News

  1. Native signers may get right-brain aid

    Controversial brain-imaging data suggest that the right side of the brain contributes to the grammatical skills of people who grow up using sign language.

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  2. Neural peek at anxious, depressed kids

    A brain structure called the amygdala may play an influential role in severe cases of childhood anxiety and depression.

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  3. Foster infants retain security option

    As late as age 18 months, foster infants quickly develop a secure relationship with a nurturing foster mother.

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  4. Math

    Searchers capture a champion megaprime

    A participant in the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search set the record for the largest known prime number, which runs to 4,053,946 decimal digits.

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  5. Tech

    Fly lends an ear to microphone design

    The unique way some flies localize sound has inspired engineers to design tiny directional microphones for hearing aids and surveillance devices.

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  6. Health & Medicine

    Surprise! Fat proves a taste sensation

    The share of consumed fat that travels into a person's bloodstream depends on whether the person tasted fat to begin with.

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  7. Health & Medicine

    Delayed surgery aids spinal cord repair

    Postponing surgery to repair a severed spinal cord in rats improves the likelihood that the operation will counteract the injury.

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  8. Materials Science

    Synthetic molecules mimic bone growth

    Researchers have created molecules that assemble into a microscopic structure that mimics bone.

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  9. Animals

    Female ducks can double eggs by trickery

    Female goldeneye ducks can double their offspring by sneaking eggs into other females' nests before settling down to a nest of their own.

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  10. Astronomy

    X-ray craft sees Venus in whole new light

    Astronomers have unveiled the first X-ray image of Venus.

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  11. Anthropology

    Human evolution put brakes on tooth growth

    A new analysis of fossil teeth indicates that the slower pace of dental development observed in people today dates back only about 100,000 years.

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  12. Animals

    New lizard ties for ‘world’s smallest’

    A newly discovered lizard small enough to curl up on a dime ties for the title of the smallest of its kind in the world.

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