News
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Brief diet alters gene activity
Even a short-term diet may activate anti-aging genes.
By John Travis -
Homing in on a longevity gene
A gene on chromosome 4 may help people live to an old age.
By John Travis -
Embryo stem cells turned to blood
Human embryonic stem cells may provide a new source of blood and bone marrow.
By John Travis -
Health & Medicine
Painkillers may damage hearts
A retrospective study suggests that commonly used painkillers called COX-2 inhibitors may slightly increase a person's risk of having a heart attack.
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Health & Medicine
Placebos are dead, long live placebos
A study provides new evidence for the placebo effect and suggests a mechanism through which placebos might benefit patients with Parkinson's disease.
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Planetary Science
Galileo finds spires on Callisto
The sharpest images ever taken of Jupiter's icy moon Callisto show a group of features never seen before on the remote body—icy, knoblike spires that show signs of slow but steady erosion.
By Ron Cowen -
Astronomy
X rays trace fierce stellar winds
A high-resolution X-ray view of the Rosette nebula, a nearby star-forming region, has revealed for the first time that the stellar winds from massive stars heat surrounding gas to a scorching 6 million kelvins.
By Ron Cowen -
Chemistry
Novel material fights against cavities
A new material that dentists might eventually put under fillings and braces secretes calcium and phosphate ions to rebuild teeth as cavities form.
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Chemistry
Argon keeps chips and lettuce crisp
A new technique replaces the air in food packages with argon instead of widely used nitrogen, improving taste and shelf life.
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Chemistry
Tiny spheres may deliver oral insulin
Researchers have developed microscopic spheres that can sneak insulin past the stomach so it can be absorbed in the small intestine.
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Health & Medicine
Study challenges surgery for lung disease
Patients with the most severe emphysema shouldn't undergo major surgery that removes part of their damaged lungs.
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Health & Medicine
Walking and eating for better health
A low-fat diet and regular exercise can ward off diabetes in people at high risk of developing the disease.
By Susan Milius