News
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PsychologyThinking better with depression
Study suggests people with the mood disorder have an advantage when making certain decisions.
By Bruce Bower -
ChemistrySpray of zinc marks fertilization
Embryonic development begins with an outpouring of the metal, illustrating chemistry's importance in orchestrating biological processes.
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EarthWarming dents corn and wheat yields
Rising temperatures have decreased global grain production and may be partly responsible for food price increases.
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LifeGiant ants once roamed Wyoming
The first complete fossil found in North America suggests warm spells in the far north allowed big insects to spread.
By Susan Milius -
SpaceGravity Probe B finally pays off
A half century in the making, an orbiting experiment finally confirms Einstein's general relativity.
By Devin Powell -
SpaceSigns of dark matter from Minnesota mine
An underground experiment in the U.S. bolsters the case that Earth plows through a halo of dark matter particles.
By Ron Cowen -
Health & MedicineBlame brain cells for lack of focus
Denser tissue in a particular brain region may result in higher distractibility, a new study finds.
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Health & MedicineCoronary bypass rates drop
Heart patients have been less likely to undergo the surgery since 2001, with many getting a less invasive procedure.
By Nathan Seppa -
LifeSickle-cell may blunt, not stop, malaria
Once thought to keep parasite out of cells, the trait appears to diminish the severity of infection.
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HumansNo nuts for you, Nutcracker Man
Tooth analysis shows huge-jawed hominid grazed on grasses and sedges.
By Bruce Bower -
EarthGrand Canyon born by continental lift
A "drip" deep within the Earth may have raised the Colorado plateau to create the spectacular landscape of the U.S. Southwest.
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EarthWith warming, Arctic is losing ground
Scientists anticipate big ecosystem changes as erosion spills nutrients into the sea
By Janet Raloff