News
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Deaf kids establish own sign language
Deaf children in Nicaragua display evidence of having created a fully grammatical sign language on their own in under 2 decades.
By Bruce Bower -
Health & Medicine
Synthetic protein may yield malaria vaccine
A molecule patterned after part of the parasite that causes most severe malaria induces a strong immune response in people.
By Nathan Seppa -
Bacteria live inside bacteria in mealybug
In a new twist on how life forms can exploit each other and with implications for how complex cells originated, scientists have discovered one bacterium living inside another.
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Planetary Science
Craft tracks giant dust storm on Mars
The largest dust storm observed on Mars in 25 years is now engulfing the Red Planet.
By Ron Cowen -
Tech
Setting electronics in artificial stone
Electronics components made of Portland cement may one day be part of buildngs and roadways that double as gargantuan sensors or other current-carrying devices.
By Peter Weiss -
New Antibiotics Take Poke at Bacteria
Small rings of amino acids can self-assemble into tubes that punch holes in bacteria.
By John Travis -
Tech
Having gathered moss, water drops roll
A coating of water-repellent powder transforms water droplets into remarkably mobile and resiliant balls, hoops, or peanut-shaped blobs.
By Peter Weiss -
Tech
Biotechnology may fortify U.S. Army
A government-sponsored study says the U.S. Army may benefit from advances in biotechnology during the next 25 years, including sensors that identify soldiers by the food they ate, protein-based computers, near-instant vaccines, and automated wound treatments.
By Peter Weiss -
Astronomy
Bow-wowing them with radar
The sharpest radar image ever of an asteroid shows features on 1999 KW4 as small as 7.5 meters—about the length of a stretch limo.
By Ron Cowen -
Depression therapies converge in brain
Depressed people who benefit from either talk therapy or antidepressant drug treatment may experience similar brain changes, according to a pair of new studies.
By Bruce Bower -
Health & Medicine
Herpes virus homes in on cancer target
Herpes simplex virus 1 has an affinity for cells with a mutation that marks many tumors, indicating how the virus may be refined as a cancer therapy and that certain new drugs might attack herpes itself.
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Astronomy
Landing data confirm Eros’ primitive nature
Gamma rays detected by the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft after it landed on asteroid 433 Eros add to evidence that the rock is unaltered since the birth of the solar system.
By Ron Cowen