News
- Planetary Science
A moon with atmosphere
Magnetic measurements by the Cassini spacecraft have revealed that Saturn's moon Enceladus has a tenuous atmosphere containing water vapor.
- Earth
Blowflies shed mercury at maturity
Blowflies that absorb mercury from fish carcasses they feed on as larvae rid themselves of much of that toxic metal when they become adults.
- Chemistry
Color Trails: Natural dyes in historic textiles get a closer look
A new chemical technique for extracting natural dyes from ancient textiles could help identify the plant species from which the colorants came.
- Animals
Fish Din: Reef clamor attracts young fish settlers
When looking for a home, young fish seem to prefer a reef that's alive with the sounds of shrimp and fish rather than a quieter environment.
- Tech
Open Sesame: Portable devices may achieve magnetic resonance views
Top-notch magnetic resonance sensing now found only in hospitals and chemical labs may become available in portable devices, thanks to a new type of magnetic sensor.
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Remote Control Minds: Light flashes direct fruit fly behavior
Researchers have exerted a little mind control over fruit flies by designing and installing genetic 'remote controls' within the insects' brains.
- Astronomy
Stellar Question: Extrasolar planet or failed star?
A tiny dot of light next to a young, sunlike star might be the long-sought image of an extrasolar planet.
- Health & Medicine
Molecular Switch: Protein may influence chronic-pain disorder
A cell-surface protein found in the nervous system may play a central role in a chronic-pain condition known as neuropathy.
- Anthropology
Untangling Ancient Roots: Earliest hominid shows new, improved face
New fossil finds and a digitally reconstructed skull bolster the claim that the oldest known member of the human evolutionary family lived in central Africa between 6 million and 7 million years ago.
- Physics
Lone protein molecule could tip this scale
A scale-on-a-chip capable of weighing individual, biologically active proteins took a step closer to reality as a minuscule, vibrating bridge detected the mass of a mere 30 xenon atoms.
- Physics
Tense encounters drive a nanomotor
Exploiting the relative strength of surface tension forces in the world of tiny objects, a novel type of nanomotor creates a powerful thrust each time molten metal droplets merge.
- Health & Medicine
Detecting cancer in a flash
Instant identification of cancer cells may become possible following experiments demonstrating that healthy and cancerous cells alter laser light in different, and distinguishable, ways.
