News

  1. Planetary Science

    Meteoric wallop may have diversified life

    A new study suggests that the evolutionary burst on Earth some 540 million years ago occurred around the time that cosmic debris began pummeling our planet at an increasing rate.

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  2. Materials Science

    Rice hulls could nourish Silicon Valley

    Scientists are developing ways to extract and purify the silicon that occurs naturally in rice hulls.

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  3. Earth

    Pollution Keeps Rain up in the Air

    New satellite data indicate that aerosol pollution can break up water droplets in clouds and stop rain.

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  4. Corn Defenses: Bitten plants deploy gut-rotting enzyme

    Some corn varieties that arose on the Caribbean island of Antigua defend themselves with chemical attacks that leave insect gut linings in tatters.