News
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PaleontologyNo Olympian: Analysis hints T. rex ran slowly, if at all
Tyrannosaurus rex, a bipedal meat eater considered by many to be the most fearsome dinosaur of its day, may not have been the swift Jeep-chaser portrayed by Hollywood.
By Sid Perkins -
Health & MedicineMore good news about chocolate
The Kuna people of Central America appear to keep their blood pressure down by drinking cocoa rich in chemicals called flavanols.
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ChemistryWheat protein smooths ice cream
Proteins extracted from winter wheat keep ice cream smooth by preventing ice crystals from growing.
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EarthEl Niño’s coming! Is that so bad?
Although El Niño is often blamed for ill effects that total billions of dollars, a broader analysis suggests that the United States garners substantial benefits during this weather pattern.
By Sid Perkins -
Health & MedicineCoffee beans, cavity-causing germs
Compounds in coffee loosen the grip of bacteria that cause tooth decay.
By Ben Harder -
TechLittlest catalysts get a lot of support
Tiny metal clusters used as catalysts are getting so small that presumably inert carrier materials that host them are also getting involved in the reactions.
By Peter Weiss -
Health & MedicineHigh homocysteine tied to Alzheimer’s
Research has linked the incidence of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia to elevated blood concentrations of the amino acid homocysteine.
By Nathan Seppa -
Encouraging signs but no woodpecker
A birding team searching in Louisiana for the possibly extinct ivory-billed woodpecker heard a promising pattern of taps but did not see the bird or hear it calling.
By Susan Milius -
Health & MedicineVaccine Power: Immune cells target cancerous tissue
Researchers are enlisting a person's own immune system to attack prostate tissue, including cancerous cells.
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EcosystemsCryptic Invasion: Native reeds harbor aggressive alien
A mild-mannered reed native to the United States is getting blamed for the mayhem caused by an evil twin.
By Susan Milius -
HumansAnd Counting . . . : Latest census resets U.S. population clock
The 2000 census missed a little more than 1 percent of the nation’s population, due in part to a surge of undocumented immigrants to the United States in the late 1990s.
By Sid Perkins -
ArchaeologyAlmond Joy, Stone Age Style: Our ancestors had a bash eating wild nuts
New finds at a 780,000-year-old Israeli site indicate that its ancient residents used stone tools to crack open a variety of hard-shelled nuts that were gathered as a dietary staple.
By Bruce Bower