News
- Life
Pigeons’ prominent plumage traces to one gene
A mutation responsible for ruffs, crests and collars appears to have arisen once and then passed among species through breeding.
- Space
An atom sheds light on neutron stars
By measuring a neutron-rich atom on Earth, astronomers virtually dig into the crust of dead stars.
- Health & Medicine
Specialized nerve fibers send touchy-feely messages to brain
Nerve fibers send pleasure signal to brain when mice get caressed.
- Earth
Warmer is not always wetter
Compared to global warming caused by solar radiation, global warming caused by greenhouse gases results in less rainfall, simulations suggest.
- Space
Scale weighs black holes better than before
Microwave telescopes on the ground determine the masses of supermassive objects millions of light-years away.
- Humans
Some chores linked to less sex
Husbands who do more household chores make love less often, a new study suggests.
- Humans
Published clinical trials shown to be misleading
A comparison of internal and public reports about Pfizer’s drug Neurontin reveals many discrepancies.
- Animals
Cats kill more than one billion birds each year
New analysis doubles estimate of avian death tolls, revealing that hunting felines take bigger bite out of wildlife than expected.
- Life
Caribbean’s coral reefs approach tipping point
A survey of 19 colonies suggests many may soon begin to shrink.
- Life
Chimps’ baby teeth don’t predict weaning
The age at which a chimpanzee gets its first molar tooth doesn't predict when it will stop nursing.
- Earth
Human-made waste heat warms climate
Energy dissipated as heat in cities can cause regional temperature changes, simulations suggest.
- Health & Medicine
Deep brain stimulation improves autistic boy’s symptoms
Electrodes surgically implanted in the brain could treat severe cases of autism.
