News
- Health & Medicine
Pig-cell grafts ease symptoms of Parkinson’s
Pig brain cells transplanted into the brains of patients with advanced Parkinson's disease help some of the patients regain mobility and the ability to do basic tasks.
By Nathan Seppa -
Cloned pigs, down on the corporate farm
A biotech company announced the first cloning of pigs.
By John Travis -
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.
By Corinna Wu -
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.
By John Travis - 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.
By Susan Milius - 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.
By Nathan Seppa - 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.
By Ron Cowen - 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.
By Sid Perkins - 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.
By Bruce Bower