Letters to the Editor
- Humans
Letters from the April 17, 2004, issue of Science News
Sphere criticism In “Candy Science: M&Ms pack more tightly than spheres” (SN: 2/14/04, p. 102: Candy Science: M&Ms pack more tightly than spheres), I read that an orb of a given size, when slightly flattened, will pack more densely than when perfectly round. No kidding? Do you suppose if we were to crush cars into […]
- Humans
Letters from the April 10, 2004, issue of Science News
Inaction verbs? Regarding “The Brain’s Word Act: Reading verbs revs up motor cortex areas” (SN: 2/7/04, p. 83: The Brain’s Word Act: Reading verbs revs up motor cortex areas), did the researchers image the brains of disabled people who know the meaning of a verb but can’t perform the action, or of people without any […]
-
19403
In this article, the photo comparison of the dam site is deceptive because the two photos of the same spot appear to have been taken during different seasons. Hence, the lower photo shows a scene that appears excessively desolate, but not because of the loss of the dam. Michael C. ReedKalamazoo, Mich.
-
19402
When I was a teenager, I lived with a brown capuchin monkey. Among other games, we enjoyed trading: his poker chips for my food. When he was out of poker chips, he would improvise by finding pebbles, paper, toys, and other household detritus to trade. When all was traded into my pile, he would give […]
-
19401
It should have come as no surprise that the rat’s DNA had “changed much more than the human genome had since the two species diverged from a common ancestor” considering how many more breeding cycles the rat has experienced since that time. Joe HaltonAnacortes, Wash. The shorter generation time of rodents can’t by itself explain […]
-
19400
Using laser technology that has an apparent resolution of only about half a centimeter is somewhat laughable. I also wondered whether the “fresh coat of desert varnish” was an April fool joke. Actually, I really look forward to every new issue. You do a great job. Fred DombroseCharlotte, N.C. For images that weren’t three-dimensional, the […]
-
19399
Again, humans are implicated in the promotion and distribution of our own misery. However, if bitumen was wrongly credited with darkening the skin of mummified remains, what caused it? Robert FizekNewton, Mass. The coating on the mummies was actually a rub made up of oils, spices, salts, and tree resins. These substances, particularly the resins, […]
- Humans
Letters from the April 3, 2004, issue of Science News
Lack of data? Something jumped out at me from “Telltale Charts: Is anticipating heart disease as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4?” (SN: 1/31/04, p. 72: Telltale Charts). It’s that there were no published data supporting the 50 percent rule taught for years in medical schools. I think this speaks volumes about science and medicine […]
-
19398
In this article, the thesis is that wolves hunt in packs because they lose less of a carcass to ravens (37 percent loss per pair versus 17 percent loss per pack). Yet the article also states that it’s more energy efficient for wolves to hunt in pairs and that a pack is not needed to […]
-
19397
Wait a minute. Your article first indicates a 15.6 percent rise in the U.S. population between 1990 and 2002 but then goes on to claim an increase at “faster rates” in coastal counties: 13.3 percent. Richard LaatschOxford, Ohio The 13.3 percent rise in population is only for the 330 counties that touch the coastline. The […]
-
19396
This article doesn’t mention that 13 to 20 percent of women with heavy menstrual periods have a common but often undiagnosed bleeding disorder called von Willebrand disease. Because this disorder is often treatable by medication, many of the hysterectomies performed to stop bleeding could be prevented. The National Hemophilia Foundation and its local chapters are […]
- Humans
Letters from the March 27, 2004, issue of Science News
Nobody’s board The article “Danger on Deck?” (SN: 1/31/04, p. 74: Danger on Deck?), or at least part of it, could have been titled “Danger on Dock” or maybe “Danger under Dock.” After reading about how chromated-copper arsenate (CCA) is leached from the wood, I began wondering how it affects aquatic organisms. Many fish, especially […]
