet. But wouldn’t our early solar system have been composed of at least two planets, Jupiter and Saturn, that […]
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19691
Tiktaalik may not have left the water by choice, to avoid predators, or to get more oxygen. Instead, it might have found itself left behind on a muddy floodplain each time waters receded with the tide. Tiktaalik ‘s “limbs” were probably first developed to survive in an environment that required bracing and stabilizing against currents, […]
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19688
Reading the June 10 issue, I was prepared to catch the Simpsonesque spoof (blunder?) in this article. Perhaps the creature had up to 748 legs, or possibly up to 752 legs, but not “up to 750 legs.” David ClarkLititz, Pa. Researcher Paul Marek of East Carolina University explains that Illacme plenipes has four legs per […]
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19690
The article leads me to ask if this explains the efficacy of that standard home remedy for preventing urinary tract infections: cranberry juice. Does it contain a cathelicidin mimic or some irritant that (benignly) stimulates cathelicidin secretions? Gregory HonchulWest Liberty, Ky. There is evidence that the juice can thwart bladder infections, but the mechanism appears […]
- Humans
Letters from the June 10, 2006, issue of Science News
Know the drill Could it be that the ancient teeth discovered with drill marks but no signs of fillings (“Mystery Drilling: Ancient teeth endured dental procedures,” SN: 4/8/06, p. 213) were drilled to relieve abscesses? On a long holiday weekend years ago, a dentist opened and drained an abscess for me until I could get […]
