News
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Researchers enjoy bitter taste of success
Scientists have identified a large family of proteins that work as taste receptors for bitterness.
- Chemistry
Buckyballs Can Come from Outer Space
A new analysis settles the question of whether carbon molecules found in meteorites have an extraterrestrial origin.
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Gender Gap: Parasites’ bias for big animals gives female mammals longevity
Parasites infect male mammals more often than females, possibly contributing to the tendency among mammals of males to die earlier than females.
- Animals
Eat the Kids: Are cannibal fish just freshening the O2?
In beaugregory damselfish, males that snack on some of the eggs supposedly in their care may end up benefiting the rest of the egg clutch by making more oxygen available.
- Chemistry
The Dirt on Art: Chemists test laser cleanup of paintings
A new experiment shows that lasers can be a safe tool for cleaning paintings.
- Health & Medicine
Acetaminophen in Action: Effect on an enzyme may stop pain, lower fever
The discovery of an enzyme scientists are calling cyclooxygenase-3, which is disabled by acetaminophen, might explain why this drug can stop pain and fever but not inflammation.
- Astronomy
Hole in the Middle: Are midsize black holes the missing link?
Two teams of astronomers reported that they had confirmed the existence of a new class of black hole.
- Earth
Cancer Causer? Researchers zero in on leukemia risks
Researchers add to mounting evidence that household pesticide exposure may be a significant risk factor for childhood leukemia.
- Paleontology
Veggie Bites: Fossil suggests carnivorous dinosaurs begat vegetarian kin
Chinese rocks have yielded fossil remains of a creature that had rodentlike incisors and a hefty overbite, providing the first distinct dental evidence for plant-eating habits among theropod dinosaurs.
- Anthropology
Court releases ancient skeleton
A judge's decision gives scientists the right to study the 9,000-year-old skeleton dubbed Kennewick Man rather than turn the remains over to a coalition of Native American tribes for reburial.
- Astronomy
Reflecting on the Kuiper belt
A new study suggests that at least some members of the Kuiper belt, the reservoir of comets and other frozen objects that lie beyond the orbit of Neptune, reflect more sunlight and are considerably smaller than previously calculated.
- Health & Medicine
Herbal cancer remedy is chock full of drugs
An herbal remedy that had been popular among prostate cancer patients was tainted with three synthetic drugs.
